With its pristine beaches and swaying palms, you'd be hard pressed to believe that Freetown was not so long ago ravaged by war. And as I spied out the windows of the brightly painted, but visibly aging, Russian helicopter I was awestruck by the area's beauty - rolling hills weaving their way through swamps and rivers, crashing down into the waves of the Atlantic.

As the doors to the helicopter swung in I was hit by the oppressive heat and humidity that the rainy season brings. Hours earlier, in Brussels, I was wearing a sweater while now I was feverishly tearing layers off hoping to keep cool.

Freetown is quite like many of the other African capitals I've had the chance to visit. Masses of people and things flowing through town in some sort of organized chaos. Sylvanus and Ransford, my local hosts, took me on a tour of town before settling down for the evening. For the time being I'll be staying 25 minutes or so outside of town and will commute into town with Sylvanus.

My work as TIG Youth Initiatives Coordinator in Sierra Leone will definitely be challenging. The infrastructure for water and energy are minimal at best, ICTs are even further behind. A few Internet cafes are sprinkled throughout town but the cost, approximately $1.50/hour is much more than most can afford.

I'll be working under the auspices of UNAMSIL - the United Nations Mission for Sierra Leone - until late December at which time the mission will be replaced by an ongoign operational staff. My work will be three pronged - working with UNAMSIL on youth engagement projects, working with local youth organizations, and working on TIG specific initiatives including the Sierra Leone country site.

I'll be taking this week to get settled and oriented in Freetown but check back in for more updates.