Monrovia, March 13 -- Shortly after landing in Monrovia, I went to a resto-bar in an area called Sinkor. Little did I know, I was stepping into a world accessible only to a few.

By Khushali Haji

Far from being a club-goer, I found it nerve-wracking to make small talk with strangers. I pushed myself; this was a chance to make acquaintances in a country I'd barely heard of before this opportunity. Neither my U.S. nor Indian education covered nations founded by freed slaves sent to Africa.

The night progressed. I was introduced to people of various backgrounds, mostly light-skinned and seemingly successful. The ones with my shared nationality were all businessmen.

In the late hours of the night, one tipsy businessman said, "You know, pe...