• Lifestyle
  • School
  • Travel
  • About Me
    • Disclosure
  • Contact
  • The Ultimate College Girl Holiday Gift Guide

Social Media

Check This Out

october 2022 goals

View

That Girl Goals for October 2022

October 3, 2022

 
Amaris Elizabeth
  • Lifestyle
  • School
  • Travel
  • About Me
    • Disclosure
  • Contact
  • The Ultimate College Girl Holiday Gift Guide
Amaris Elizabeth
  • Lifestyle
  • School
  • Travel
  • About Me
    • Disclosure
  • Contact
  • The Ultimate College Girl Holiday Gift Guide

In travel

Liberia Travel Diary | Week I

July 5, 2018 Be first to comment

Liberia Travel Diary | Week I

For the first time in a long time my Fourth of July was quiet. No fireworks, no barbecue, but a least I represented with a red-white-blue ensemble. On my instagram I asked whether or not you can call it the 4th if everything isn’t red, white, and blue. I think we can all agree spreading the national colors is what makes Independence Day special.

The reason for this quiet celebration is rather simple. Once upon a time I thought my senior trip would be to someplace like Disney World or a Mediterranean cruise. There was even a time when a Disney cruise was considered; ‘kill two birds with one stone’ you know?

Disney didn’t happen though

In a fortunate change of heart and events, I am currently spending the summer in Monrovia, Liberia; home to many tropical fruits, humidity for days, and my parents. At the end of 2016 my family spent three months in neighboring Sierra Leone, which was my first time being in Africa. There is something powerful in seeing your own skin color wherever you go. Many won’t be able to understand how that feels for the first time, but as an African-American that has been the minority her whole life coming to Sierra Leone felt like coming home.

While in Freetown, the capitol of Sierra Leone, I was unable to visit Liberia despite how close it was. My mother has ties to Sierra Leone through her father, but Liberia is home. It frustrated me that my relatives were just a border away, yet I couldn’t visit. Being so close made me want to change that.

So it was home to LIB

I am well aware that many children of immigrants, particularly those of African descent, have little desire to visit their parent’s homeland. By no means can I compare Liberia to the luxury of America that I grew up in, but it still feels like I belong here. Growing up my parents would share stories from their childhood that contradicted the images of Africa that were being shown on TV. It wasn’t Hollywood glamorous but it wasn’t built on a ’50 cents per day’ sponsorship.

When the decisions for my senior trip had to be made, it was clear to me where I wanted to go. I knew where I wanted to go for my trip before I knew where I wanted to go to college. It took very little convincing of my parents, mostly my mother who loves cruises, and travel arrangements were made months in advance.

 

The actual trip

Our flight left a few minutes before 1 A.M. on June 22nd. It would take us a total of almost 30 hours to reach the apartment we were to stay at in Monrovia. I, of course, made the worst mistake of my life and decided to wear contacts during the flight. Contacts. For 30 hours.

Sometime during our nine hour layover in Amsterdam I decided to ditch them in favor of my comfortable glasses. Why didn’t I go with the glasses in the first place? It’s because I had bought cool looking sunglasses and you can’t wear regular glasses and sunglasses at the same time, duh. I’ve nevertheless learned my lesson and suffered from red eyes only for a day or two.

We officially arrived in Liberia on Friday, June 22nd, due to the freakishness that is time zones, and it’s been go-go-go since then. The one thing about coming home after a long time, my mother hadn’t been back for over 30 years, is that everyone wants to catch up with each other. It also calls for some housekeeping.

What I’ve done so far…

This past week has largely been spent taking care of loose ends and meeting up with family and friends. The only ‘vacation’ type activity we have done was a trip to the beach yesterday. Not for long and it was getting pretty dark, but we still have time to visit as many beaches as we want. There really isn’t much to do here in terms of entertainment since everyone is too busy hustling for a living. That is why I no longer consider this a vacation, but rather a summer spent in Liberia.

…and how I’ve reacted

In terms of my first impressions of Liberia, I would say it is how I expected it to be and worse. Liberia and Sierra Leone went through civil wars around the same time. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of things, but they are both still recovering. That is why I expected Liberia to look the way it does, because I had already seen a picture of it in Freetown.

