Feeling at home in Freetown
By David Krueger
It’s amazing how welcoming a Carlsberg beer and a friendly face can be.
After I arrived in Freetown I was shaking I was so nervous. It had taken me almost two days to make the journey from Seattle, in the United States, to Sierra Leone. During that time I kept getting more and more excited about the trip, and confident I would be ready for Africa.
I was wrong.
I got off the plane to rain and walked toward the airport to gather my things. I had no idea what was going to happen next. While waiting for my luggage I had several thoughts go through my head. What am I doing? Can I handle this? What happens next?
Fortunately, my editor here at Awoko Newspaper sent a group of people to pick me up from the airport. Once a man helped me with my suitcases we wandered over to a bar not far from the airport. There my editor’s nephew, with a huge smile on his face, officially welcomed me to Sierra Leone.
He offered a laugh and the most friendly “hello” I have ever heard, while extending his hand. I had never met or talked to this man before in my entire life, but I immediately felt like we had been lifelong friends.
He ordered me a Carlsberg beer, the first of several that we’ve already shared together during my visit and will continue to drink until my three month trip here has ended. Instantly, I felt better. I saw the friendliness and helpfulness of the people of Sierra Leone, and knew I would be just fine.
The nervousness turned to excitement as we boarded the ferry. We have ferries where I come from too. In fact, the northwest coast of Washington state has one of the largest ferry systems in the world, transporting over 25 million people per year.
So I felt right at home, with the men who came to get me as we shared another beer and I got to hear all about Sierra Leone. I heard about the food, the beaches, the newspaper and the people.
As the ferry brought me closer and closer to Freetown, I looked around and saw several people, some I recognized from one of my three flights, who had the same terrified look on their faces that I had on mine a short time before.
It won’t be long before their tension is eased as well.
After we arrived in Freetown I was brought to the Awoko office, where there were highlights from the women’s World Cup on in the background.
They like soccer here, I thought. We’ll get along very well!
I got to meet a few of the people that I’ll be working with for the next three months. Everyone was welcoming and very eager to show me around the city.
Even though it took me 40 hours to get here, and I only slept for eight of those hours at most, I was wide awake. This lasted right up until I was taken to my hostel to spend the night. Once everything was all set up and I got to my room, I took my shoes off and climbed onto the bed, instantly falling asleep. I didn’t even get a chance to change clothes or get under a blanket.
It didn’t occur to me before I was asleep that I didn’t have an alarm clock with me. I brought almost everything but that. The only clock I had was my music player, which had an alarmingly low battery. These would have been good things to think about before I was sleeping, but I didn’t.
I slept for a few hours and woke up at what my music player said was 5 a.m. I have never been so wide awake at five in the morning in my entire life. There was a dog barking outside my window and it seemed to be getting louder and louder with each bark.
That alone wouldn’t have kept me awake, but it was then I realized my alarm clock predicament. I was getting picked up at 8:30 and I was worried that if I went back to sleep I might not get up before 8:30 – in the evening!
So I remained in bed for another couple hours, just lying there trying to imagine what my day would be like. Eventually, the sun began to rise and I got my first good look of Freetown, and it was beautiful.
To my right I saw the ocean, with boats floating across the water. There were a few tall buildings and I wondered what was inside them. As my eyes glided across my window, I saw a huge hill, with houses piled up on top of it.
This is Freetown, I thought. This place looks incredible.
I got ready and went downstairs when my clock said 8:20. It turns out, however, that my clock was one hour ahead of Freetown. So I waited near the front of my hostel for an hour, nervous that I had missed my ride or I had been forgotten about.
I went to a nearby internet café to email my editor and make sure I didn’t do anything wrong. Meanwhile, a man from the office came to get me, right on time. I got back to my hostel and the woman at the front desk said somebody had come to get me, and was on his way back.
Moments later, he was back.
Terrified at how stupid I must have looked, I got into the car and apologized for disappearing. I told him I had just left to email the editor, while continuing to say I was sorry. He just laughed and told me not to worry.
We arrived at the office and I met another group of my new co-workers. They also welcomed me with open arms. I felt just as welcome here as I do in America. The editor said that here everyone is family, and I’m incredibly honored to be able to be a part of it for the next three months.
While I was telling them about my first night in Sierra Leone they heard I only had been drinking Carlsbergs, and immediately informed me that I must try Star beer. I’m beyond excited to do that. If a Carlsberg can make me so relaxed and at home in Freetown, imagine how great the official beer of Sierra Leone will make me feel.
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