My name is Vickie Remoe-Doherty. This is my first post as Global Voices author for Sierra Leone. I thought that my first post should introduce you to some notable blogs on Sierra Leonean blogosphere. I hope that my work with Global Voices Online will inspire Sierra Leoneans in Sierra Leone and in the Diaspora to join the global conversation online as is the case for Nigerians, Kenyans, Tanzanians, Malawians, and South Africans. If you’ve searched for blogs from or on Sierra Leone, there are two things that should be obvious by now: (1) the Sierra Leonean blogosphere is very small (2) most people blogging from Sierra Leone are international expats or volunteers currently working in the country. The blogs either focus on the implementation of projects (mostly NGO related) or personal experiences (difficulties/joys) of living in Sierra Leone as a native of another country. Live From Freetown is a blog with photos, music, commentary on Sierra Leone by a Canadian volunteer, Justin, with Mercy Ships in the capital Freetown. Justin introduces himself: Hi, I’m Justin and this is my blog from Freetown, Sierra Leone. I work for a global charity called Mercy Ships. While my organization is best known for having floating hospitals, we have two land-based centres here in this country. We are one of the few centres in Africa that provides surgery for obstetric fistula, and we also work in primary healthcare and community development. What’s up with the blog? Well, I thought it would be pretty interesting for people to read what is happening here in West Africa, and to get a day-to-day glimpse into the life of a transplanted Westerner. I’m writing about the things I see, hear, and experience and sometimes, they’re not pretty. More about me… I’m originally from a small town called Breslau, which is an hour away from Toronto, Ontario. I studied political science at the University of Waterloo. The future? Grad school, hopefully in Europe. Subject of study: law or development. Jill and Dan in Sierra Leone is a blog by an American couple working for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Sierra Leone. Their March 30th, 2007 post reads: Hi all, I know it's been a while since I last wrote. My latest trip was again to Kenema and then Kailahun to disburse the 2nd half of the grants that I helped distribute back in December. The trip out was relatively uneventful. I found that almost no progress has been made on the reconstruction of the main road out. It was still dusty and a long drive, 5 hours or so. Our security guy and country rep didn't want us keeping large amounts of cash on us this time, so it was decided that we would have to return all the way back to Kenema every day. This added an extra hour in the morning and evening. Unfortunately we had no choice in the matter and to be fair carrying millions of leones around is probably not the best idea. Anyway, after meeting up with Salim, our agricultural guy, we figured out a process for getting the money every morning from the safe. By this time it was time to go to guest house and hopefully get some rest. But it was not to be. The power in Kenema used to be excellent (back in October), but now it isn't strong enough to run an air conditioner. So this left me in an extremely hot and noisy room (people talking and the generator blaring when the power went out altogether) with only a bit of air movement from the fan. I did manage to get a little sleep but around 5 am the call to prayer started (Of course I had forgotten my earplugs, lesson learned). Unlike most other mosques, this one broadcast the entire 45 minute service. By the time it ended, the “snorer” started up. It was unbelievably loud, and I pretty much gave up at this point and got up. Kuranko-Land Sierra Leone is a blog by an American woman, Emily, from Michigan whose husband is studying West African forest buffaloes in Northern Sierra Leone (Kabala): I direct the education & community partnerships for a regional family-owned theatre circuit in West and Central Michigan. My husband Aaron is in the midst of a PhD biology degree, studying ‘behavioral ecology’ of the W. African Forest buffalo. He grew up in Sierra Leone, is fluent in a number of languages spoken in the north of the country, and is committed both to the people and conservation of natural resources. We are juggling an interesting first few years of marriage! I have been incredibly privileged to get access to the wonderful Kuranko people and land in the north of the country… along with the best available ‘lingual’ and ‘cultural’ interpretation.