It's that time of year again....

by Farzana Rasheed

It's that time of year again and I can't believe it's already here.....and, what a year it has been, too. 

It's the time of the year to start thinking about Season's greeting cards. It's become a tradition at NATC to put a lot of effort into celebrating the year's end and reaching out to our clients in the form of a Christmas card. 

I asked our friend Luca to design a card for us. We met Luca earlier this year after who found us through our blog. He had returned to Liberia in 2009 for a few weeks and was back this year again to try to move back. 

My main impression of Luca is of his overwhelming fondness of Liberia which he has nurtured throughout his life. I think it is very endearing and touching to know that someone who grew up here associates his happy childhood specifically with Liberia and has made such an effort to come back and even explore moving back. I wish him luck with his dream.

These are the two cards Luca designed for us. My overwhelmingly favourite one is the one that has the Fanti cloth in the background. 

Card 1

Card 2 - the winner!

The first card definitely has that Christmassy feeling. The twinkling Christmas lights, as they fade into the distance, are a perfect backdrop for a year end message. But the card could be from anywhere. So, I asked Luca to design another card that has a West African motif. 

Luca came up with the second design literally within the hour and, I can't gush enough about it. Where to start? The first background is a Fanti cloth and has some of the NATC logo colours (green and yellow) which makes it perfect. Then there is a partially translucent shape of Africa on top of the Fanti cloth background which actually looks like tracing paper. It's a beautiful card and I can't wait to share it everyone on our list.

Many many thanks to Luca!

Kavita's first week back

By Farzana Rasheed

I wonder how the office coped without Kavita for 8 months. Really makes you wonder! This is a recap of Kavita's first week back.

She brings so much fun and joyful noise to the place. Otherwise, it would just be another boring IT company.

Kavita and Lorpu, our new office assistant.

Kavita climbs the ladder to success...

Kavita surveys the office from my desk.

Kavita and Lorpu have taken an instant liking to each other.

Kavita and Haresh

Good morning Kavita!

Kavita and Haresh in the coffee corner.

I'm back!

By Farzana Rasheed

I am back in Monrovia after 8 months.  I initially went away for a 2-month holiday in Pakistan but then extended my stay since I had to have my gall bladder removed.  By the time I recovered and was ready to come back, the ebola crisis had peaked and I was advised to stay away for some time, especially since I have an infant daughter, Kavita. 

The quarantine by regional airlines also made getting back quite difficult. In fact if you have not signed the petition to encourage regional and international airlines to resume operations to the ebola-affected countries so far, please do so here. 

Finally I was able to return with Air Ivoire from Accra. 

It's good to be back. On my first day back, we had a distinguished guest, the one and only Mama Susu, at our office on my first day back. She came to check out the famous sofa set that Haresh had got custom made for our office. 

I'm happy to report that both she and I loved it. 

Mama Susu loved the new sofas that Haresh had specially made for our office.

Is Haresh engrossed in chess or work?

Kavita loves being back!

Emmanuel, who has become a junior techie, is also helping out in admin by filing docs.

Mama Susu comes for a visit

Hellooooooo Kavita!