Author Archives: Charlie Jones

Post-Liberia Q&A with Charlie

30 Jun 17
Charlie Jones
No Comments

6.12.17

Hello. Well, we are back to the United States of America now. I dropped from blogging for many, many months. Actually it wasn’t that many. Only about 6 months. Even though it has only been 6 months, a whole lot of things have happened between about January and today. Even so, I can only talk about a few things. That is why I have decided to talk about the 3 most important topics that have happened to me, which are questions my Old Man asked. Here goes…

  • What do I miss about the small, remote village that we lived in called Zuannah Town?

Well again, I do miss many things but I can only say a few. That is why this paragraph will be fairly short because this topic does not matter as much to me as the other ones do. To start off, I always have really enjoyed Zuannah Town. It had a rather large river named the Poe River. It was about 2 minutes away from the compound in witch we stayed. I recall swimming in it at least 3 times. I only attended it on very hot days, and with either Simon, or Ruby and Ivy. On either side of the river were extremely large, lusciously green trees in witch, if you believe Simon, monkeys live. It fits descriptions of the Amazon River exactly. Except this is not this Amazon River. Anyway, Zuannah Town was a great place to be. I enjoyed our stay there plenty. In conclusion, Zuannah Town was, and is fantastic.

  • What did you learn from your time working in the bush? Any lessons learned or experiences you want to remember?
     Simon and I labored in wilderness, or if you want to say it the African way, the “bush”. Both of us worked on the drilling te-am, as a part of witch we drill for clean water out in little, tiny , very remote villages out in the bush. The farthest one was Nyawusay. It is about 3 and a half hours to get there from where we lived, and the the roads sucked. I mean for an example, there was this thin palm tree bridge over this deep creek. That always gave me the willies whenever we had to cross it. They were all dirt roads with huge water-created craters from it raining in the rainy season, then huge trucks as big as American semis carrying a few thousand of pounds worth of sticks and logs or charcoal. You’ll start to see over time that it just morphs the earth in to, like, moon craters. I remember so vividly getting really carsick on those car trips that we had to have every day to get to work. One time I got so darn carsick and the gas tank in the trunk was left open, not on purpose, and I just felt so sick that I demanded that Simon stop driving and roll down the window. He did as I said and as soon as the window was down I immediately threw my head out the window and vomited. Since then I made sure that I always sat in the middle seat and that the gas tank in the trunk always either was closed or had a blanket over it. After that it never bothered me again. And I was super happy about it. On the drilling team my job was to be the scribe and photographer, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Simon’s job on the drilling team was to be just, like, the strong guy who does the really hard stuff. He’s strong. Well, working on the drilling team was worth while. Other wise I’d just be sitting at home being lazy and worthless. In conclusion, working on the drilling team made me feel full of use, or in other words use-full. I had a good time and Mentor was always like”Wow” if we hit rock. It made me laugh. The food we ate in the villages was good, especially the cassava leaf which was my favorite soup, over white rice. All in all, the drilling team really helped me see what I am and what I can be in this life. (A tear, and a Laugh).
  • How did life change when we moved from the village to the private compound at Bible College? What are your pros and cons about village living vs. private compound living?
     Hi again. This next paragraph is going to be my pros and cons and feelings about moving from village lifestyle to a private compound in Brewerville. Well, to start off, I enjoyed it a lot more. It was a more comfortable place to tan (haha). This is the place I would usually tan: The water tower. Umm, what?  Okay (laughs), where were we? Speaking of water towers, I also enjoyed the fact that there were no more bucket baths. We had running water from our hand-dug well. It didn’t run very fast though because it was just flowing down from the water tower (haha). It was the same temperature as the well water in the village. Also, we had a big fence around the perimeter of this compound. It had a rather large backyard and front yard. The front yard was probably about as big as the back yard. Okay. Back to the topic. We also, uhh…. wait. The house was a lot bigger than “the dome” or “the stinky room” (the library we all four shared the first few months). Well Simon and I shared a room at the house, and Ruby and Ivy shared a room except Ivy slept in my parents’ room. And of course, last but not least, Mom and Dad shared a room.
