Final Update

So I'm back. Where do I start you off? I've actually been back for about a month now. I'm doing a little trip around the states. I'm currently in St. Louis visiting my sister. Next is Montana, then California. I'm trying to see all those people who have moved away since I've been gone. Plus, I have no job or any other commitment to keep me in Bryn Athyn. Its very strange to be back. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. My thoughts often drift back to Guinea. I look at my pictures a lot. I wonder how they're all doing. I need to get back there and see them. I need to get my life going.

For this blog I have mostly been telling you about my personal experiences and adding bits about Guinea relevant to me. I've sort of steered clear of the political situation up until my latest blog on corruption. The government of Guinea had only indirect effects on my service and thus it did not merit much attention in my blogs. However, about two and half months ago, the people of Guinea started their own little revolution to overthrow the president, Lansana Conte (pronounced 'contay'), and his corrupt government. As you might have guessed, this didn't go smoothly and Peace Corps Guinea was evacuated as a result. Just by coincidence this happened right at the end of my service. What a way to end it.

Before continuing, if you haven't yet read the first blog about Conte and the revolution, I suggest you read it. My friend Chris K managed to summarize it much better than I ever could. I'll just tell you a little bit about what happened with me in that context.

It was certainly an amazing thing to have been in Guinea for the two years leading up to this momentous period in their history. I saw a country abundantly rich in natural resources somehow spiral deeper and deeper into poverty while those working for Conte got richer and richer. I saw the price of just about everything quadruple while salaries remained more or less the same. I saw the citizens go from having a certain degree of reverence for their president to openly declaring their desire to see him removed from office. I saw a group of some of the most peaceful, easygoing people pushed to their limits. Violence is the last thing Guineans want and the fact that they were forced to these extremes blows my mind.

During my service, Peace Corps Guinea went on 'Standfast' four times. The first standfast took place in late December, 2005. Standfast, for Peace Corps, is a safety precaution and simply means that all volunteers must stay where they are and not travel anywhere. Those people who are at their sites have to check in everyday on their radio. Most of the standfasts were a direct result of the strikes and the possibility of violence. Up until this last strike everything thing was relatively peaceful. Volunteers often discussed the possibility of evacuation and by the time this last strike came, we were all thinking that something had to change soon or the people just wouldn't take it anymore. Conte never listened to them before, why would he listen to them this time?

Anyway, I was in Dabiss (my site, for those of you who don't know by know) for this last strike. I got there a few days before the strike began and stayed there for three weeks while I waited to see what would happen. The strike had been postponed over and over so I had no idea if it was going to happen or not. But it did. I'd done this before. No big deal. Something seemed slightly different about this one though. At the end of each day, all the men whipped out their radios and listened to the news from Conakry. As the strike went on, the situation got worse and worse. People started talking about Conte and how they wanted him out, something I'd never heard before. Before, it was just something you didn't do. You don't say bad things in public about your president, even if what you're saying is true. It's just something you don't do. No disrespect for authority figures, no matter how badly they treat you.

I would go around talking to the villagers, asking them what they thought about the situation and what they thought would happen. Every one of them would reply in the same way. "Oh, the strike is getting very serious. But nobody wants a war. We don't want to see any fighting. We don't think it will happen." Almost everyone assured me that it wouldn't get to the point where people started killing each other. I wasn't so sure. I kept telling them that if this strike went on much longer, I might get evacuated which means I would leave and never come back. They assured me it would be safe for me to stick around.

Of course, during this three week period I was preparing myself to leave Dabiss forever, just in case. I only had about a month left there anyway and even if we got temporarily 'consolidated' for a little while in another country, I was pretty sure I wouldn't be coming back. And as the strike continued, this possibility looked more and more likely. So I started saying my goodbyes. I secretly hoped that it wouldn't happen and I really had no idea if it would so I didn't tell people that I might be leaving. They were more like silent goodbyes. I preparing myself to leave. Spending more and more time with all the people. Making the most of my time left. Then one morning, I called to check in and they told me to pack my bags, that someone would pick me up the next day and within three days we'd all be driven across the country to Mali and wait out the rest of the strike. It was surreal. I walked back to my hut and started making piles of stuff to take home, stuff to leave with Peace Corps and stuff to give away. My service is over!! All of this, I'll never be in my town again. I didn't tell anybody. The next morning. I called to make sure it was actually happening that day. When I got the confirmation, I went down and told everyone. I took pictures and said my goodbyes. It all happened so quickly. Within a few hours I was gone.

