July 17. UNITS

Since I came to Sierra Leone, I have been using local SIM card with my Samsung Galaxy cell phone. There might be monthly payment for usage of cell phone, but almost all local people use a prepaid phone, by topping up credit into their cell phone number. So do I! If I want to charge 1,000 units, I need to pay 40,000 Leones ($9.30). The funny thing is that nobody wants to call first to somebody else because the credit would be deducted. (Receiving text messages or call is free.)

There are Airtel stores everywhere; I could easily see Airtel signs are hanging at the market. If I want to top up my credit, I go to a store and tell my cell number to a storekeeper. Then, he inputs my number in his mobile phone and does some unknown process. In time, I receive a text message saying Msg:207:Transaction number….. recharge 1000 UNT is successful. The other say is that I can get the ticket and scratch the gray tinfoil to see the code, and type this into my cell phone. Then, charging unit is successful too!

  

Since last week, the Units disappears,
and it shows me the remaining Leones.

Local people normally recharge 250 units (10,000 Leones = $2.32). I think it is too expensive; time of call and text per cost is too high. One text costs only 2 units, but calling costs too much. I do not know the rates, but I am afraid to call someone more than 5 minutes because hundreds of units were deducted in an instant. Whenever I finish sending text or calling, a message arrives and says my remaining units. One solution for this is flashing. When people want to speak somebody, they call first and hang up quickly, right after 1 phone tone starts. Receivers may see the missed call on their phone screen, and they may call back to callers. Just now, my phone vibrates just one time, stop vibrating, and a missed call message shows up. Well… I do not call back in this case. If callers really have something to talk to me, they may have to call me again! I also need to save my credit. Or, a friend of mine calls me and says, “Call me” and hang up. Okay… I will call you back!

However, there is a bright side. Saving units is the same meaning of saving time. When we talk to someone over the phone, we get right to the point without time-wasting. If people had access to Internet, Skype or Viber would be the best choice because calling is free. It is just amazing for me that almost all Sierra Leoneans have cell phones and recharge their units bit by bit to communicate with people.

Sao called me and we talked for 1 minute and 20 seconds. All we talked were, “How are you?” “How’s your school?” “How’s your work?” And she suddenly said, “I am out of units” and the conversation was over. Should I call her back? Hmm… Since there is no urgent issues, I may text her later!