As I am idling time waiting for my flight, I am reminded of a fond Robertsfield Airport memory.

A few weeks ago I was picking someone up from the airport. The airport waiting area is outdoors and under a brown awning. A large parking lot separates the airport exit from the waiting area. As I understand protocol, no one is supposed to walk on the parking lot except exiting passengers. In practice, the parking lot is for VIPs, aka Firestone employees who want to give their visiting expat supervisors special treatment.

VIPs also appears to include white people. I am often able to walk right up to the airport exit, as long as I look confident and stand my ground.

Another actor in the airport scene is the employee with the megaphone. The employee, whoever it may be on a given day, loves the power of the megaphone. “STAY BEHIND CAR, BEHIND CAR,” he might yell. Or, “NO PARKING DERE, NO PARKING.” He does nothing but watch people and shout in the megaphone.

One time, I was a little over-confident. I walked up to the airport exit and sat down on a ledge while waiting for my visitor to arrive. An airport employee with a megaphone started personalizing his shouting. “WHI GIR, WHI GIR, DON SI DERE.” I looked around and confirmed that I was the only white girl sitting. In fact I was the only white person in a 200 yard radius. I stood up, but decided to try to stay in the off-limits area. “WHI GIR, DON STAN DERE.” I turned red. The arriving flight was an SN Brussels flight, which are pretty big. This meant that there were lots of people waiting. Maybe like 200. Everyone was staring at the white girl in the off-limits area.

Humiitated, I retreated. I sought solace in the fact that rule of law and the abolishment of white privelege might be meeting the airport waiting area.

It is inexcusable that I have not yet written a blog post on the Airport Experience. So many funny things happen there. Until I get around to posting about the airport, check out this amusing article. It is especially useful for first time Liberia visitors.