Tear Gas & Corruption in Gabon?

I have been out of Gabon for some time and I was just catching up on some recent news...



Police Use Tear Gas to Break up Gabon Protest
Gabon Opposition Leader Seeks UN Refuge



What?  Are you kidding me??? 


Apparently, the man who placed 3rd in the 2009 Presidential election in Gabon, Andre Mba Obame, declared himself to be the "true" president of Gabon.  He even announced a new cabinet.  He did this on January 26, 2011, a year and 1/2 after Presidential elections.

My African Spider

Are you afraid of spiders?  I am...especially big, giant ones...here is my African spider story.

I was 'cat-sitting' for a friend on the embassy compound in Libreville.  Her cat is small and fast, so it was important to enter/exit the apartment quickly in order to prevent her from running out.  On the first day, when leaving the apt and locking the door, I noticed a large black spider to the left of the front door.  I mean it was huge...it stood as large as a tennis ball...and it wasn't moving.  Maybe I surprised it?  I didn't notice it when I went in, but I was fumbling with the keys.  Eeeww.

The next morning, there it was again.  It was in the same area and I was looking around for a stick or something to poke it.  It wasn't moving and I wanted to shoo it away.  No such luck.  When I left, sure enough, it was just standing there large and still.  My friends' townhouse is not far from the front gate, so I decided to ask the local guard if he knew what kind of spider it was.

He came over to check it out with his boots on.  I mention this because I wear flip flops and there is no way I am getting too close to that thing, it's so damn big.  The guard slowly walks up to it.  He bends down for a closer look and slowly puts his finger down towards it.  He pokes at it.  I am thinking, what is the RSO's (Regional Security Officer) number?  This guard is going to get bit by some large poisonous spider and I am going to have to call for help.  The guard picks up the spider to show it to me with a big smile on his face.

The townhouse next store is actually home to the RSO and his wife.  They have two children and one of them is a four year old boy who likes plastic bugs.  I was afraid of a plastic bug for two days.

Internet Connections

As someone who grew up in New York City, a decent internet connection is something you take for granted.  If you're not paying for a high speed, broadband connection through your cable provider, you are "borrowing" one from your neighbor.  Otherwise, you can just walk up the block to the Starbuck's or the Barnes & Noble...even Central Park was outfitted with free wi-fi before the recession.  This is simply not the case in Libreville.

Internet access was achieved via two options, satellite or through the phone "system", there is no cable in Gabon.  Satellite was certainly the least expensive, but since the connection is weak and greatly affected by the weather, a better option would have been to use a box of old newspapers and magazines for search and two tins cans and some string for email.

Achieving internet access through the phone lines was the best option.  It worked 65% of the time and the connection was fast enough to bring up most websites.  Although, if you wanted to view that 3 minute video that your friends were sending around, it could take 45 minutes to download.  Of course, if you lost the connection in the middle, you would have to start the download all over again.

Electricity was another challenge.  The U.S. Embassy compound where I lived had a large generator system.  Whenever the electricity went out, which could be frequent, the generator would take less than 2 seconds to kick in.  Of course, since our internet provider did not have a generator, the fact that our lights and A/C kept running had nothing to do with maintaining an internet connection...back to the tins cans and some string.


Everyone talks about how wonderful skype is, especially when traveling.  Those people have never been to Gabon.  The one time that I was able to connect, with both voice and video, the time delay was more than 4 minutes.  Try talking to anyone back home with a 4 minute delay...not so wonderful.


Despite my complaining about the connection in Libreville, I was able to keep contact with friends at home, do research for work and maintain this blog.  I suppose it's just like anything else, it takes a little getting used to.

Rubber Stamp: My "Run-in" at the Airport Part 2

Thanks for coming back…here is the 2nd half of the story. If you missed part 1, you can read it here.

When I left off in Part 1, I had “run-in” to the airport in Gabon and then I was being hassled by some punks in the parking lot.

I was nervous and I was concentrating on avoiding further hassle.  There is no one around and now I’m going to have to stop and deal with the toll gate.

