Peace Corps Volunteer Corie in Madagascar! writes: Peace Corps Madagascar has decided, along with the US Embassy here, to suspend the program due to political turmoil



I am going to South Africa tomorrow to be "processed" which basically means to be retired into an official "returned peace corps volunteer" do a bunch of paperwork and go through a physical and stuff. Then I should be home, maybe in about a week. A shocker and very very sad news....heartbreaking. It is so hard to believe this is happening...it all happened so quickly. It's hard to explain it all, but I'm just letting you all know I'll be home a year earlier than I thought. Thank you everyone so much for reading, and for your continued support and for taking the time to respond sometimes. I have appreciated it a lot. It's been the wildest ride of my life and I will never forget my time here, and I would do it again in a heartbeat, even if I knew I'd be evacuated. I'm looking forward to seeing you all, and hearing what you all have been up to. Take care...

Peace Corps Volunteer Corie in Madagascar! writes: Peace Corps Madagascar has decided, along with the US Embassy here, to suspend the program due to political turmoil

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Coming Home


Caption: Madagascan soldiers separate supporters of opposition leader Andry Rajoelina and President Marc Ravalomanana in the capital Antananarivo February 14, 2009. Photo: Reuters/Carl Hocquart/Files
Corie's last Madagascar email update 3/14/09 from Tana, the capital, where
she'll leave to fly out of the country on Sunday:


Hey everyone...


Well, just wanted to send you my last update from Madagascar. Got some very sad news. I'm not sure if you all have been following the news here (not like Madagascar's news probably makes it a lot of places). So... Peace Corps Madagascar has decided, along with the US Embassy here, to suspend the program due to political turmoil. All Americans, except essential embassy employees are being told to evacuate the country. There are two parties battling for power right now, and many people have already died in riots and protests. The president is corrupt and the mayor of the capital city is trying to overthrow him. Neither seems to be stepping down, and neither wants to negotiate as of now. So... we leave, and pray that when it is safe, we will be sent back. I am going to South Africa tomorrow to be "processed" which basically means to be retired into an official "returned peace corps volunteer" do a bunch of paperwork and go through a physical and stuff. Then I should be home, maybe in about a week. A shocker and very very sad news....heartbreaking. It is so hard to believe this is happening...it all happened so quickly. It's hard to explain it all, but I'm just letting you all know I'll be home a year earlier than I thought. Thank you everyone so much for reading, and for your continued support and for taking the time to respond sometimes. I have appreciated it a lot. It's been the wildest ride of my life and I will never forget my time here, and I would do it again in a heartbeat, even if I knew I'd be evacuated. I'm looking forward to seeing you all, and hearing what you all have been up to. Take care...

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: March, 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 March 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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Feb 22, 2009: Return to Indonesia? Clinton says PC expects to resume in Indonesia 18 Feb Indonesia still touchy about Peace Corps 17 Feb PCVs Remain Safe in Madagascar 30 Jan Dodd's Senate seat up for grabs? 21 Feb Tony Hall Talks About Poverty and Hunger 18 Feb Pro Football Player Aaron Merz to serve in Zambia 17 Feb Moyers could be new Murrow for US Public Diplomacy 17 Feb Obituary for Nigeria CD Francis Underhill Macy 10 Feb George Packer writes: Parties argue government role 10 Feb James Rupert writes: Missile Strikes Counterproductive? 10 Feb Danny Hevrol in Madagascar amidst fighting 6 Feb Reed Hastings writes: Please Raise My Taxes 6 Feb Obama overrides Hillary on Chris Hill appointment 6 Feb Joseph Acaba has "The Right Stuff" 4 Feb Maureen Orth writes: A New Start 2 Feb Henry Rayburn could make art out of anything 1 Feb Obama out to marry military power with diplomacy 30 Jan Mike Fay honored by the San Diego Zoo 30 Jan Charles Stroh writes: Karzai seen as impediment to change 29 Jan Madeleine Meek writes: The market and the bath 26 Jan NPCA gets new Web Site 22 Jan Read more stories from January and February 2009.

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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.

Read the stories and leave your comments.