Zwedru

Microwave Coal Pot

Ziah, my dishwasher

Running Water

Appliance breakdown

APPLIANCES   When I moved to my house, I had two truck loads of possessions and three helpful friends.  Upon arrival, we were greeted by a zillion kids eager to carry things.  Little hands grabbed for everything they could.  And, nothing was missing or broken.  I needed to get the kids something and decided on candy.  The main candy was like Halls cough drops.  In the heat, they got gummy and stuck to everything.  It was disgusting, but it was a hit with the kids.

I didn't suffer nearly as much as my friends in America thought I did.  In fact, I had many of the same appliances they had -- with just a little bit of a Liberian twist. 

My favorite neighbor kids, Ziah and Quiah Diah, often came over to watch me and make chocolate no-bake cookies in my "microwave" coal pot.  Whenever we made cookies, kids appeared from all over the neighborhood.

Of course, they knew if they made the mess, they had to clean it up.  All Liberian families had dishwashers.  They called them "children".  If they saw me haul out dishes to the porch, they generally came running -- and did the dishes as well as any six year old.  The task always included several trips to the well for "running water".

Just like anywhere else, sometimes appliances broke down.  One time they went wild and had a great pillow fight on my front porch.  Feathers were everywhere!