Being a VSO… a more brutal experience?

One of the main audiences for this blog will no doubt be other potential VSOs thinking about coming to Africa and specifically Sierra Leone so its only right that I should describe what its really like!

A place called home….VSO has 5 flats/houses in the West end of Freetown although the one is to be closed I understand. If you are based in Freetown then you will either live on one of these houses or have your accommodation supplied by your employer. Rey who works for COMHAS (clinical school) has the best deal with a house to himself, free transport, a guard, fans and a fridge (and has regular parties!!)! I live in Frazier Davies Drive in a 1st floor flat and described as the best VSO place because of the availability of running water and electricity plus the lovely balcony with a view. Having said this, the accommodation is really basic and your place may lack very basic things like cutlery and crockery. Be prepared to spend the equipment allowance (about £50) on these things. There are varying views about having a fridge. Its obviously only possible if you have reliable electricity and until this week we did have this, but after 6 days with no power, then I am not so sure! But if you are cooking alone and for health and economic reasons its necessary I think. However, I have yet have the 'battle of the Fridge' or 'Operation Hotpoint' as I'm calling it.
Being a millionaire…Then there is the living allowance of 1.35mLe per month (just over £200), it’s a pittance by UK standards (£7.50 per day) but more than reasonable for the average working Sierra Leonean. If you want to have any kind of life then you’ll spend easily about twice the allowance. This is not eating out every day or having lots of beers and includes bargaining for food at the market and cooking for yourself but you can have treats too (just found out where to get chocolate croissants, result!!). I have stopped thinking that I can earn 3 times my monthly allowance in day or two in the UK, as the longer I can eek my money out then the longer I can stay. I am not sure how anyone could live on the VSO allowance in Freetown although its maybe possible up country where produce is cheaper.

Being an ‘Ex Pat’ but with a difference…The social life here is good. Everyone includes you and there are lovely places to go and things to see and do. Making friends to socialize with isn’t difficult, but you do realise that virtually everyone else is getting something comparable to a UK salary as they are working for an NGO or a donor and usually have transport provided, either their own vehicle or a jeep and driver. I’ve met folks who have never used public transport and in fact are not allowed as its considered unsafe! Luckily you get offered lifts and occasionally treated to lunch. I’ve been told never to refuse another’s hospitality (within reason of course!) and that was good advice. Tim was especially generous and I’m hoping that he and Laslo will come and visit me when I’m home so I can reciprocate! This situation made me feel a bit resentful to start with and feeling that I have lots of experience to offer and its somehow valued less. However, I’ve reflected on the fact that I was told all of this by VSO. Volunteers are exactly that; volunteers and working here within the Sierra Leonean system as you are placed with a local partner (maybe in positions that only could be filled by VSO) and not for an international organization. The reasons for being here are maybe different (mine certainly are), motivation and expectations are different and the experience is perhaps more real/gritty. Being a VSO can be a step to getting a paid job in development and there are many ex VSOs here working now for NGOs. Finally,,, I can’t quite get used to being called an Ex Pat and being part of the Ex Pat community. Not sure what it really means, I was never that patriotic in the first place!!!

Seafood galore… Yesterday I had barracuda and rice for lunch for £4.50 and it was fab. Last week I treated myself to a seafood platter and it included lobster!! There is no shortage of good fish and seafood here but it is alot more expensive, but the local african dishes are tasty and cheap, especially from the works canteen (less than £1 for ground nut stew or bean stew and rice). At home, we mainly cook pasta and tuna pasta is the most usual dish a most of the ingredients can be found in tins!

An in summary? Well if you can get used to the more gritty existence, you are friendly and open to opportunities and are prepared to supplement your income, if you stop the poverty and dirt, traffic jams and chaos getting you down and you remember why you volunteered in the first place, then life aint at all bad here. Of course the locals are probably the friendliest folks of all the countries in the world I’ve visited so far and Salone although challenging is also a beautiful, stunning and a fascinating place.