And there were lizards on the walls! Simon and I, two days before we left, would throw a spray of rocks and try to kill them brutally outside. It was a lot of fun. We only caught three though. Our plan was to catch a big gnarly orange one. But our plan (sniffles) never succeeded. For other entertainment, we had a small TV but we could only run it when the current was on, which was rare, and then we would have to unplug the little fridge. I liked to watch a movie once a week, sometimes. So I read a lot. Very much! It was a boring experience there until the drilling experience was introduced into my life. I owned two little dogs and nourished them and named one Bart and one Barticus (that’s a lie). I like those dogs but we ended up eating them ( this is also a lie, done by Charlie Jones). I did not have any friends in the compound. I was a loner and a rebel. Back to topic! Dang it! Uhhh anyway, I enjoyed the compound more than the village. I was sad when on the last day we were at the compound that we figured out that we could climb the big plum tree. For the months that we were there I always thought that there were ants up there that felt like fire shooting up your hand and through your body when the bit. But if you get bit on your foot it shoots up your kneecap (also a lie by Charlie Jones). Okay no more lies. I can’t think of anything else to say except that there were lots of fruit trees in the backyard. We had avocado and plantain and banana and also mango (plum) tree. We spent a lot of time when we first got there cleaning up trash. The place was a dumpland. To be finished with this paragraph, I like the closed compound more than the village life. Thank you.
  • Please describe how you grew and changed as a person as a result of living in Liberia. Give at least 3 examples.
     This next paragraph is going to be about how I grew and changed as a result of living in Liberia for 9 and a half months. I will provide you with at least 3 examples. Here it goes. Example no.1: Well, I gained a good 6 pounds and grew a rough 2 inches. To explain this example I had a rather large growth spert during the time being in Liberia. I am rather happy about that be-cause… I have always been the shortest person in my class next to my best friend, Hashim Ahmed. I guess you can say that’s why he’s my best friend. My feet also grew a big growth. Even though my dad says that I look a lot different I believe I look the same.
Example no.2: My skin got very tan. Although I  like the look of being tan, it is fading already. The sun is just not as hot or powerful here in Idaho (witch is the place from witch I am writing this). I enjoyed the sun in Liberia. I liked the heat, the humidity. I loved it all very much, not just because I wanted my skin to be darker or in other words more tan, it’s because that’s the kind of environment that I enjoy better.
Example no.3: The ways that I changed spiritually and emotionally are these. I think that being in Liberia helped bring my family closer together and I am quite full of gratitude for that cause. I also think that it helped to bring me and Hossanah closer together. It also helped for me to strengthen my own testimony. I am very happy for the fact that we went to Liberia.
     This is my conclusion paragraph. I conclude what I am about to type. In conclusion, going to West Africa was a fantastic experiance for me. I really did enjoy myself there. I like the country enough that it would not be the end of the world if we had to possibly go again. Thank you for reading this.
                                               Thank you
                                                            Thank you
                                                                        Regards, Charlie Jones

Living in the dome house

23 Jan 17
Charlie Jones
one comments

01.22.17

Hello. Here I am. Our family has passed our half way mark, and finally moved inside the Dome House on Christmas day. We were all very eager and also exceptionally excited. Especially me, because now I only have to share a room with Simon (which I am already used to) and no more disgusting b.o. smell or girl underpants everywhere! I am very happy about that. The bad part is that Simon doesn’t do his washboard laundry until the week is over, and so the dirty clothes hamper is almost always full of sweaty clothes, which is not a very enjoyable smell. But the reason for that is because the amount of grimy clothes builds up BIG time and when clothes in that condition are just sitting in a hamper all bunched up together like that, well they just start smelling rather terrible. But wait, now that I really think hard about it, I’ve come up with the solution to this perdicament that Simon and I are both trapped inside of. It is anybody’s blame to take because it is not his fault that it’s so dang hot and humid outside. And it is not mine either. So my two options to solve this problem are: Hope it rains so we have to stay inside and then we won’t be all hot and sweaty, or my other option is: To ask Simon nicely to please take care of his dirty clothes earlier in the week.

