First off, we have been told that things are getting worse in Conakry and that a final decision will be made (fingers crossed) on Tuesday. That is exciting for me because I am sick of waiting here, but some volunteers will probably be disappointed that we have given up on going back. Apparently there has been increasing random violence and instability and the embassy has evacuated another six people, so it doesn’t look good. In fact it looks so not good that I am surprised they don’t just cancel it now.

And I’ve just been told that we are starting our transition conference on Tuesday, and that the decision to suspend the program is basically all but official.

Anyway, last night got a little crazy. I spent the day at the American Club, mostly just swimming and laying around. Then later I joined Sajay en ville for some beers and eventually we headed over to meet up with some Mali volunteers at a boit (a club). We stayed there until about midnight, but nothing was really happening so we went to a different boit that was packed. There were some other Guinea volunteers there as well and we formed a nice large group and danced until 4 or so in the morning. I got home at about 5 am, and I had a 10k race at 6:30, so I just hung out for an hour until the race. As a result I am writing this having not slept at all last night.

But the thing with the barrage is that I didn’t have my ID with me, and so while we were en route to the second boit we were stopped and I had to get out of the car and try to convince the gendarme to let me go. He was unmoving, and was threatening me with spending a night in the holding cell, but I told him that was impossible. In the end I paid him 3.000 FCFA and he let me go. Good to know that bribes are also alive and well in Mali. All this happened because when they were handing out IDs they missed me somehow and so I never got mine, but you can be sure I have it now.

I am meeting with my APCD after the session next door finishes (sometime I should record the questions to give you a sense of the ridiculousness questions that people are asking). I hope I will have a clear plan laid out at the end of that meeting, but we will see. She still doesn’t know much I imagine.

I am thinking about trying to get a post that would involve eco-tourism in the desert, such as camel treks and rock climbing. To that end I want her to look at Mali and Niger and Burkina Faso, but none of those countries fit that very well, so we will see. I guess Dominica is an option, as is trying to get some job doing international development work or just ending my service and doing some travelling or something before law school.

But clearly I cannot make decisions in this sleepless state. I will nap for a while and then try to figure out what I am doing.