The Itinerary of the 2008 Trip

4th May (Sunday)

All participants need to arrive on 30th April. CBW will collect you from the airport and take you to your accommodation so you can rest until all participants have arrived.

5th May (Monday)

Program orientation and introduction, Monrovia tour. After breakfast candidates will be taken to the CBW office for program* orientation and personal introductions. All aspects of the trip will be outlined and a personal overview of Liberian history, geography and current situation, and CBW programs will be given. This will cover what volunteers can expect from their experiences in Liberia. Volunteers will be assigned to schools depending on skills, interests and strengths.

After lunch, participants will be invited to join CBW staff and friends on a tour of central Monrovia. Sites will include major attractions and points of interest such as: Broad St, Mamba Point, Grey Stone Complex, Executive Mansion, Capital Building, West side market and more.

That evening all participants will be invited to join CBW staff for informal drinks.

*School programs may include specific classroom activities targeting underdeveloped areas. Activities may include: creative workshops, science workshops (e.g. build-a-bridge competition) language programs etc. Participants will be given forewarning about target areas and asked to bring some supplies not available in Liberia.

6th May (Tuesday)

Visit CBW project sites. Participants will be working in suburban schools in and around Monrovia. Participants will be driven to their respective schools and introduced to school administrations. Classroom observations and interviews with teachers will follow.

After school, participants will be collected and returned to their accommodation. Then there will be a debrief on findings and experiences to help prepare for the following days' classroom activities.

7th May (Wednesday)

Visit CBW project sites. Start working with assigned classes on CBW projects. This will account for the whole school day.

In the evening, participants will be invited to meet prominent Liberians involved directly in rebuilding all aspects of their county.

8th May (Thursday)

Visit CBW project sites. Continue work with assigned schools for the whole school day.

9th May (Friday)

Visit CBW project sites. Completion of school programs, with goodbye ceremony. After lunch participants will group and aim to visit the Ministry of Education to share their input and experiences working in Monrovian schools. For those interested a trip to the UNMIL building, University of Liberia, and beach side restaurant will be available.

10th May (Saturday)

Leave for Interior**. The trip to the Interior will depend heavily on the weather and subsequent road conditions. CBW aims to take all volunteers to the South Eastern County of Grand Gedeh. The drive to Grand Gedeh will take the group into the heart of Liberia, through lush and dense forests, scattered Liberian villages and towns, foremost Ganta, before reaching the capital of Grand Gedeh, Zwedru. This drive could take part or all of the day.

11th May (Sunday)

Travel Interior **. After breakfast the convoy will head towards Mount Gedeh, a drive to the summit will give spectacular views of the surrounding forests as well as an insight into the vast Liberian resources.

If time permits, participants will visit local villages to compare and contrast educational facilities available.

12th May (Monday)

Travel Interior **. After breakfast all participants will be asked to accompany CBW staff in gathering further information from schools in Zwedru. This will include meeting with school staff, administrations and students.

The evening meal will be communal, with all participants and local school staff.

13th May (Tuesday)

Return to Monrovia. The return to Monrovia may take part or all of the day depending on weather.

That evening a CBW official leaving ceremony and communal meal will conclude the trip.

14th May (Wednesday)

Departures. All candidates will be entitled to be driven back to Roberts International Airport for departure.

** If weather and road conditions prevent a trip to Grand Gedeh, alternate plans will be made which may include volunteering a bit longer at the schools and a shorter trip to a different area of the interior.

Note: Itinerary is subject to change. While all efforts will be made to follow the outlined schedule, changes in CBW programs may affect planned activities. Participants will be given forewarning on any major changes to the itinerary.

Extending Your Stay

If you plan to extend your stay after the program finishes, CBW is happy to talk about possible volunteer extensions. CBW recommends that any individual wishing to extend, do so through CBW as tourist infrastructure in Liberia remains largely non-existent!