Okay, where was I?

Oh yea, the Dome.

So anyway the dome is pretty awesome because it has tile floor now and bamboo walls that didn’t actually work out very well because even though we lacquerd them all, we are beginning to think that they are attracting bugs and insects, and that really stinks since we still have not put our mosquito nets up yet. Sometimes in the middle of the night, when all is quiet except for the crickets chirping outside, you can hear insects crackling around inside the walls (that’s not really true but it is interesting and funny). And then you get really afraid that you’re going to get bit or feel one moving around in your hair or shirt or something like that. I hate it when I get bit because then I itch it but I know that it could start bleeding so I try not to itch it but it is a huge temptation because it itches so, so bad!

The Dome Home also has these very cool “Basket Chairs” that are practically woven peices of thick bendy sticks. They are fairly comfortable but only if you get the pillow before sombody else does. Anyway we each are “assigned” the one we chose because Andy really hates it if anybody feels entitled to anything (he doesn’t let us “call” things). We also have blue and white designed curtains so we can cover the windows at night because the ceiling is painted white and the light just reflects everywhere and makes it extremely easy to look into the dome even from a distance. Simon and I share a bunkbed, Ruby and Ivy share one too. Mom and Dad just sleep on a matress on the floor but their advantige is that theirs is comfortable and Simon, Ruby, Ivy, and mine are not as thick. So anyway we all really are enjoying where we are staying now.

All in all, the Dome House is supurb and my family is enjoying it very much. At last we are all under the same roof once again. Goodbye.
– Charlie Jones

 

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teeth, towers, and mooncraters

30 Oct 16
Charlie Jones
2 comments

Hello. The 80 foot tower is getting taller and taller. The reason that the constuction guys are building it is so we can get internet here. They are building it in the compound, and I don’t know why. Must be for some technical reason or something like that. Or maybe so I can climb it.

Going to church here is a very hot, sweaty, difficult thing to do here. First of all my family sometimes has to ride with Faith, Patrick, and Joesephine. The reason I don’t enjoy doing that is because they can all get extremely rowdy and loud. As for me, I am glad that I sit up in the middle seat by Andy and Kayla because then I don’t have to sit back with them. Simon, Ruby, and Ivy do. It is not like I’m geting special priviledges or anything like that, I get carsick really easily. Plus, there are these mooncraters in the road that are super bumpy. I hate it a little.

A tooth of mine finally came out. It has been really bloody. Especially when I brush my teeth. It hurts whenever I do that, so I just try not to brush that side of my mouth so my teeth won’t hurt. I know and understand that if I don’t brush the side of my mouth where the tooth was lost, then those specific teeth won’t be cleaned. So, I have been having mouth pains for some time now. The tooth above it finally pushed it out of the way, it seems.

Since there is not much else to do here I have been reading a lot. I’v never been interested in reading until about a week after we arrived here. I try not to read books too thick, like Percy Jackson or Just Jane, because then you get too consumed in the book and lose track of time and the next thing you know you’re starving, but your family has already had dinner without you. So if you didn’t know, now you know.

There is not much left to talk about now, so I hope that everybody back home is safe and happy without us.
Bye.

 

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friends and foes

30 Oct 16
Charlie Jones
one comments

Hello! I’m sorry that I haven’t written on this for quite some time now.

