Day Two of the Colloquium

Day two of the Colloquium, and the sun is glaring down on us still. We have thanked the rain gods for staving off the rain--it could have been a disaster! We also are thankful that the conference is going on in an orderly fashion. Everyone has forgotten about the 'badge situation' and people are being let in w/ or w/o a badge.

I explored the Trade Fair grounds today with a very handsome escort. Meeting him showed me that there is hope for Liberian men (no offense o--the ones who would be offended anyway already know about themselves). He was comfortable around all those opinionated outspoken women and was able to hold his own. He was just an all around amazing, unique, good guy--if only the timing had been different. Sigh.

Moving on....It felt so good walking around the stadium and encountering all the people I’d met as guests I’d tried to register, and people I’d worked with over the past two weeks. All the frustration had melted away and it was nice to see them smiling. I made some friends that I ended up giving my meal tickets to because they didn't get any food, and gave others here and there and dollar or two to say thank you for helping out.

Walking around the grounds outside the stadium, I saw women weaving country cloth, heard the new Colloquium song blasting out of speakers, got bitten by red ants and mosquitoes, ate delicious cook shop food and some tasty Shark's Ice Cream. Some of my favorite booths were the women construction workers and the artists booths. We have a talented group of people in our country o!

Tonight was the closing concert, with Miatta Fahnbulleh and other famed female African artists like Joli Endee, Marion Cassell, Onyeka Onwenu, Bebe Manga, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Sibongile Khumalo and Reine Pelagi. Man, the air in that place was electric! We danced, we hugged, we celebrated each other and all the extravagant work we had done to pull it all off. As one of the performers said, women are men, we are just Well Organized men (Get it?). I loved it!

Scenes from the Colloquium:










































Video of women enjoying concert: