Well, ladies and gentlemen, purse your lips in anticipation of kissing your favorite blog good bye.
Last night I received the most devastating news of my life: I may be coming home on Thursday.
Last week, taxi drivers went on strike, ostensibly over rising fuel prices, but really as a general protest against the president's intention to amend the constitution so that he can run again in 2011. (He's already been president 26 years.) The city shut down, and demonstrations turned to riots when the police intervened. (See emilyenafrique.blogspot.com for a longer explanation of the situation.)
The U.S. Embassy issued dire warnings that Americans should try to leave Cameroon as soon as possible, and the Department of State has since issued a travel warning. Dickinson College, which runs our program, booked tickets for us to return home on Thursday. They say it's merely a precaution, and that we will only leave if things get worse before then.
Meanwhile, the tension has blown over and life has returned to normal. But, shit could really hit the fan in mid-March, when the amendment will inevitably pass, since that's how the government works here.
The program has advised us to pack our bags; to be ready to leave if necessary. They won't say for sure until Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but I'm pretty sure they're going to make us leave.
Needless to say, I'm devastated, but honestly, I would rather know for sure that I'm leaving on Thurday than wonder until I go to sleep Wednesday night. This limbo is torture, and I'm an emotional wreck.
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OCS has been down for days now (literally) so if there have been any updates from either you or Cassie that way I haven't gotten them, but I just wanted to say good luck, and I hope you guys get to stay in Cameroon, as much as I wish you were back here.
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