In retrospect, this was actually a decent way for me to leave (excluding the country's situation of course). I had been agonizing over how to say goodbye to all these people I'd gotten so close to over the last two years. I wasn't going to leave for another month and the goodbyes were already beginning. They were going to be long, drawn-out and painful. This way, it was quick and very simple. I only regret not being able to say goodbye to those who weren't around that day and all my friends who lived in Boke. I also felt bad about leaving them in this worsening situation. But there was nothing I could do. Once again, like during my training, saying goodbye to my host mother was by far the hardest. I had a deeper relationship and understanding with her than I had with any other person and it was tough to think that I might never see her again. She'll always be with me and I really hope I have the chance to go back and see her.

I spent the next three weeks in the Peace Corps training site outside of Bamako, Mali with all 100 or so Guinea volunteers. Mali is a beautiful, amazing country, with a rich culture. Bamako is extremely developed compared to Conakry. The whole country seems to have its act together. All the roads are in good shape. There is reliable phone service. Though it is certainly a third-world country, it amazing to see the difference it makes when you have a government that is actually serving the interests of the people. It gives you hope for places like Guinea.

Anyways, we spent this time in Bamako closely monitoring the situation in Guinea debating whether or not we'd go back, trying to call friends and family who weren't so lucky as to be evacuated from all the danger. I was concerned about everyone I knew in Guinea but I was also happy in a way. I was happy to see that the people are finally doing what it takes to turn their country around. After being there for two years and watching things only get worse, it was so inspiring to see the people stand up for themselves. It brings tears to my eyes to think of all those Guineans I know who were willing to stand up to their oppressors and die for their country. I know how easy it is to complain about our own government, and though I know we're not perfect or anything, I'll never take it for granted.

On a lighter note, our 'consolidation' had some upsides. Since we had virtually no responsibilities during this time and since they gave us a per diem, we had plenty of time to explore the amazing city of Bamako and hang out with each other. It was like college, but with no classes. And as fun as it sounds, you can probably believe it also got pretty tiring after awhile. When we heard that the Embassy issued an 'ordered departure' for all US citizens, we knew that we weren't going back and people started the process of going home or transferring to other countries.

I recently bought a new laptop. Almost everyday I browse through all the pictures I took. It helps when I get lost in a daze on the internet. The supermarkets here are incredibly overwhelming. Too many options. Its strange that I have to get in a car and drive everyday when I need to get somewhere. I miss the community feeling you get when you're Africa. I miss greeting strangers on the streets. Its so good to see all my family and friends. I love all the fancy gadgets and good food we get here. I saw that movie "An Inconvenient Truth" and I think about how its a luxury to even be able to worry about global warming. It sure is scary, but its so strange to come from a place where this is a non-issue. Its a problem that will surely affect Africa in someway someday, but it originated elsewhere and there's nothing they can do to fix it. Life seems so much simpler over there. I miss it badly. I'm already thinking about how and when I'm going to go back and visit or work in Africa. I want to know that my family over there is OK. I can't imagine what it must have been like for them. I just want to be there right now. I feel out of place here and I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself. I can't really describe to you what it was like to live in Dabiss for two years and how accustomed I was to life there. It changed me deeply. It was unforgettable. If any of you or anyone you know is thinking of doing Peace Corps, feel free to contact me. I have a lot to say about it. Thanks to all of you for reading my thoughts and stories. Take care,

Anders

Things are going a little more smoothly now in Guinea. Lansana Conte appointed a prime minister who was chosen by the labor unions and accepted by the people. The new prime minister, Mr. Kouyaté assembled an entirely new government that Conté has approved. In his broadcast to the people Mr. Kouyaté is quoted as saying: "I have formed a government team which the president has seen fit to accept, and which will immediately tackle the problems we face" (Full arictle- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6505263.stm)