"Do you sell water bags?"

“Do you sell water bags?” I ask the ladies in a local corner store. I am met with blank stares. “The bags, not the bottles. I would like four of them.” I hold up four fingers. The lady behind the chicken wire screen sales counter looks around and picks up a water bottle. “No, the bags. Do you sell the bags?” I hold up 5 Liberty, the price of a water bag.

The other lady resting on a stool says, “the bags” and shuts her eyes again.

The lady behind the counter nods her head and goes into the back room, returning shortly with 4 water bags. The transaction is a success.

-

One of the best purchases in Liberia is a water bag. It’s purified water in a clear plastic 500 milliliter bag. A water bag costs 5 Liberty, so to get 1.5 liters of drinking water it costs 15 Liberty if you buy the bags. In contrast to that is the extravagant price of a 1.5 liter water bottle at $1 USD (1.00 USD = 70 Liberty). 15 versus 70 Liberty for the same amount of water. I have my own metal water bottle that I refill with the bags. I do not need a 55 Liberty plastic bottle.

I went back to the same shop for more water on Sunday. I had to make my purchase through a small side window because of a law that keeps business doors closed until 6pm on Sunday. The ladies seemed less confused that I wanted bags and not bottles, but there was still a moment of hesitation.