Part 2

I stepped on the gas as I made a quick left hand turn towards the gate…the next thing I know, I am not in control.  It is like a slow motion dream.  I can hear the rev of the engine and the squeal of tires.  There is a metal scrunching sound and I must have hit the brakes.  When I come out of the dream, the front of the car is now up on top of those metal poles that stick out of the ground, several feet in the air.  Pointing into the night sky.  I thought I was screwed before, now I am totally f*@k’d.

Rubber Stamp: My "Run-in" at the Airport in Gabon

I was leaving Africa with a lot of luggage.  Similar to other 3rd world countries, the Airport in Libreville, Gabon, on the west coast of Africa, leaves a lot to be desired.  I lived close to the airport, so I figured I’d literally “run-in” early, when there weren’t any flights, check all of the luggage and then come back to the house for a quick shower and dinner before my long journey.  Nice plan.

Checking baggage, with no one else at the airport, took 2 ½ hours.  At the first security checkpoint they couldn’t understand why I was checking in so early.  They didn’t want to let me in to ticketing.  A little negotiating, a change of guards and viola I’m in.  Next was the ticket agent who was very confused trying to figure out what to charge for the extra luggage.  Then I had to go outside to an Air France office and pay the charge.  Of course they couldn’t figure out how to enter it into the computer system.  This took several conferences and a phone call.  Lastly, I had to go back through the first security check point with my receipt for the paid luggage to pick up my ticket.  They remembered me and just let me pass. Whew.

The airport in Libreville is one of the few places in Gabon where you get hassled by local punks.  I understand, its about opportunity…lots of people, luggage, some tourists…the airport is a great place to pick up “tips”.  Usually when leaving the airport, you walk straight ahead through the crowd, ignore the attempts, maybe give a stern “no” and avoid any hassle.  It works.

When the airport is empty however, it’s a very different situation.  Now there is no crowd to hide in, only me, and unfortunately, since I had to stop by the curb to pay for my parking stub, I obviously have cash in my pocket. Given that the internet is often down, and then my credit cards don’t work, I have a lot of cash in my pocket.  Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

As expected, here they come.  One guy is telling me that I have to come with him to see the security chief, “don’t worry” he says, “no problems, I can get you through.”  It is evening and it’s already dark.  I am ignoring them and walking briskly across the street to the small parking lot.  As I look over my shoulder, I see more of them coming.  I quickly get in the car and lock the doors.

Obviously I’m a little stressed, and although the doors are locked, I still don’t feel safe.  No one is in the parking lot other than my "friends" who are now gathering around the car.  I just want to zip out of the parking lot and get home.  The lot is small and surrounded by a fence.  There is one way out.  In order to leave, you need to make a sharp left at the exit and go through a toll gate.  At the toll, you insert your paid parking stub to open the gate.  There is no manned booth.  To prevent people from leaving without paying, the exit lane is lined with short, fat metal poles sticking out of the ground.

I was nervous and I was concentrating on avoiding further hassle. There is no one around and now I’m going to have to stop and deal with the toll gate...

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This is the end of Part 1 of my story.  Please join me tomorrow to find out what happened and how I finally made my flight home.  Thanks.

Equatorial Africa, France and Oil

Gabon is the third largest provider of oil in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Libreville, the capital, was once the capital of the French Congo, which covered the entire mid section of the African continent 100 years ago.  Although now independent, Gabon still has a long-standing relationship with France.

Due to the oil, and every other natural resource that the country has been eating through (timber, gas, manganese, iron, gold, etc.), Gabon is considered one of the wealthiest countries on the continent.  The former President, Omar Bongo, who ruled the country for 42 years, was considered one of the wealthiest men in the world before his death in 2009.  Outside of 33+ luxury properties in France, and another $100+ million in banks in the US, his wealth has never really been accounted for.  He was a genius at lining pockets, and not just his own.  More than fifty political ministries were assigned to family and friends, as well as political opponents and rival ethnic tribes; obviously all became allies.  French oil and timber companies held preferential status to development claims, in return for political and military protection from France, as well as an outlay of cash.  This connection with French political power, essentially locked in his presidency for the long term.  A purported quote from the former President reads as follows: ”Gabon without France is like a car without a driver, France without Gabon is like a car without fuel.”

