Here I am, six days away from departure with no visas and no itinerary. I hear the visas are coming, and it's just a matter of waiting for the embassies.
The ICRC has given me only minimal information so far. I know that one day in Liberia will be spent meeting with officials at the ICRC delegations and the Liberian National Red Cross, and the other out in the field meeting with the actual people who have been separated from their families because of the conflict and are using Red Cross Message and Tracing services. I'm told that the delegations in Liberia and Sierra Leone will arrange for my transportation to Sierra Leone. But I haven't been told yet how I will be getting there. I assume it will be via ICRC small plane. No news yet on how long I'm spending in Sierra Leone or exactly what is planned for me there. I hope to receive more details in the next few days.
One of my co-workers was especially helpful to me today. She is from Liberia and when I asked her for some guidance about currency exchange and value she immediately called a friend who just arrived in the US from Liberia. He was able to answer my questions. My co-worker also gave me her personal cell phone to ask her any questions and gave me the name and number of a woman in Liberia that she considers a mother figure and told me she could help me anything I needed while I'm there. I am comforted by their friendliness, openness and how eager they are to welcome me and help me out.
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