Random reflections on my Liberian trip!

If you grow up in a devout Christian household like mine, chances are you would have chanced upon a book about the missionary to Africa Dr. David Livingstone. The famous statement "Dr.Livingstone, I presume" still echoes in my ears. Sadly, that was my only African connection till 2 weeks ago. Africa, the continent of mystique and mystery; of dense forests and rough terrain; of innumerable people with thousands of dialects; of slave labors and diamonds. Ah, the innumerable stories we have all heard about it. 

As my flight landed in Nairobi, Kenya with all those primitive, childlike yesteryear thoughts I got off. Only to be surprised. High-flying expressways and swanky new malls welcomed me to the city. The proud Kenyan friend reiterated the fact that her country is among the most developed in the continent, and among the fastest growing in the world. After a few days of enjoying the Kenyan hospitality, I landed in Liberia. A western African country off the coast of the South Atlantic ocean. 

The next two weeks were spent in this beautiful country and more so in a beautiful compound right across the beach. This is what I woke up to every day. 

Yet, the country was very different!  As a student of International Development, this country made me think deeply, and here are a few of my brain's random scribblings.

At the outset there was poverty! Evident and on the face. Life had not been easy for the people. They had faced civil war and by the time the war came to an end after 14 long years, Ebola came about, and another few years of complete closure ensued. 

A generation or two has not seen the schools! How can a country grow if there is a young population without education? Can any country at all grow without concentrating on the education of its populace? Is education the be-all and end-all of growth and development? Can learning and thinking skills be taught apart from the schooling structures to fast-track development? The questions that thronged my mind were many. 

The roads were pathetic, to say the least. The less said the better about other infrastructure. Someone said they have 75% unemployment. Agriculture hadn't yielded desired results. Healthcare is abysmal. Corruption was rampant. Where do we even start, if there has to be some development in the life of the people, was a question I constantly asked myself! 

As I was typing this a feeling of helplessness swamped me! Sadly, life is not fair. Amidst the cacophony of noises in my mind, I heard a shrill clear sound. "Sir, food"! It was the air hostess. "Vegetarian for you", she continued. But I eat non-vegetarian, I protested. "Sorry sir, but we have only beef". It is okay ma'am, I eat beef, I said. "Are you sure sir?" Sure, please give. She gave me the beef meal and left me to my thoughts and beef. I was still lost in my thoughts, with the beef meal in my hands, when a minute or two later she came back again. "Sir, that one is a 'beeeeef', you got me well, right". I sheepishly smiled back.

 "India beckons!"

Friendships and influences!

In a lonely room, in a corner of the world that didn't exist in my vocabulary till the last year, I sit and ponder on 'friendship'; Well, today being friendship day, I guess there aren't many better topics to contemplate and muse about. 

The wifey once said this to me, and I have often thought about it; "You have the remarkable ability to talk to different people differently"; Was it a compliment? Perhaps, a left-handed one! but I seriously think it has to do with growing up with multiple friends and trying and learning to live from each of them. 

So I decided to do an exercise and write the names of all the friends who at various points in time have been an influence on you. Did friends influence me? Well, here is an example! 

One rainy day in Delhi, 'M' and I decided to do dinner together. I don't remember whether I came late or how this topic 'time' came about in our conversation. She took a class on how it is important to respect time! That day I promised myself to respect time, mine, and everybody else's. This was just one example to show that most of our lives have been influenced by different people. Of course, this is such a trivial thing; and surely my parents have insisted on the importance of time at various points in life but this blog is to talk about friendships and influences. 

As I started to think, the list became bigger! Innumerable people; Numerous friends. Some crossed by life. A few ran the mile. Some still juggle along. Every one of them has been an influence on life. At that point in time, something I did had their mark on me. 

I think about all of them today! Those who stayed long, and those who left the course. 

As the wifey said, I have learnt from all of them. To live and to talk and to walk and to love and more importantly to adapt. My life would have been a lot less worth living but for them, the friends. 

Do you have friends who influenced you? Has your life changed for the better because of friendships? Think about them today! thank god for them. Say a prayer of blessing on them. 

Happy friendship day!