October - December 2017 •
The Lion King
• 33
GROWING THE SEED
helped clear all the false preconcep-
tions about the country. Honestly, I
was impressed about how far the
country has come considering the
long period of wars and the Ebola
epidemic.
What is your social life like from down-
town Lagos to a very small town?
Liberia is full of life. The size of the
country allows for socialization. One
gets to know all the important people
in the country within a short period.
You get invited to almost all the events
and social gatherings… and there are
lots of such gatherings. Compared to
Lagos, it is easier to balance work and
life here.
What do you do for leisure? Do you
miss Lagos a lot or not at all?
I have enough time to exercise – I like
jogging and sometimes drive around
to know more of Monrovia and the
nearby Counties. I also like going to the
beaches - eco-resorts. There are really
nice beaches in Liberia especially in
the Marshall/ Robertsport areas. Apart
from family and friends, I am not really
missing Lagos. I visit Lagos as often as
possible and technology has helped in
the sense that one can communicate
through video calls to bridge the gap.
What is it like being an expatriate? This
being your first time?
The truth is, it is not really as challeng-
ing as I expected. I guess it is easy for
me because I was psychologically
prepared for the redeployment and
the host country is also accommo-
dating. The only challenge was leav-
ing the family, friends and colleagues
behind to start work and live in a com-
pletely unfamiliar culture and system.
As an expatriate, one had to do a lot
of unlearning and re-learning. I had to
read a lot about the policies, regula-
tions and even the Labour laws. The
learning is still on-going.
Would you be happy to relocate to
Liberia for good?
Yes, it’s a possibility. I joke with my fam-
ily and friends about this a lot. There
are lots of opportunities here and
the landscape in Liberia - especially
Monrovia is phenomenal. Commuting
from one place to another is easy
because the traffic situation is not
chaotic compared to a place like
Lagos where I have spent all my life
until this posting.
What are the highlights about Liberia
that you would like people to know?
The Country is naturally beautiful and
in a pure state. The beaches are really
nice and whole lot to explore. Liberia
has one of the longest raining seasons
in Africa; so everywhere is green.
Tell us something about the people of
Liberia that we may not know.
The people of Liberia are very hospita-
ble and treat foreigners with respect.
They have a big heart and are very
warm and welcoming. Despite what
the people have gone through, they
are resilient and still remain one of the
happiest people on earth.
How have you been able to adapt so
well?
Adapting among fellow Africans must
not be that difficult especially when
you have a welcoming host. I took
time out to know the people, espe-
cially those I work with and it’s been
wonderful. Initially I had challenges
with the Liberian accent but now I can
hold discussions with ease.
Is there a big cultural difference
between Liberians and other Africans?
Is there a strong American influence
and is this positive?
There is not much difference in terms
of culture, music, fashion and cuisine.
The American influence is more in the
names and accents. Another differ-
ence is the staple food; Liberians can
eat rice – thrice every day.
Beach of Robestsport in Liberia
Photo Credit: Flickr/Erik Cleves Kristensen
