A Visit to the Pot of Ice

If you listen to, well, anyone, they will tell you that the postal system in Liberia does not function. But apparently someone forgot to tell the people at the Pot of Ice in downtown Monrovia at Ashman and Randall Streets, where a staff of seven or eight people appeared to be working cheerfully. We were told that it is indeed possible to receive a letter from the exterior, as long as you have a P.O. box. The rental comes to approximately US$10/yr. Further, we were told that a letter takes about 7-10 days to reach the US, and costs about US$1. We will rent a box and post the address ASAP!

Inside the Pot of Ice are lists of people who haven't paid their box rental, people who have packages waiting for them, and many other lists written diligently in pen. The lists outside the Pot of Ice are much more popular, especially the ones telling you whether you have qualified for the US or Canadian visa lottery.

[For what it's worth, the Ledger encourages Liberians to stay home and participate in the rebuilding of their country!]