These are pictures I took, and they were so sweet to pose for them, after I had brought my dental floss to school.  They had had a piece to read in the morning that referred to "dental floss."  They did not know what it was..they had it confused with "mouthwash."  So, when I went home for lunch, I brought my dental floss back with me and first demonstrated its use and then walked around giving out a long length of it to each student who wanted it....how sweet it was.  The students are so unihibited...they are so anxious for new information.  Also, if you look on the wall at the posters in one of the pictures, you will see that some of the posters are put up with ugly looking pieces of tape..showing the tape.  I showed them how to make loops of the tape and put it on the back of the poster and no one has done it the old way since.  ( Small differences...but, differences :)

Another interesting story is from a day when I ran out of things to do in the lesson plan so I decided to teach them Musical Chairs.  These students are being prepared to be primary school teachers so I figured that even tho they are too big to play musical chairs ( which they loved) they could use it with their students on rainy days when they could not go outside for recess.  Anyhow, I asked them if they knew the game and when they said no, as I was trying to describe the game to the class, one student finally got a look of understanding on his face and his hand shot up and he said, "We played that in the camps in Ghana."  I knew what he meant...the refugee camps that thousands of Liberians ran to during the civil war ( or civil crisis as they call it) .  It started in 1990 and was over in about 2003 so all of these students have some recollection of the chaos.  Apparently, some Liberians just ran to the "bush" and hid while the fighters were in their towns and then returned to the destuction and looted home when they left and others went to the neighboring countries and the refugee camps there.  Peace Corps told us that we were coming to a "post conflict" countrty but they really did  not explain what that meant...how it would affect the students and our interaction, etc.  Well, this was one example...I asked the kid who had sponsored the camp and he said the Norweigians.  I guess everyone spoke English because that is all the local kids speak, other than their local tribal language, if they have been fortunate enough to have someone in their lives who could teach them. 

THis area is called "Red Light."  No one seems to know how it got that name but.....we can guess.  Now it is a muddy muddy market place that seems to be a meeting place for taxis to everywhere.  We have fortunately discovered a way to aviod this location by getting out of the Kakata taxi early and getting another taxi on the "bypass" to Monrovia.

This is Charlene..She is a PC volunteer who has just extended for her third year ...She and her PC partner ( below) Kristin have developed a women's group at a high school where they sew these handbags, etc.  They are just beautiful.  The company is called "boshbosh" which means "pieced together, like quilted" .   They would love to develop it into a real business for the local women but have the usual obstacles..marketing, shipping costs, etc.  but, for now its a wonderful activity and a money maker...ideas from my readers ( especially Jeff who is connected to the Africans)  are welcome.

This is Kristen, mentioned above, putting the wares out at a show they did at a little restaurant.  Kathy and I were in Monrovia at the time so of course we went and made a few ( a lot) purchases. I hope my granddaughters like them :)

The fabric is called "lapa" and it comes and fabulous prints...beautiful beautiful stuff.  I'll try to take some photos of the women in dresses ( suits) made of the fabric...they are just beautiful and look so gorgeous on the dark skinned folks. 

View of the Atlantic from the shop where the "Bosh bosh" show was held.  Its a beautiful place but so shabby...worn out.....needs a lot of TLC.  If anyone wants to buy oceanfront property at bargain prices, this would be the place...just no infrastructure.