Corn't cope

Field visit back to Lofa County to address a few project management issues. Sadly without the new full-time Project Manager who is still delayed in Nigeria. I am continuing to hold the reins.

When there was radio coverage during the journey, songs tended to be smash hits such as As Long As You Love Me by the Backstreet Boys and A New Day Has Come by Celine Dion. Unavoidably catchy, at least they are vastly easier to listen to than that barking type of preaching heard all over the radio in Africa, with the speaker about to double over with a hernia at any given moment.

Along the main road hawkers thrust bread, corn and soft drinks through vehicle windows. It's all far more exhausting than it needs to be. You end up receiving corn on the cobs from more than one hawker and have to enter into a hugely circular discussion to work out who is owed what. Often the hawker will lie about the amount she has provided and refuse to give change or split the proceeds with the other. I don't think it's poor maths skills, often it's simple dishonesty.

It's all very baffling and an interesting insight into the acceptable cultural frameworks of other people. In the worlds of these hawkers it is the norm to cheat your fellow hawker of income despite having just seen her give some corn to a customer, yet then go back into the shade and lark around together about the latest village shenanigans.

The ear belongs to my colleague Morlue, who was helping to navigate the corn deal.