Peace Corps Volunteer Madagascar Me writes: As of right now we are in the Standfast evacuation alert mode which in short means be ready to leave when you get the word to do so



I am currently safe at the Peace Corps transit house in antananarivo (tana for short). Been under what I guess you could say is a form of house arrest only it's for our safety. Today things seemed to have calmed down a lot as far as looting and violence goes all over Madagascar but I can't promise this will be true in future as well.

Peace Corps Volunteer Madagascar Me writes: As of right now we are in the Standfast evacuation alert mode which in short means be ready to leave when you get the word to do so

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Caption: Madagascan soldiers on patrol in Antananarivo on January 29, 2009. The mayor of Madagascar's capital city, Andry Rajoelina, on Monday sought the removal of President Marc Ravalomanana in the wake of violent anti-government protests that left dozens dead. Photo: AFP/File/Richard Bouhet

update on things going on in madagascar
I am currently safe at the Peace Corps transit house in antananarivo (tana for short). Been under what I guess you could say is a form of house arrest only it's for our safety. Today things seemed to have calmed down a lot as far as looting and violence goes all over Madagascar but I can't promise this will be true in future as well. As of right now we are in the Standfast evacuation alert mode which in short means be ready to leave when you get the word to do so. However in the short term there doesn't seem to be any plans to evacuate us, and I sorely would love to go back to my site as I'm starting feel stir crazy at the PC house. Right now the public transportation is not going, so I could be here for anywhere from 3 more days to a month.

Again I'm totally safe, but the upside is that I do have access to internet right now so if you'd like further details please feel free to facebook or email me at nandinj@gmail.com.

If you'd like news on the events in Madagascar I suggest you search google news.

I apologize if this is vague.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: January, 2009; Peace Corps Madagascar; Directory of Madagascar RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Madagascar RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Blogs - Madagascar

When this story was posted in February 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

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Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

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Jan 24, 2009: RPCVs March in Inauguration Peace Corps Community marches in Inaugural Parade 20 Jan Jane Albritton writes: Memories of Maury Albertson 18 Jan Sarah Chayes writes: Failing Afghanistan 15 Dec Volunteers in Guinea are Safe 23 Dec Jim Walsh reflects on 20 years of service 28 Dec Public service in Driehaus' blood 3 Jan An Interview with Kathleen Stephens 3 Jan Robert P. Cristo returns to Nigeria 4 Jan Sarah Holt makes 2,663-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail 5 Jan Zophia Kneiss is metal sculptor 11 Jan Harris Wofford is Godfather of National Service 12 Jan Melanie Edwards founds Mobile Metrix 14 Jan Jody Olsen Named PC Acting Director 16 Jan Lawrence Leamer writes: Obama betrays the Peace Corps? 18 Jan George Packer writes: Obama's Inaugural Address 20 Jan Obama going to do something great for Peace Corps 21 Jan John Bridgeland writes: Volunteer to Save the Economy 22 Jan Foy Spicer writes: Electricity as a scarcity 23 Jan Carl Pope to Step Down as Sierra Club Chief 23 Jan James Rupert writes: US Missile Attacks Kill 15 24 Jan Jeffrey Tayler writes "Murderers in Mausoleums" 25 Jan Read more stories from January 2009 and December 2008.

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Some PCVs return to Bolivia on their own Peace Corps has withdrawn all volunteers from Bolivia because of "growing instability" and the expulsion of US Ambassador Philip Goldberg after Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the American government of inciting violence in the country. This is not the first controversy surrounding Goldberg's tenure as US ambassador to Bolivia. Latest: Some volunteers have returned to Bolivia on their own to complete their projects.

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PCVs Evacuated from Georgia The Peace Corps has announced that all Volunteers and trainees serving in the Republic of Georgia are safe and they have been temporarily relocated to neighboring Armenia. Read the analysis by one RPCV on how Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili believed that he could launch a lightning assault on South Ossetia and reclaim the republic without substantial grief from Moscow and that Saakashvili's statements once the war began demonstrated that he expected real Western help in confronting Russia.

Read the stories and leave your comments.