Most of my interviews were conducted at the student recreation center, The Perch. The reason for this was because it was the easiest place for George to reach given his loaded schedule and that he absolutely adores Ping-Pong. Some supplementary interviews were only given if I agreed to play him in a few rounds. The highest I've ever scored against him was one point, and it was due to George hitting the net.
I would often have to remind him of the interviews due to him challenging anyone who walked in. I guess I was too easy a target for him.
George claims Ping-Pong is not only his favorite game, but that he is one of its best players. He does not like to lose, and if he does, he immediately demands a rematch. There is no doubt that George's competitive nature is born of his home and the conditions through which he struggled. Everything was a competition for him growing up. The strongest and smartest prospered and there was no prize for second place. Seeing how such conditions have shaped him into such a perfectionist is hardly surprising, but it is his humility mixed with this competitive edge that is truly intriguing. He will celebrate his accomplishments and victories, but he never forgets to praise his opponents. He is magnanimous in victory and he uses his defeats to fuel his drive for future success.
As George has stated many times over in many of these interviews, he is extremely extroverted. He can strike up a converation with a total stranger in less than a minute. The picture to the left was taken when he met a number of club soccer players. Within minutes, George knew all their names, got himself invited to play in an game, exchanged phone numbers, and proceeded to teach these people juggling tricks he had learned back home in Sierra Leone.
George has also stated on record many times that such a thing was near impossible where he grew up. People never spoke to each other in such a manner, let alone to strangers or newcomers. As such, he takes every given oppertunity to make new friends or network with people.
This game was the price to pay for George to read his latest poem Unknown Rivers. After yet another thorough thrashing and a short victory dance, George proceeded to read his poem. His demenor changed from the jovial, proud Ping Pong champion of SJU to a somber and throughtful social activist. It was hard to believe he had just been dancing to another 21 to 0 victory just moments before.
His poem reflected his fears for his nation's future and how the government of Sierra Leone's irresponsible handling of his country's precious metals and exports as well as their near total disregard for the needs of the people they claimed to represent. He fears more than anything that if a genuine change from this behavior is not made, Sierra Leone will once more crumble into the type of violent chaos and suffering that he witnessed during the decade long civil war.
George keeps most of his poems and drafts in journals such as this one, which he acquired during a trip to Paris, France. Unknown Rivers
is one of the many such poems contained within its pages. Though I desperately wanted to see inside, George is very protective of his work, even the concepts and rough drafts, so I wasn't allowed to take a look inside. This picture of its cover is the second best photo of it I can get.
The Journal, as mentioned before, was aquired by George in Paris during a trip related to his charity work. As George is very sentimental, he felt that it was only appropriate to take something with him when he left the City of Light. Thus, this journal came to be his primary means of recording his raw ideas.
One of George's greatest joys is seeing his work being appreciated by others. Needless to say, seeing his work in the University's paper makes him extatic.
Oh Mama Africa is George's ode to his home continent. In it, he expresses his pride in being an African as well as his hopes for his home's future and his fear and pain over how the people of his home in Sierra Leone have been made to suffer.
