NO PHOTOGRAPHY apparently means NO PHOTOGRAPHY

I was so smug. I knew I wasn’t supposed to take pictures, but I really wanted a picture of the seal: UNITED STATES EMBASSY MONROVIA. It’s pretty and rather colorful and just begging to be photographed. And I got two good ones. I would show you the picture so you could see how pretty the seal is, but they were both deleted by an Embassy Official. I was so proud of myself too, chuckling as I walked away with my pictures in tow. So smug. Ha! No photography! Whatever, Embassy. I was on my way to meet Kristen from Gbarnga, in town for a couple days, for dinner. I was actually looking out at the ocean as I walked, thinking about the mixed reviews I had heard about Monrovia before coming – and musing over its harshness and beauty. There’s filth and beauty and the dirty aspects just make the pretty aspects even more pronounced. I was in my own little world thinking about juxtaposition, still smug about my pictures. Then I heard the guard behind me telling me to stop. I thought about running, but then thought – eh! Me! I can talk my way out of this.

The guard would have none of my talking. He could have cared less. And made me walk all the way back to the main gate. After he shot down my initial attempt to talk my way out of it, I wanted out of the game. I told him I would just delete the pictures in front of him, but he insisted I go see his supervisor. Awesome. I really wasn’t in the mood, and was pretty indignant. These are my excuses for being mildly bitchy: fatigue from my field assessment that day, filth from the sweat and travel, the fact that I was dropped off at the wrong hotel and had to walk 20 minutes to the right one, with ominous stomach irritation. I should have just kept my mouth shut – I mean, the guard was doing his job to protect my country’s Embassy, I shouldn’t be a jerk. But really – the seal? Why on earth would you paint such a pretty seal and not let people take pictures of it!? He didn’t answer me when I posed this question.

His supervisor wasn’t very nice to start. And I actually tried to be nicer to him. The supervisor takes down all my information and then says, “Isn’t this the second time we’ve stopped you?” Absolutely not, though I had previously taken an illegal picture of the embassy without getting caught (see above). So this guy proceeds to call his supervisor. And I wait outside the embassy for a couple minutes with guard #2. I realize I am being not friendly, but at this point it seems pointless to fix it. Then a young State Department guy emerges and asks, “Took a picture?” Yeeeep. I was pretty annoyed with myself because I then proceed to have an amicable conversation with this guy after being annoyed with the guards, who are, again, simply doing their jobs. That wasn’t very cool, I know. I tried to apologize with handshakes but they had had enough of me. To be honest, they were a little too seriously for the offense committed, but again, doing their jobs. Thank for you protecting my embassy, Guards.

Anyway, the State Dept. guy, Nick, takes my passport info, deletes the two pictures I took, and then explains that the expat embassy community is really small, and they are always looking for new people to hang out with. So, got detained AND got on the embassy email list for Embassy/Marine parties. Toga party, July 18th. Oh the randomness of being an ex-pat.