A Year In Africa

This last year has been an unbelievable, life changing experience for me.  I had the chance to live in a country I’ve never heard of before, meet new people, learn new perspectives and enjoy a foreign culture in a foreign language.  It was probably one of the greatest opportunities of my life and I’m glad that I was able to take advantage.

I made some great new friends.  I traveled a bit through the country-side and saw sights that I had only imagined – wild beaches, thick tropical jungle, open savannahs - elephants, buffalo, cheetah - rhino, giraffe and zebra.  I saw immeasurable wealth and witnessed extreme poverty.

Those Beach Pictures I Promised

If you frequent my blog, you know that I absolutely love the beach.  The beaches here, can be very beautiful…depending on tides and storms.  High tide and heavy rain usually result in a flow of “stuff”, both natural and unnatural, washed up on the beach.  This time we were fortunate to have neither.

This beach is close, just outside the city, north of Libreville.  If I could count on a consistent low tide, it’s probably closer to walk along the shore rather than drive.

A Brief Pictorial, What a Difference 15 Minutes Makes

I wanted to show you how the country changes during a 15 minute drive from the middle of Libreville up north along L101.  The change is dramatic recognizing that while Gabon is the #2 or #3 richest country on the continent, very little gets spent beyond the capital.  Some visiting military officers from Senegal and Cameroon pointed this out to me a few weeks ago.  They were enlisted in a military exchange program here and were remarking that while their countries are poor, at least they have roads.

No Matter Where You Are in the World, Boys Will Be Boys

I started a donation program for a local orphanage here in Libreville.  The orphanage, Arc en Ceil, takes care of young boys and girls, many of whom are victims of human trafficking, which is a major concern here in Western and Central Africa.

The donation program was successful because of its simplicity:  a few pictures, facebook, simple instructions, generous friends and a US address (fortunately, we can receive some US mail here).

It's Dark At Night...

I’ll start with a few facts:  Gabon is small and Libreville is a small city.  At night, it gets very dark.  Sure, it gets dark everywhere at night, but here, it’s pitch black.  There are a few streetlights, but many don't have or use electricity, it’s friggin’ dark.  Comparatively speaking, NYC doesn’t really get “dark” at night; there are so many streetlights, traffic lights, apartment lights, lit businesses and car traffic that you can always see where you are going.
(a pic over the wall from a friends house, pitch black)

Meet the Boys...and Stop With the Trash Already

These are the boys, my buddies Toby and Blackie; and this is the back entrance to the compound where we live.  As you can see, the compound backs onto a beach and the boys love it.  The area has been cleared of all brush and the back wall does not go all the way to the shoreline like on other properties.  This sandy area is outfitted with two concrete benches and since logs regularly wash up onshore, additional “seating” is arranged by visitors; makeshift “beach furniture”.

This clearing was probably a nice concept when the compound was built, however, the clearing is way too inviting to locals for my taste…

A Local Military Picnic

The English Lab, run by the Gabonese military and supported by the US military had their annual picnic on Sunday.  It was a lot of fun.  A few of us were on site to help manage English word games, i.e. hangman, tongue twisters, sentence building, etc.

It feels good to do what you can to help out and be supportive.  Those who I have met before refer to me as “New York”.  The event was mixed, with varying degrees of ability and understanding, so some students are very English literate while others have great difficulty.

A Few Pictures from Libreville

It was a beautiful day on Friday, even though we didn’t have internet; sunny, low”er” humidity, a high sky and a light breeze.  It’s amazing what a different mindset you get when it’s not stifling…you can easily forget about the negatives (like corruption, the pathetic lack of infrastructure for an oil rich country, limited work ethic, traffic, pollution, military stops, unreasonable cost of living, etc.) and focus on just how lucky I am to be here and experience all the positives…the ocean, the smiles, the sun and the sky.

