So here's what's been going on: due to security concerns, all Peace Corps Volunteers were evacuated from Niger last week. 'Security concerns' mean that when two French guys were kidnapped from a bar in Niamey that was just a few hundred meters away from the president's house and our hostel (and one which volunteers have often frequented in the past), Washington (DC) decided it was time to get us out of there. I was at training in Hamdallaye when we were told, and thankfully we were allowed to go back to our villages to say good-bye. A few of us flew a plane to Zinder (2 hours vs. 14 hour bus ride) and headed out to our towns. It was one of the worst days of my life, saying good-bye to my new friends (who I'd become a lot closer to than I had realized) probably forever, though I've promised to visit when I can, somewhere 2-10 years from now. I realized It's more final than most good-byes because none of my Nigerien friends have facebook or email addresses, and calling them is about the only way I can contact most of them.
For the past week we've been in a nice hotel in Morocco, and I wish I could say I've been sightseeing all over the place but I've been too sick and stressed to get out of the hotel much, not even to buy cute scarves, jeans and jackets like many of my friends (although I'm sure I'll get around to it in the next few days). We've been agonizing over the decisions we would have to make (stay in Peace Corps and transfer to another country immediately? Go home for 2-6 months while we waited to re-enroll in Peace Corps, in which case we would have preferential treatment? Etc.) and finally two days ago our options were laid out to us, and they were very limited. I was lucky to qualify for a position in Malawi teaching English in a high school and was even more lucky to be selected to go, along with my friend Esther. So far so good medically speaking: as of right now I'm cleared to go. This means that some time next week Esther and I will be boarding a plane for Malawi, which isn't French-speaking but is beautiful, according to a Google image search. It may not be my first choice but hell, neither would Niger have been, and I ended up falling hard for that place. I don't have details about how long I will serve in Malawi, but it will be closer to two years, which I'm happy about. Esther and I will have a 2-week or so training (where we will hopefully start learning one of the local languages...Chichewa??) before heading out to our posts. It's a whirlwind but I feel really lucky that the next step of my adventure is happening so soon (not everyone got this chance).
I can't even begin to describe how emotionally wrenching the last two weeks have been (it has been a steady sustained awful). Not a day has gone by that I haven't cried or freaked out or both, and I have to thank my fellow volunteers and my mom for keeping me as sane and level as circumstances could permit. Another thank you to Aunt Beth, Miles and Sarah Krasnow, and the mom again, whose packages I picked up from the post office on my last day in my town and whose goodies I shared with friends to help make our parting of ways a little sweeter. Also thank you to everyone at home in America (Seattle, Santa Cruz, Kansas, San Juan Capistrano, I'm talking to you!) who offer their love and couches to me whenever I require...I've said it before and I'll say it again: I couldn't be such a globetrotter without such an amazing solid support team back at home. I will miss Niger so much, and my fellow volunteer-friends, many of whom left for America last night. I know I will get back to Niger, someday, though most likely not as a Peace Corps Volunteer. As John Lennon penned: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Or as they say in Niger, "Haka duniya take!"
Get excited, Malawi!
