Musicians [Saturday, July 14]

After spending a few hours writing a mid-project progress report on my work with the students at iEARN, I ventured out into the streets. There's a group of muscians who are all unemployed and play their drums on the steps of one of the buildings along Wesley Street. They all look up to their leader Raymond for food and support.

Raymond and Henry, one of the more vocal men of the group, were quite upset this morning. They had been arrested Friday morning by the police - they claimed it was because they were playing their drums in support of the APC and the police are SLPP supporters. However, it's often hard to separate politics from money. After talking to them further, the story came out that they had been smoking ganja (marijuana) - which, although illegal in theory, is nothing unusual in Freetown - while also playing their drums. A policeman looking to make some money happened by and arrested them. When arrested, you have two options: go to jail and wait months for a trial, or pay off the police officers. They coughed up Le20,000 each - an enourmous amount for the average person in Freetown - and were promptly set free.

I continued on my walk and encountered a gaggle of young children who demanded I come visit their home on 54 Pademba Road. After the requisite pleasantries and the seemingly hundreds of children appearing out of thin air to stare at the visitor from America, I headed over to iEARN for the afternoon. The youth were busy with a girls club meeting. Agatha led the discussion, which touched on everything from teenage pregnancy to the elections to sharia law to the role of government (as opposed to the individual) in development.

Agatha clarifies an issue as Mamadu (foreground) listens

After the girls club meeting, the youth held a formal debate, complete with judges - Franklyn (iEARN staff member) and Jess (iEARN intern from the US). The topic "Are teachers or students responsible for success in education?" provoked a wide range of opinions as the youth argued their points; the discussion came quite close - and even surpassed - some I've witnessed in the classroom back home in the US.

Emile argues his point

I then returned to town and visited Karim, a friend who lives at The City of Rest, a rehabilitation center next to the YMCA. 17-year-old Karim, apparently the son of the Sierra Leonean ambassador to the UK, was living a "crazy life" in London, but has since returned to Freetown to live with his grandfather and uncle at the City of Rest.

I ventured down Fort Street to Kiemanns, where Michelle's birthday party was in full swing. Michelle, Rachel and Tamara are students from Birmingham University in the UK who are interning and doing research with local NGOs while staying at the YMCA. After a delicious dinner, the party moved back to the YMCA where Tamara had a birthday cake from Crown Bakery waiting for Michelle. The smart people then went to bed, but those of us who weren't so intelligent chartered a poda (we filled it up!) for a late night and early morning at Paddy's. Although the dance floor is usually deserted until after 2 am, Madonna's "Like a Prayer" came on, and we were all so excited to actually hear a song that we knew, so we all went out and danced while the Sierra Leoneans stared in confusion...