The last couple weeks have been nuts. I can’t believe thet we’ve been here for a month and a half! I mean, just yesterday I got attacked by our stupid dog, Heartwood. He went crazy because he was guarding his stash of bones we started to feed him and I walked by him. There was some blood, but the dog’s dead now because somebody ate him, and I didn’t have to go to the clinic. I’m fine.

I am kind of over sharing a room with Simon and Ruby and Ivy. I mean, it’s already hard enough to share a room with Simon back in America, but Ivy and Ruby too? Come on,give me a break… Plus there’s like this stuffy, very stinky smell that is in our room and nobody can seem to smell it except for me. So that stincks. Literally. I think because we are not too good at handwashing our clothes yet, and plus it takes a while for them to dry because of the rainy season.

I am definitely enjoying home school way better than Zuannah Town Public School. First of all, I can understand who is talking to me and second of all, there are no sweaty, sticky uniforms to wear all day or confusing questions to answer. I just like it way better. Me and Ivy and my mom.

I miss all of you who might be reading this, but there are a few people in particular: my grandparents from both sides, Ben Botchway, Avelino and Oting, Jared, Seth, Gaege, and most importantly, Terrel Fransisco. Terrel is the one who gave me his lucky shoes. Terrel is the one who just turned 13 years old. Terrel, if you are reading this I just want to give a shout out to you and to say that you’re a very good friend of mine – just like all the other people that I mentioned. I like you all.

Goodbye.

 

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breaking down houses and home schooling

30 Oct 16
Charlie Jones
one comments

10-2-16

Hi. Yesterday we went to the beach. The waves were huge! They went out so far.

There was this house next to the compound that was falling apart and dangerous, so some really strong guys broke it down.

Today we are watching general conference on this huge thing at the stake center.

Ivy and I are not going to the public school anymore. We are going to just be homeschooled, Ivy and I. The teachers are just not that good at teaching. Plus I can’t really understand them much. Recess was just standing or sitting in the sun mostly.

 

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beach, church, and school

27 Sep 16
Charlie Jones
one comments

Hello! I hope you are all having good times back in America without us. On Saturday, we went to the beach. There is a lagoon there that connects to the ocean that the little kids like to play in, while all the older kids play in the ocean. When I was in the ocean the waves were huge! I felt like I almost was drowning some of the times the big waves came crashing down. It is Sunday afternoon. We got back from church about five hours ago and the crickets are beginning to chirp loudly, just like they do every single night since arrived. Church is very different here then it is back in Utah. It’s about an hour shorter and is way more boring. I can’t really understand much. Plus, we have the primary program soon and I am not excited about it at all. School starts at 8:00 every day so you don’t have to get up till’ at least 7:00. Then you walk 5 minutes to school and then wait another 30 minutes for all the teachers to get there. After that you go in and do school and then get out at 2:40 at last. I miss you all.
Bye!

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Day Eleven

18 Sep 16
Charlie Jones
2 comments

I have not blogged here for a long time. Tomorrow I start school. I’m going to be in sixth grade. I have my uniform and everything, and I really like it. Tonight for dinner we are going to eat snails but usually we eat rice, beans, cassava leaves and bread. We went to the beach a while ago. The waves were huge! It was very fun. It rains so much here. In fact, just yesterday we took a motorcycle taxi to the baptism place with my dad. It rained so much that my wellies were filled with water and my pants were soaked! It was very uncomfortable. The way they speak here is hard to understand.

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blogging

15 Aug 16
Charlie Jones
2 comments

I am really annoyed that everyone keeps asking me if I’m exited to go to Liberia, so hopefully this will will stop them from asking. I’m not exited because I’m going to miss some people, but I’m exited for a trip. So if your reading this than than tell everybody that you think I might know to shut their mouths and stop asking me that stupid, stupid question, bye. I’m kind of kidding kind of not. Here are the things I’m exited about:

  • Rice.
  • Fish.
  • The sea.
  • Palm trees.
  • Home schooling.
  • Dirt.
  • Working

Bye.

 

charlie1


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