Overview...

What started as an awareness raising and ethnographic styled walk through Sierra Leone, this site now details the encounters of a not so academic academic who spends more time occupying Wall Street and squats than a university...

Thursday, August 26, 2010

More stuff...


So there are a number of things that have been going on of late that I haven't written about yet.  I got my backpack yesterday, and am expecting the Hammock today.  I got this specific backpack pretty much strictly because it had the special airflow back and it was the one of that style that fit best.  As a result, I have no idea what all these pockets and straps are for!!  lol.  Actually, a lot is pretty self explanatory, and makes complete sense given my experience, but still I was going through it last night... so many little intricacies.  Very amusing...

I checked google analytics today and saw that we have officially gotten our first visit to the website from someone actually in Sierra Leone.  May not seem like much, but is still a good step.  I have specifically been holding off on doing much of the marketing until I get closer to actually leaving.  I figure its easier to have people maintain interest in the actual trip once I am there or about to leave, rather than the less exciting build up to it.  So to get visits that seem to just be coming of their own accord is positive.

I have continued to email with Cyril at Zain telecom, and he said that I could very easily just use a modem to plug into the computer and use the internet.  $70-75 for the modem and then $10 for 100mb.  I'm asking him for a full rate card for more usage.  But it is pay as you go so that is positive, no contract or anything.  With this I wouldn't have to buy a $400 smart phone, which would REALLY help my budget.  But I still need to get a phone and I need it to double as a descent camera, so still not out of the woods yet.  But it could give me more flexibility.  I tried calling Nokia yesterday and asking, but think I got hung up on... I'll have to find out more of the technical aspects to it and go from there.  It may be more worth while to do the full-on smart phone given the $75 modem, the cost of another phone with good camera, and future considerations but time will tell.

I have been working on flash cards for Krio, but I must admit am not getting far.  I just can't seem to be too successful without being in country and listening and learning right there on the spot.  This brings me to another thought that has been slowly growing in my mind given multiple conversations I've been having with people associated with the country.  Maybe it would be worth it to spend the beginning of the trip a bit more settled.  Yeah, I know not a new idea, I was already thinking to spend a week in Freetown getting acclimated.  But Kaps with Child Help and I have been talking about some project ideas and with others people about security and not getting taken advantage of - basically involving getting to know my way around the people and language.  This makes perfect sense given all my other time abroad, some places and people will try to take you for all you're worth as a foreigner 'with money'.    I am going to put together an entire post on this in a little bit though that will get into the possible project and these other considerations.  For now though, I just thought I'd put up another update...  

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