Monrovia: I Love My City, I Hate My City

It has been a week since I got back from my very long trip out of Liberia. I must say I am struggling - like I always do - in settling back into Liberia. I am frustrated with everything: the hot and sticky weather; the general shabbiness and ugliness of Monrovia; the gutters, the putrid smells; the throng of street vendors and especially their goods-laden wheelbarrows; and, how long things take to get done here.

It is pure culture shock! Even when driving back from the airport, one looks around at the thick tropical forest on either sides of the RIA highway, and you say to yourself, yaar ye tau jungle hai, what am I doing here?

That jungle-shock-fever passes and you start coming into Congo Town, one of the furthest edges of Monrovia, and get re-acquainted with the bareness, the shoddiness of Monrovia. I did notice the new Ministry of Health recently renovated by Chinese contractors and it looks good. But it stands out as a lone building. As you come into town and pass Sinkor and finally into the very congested central Monrovia, you are really struck by how shoddy and small Monrovia is.

Sure, Monrovia has seen loads of changes over the past several years. In fact, I should know having first arrived way back in 2003 when it was literally enveloped by darkness, full of refugees, piles of garbage and shelled-out buildings starting out at you from every corner. I often make glowing and enthusiastic remarks at how much change has come about and that we are really moving towards much more. But I guess because the country still has such a long way to go, it is such a culture shock coming from places like Islamabad.

I arrived back at my apartment slash office only to find everything caked in 1-inch dust and half my plants struggling for water. Nothing was as I like it and have instructed to be maintained in a certain way. I was incensed, infuriated and indignant. I wanted to fire everyone. Thankfully, it was the weekend and I couldn't actually fire anyone. But my God, was I pissed off that my staff had let simply ignored my very detailed and explicit instructions on how to maintain my office. I couldn't even enjoy the cup of coffee on the new terrace that Haresh had added to by making a walkway and a wooden floor. I was fuming the whole time, angry that my plants had unnecessarily been starved of precious water.  I found dirt and dust everywhere, wanting to weep and scream at the same time. 

I also forgot to mention that half of the new rattan set that I had specially got made for the terrace was stolen on one of the holidays when both Haresh and I were away and I guess no one was around (although I had asked my staff to check the place by passing by on Sundays and holidays and take turn doing it). The clever thief had actually broken the lock going up to the terrace and apparently no one in the entire building heard the sound. Naturally, I was seething about this as well. 

I did, of course, take my staff to task on Monday morning. The answers I got were really creative: the cat ate all the plants, we just cleaned the place, I don't know or let me blame someone else for it. Then, there was a whole lot of sulking and mumbling. 

So yes, I got really pissed off and did some almost-firing and sulking of my  own. I think I also really miss Joseph Dennis and I feel pangs of nostalgia through out the day. May his soul rest in peace.

I guess I need to find keep working at enforcing rules and getting people to follow instructions. I have noticed that although most of staff come from really humble backgrounds, some of them really think it is below them to do other things requested of them. I found it very strange that none of the staff bothered to wait for me at the office after I returned from the Airport last Saturday. And, the worst is that they'll never admit their mistakes and instead, sulk! I was shocked to see how much attitude and sulkiness I was shown when I pointed out my disappointment at finding a messy office and half my plants in bad shape. There is really no way to change the mentality but I guess I can keep pointing out what I like and dislike and hopefully, this set of young persons working for me will start to follow instructions. 

Work wise, the business has been doing well and for the couple weeks that both Haresh and I were away, the staff handled clients and followed instructions. It was also a slow time and not much was happening. Ultimately, Haresh and I can only afford to be away for about a month at the same time and any more than that impacts the business. 

So, I think I am getting back into it although I do really miss Islamabad. I miss being in a city which is functional and also pleasing to look at. Monrovia offers no respite because it is in a very shabby condition. Sure, things have improved a lot in the last few years and the mayor's office has accomplished a lot to restore order (parking areas, street signs, one-way streets, control of traffic, building of the new bridge going into Bushrod Island), get the city cleaned up (so much so that the first Saturday of the month is set aside exclusively to clean up the town) and to beautify (plants, painting, renovation).

Broad Street

Broad Street

But still, it is always a culture shock to come from any other country and to find oneself in a shabby city that is Monrovia. It also offers no natural beauty and so one longs to see something looking pretty and normal. Monrovia is by the ocean but unfortunately most of the beaches in town are extremely dirty and people have been using them as public toilets! One has to drive out for several kilometers to find a clean beach. So what does that leave us with? There are some hilly bits of Monrovia which are nice such as the top of Broad Street which offer a nice view but really one is hard pressed to find some scenic views.  All in all, I do not think Monrovia is naturally pretty making one starved of beauty. 

The streets during the day time on weekdays are full of street vendors, masses of people, traffic and lots of commotion. I often find myself wanting to throttle the guys who sell those outdated, annoying CDs and play them on an ancient deck, transporting the whole mobile CD shop on a wheelbarrow!

Having said all of the above, I do have a certain relationship with Liberia that forces me to think in positive terms. I am here for the long term and have set myself up for a challenge that I am relishing. I have been in Liberia for almost 10 years, most of it working for the dysfunctional UN system, but only recently switched to the private sector. I am here to establish and grow a premier IT company that will provide services and goods to the new Liberia, which is booming and shows great promise.

I am really glad that I don't belong to the aid crowd with its typical short-term relationship with the country it serves. I am here for long term and have a different vision and stake in this place. When I used to work in a stuffy UN office it would take me ages - at least a month - to get back into Liberia mode or to feel motivated again. Now, my turn around time is a week! There's too much going on in my personal and professional life to feel down or depressed. Where before I was stuck in a job which had such a messed up relationship with the country I was in, I could never be positive about the future. 

It is a completely different ball game now. Having a business has completely changed my outlook and view towards the place I am in. Instead of seeing Liberia as an aid-receiving hopeless case, I now see it as a growing economy with a leadership that has an outward-looking, modern vision. I want to be part of a new, changing Liberia and yes, benefit from it. I want a piece of the cake!

I see potential everywhere. And yes, Liberians can be a pain to work with but I have way much more freedom to train people, to hire people, to fire people and find and mould a team to my liking. And I am sure I am also a pain to work with, too. 

Yay! I have given myself a great pep talk and am re-excited about all the great stuff I am trying to accomplish in Liberia!