The embassy motor pool driver picked me up at the hotel this morning and drove me the 15 minutes to work. On the way, we passed school children of all sizes in uniform on their way to school and people flagging taxies to get to work. We turned in at big metal gates between high concrete walls at a sign for the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. The offices where I’ll work were inside the compound in a pre-fab building next to the ministry and upstairs through an unmarked door.
I share an office but have my own desk next to a window (it was years before IHS gave me a window and some people never get them). The view is… interesting. It’s hard to tell in this picture but I can see the ocean in the distance.
I got introduced around and settled in. Everyone was kind and welcoming. I met the other TDYers (other temporary people like me). And I recognized one of them! We were at the same trainings in Georgia in December. She also just arrived and will stay 3 weeks.
We sat through the RSO (regional security officer) briefing and learned what is and isn’t safe to do. This was the sobering realization. Safe activities are somewhat limited. For example, we can only travel in CDC or embassy vehicles and can’t go out at night unless in a CDC or embassy vehicles. It’s ok to walk around during the day, but they recommend going with others and definitely not standing around taking pictures with your iPhone XR.
On the plus side, we can reserve a vehicle and driver to go out of the city on the weekend to, for example, a nice beach. Oh, and I’ll have plenty of time to post entries in my blog…
I also have absolutely no excuse to skip exercising in the hotel gym. I can seen the ocean from there too. I can also see the hotel security guard checking for explosives under every vehicle before letting them in…
Jill’s Adventure in Sierra Leone 