Just to let you know, we just had a conversation with Erin, who is now in Ghana,
where the PCVs have been relocated. We were cut off about a minute into the first
call, and tried several more times to get through -- finally did and had a good
conversation with her.
She is doing fine, although I think everyone is still a bit shocked. They think
it'll be a couple weeks before decisions are made about what to do, unless it
really blows up in the next few days.
There are counselors there to help them, and the plans are to set up 10
computers for internet access. She said that the PC staff were wonderful --
more should be arriving tomorrow. Evidently, the PCVs are coming in 4
batches -- the ones from Bouake arrived yesterday by plane; Erin's group
came today; and one more will come tomorrow and another on Monday, depending
on how long it took them to get to Abidjan.
She said that they came from Abidjan on a big Greyhound type bus, escorted
by PC staff and embassy security staff (i.e., US marines). She also said
it was eerie (a word she used several times). At one point, as they were
leaving Abidjan, "Everyone knew we were evacuating, and kept saying 'please
come back, please come back'."
One disturbing thing -- when the US military evacuated the children from the
school, they didn't bother with the PCVs -- whether it was inadvertent or
what, no one knows. But those PCVs were flown out of Yammo to Accra, and
I'm sure have been getting special care/consideration/and attention from
the PC staff.
They left Abidjan about 11:30, got to the border about 3:00, then it took about
1 1/2 hours to cross the border. The embassy had done preliminary
arrangmeents for visas, but she didn't know what to put on her entry card
into Ghana as the reason for entry. After talking with the gendarme, she
decided on "Fleeing from war." "It's not often you get to put that down."
Still has her sense of humor.
The hotel Royal Palm (or some similar name to that) is a 6 Star resort
hotel, right on the beach, so the accommodations are great, and there is a
big ice cream buffet right close by.
Please feel free to share this rambling communique with anyone.
Thanks so much and keep everyone in your prayers.
Russ & Linda
