Zenith International Academy is a private school in Bo town, Sierra Leone, where the children must pay fees to attend. It has two institutions, one school for the pre-school and infant children and a second school for the primary and secondary aged children. However, each school is a fair distance apart. The children are from diverse backgrounds both culturally and religiously as there are some Lebanese children as well. The curriculum covers basic maths, english, social studies, religious moral education and health education but in particular there is great emphasis on physical education. They are taught to read and write in english but they communicate in Krio, a form of broken english. The school motto is "Reaching for higher heights" which is what they are constantly striving for. Zenith International Academy has a strong sense of community, it is more like a family where the students call the teachers auntie and uncle and they hold hands as a sign of friendship.
I stayed with a family friend during my time in Sierra Leone in their house because i wanted the full experience. If you have no contacts here i suggest Dohas hotel in Bo or if staying in Freetown, the main city, The Country Lodge Hotel. Both of which are extremely nice with full access to electricity and running water which i unfortunately didn't have.
I flew with Air France which was quite long as there was a stop off in Paris but their service was faultless, i would recommend them to anybody! When you reach Freetown airport you have to get to the ferry port to then cross to the other side of Freetown. However, the ferry's only run twice a day so if you miss the last one make sure you have back up accommodation for the night. When you cross to the main Freetown it is then a 3 hour drive to Bo. You can get a taxi but the driver will most likely charge you triple the normal fare if he recognises you're from England as they have the tendency to presume we're all rich! I'd suggest travelling by the Government bus as it is much cheaper and less overcrowded.
When travelling around Bo or Freetown you have the option of taxi or honda motorbike. Taxi's are much harder to get because there is no taxi rank, you just have to hope one drives by that you can call over. However, that is a much safer option than a honda. From personal near death experiences on these motorbikes i wouldn't recommend them. The roads are uneven and extremely hilly and the drivers drive incredibly fast with broken wing mirrors and flat tyres swerving in and out of cars and flying over pot holes. Get someone who lives in the area to get you a taxi and then take the taxi mans mobile number to ring him when you need a lift somewhere.
There are lots of bars and restaurants for you to visit but it is a predominantly muslim country so alcohol isn't the easiest to get hold of but they do sell beer in the clubs at a cheap price. Sierra Leone is not a glamorous tourist destination and there isn't a lot to see or do apart from a couple of zoos and the diamond mines. I wouldn't go to the monkey sanctuary as i went and got charged an extortionate amount because i was english and it wasn't very good! If you go to this part of Africa it's solely to embrace the culture and make the most of your placement. There's no safaris or tourist trips at all.
Things to do, things not to do
Always carry your ID on you at all times, there are constant police checks and border controls between Bo and Freetown.
Make sure you have someone to look after you who knows the area well. You are from England and an easy target. You will get bombarded by blind beggars and disabled children latching onto your leg constantly pestering you for money.
Do not forget your yellow fever vaccination certificate! You will become the victim of a man who sits behind passport control demanding you pay a fee for an illegitimate vaccination certificate. Do not pay this money it is a con.
Never travel anywhere by yourself, never get on a honda by yourself. Make sure your always with somebody. It is a very corrupt country and not safe to walk around, especially at night as Africa gets extremely dark of a night time.
For first time travellers i would suggest staying in Freetown and not venturing off to places like Bo. Freetown has a lot of tourists and are used to seeing English people as well as a lot of Americans, in Bo this is less common and can make you feel uneasy.
Learn to haggle!
Only change your money at the banks.
I would buy an African simcard when you are out there as it is much cheaper in the long run to phone home and university. I went with Airtel network as it is extremely popular and there are little shops everywhere selling credit so it's extremely easy to top up.
Know where your embassy is and have their contact details incase of an emergency.
Get all your vaccinations and malaria tablets, you will need them! There are so many mosquitos.
Don't forget to take lots of medication because it is likely you will get sickness and diarrhoea for the majority of your time there because sanitation is so poor.
Get your visa directly from the Sierra Leone high commissioner's office in London. You can fill the form in there and then, pay the £50 and collect it in a few days. Make sure you do this a few months in advance as the waiting list believe it or not is huge!
Don't pack your nicest clothes, there aren't any particularly fancy places to go and the roads are so dusty, all your clothes will come back orange anyway!
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