2009.10.09: October 9, 2009: Headlines: COS - Guinea: Blogs - Guinea: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Yolo in Guinea" writes: I can't even begin to describe the emotions of being ripped from a place you love- my friends, coworkers, neighbors, a great job, a beautiful house … I haven't had to "move away" since the first grade. And it's terrible. Absolutely awful.
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2009.10.08: October 8, 2009: Headlines: COS - Guinea: Safety: COS - Mali: Peace Corps Press Release: Peace Corps Guinea Volunteers Safely Evacuated to Mali :
2009.10.10: October 10, 2009: Headlines: COS - Guinea: Blogs - Guinea: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Walking Africa" writes: We're out :
2009.10.09: October 9, 2009: Headlines: COS - Guinea: Blogs - Guinea: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Yolo in Guinea" writes: I can't even begin to describe the emotions of being ripped from a place you love- my friends, coworkers, neighbors, a great job, a beautiful house … I haven't had to "move away" since the first grade. And it's terrible. Absolutely awful.
Peace Corps Volunteer "Yolo in Guinea" writes: I can't even begin to describe the emotions of being ripped from a place you love- my friends, coworkers, neighbors, a great job, a beautiful house … I haven't had to "move away" since the first grade. And it's terrible. Absolutely awful.
"Tears haven't stopped since last Saturday. I can't think/focus/eat/talk about this without breaking down. I stayed next to friends for my final hours, and climbing into the back of the Peace Corps vehicle 7am Wednesday morning and watching as my home, my street, my city, my country, grow smaller and smaller out the back window, is an awful vivid memory that I can't seem to erase from my mind. We're "waiting" right now. We might go back in 14 days if the "situation" clears up. But unless an assassinating dictator steps down from power, a divided military makes up, and democratic elections are promised to take place, in 14 days, I think I'm going to be forced to find Plan B."
Peace Corps Volunteer "Yolo in Guinea" writes: I can't even begin to describe the emotions of being ripped from a place you love- my friends, coworkers, neighbors, a great job, a beautiful house … I haven't had to "move away" since the first grade. And it's terrible. Absolutely awful.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Mali.
Caption: Guinean police arrest a protester in front of the biggest stadium in the capital Conakry during a protest banned by Guinea's ruling junta on September 28. The United States condemned Tuesday the "brazen and inappropriate use of force" by Guinea's ruling junta, after scores were killed in a crackdown on an opposition rally. Photo: AFP/File/Seyllou
Hey guys.
So a lot of you have heard that Peace Corps Guinea is, well, no longer in Guinea. It's true. We "consolidated" (the euphemism for "evacuated") and are now in Mali, which was about a 16 hour drive north from Mamou.
I can't even begin to describe the emotions of being ripped from a place you love- my friends, coworkers, neighbors, a great job, a beautiful house … I haven't had to "move away" since the first grade. And it's terrible. Absolutely awful. Tears haven't stopped since last Saturday. I can't think/focus/eat/talk about this without breaking down. I stayed next to friends for my final hours, and climbing into the back of the Peace Corps vehicle 7am Wednesday morning and watching as my home, my street, my city, my country, grow smaller and smaller out the back window, is an awful vivid memory that I can't seem to erase from my mind.
We're "waiting" right now. We might go back in 14 days if the "situation" clears up. But unless an assassinating dictator steps down from power, a divided military makes up, and democratic elections are promised to take place, in 14 days, I think I'm going to be forced to find Plan B.
No, I don't know what Plan B is. Which also compounds the stress/emotions.
I have nothing else to write as of now, but you don't need to worry about my safety. Thanks for all the encouraging emails. I'm praying this will all be over soon enough.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: October, 2009; Peace Corps Guinea; Directory of Guinea RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Guinea RPCVs; Blogs - Guinea; Safety and Security of Volunteers
When this story was posted in October 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Memo to Incoming Director Williams PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams |
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Story Source: Personal Web Site
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Guinea; Blogs - Guinea; Safety
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