7 April 2007 (19:47)

Happy Easter Dear Family and Friends!

I am absolutely radiant right now… due in large part to the sun burn across my arms and chest from a day at the beach! I am also in high spirits from the good energy of this first few days in Freetown. The mission team and other observers are all experienced and quite professional (see second picture). We are bonding through discussion and social events. They are a fun bunch!!!

My new team partner is a woman from Zimbabwe named Maud (see first picture). She is a very nice woman with a sweet sounding voice. Her experience stems from training diplomats and handling human rights cases in her country. She is also a total mom and making sure I am safe and sound. I would she is maybe in her late-40s or early-50s but her appearance makes a sure guess difficult. She has two teenage daughters and a husband back home and talks about her girls all the time. I think we will make a good team! In fact, we already have a nickname… I am “Team” and she is “Supreme” and together we are “Team Supreme”!!! =D

We will be responsible for the Bo District in the center of the country and based in the second largest city called Bo Town. Our house is a former UN compound and we hear it is decent and comfortable with AC, furniture, several rooms, a generator, and a full kitchen. We might be able to arrange for a housekeeper/cook from the family who takes care of the facilities. Our organization wants us to be as comfortable as possible since we will be in place for the next four months. I am optimistic for setting-up a good base and entertaining guests from time-to-time.

The situation in country looks positive at this time but the election is in late-July and much can happen between here and there. We will start building relationships and getting to know all the various government officials and local organizations in our area and then gauge the political environment. We are both excited to start working next week when we deploy on Wednesday. The good news is we will have plenty of down time to take care of personal (i.e., academic) projects and interests.

Everything else is great and I look forward to a Saturday night dinner and maybe going out dancing! Life is fun and should be enjoyed! I feel really good being here and contributing to this electoral process!!!

All the best from Freetown, Robert.

P.S. For those inclined to text message, I can be reached at [n/a]

3 April 2007 (22:29)

Dear Family and Friends:

After 13.5 hours of traveling from Berlin to London to Dakar to Freetown… the 7-minute helicopter ride from the airport to downtown was refreshingly brief and particularly exciting. As I rode at the front of a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter loaded to the gunwales with 40 people and more than 100 bags of luggage, I knew I was not in Berlin anymore. I had arrived in Sierra Leone to initiate my long-term election observation mission for the next 4-5 months. I was safe and sound and ready to start the next chapter of my international career.

My first day in Freetown was spent in briefing sessions with the rest of the LTO team. We covered introductions, mission methodology, political history, lunch, technical election issues, and constitutional law overview. The term “information overload” was operative; however, I absorbed as much data as possible and asked appropriate questions. The NDI core team is well-prepared and well-versed on the issues. Our briefing materials are extensive and the local staff well-informed. By the end of the day, my excitement level for the mission was even higher then I before my arrival. This mission has the potential to be a life-growing and career-developing experience. How effective our contribution to the electoral process will be to the civil society is yet to be determined but the possibilities are as rich as they are challenging.

The other LTO team members are all experienced election experts from the US, European Union, and Africa. The group is split 50/50 between Western and African observers. The team consists of a San Franciscan (me), Serbian, Zimbabwean, Slovakian, Ugandan, and Senegalese. Two more members, another American and African, are expected in May. The international group makes for interesting dynamics. I dont know who my team partner will be yet or the region we will be assigned but I should find out tomorrow. There is a chance I will be directed to the Kono or diamond mining area. Nick, the Country Director, has taken a liking to me and mentioned the possibility. All regional areas will be challenging but this one has an added level of difficulty due to the economic issues. When understanding politics in any setting, one has to follow the money trail, and most roads in Sierra Leone lead to Kono!

On a personal note, I feel I am making a good impression, asking intelligent questions, and raising relevant issues. I am quickly building contacts, meeting several people on the long plane ride and reaching out to local contacts through mutual friends. A large part of the mission is building relationships with the national stakeholders within the country. These include, government and election officials, military and police, political parties, civil society organizations, and other groups who have a stake in the electoral processes. If there is anything I excel at, establishing and maintaining networks is one of them. I plan to make this network as deep and wide as possible.

In general, I feel good being here and optimistic the mission will be successful. This is only the first day, of course, and I am sure the shine will wear off after a few weeks up country, but at this point, I look forward to developing programs and implementing projects related to democratic practices.

I send warm wishes to all my family and friends and will be in touch again before I deploy to the countryside on Monday. We have several days of briefing and orientation meetings planned before a few days off for the Easter weekend. There is a trip scheduled to the Tacgugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary for Friday (http://www.tacugama.com) and then an excursion to the beach planned for Saturday. Nick believes that if we work hard, we should play hard too!!! My kind of manager!!! =D

Best wishes from Freetown, Robert.

P.S. I am providing my updated contact information below in case anyone needs to reach me for any reason by mobile phone, text messaging, or even regular postal service.