Arrival
After college graduation several years ago I left the USA to spend a year in Liberia, a country in Africa half way across the earth from my midwestern roots. Wide-eyed with amazement at all I saw upon arrival in Liberia, little did I know how challenging it would be to get safely into bed and fall asleep each night.
I don’t remember sleeping much the first night; travel related exhaustion mixed with euphoria at finally being in Africa, and just having my senses heightened by being in a totally new and different place all conspired to keep me awake, yet I so wanted a good night’s sleep.
Emily and furry friend in Liberia
Sleeping Quarters
We stayed with the director of the host organization and he occupied an enviable house compared to most people in the country. The house was made of concrete blocks with open window spaces containing bars and mesh screens over them.
I slept on the second floor on a wood framed bed a couple inches off the ground, which was a fancier bed than the director and his wife used: they slept on a foam mattress on the cement floor. The foam mattresses were about 2 inches thick, which felt like nothing when you lay down.
Safe and Secure
At bedtime, the electricity generators had already been turned off, so after cleaning up in the bathroom I navigated back to my room with a candle. Quickly finding my flashlight I lifted up the mosquito net and crawled in. I wiped the sand off my feet and pulled them in too. I then went all around the bed making sure the mosquito net was securely tucked under my mattress so no creatures could get in. After shining the flashlight all around the netting and under my sheets and pillow to look for spiders (the size of my hand), mosquitoes (sneaky and persistent), geckos (fast friends), and roaches (bigger than a mouse) that could’ve snuck in before me, I lay down relieved and ready to try to sleep.
Noises of the Night
It was so hot and humid, and even though we were very close to the ocean there was no breeze so I continued to sweat. The neighbors were up late and since the windows were only mesh I could hear everyone around us. So I lay there, still trying to grasp that I was, in fact, in Liberia, in Africa. Beyond exhausted, I eventually fell asleep, but tossed and turned most of the night as different limbs went numb from being on such a hard surface.
And then the rain came, and I woke up.
During the night a storm blew in, with rain, lightning and thunder. Time of year: rainy season, but I had never heard a storm like that. When I thought rain could not sound louder on the tin roof, the pelting drops crashed and rattled harder, and then continued to get louder. Early in the morning the roosters began to crow and I heard the neighbors and the city come to life.
A Better Outlook
Now, whenever it’s hot, my bed is uncomfortable, the neighbors are loud, the dogs are barking, or the thunderstorm is noisy, I remember my nights in Liberia and think, this really isn’t that bad, it could be worse ……. and so much more exciting!
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