Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Volleyball's Edoho Has Eye-Opening Experience, Gets Inspired in Liberia
5/26/2011 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
May 26, 2011
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LEWISBURG, Pa. – Led by rising junior Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel), Bucknell volleyball teamed up with the Tarkus Zonen Foundation's Shoes for Liberia Project and collected approximately 300 pairs of shoes for underprivileged communities in the African nation. The outreach project was inspired by Edoho's recent trip to Liberia. Below is an account of the psychology major's time abroad and cultural experience.
My trip to Liberia was absolutely wonderful. I was happy to experience Liberian culture to the fullest! I learned of a lot of new words and new ways of social interaction. It was definitely an eye opening experience and I can't wait to go back!
My favorite part of going to Liberia was meeting all the family members that claimed that they held me as a baby. They were so welcoming and made me feel at home. They would always cook for me and my brother, and the food was delicious. By the end for the trip, I felt as if I knew each family member all my life. I even cried when I was leaving to come back to America.
Another interesting thing about Liberia is how the people interacted socially. For example, when someone said “thank you”, they never said “you're welcome.” They either said “ok” or nothing at all. To Liberians, saying “you're welcome” means that you are inviting someone to your house. My cousins would always laugh when my brother and I would say “you're welcome.” We couldn't help ourselves; we were just so used to saying it. Another word that my cousins found hilarious was “lollipop.” The first time I asked for one, they had no clue what I was referring to! They knew it as stick candy. After I thought about it for a while, I realized that stick candy made a lot more sense than lollipop!
The most interesting aspect of Liberian culture was the way they interacted with people that walked in front of their house. For example, when a stranger walked in from of my cousin's yard, my cousin had to greet them, or it would have been a display of rudeness. Once he said “hi” to the stranger, he had to acknowledge the stranger anywhere he saw him thereafter. In America, if a stranger walks by your house chances are you will not greet them nor will they greet you.
I also got a chance to visit Blue Lake. It is a mysterious blue lake that has a waterfall that is only active every once in a while at random. It was so beautiful! Even the trip to blue lake was exciting. Our car broke down so my brother and I had to hitchhike. We got on the back the giant dump trunk, and met some interesting people. For example, we met a guy with a pet baby monkey. The monkey was so cute, and it kept jumping on my back. I secretly wanted to keep the money for myself. The ride was two hours, and it felt like I was on a rollercoaster. It was so fun!
Last but not least. The food was absolutely amazing because everything was made from fresh, healthy ingredients. Even the street food was amazing. I had spicy fish and plantain chips every night. The meals were so filling that I would have two meals and a dinner snack.
Overall, Liberia was a fun-filled adventure and I cannot wait to go back! I now have a better understanding of my Liberian culture.