What I didn’t expect is just how different everything is. The places my parents talked about are gone, maybe not physically, but the life their stories breathed into them has been snuffed out. It boggles me to see how content people are in the way they are living. I want to ask them “what about the school fees pinned to your uniform and the trips down the river in rubber tubes?” When my parents do ask, the answer is always the same, “the Liberia of today is not the same Liberia you left.” Heartbreaking and painfully real.

I don’t want to sit here and lie about how great and beautiful the country is, because I don’t think it is. At least not now. I truly believe that the Liberia of my parents and the Liberia of today are completely different. Honestly, I had no right believing a war as bad as I’ve heard would leave those memories in tact.

Now that Liberia has been destroyed it is time to rebuild. The saddest part for me is knowing that I may never see the new Liberia. Rome wasn’t built in a day rings true. My parents will always have their memories because they were there and lived through them. All I have is stories.

A better outlook for the future

Hopefully, things will start to turn around, I have already met several great people working towards building this new Liberia. I’ve only been here for a week or so and my enthusiasm has sunk and risen like the tide. One thing I know is that I still consider Liberia home and will always find my way back.

This isn’t what you’d call a typical travel diary. It would have been hard for me to write about my ‘ wonderful, tropical vacation’ that didn’t exist. You may infer from this post that I am not enjoying my stay, but the opposite is true. I enjoy meeting people from my parents past and hearing their stories. I also enjoy discussing ideas about the future of Liberia’s development with friends and family members. I’m suffering from what can only be diagnosed as a reality check. Next week I’ll make sure to update you on my progress.

a-reality-check

 

Related

Share

Previous Post

10 Teen Bloggers I'm…

In lifestyle

10 Teen Bloggers I'm Loving Lately

View Post

Next Post

Summer Bucket List Ideas You…

In Uncategorized

Summer Bucket List Ideas You Never Thought About

View Post

Hi! I’m Amaris, a senior in college majoring in Global Affairs. I strongly believe sharing is caring, so you will find my thoughts, ideas, and experiences on this blog in the hopes that it inspires. Take a look around!

Social Media

Wanna Be IG Besties?

amaris.elizabeth

tell a friend to tell a friend… she’s back!!! tell a friend to tell a friend… she’s back!!!  First Pinterest live of the new year went amazingly. You can check it out in my highlights 🥰
vacation recap vacation recap
happy new year 🎆 happy new year 🎆
Merry Christmas 🎄 Merry Christmas 🎄
Faded Under Eye Masks Unboxing | New favorite eye Faded Under Eye Masks Unboxing | New favorite eye masks incoming? Faded Under Eye Masks are coming with me on my 14 hour flight so let’s see if they pass the test
Winter 2022 Graduate 👩🏾‍🎓 now the thi Winter 2022 Graduate 👩🏾‍🎓  now the thing I molded my entire personality around is over 😭
Currently putting off a final paper to post this Currently putting off a final paper to post this  🦃 November Photo Dump 🦃  1. Civic duty 
2. Haven’t eaten this well is some time 
3. Wakanda Forever 
4. New nails 
5. God hates charades
6. Thanksgiving 
7. My most diverse wrapped yet
8. What I tell myself to get through the next two weeks. Also a very good song
9. My most favorite fit this month
winter? ootd I actually don’t know what season winter? ootd  I actually don’t know what season it is
holiday gift ideas: cozy edition holiday gift ideas: cozy edition
Maybe I do like fall? Maybe I do like fall?
Forgot to post lol  🎃 October 2022 photo dump 🎃  1. Reward myself for procrastinating with Starbucks often
2. Dyed my hair 👩🏾‍🦰
3. Made doughnuts 
4. Bought this pretty pink piece at a local antique store 
5. My claws
6. Dyed my hair again 👩🏾
7. Picked my graduation dress
8. Halloweekend 2022
9. You ever had pasta on pizza?
Call me, beep me… Halloweekend 2022. Close frie Call me, beep me…  Halloweekend 2022. Close friends saw it first

Newsletter

Archive

  • October 2022
  • July 2022
  • May 2022
  • November 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Amaris Elizabeth

© 2023 Amaris Elizabeth - All Rights Reserved.

 

Loading Comments...