Finally, American TV

Woo hoo, we're finally hooked up to the American Armed Forces Network in our home.  AFN is broadcast via satellite to military bases, embassies and navy ships around the world.  Obviously, everything is in English and much of the programming is broadcast within 24 hours of original broadcast in the US. 

The advertising guy in me notices an unheard of mixture of cross-network programming, i.e. the Saturday morning Today Show (NBC) is broadcast on a Sunday and is immediately followed by the show Sunday Morning, which is CBS.  In addition, the programming does not appear to be as "managed" as it probably once was...apparently the news channel only used to broadcast FOX News, now the channel regularly switches between FOX, CNN and MSNBC throughout the day.

The African Diet

After trekking around for a while, you can't help but notice something remarkably different here versus back home.  I’m not talking about lack of infrastructure, no internet connection, or impenetrable jungle and forest elephants, but…Why are there no Fat Gabonese people?

It's the 3rd World, Figure it Out For Yourself

Living in Africa has taught me a new motto…just go figure it out.

The camera broke this weekend. I know it was still taking pictures, but you couldn’t see anything because the LCD screen wasn’t showing any images.  After being pissed, frustrated and upset for a day, I finally got off my ass and went to the internet (fortunately it was working).  I found a sight with recommendations from a “camera guy” who listed potential solutions to my problem.  A pair of eyeglass screwdrivers, a cloth to catch the tiny screws and a tweezer from the bathroom helped me take the LCD screen apart and reconnect the circuit board.  I don’t even know how to use the flash, but viola, a little trial and error and the camera is working again; which you can see from the pic above of Sabliere after the storm today.

Nightime in Gabon

Did I mention that it’s hot here.  The heat index was 105 today.  I had a meeting in town with the WWF and I thought I would melt in the taxi (no, they don’t use AC).  Plus, my driver was moving slowly because I guess he thought that would save gas.  I noticed he was on empty and I’d be surprised if he made it to the gas station after he dropped me off, poor bastard.  It’s probably much hotter when you have to push your car.

I’m not complaining mind you, I like the warm weather.  It’s just that our satellite TV shut off 2 of the 3 English movie channels that we have.  Everything else is in French or Arabic.  FOX was the best and now it plays pop music videos 24/7.  With no TV, I am sitting outside on the patio at 11:15PM writing this short blog because I am bored, it’s pitch black, it's 92 degrees and I am sweating...

The Seasons are Not What They Seem in Gabon

If you ever plan on traveling to Africa, especially Equatorial Africa, be sure to get the inside scoop on the weather from someone at your destination.

Gabon has 2 short Dry seasons; June – August and December/January.  The remainder of the year is considered Rainy season.  Gabon gets more than 100 inches of rain per year (Seattle only gets 36).  If you are like me, you may have thought, I have to remember to take advantage and get as much traveling done and pictures taken during the dry season.  Not the case.  Dry season is the worst time to come.  Sure, it’s a little cooler, but that’s because it’s cloudy, overcast and grey every day.  The rainy season on the other hand, is the best time to come, with bright blue skies and sunny days.  Yes, there is the occasional grey day, but it mostly rains at night.  I think I notice the rain more in NYC than I do in Libreville.  That’s not to say that I don’t see the rain; when it rains here, it pours.  Rivers accumulate in the street and flights don’t land.  What I mean is, the rainy days that affect your mood are more prevalent in NYC.

A Lazy Sunday on the Beach in Gabon

Went to the beach on Sunday with the Lieutenant Colonel - I put that in for effect, so you don’t forget the community that I live with - did it work?

We just went close by in Sabliere, the neighborhood where we live.  It’s been hot here, it’s always hot here, but it’s been hotter than usual.  The heat index has 104 Fahrenheit everyday, but it’s cooler on the beach because of the constant breeze off the ocean.

Walls surround the compound where we live, like all properties in Sabliere, so you don’t get the effect of the wind to cool you down when you’re outside.