Vive le Dash

There are some things we should get out of the way before we continue this relationship. Number 1: Good news, everybody!  I'm going to Cameroon.  Still in Africa, still mostly French speaking, and I will be doing community development work.  Probably trying to improve health by reducing the spread of diseases like AIDs and malaria.  We are pleased with this change; Cameroon honestly looks to be a better fit for me than Mali would have been.  We are less pleased with the start date being in September.  C'est la vie. Number 2: I intend to use this blog to tell stories.  Either because I think you'll like to hear them or it entertains me to tell them.  I hope to steer away from just listing things I do.  That sounds boring and mundane, even if the setting will be Africa.  All the stories will be true or based on truth.  They will be fisherman tales full of exaggeration and the occasional downright lie.  I promise to only lie for good.  Or when it amuses me. Number 3:

Well shit. For those of you not on the up and up with news of the political climate in Mali--and let's be honest, most of you couldn't point to it on a map before hearing that I was going there--the government has fallen.  Actually it fell awhile ago to a military coup.  Apparently the military was unhappy with the way the old dogs were handling the rebellion going on in the north (yes, there has been a rebellion going on for awhile too; the Peace Corps were pretty much fine with that).  They took power for themselves and promised to give it back whenever they solved the whole crisis in the Saharan.  Naturally, the rebels took the opportunity to do some remodeling and housing expansion. The Peace Corps has done a lovely job of keeping me informed, at least post decision to withdraw.  Their main concern has been the 160 volunteers on the ground in Mali for the past couple weeks.  I'll allow it.  There has been no real fear of violence after the first day or so of the cou

I usually deal with goodbyes by ignoring them.  Completely if possible.  My go to line is something like: "This isn't goodbye; I'll swing by one last time before I'm off."  Sometimes it's true, sometimes it isn't.  Regardless, it does a fine job of dodging the mushy hugs and teary eyes.  Of which everyone must face when confronted with a life without yours truly. Though, if there is anything good to say about goodbyes, it is that they really clarify what's important in your life.  The last month or so in DC has done a lot of that for me.  I met a lot of important people while over the last few years and I just wanted to thank them for the good times. Everyone at work was more than spectacular.  I was really taken aback by how everyone reacted to my decision to jump ship.  Hell, I half wondered if all their praise and admiration for the journey were really just escaped joy at getting rid of me.  My boss Ricky must have clarified a hundred times that