Eating Good in the Neighborhood

I LOVE the market! You can get all kinds of yummies like these on Benson St.


Yes LAWD. Snails. And we nah talkin' escargot!
Upon my family's recommendations, I ate at Jande's on Center St this week. It's owned my members of my family on my stepfather's side, so thanks in advance for footing the bill! You'll see it when you get here!


This was all that was left when I remembered to take a picture. Bong (casava/ yucca) fries: THE BEST. Who knew that a thin shave instead of a fat cut would make all the difference? They're so good he could bag 'em up and sell 'em at Lonestar football games if he wanted.

The only thing is that the plate of chicken and fries is $12 each. That's like charging ex-pat prices at a Liberian establishment. The clientele and the price don't click. Again, thanks Baba for taking that tab... it surprised me!

And in more simple delights:
I was walking to my tailor on Camp Johnson when I saw these treats on the street. If I ate street food, I'm sure I'd be delighted to have some shortbread buttered on all four sides or a meat pie, but I'm a bit of a food snob. I like to see running water near by before I dig in.

Great pics of the market coming soon. Room temperature cow foot anyone?!?

Beautiful Life

This is the scene I live for the most. I love to see children walking around the streets of Monrovia, enjoying their city. Most times I see them escorting a handicapped man from car to car, begging for money or with big buckets of cold water on their head. But sometimes I get the visual treat of viewing true adolescence. And it makes me smile.

African Purples!

I love bright colors, so I moved to the right continent! I get so giddy over the bright pinks and purples that surround me! See for yourself why there's no place like home...

My colleague Amanda just came back from Rwanda and brought me these sassy earrings. She also brought me the rubberband below that reads "Genocide- Never Again- Rwanda 1994." I love being able to be socially conscious and trendy at the same time.


And of course, for my latest broadcast I rocked a custom made hot pink and black tye die jacket. Clearly I wasn't going to be really cooking in it. If you wanna kiss the cook, kiss Rose.
Wanna see it? Here it goes!

Happy 26th Paw-Paw Pie for Liberian Independence Day!! from Archel Bernard on Vimeo.

Liberian Living: Nelson Mandela Dreams

I should apologize for leaving you all hanging for so long. There's no better day to get back on the writing train for a struggling young journalist than Nelson Mandela's birthday. I think being in Liberia is a crazy experience, but if I can make it here I know I can make it anywhere. Anywhere except 27 years in a hard labor prison. Nelson Mandela's life puts a lot of things into perspective for me, and the first is that no matter where I think my ceiling is, I can always go a bit higher. Push a bit further. "Stay the course," as my mom likes to say before she gives me her "unbiased opinion" that if anyone can accomplish what I want from life, it's me.

Maybe I think I can do anything because she always told me so.

These plans I'm looking at are so wild, God HAS to intervene for them to be successful.

Working at the Mayor's office has its ups and downs like any job. The "up" is that I get to host and produce a great webisode with relevant content twice a month for my faithful viewers. The down is that I have a limited number of faithful viewers. I want Oprah's viewership. Pronto.

Everyday I try to do something new to further my career goals outside of MCC. Have you ever googled "African Female Presenters" or "African Lifestyle Television?" You don't get a lot of relevant results, I'll tell you that. This just shows me what an untapped domain I'm aiming for, and how much I'll have to convince the world that me and my talents are needed. I'm pretty scared. What if no one cares? What if Africans would rather watch Tyra and Ellen talk American culture on DSTV than let me, their fellow African, tell their stories to the world?

Well, here goes nothing. Like a true believer in the Law of Attraction, I decided to write out what it is I want from my life, and now that it's published I can't turn back.

1. To host a show that draws a large audience globally and exposes that global audience to African people.
2. To contribute to the modernization of Africa in business, technology, and culture.
3. To speak at a Georgia Tech commencement ceremony.
4. To build an orphanage to supreme standards that will educate many of Africa's great minds.
5. To make my momma proud and free from financial burden.

That's really all I want.
Let the church say "Amen."

I'm enjoying the road so far, but imagine the days when this will be "way back when..." (!!!!)

Please pray for me. And I'm not asking in a superficial way, but I really have plans that seem so huge that my little body can't accomplish it all on my own.

"...when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I." --Psalm 61:2b