The AP is reporting Peace Corps has suspended its operations in Kenya. I completed my two-year service with Peace Corps/Nepal just before that program was suspended.
Given the nature of the work, the program’s suspension will be wholly disruptive to both the lives of projects of PCVs, who were likely just told to drop everything, leave their homes, offices, etc., and—poof!—gone. Sad.
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I am a former Marine and had the oppertunity to serve in Chad back in the mid-80’s. I found it very interesting to see the city of N’Djamena back in the news and not changed at all since I was there.
We Chad vet’s speak of ‘our war’ because there was a different war going on each year, more or less.
To paraphrase you…
Given the nature of war, there will be many program suspensions which will be wholly disruptive to both the lives of projects of Chadians, who were likely just told to drop everything, leave their homes, offices, etc., and—poof!—gone. Sad.
I was really sad to see the Nepal program leave and to learn of the suspension of the Kenya program–both were very popular and storied programs for all involved. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan during the 9/11 events and that was really tough. All of the other Central Asia programs were closed shortly after the attacks, but with lots of PCVs speaking out about having full confidence in our safety, we were able to remain in country and continue our work. But we were on pins and needles I remember because we didn’t have any idea if we’d be shipped out at the drop of the hat. I recall having an emergency bag next the door for several weeks all the while hoping an evacuation wouldn’t occur. All of the programs are back in place in the region now I believe.
I can relate to the feeling of uncertainty. I can also remember wishing, sometimes, that something would happen one way or another so I could stop carrying a bag of all my negatives with me wherever I went.
I remember that awful feeling as well. I had a good friend that was evacuated out of an African country without notice. Evidently a colleague pulled up on a motorbike and told him he had to come for a meeting right away. He grab a few things for the day, unaware he’d never be back. He left behind all of his journals and film. This was 15 years ago and he is still bothered by it. More so about not being able to say goodbye. The country was in a serious state of turmoil and he worried that his village thought he abandoned them, when actually he had no choice. When he arrived at the meeting place, it was an airstrip. Saying goodbye after two years was really important to me because I needed to explain why I was leaving just like I had to explain what the hell I was doing there after my arrival.
Ryan, that sounds very familiar. I remember towards the end of my Peace Corps service in Nepal, I began taking my negatives with me whenever I left home—even if just for the weekend. Luckily, I finished my service uninterrupted. Others were not so fortunate.