Ummm, we are in Bamako now
So the strike was just lasting too long and PC decided to take us to the training center in Bamako until it a. calms down or b. we have to choose what to do if we can't go back. Now that we have internet and electricity all the time, I'm going to come back and give an update about what's going on in Guinea and how things are here.
But Bamako is amazing!!!! Last night we had cheeseburgers and fries at this nice restaurant and we sat on a patio and if I'd taken a picture you would have thought I was on a double date in the US. It was so great!! The PC is taking incredible care of us - we have shuttles running from the training grounds to downtown all the time, they will buy us anything we need, and Bamako is gorgeous. Of course a lot of it still looks like Guinea, but there are many streets that look like Europe. Assuming that this all passes over and I can get back to Guinea, I'm happy to spend a couple weeks here while the politicians and military work out the strike problems.
I'll do a better update later today and will post it - we have wireless and Cam has a computer!!
I'll also tell you about the ride here, it was so long and painful that you will cringe. But we are safe and sound and our huts have fans.
Thanks for everyone's emails and everything - I'm happy and fine and (at least for the first 2 days) enjoying this PC-sponsored field trip!
posted by Jen @ 2:00 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Hey Jen, since you've been so helpful in giving us an on-the-ground view of the strike, I wanted to get back to you with thanks and a quick status report. Our drum trip was cancelled after three days in-country ... doubleplusungood! The final word came from neighbors who let it be known that, if the drumming continued, it would be taken as a sign that our teacher supported the president ... we're in the compound 'doing business' and the country is striking ... and for safety's sake our teacher and tour organizers called it quits ... game over. A frenzied scene at Gbessia Airport trying to get 26 of us onto one of the few Air France flights, and in fact, an unscheduled stop in Bamako to drop off AF flight crews who were told it wasn't safe to sleep in Conakry. I'm so glad the PC is keeping you guys safe, and I've also heard that Bamako is lovely. Here in the USA in the far northeast it was -17 F last night ... enjoy your taste of Afica while you may!
Thank you so much for keeping us all updated. The G13 group was cancelled and I've been reassigned to go to Uganda. I'm quite heartbroken about not coming to Guinea, but it is clearly beyound my control.
If you want to come visit Uganda just get in contact. Best of luck!
Thanks for the updates, you two! I'm so sorry that you had to leave and get reassigned...I'll definitely get in touch if I end up over near Uganda. We still don't know what's going to happen, but are having a lot of fun in Bamako in the meantime - since I have no control over the situation I figure I might as well make the best of Peace Corps Guinea Summer Camp!
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