Well! I’m in Sierra Leone, Western Africa. We landed last night at around 8pm. I flew the last leg – London to Freetown on BMI. It was a really fun flight. Everyone ‘congregated’ in the aisles talking and visiting with each other. VERY different to what’s even ‘allowed’ on US and AUS flights. I met other single ‘white’ chicks who were flying in to work on humanitarian projects as part of their US degrees.
Sarah A. Lanier talks in her book Foreign to Familiar: A guide to Understanding Hot and Cold-Climate Cultures about the ‘Hot Climate’ being relationship based and the ‘Cold Climate’ being task orientated. So its funny how the luxury of ‘air conditioning’ has forced us indoors even in hot parts of the western world. I’m amazed at how many neighbours I didn’t know. Over here, you drive through the villages and people are everywhere. It’s actually pretty daunting. People are staring everywhere… and if you catch their eye or say hello you’ll be shortly asked for money.
I was picked up from the airport and we headed towards Nyandehun (outside Waterloo). You have to cross the Little Scarcies River on a ferry close to where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. That was a crazy experience. An hour wait to get on… a little under an hour on it. The boat owner invited us up to the ‘Presidential suite’. So that was nice… and air conditioned!
So today I slept in and then we went to Bureh-Beach for a bit of a chilax. It was lovely considering how hot and muggy it is. For some reason I can’t get my pictures to upload just yet so I’m gonna sign out for the evening…
Blessings from Sierra Leone, Africa
14. June 2010 at 2:45 am
Love the new look, Joy. Love that you’re in Africa, experiencing the other side of the Western Christian life: missionary service.
I loved the Hot Climate relationship based lifestyle when I lived in East Africa. I hoping to achieve more of that in the cold climate of Canada’s East Coast.
I know this experience will be life-changing devastating in a good way. Revel in the presence of God and the relationships you develop in your short time in Sierra Leone.
Blessing on you, and prayers from New Brunswick Canada,
Doug
14. June 2010 at 10:56 am
Joy,
The new website is fantastic. Excellent choice with Worpress and Woothemes in my opinion. (I’m a little bummed at the absence of the “I’m an Aussie Read My Blog” title though) Great to hear your travels are going well. I’ll be praying for you and for God to work through you.
Cheers,
Kevin
14. June 2010 at 11:29 am
You own a very interesting blog covering lots of topics I am interested as well.I just added your site to my favorites so I can read more in the future… Please continue your marvellous work
14. June 2010 at 1:18 pm
Joyo!! Very proud of you and so glad you made it there safely. Can’t wait to hear how it all goes. The site looks great!
lots of love