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Life in Liberia Africa



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Just wanted to give some update on my life since I haven't been here much the last week.

Liberia is a unique post. It has been evacuated more than any other US post and from my understanding, is one of 3 designated post-conflict - Afghanistan and Iraq are the others. I will be leaving Friday and returning to North Dakota. I am not sure whether I will get a job/contract offer from the Treasury in Africa after this or not. Before I left, they did mention Mozambique...

This country was once nice with electricity, Water, etc. 14 years of civil war destroyed all of that. Electricity is by generator. I don't know what locals do for Water in their homes. I, fortunately, am in embassy housing with several generators and water from a distiller. Many empty buildings that were shelled. Others have damage from smoke, rockets, etc.

I am very glad I did not get a fill. I know I have not had good eating habits and have had excess wine...but I have been trying. I have at least 40 grams of Protein shakes a day and get in more with my meals. Beyond that, I have no restriction and that helps me in being able to eat and stuff here. I have only pb'd once since surgery and it was when I inhaled a cold leftover hamburger. I have had no problems here and I am thankful for that. Feeling like I'm on a 24 hour 10 day job interview plus living in a restricted environment (embassy housing, assigned driver, permission to leave embassy grounds) is enough without worrying about food.

Please remember me in your prayers as I continue through the rest of this week. I return home Saturday and get a fill on Tuesday. Then I will be on my way to thin land.

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Whoa Nelllie, you are, indeed, brave. Before you left, it sounded so exciting! Now, it sounds downright intimidatingly scary! Civil War, bombs, rockets, shells, generators...I LOVE LOVE LOVE the United States!

So, do you even want this potential new job?! Or can you even answer for security reasons? (!) Just kididng. We want pics!!!

Please be safe...come home soon!

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Wow you are one Brave women.. Where is Mozambique?? Do really want to contiune if it puts your life in danger.. I am seeing Laura from those movies Tomb Raider. Is that you in disguise???

Be safe Road Queen and take care till your back in the Good Ole USA.

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My head is spinning thinking about the challenges people are facing in Liberia, and I'm in awe of you voluntarily being in the middle of it. Take care of yourself, and come back to us healthy!!

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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