7 Weeks 'Til Uzbekistan!!!

These weeks go by fast, huh? Almost too fast. I'm wilting a little...

...under the weight of all the sorting, packing, moving, etc. Most of all, the emotional juggling is becoming more and more precarious. How am I supposed to balance the joy of what I have in my life here while preparing to leave it all? Thanksgiving was wonderful in all its hectic madness and undeniable familial bonds.

How can I be excited for my new endeavors in the face of possible dangers and discomforts? What IS going on in Turkey? How WILL it effect my safety in Central Asia, if at all? What does being AMERICAN mean to Muslim people, or everyone for that matter, in light of all the madness in the world? When neutral, peaceful aid workers are targetted, threatened, and attacked, all logic seems lost:

Maoist Fiat Forces Peace Corps Out
Rupandehi, November 18

Thirty American Peace Corps volunteers have been forced to leave the district following an ultimatum by an armed group of Maoists asking them to leave within six days.

The volunteers were running a temporary Peace Corps office at the Butwal Technical Institute (BIT), of the United Mission to Nepal, in Manigram VDC. It is said that the ultimatum was issued keeping in view Prachanda's hostile attitude towards the Americans.

The volunteers left for Narayangadh with no intention of returning.

The owner of a house where nearly a dozen volunteers had put up said the Americans had come to Butwal two and a half months ago and planned to stay for around two years.

The volunteers, who could communicate in Nepali, were studying the language in Manigram VDC-2 and 4. They also used to provide financial and technical assistance to the Aama groups.

Earlier there were 36 volunteers but of late only 30 of them had been staying including some women.

They used to visit Butwal, Shankarnagar, Kariya regularly and were planning to visit Pokhara, Siraha and Bara.

Commenting on the incident, SP Dhak Bahadur Karki of District Police Office said, “Though we had heard about the volunteers being asked to leave by the Maoists we have no idea whether they left due to the same reason.” He said the police might be able to gather more information when a team would visit the area soon.

Accepting that the volunteers had left the VDC, the manager of BTC, Bishnu Hari Devkota, said, “We did not ask them the reason for leaving and they did not tell us.”

According to him some remaining Nepali staff were also planning to leave the place tomorrow.

@ The Himalayan Times

Oh yeah, I think I'm scheduled to leave two days sooner than I thought, on the 13th instead of the 15th of January. I'm noticing how two measely days are hitting me so hard, and makes 760 days of service seem like all eternity.

Comments

[holly]

well, having just come back from working with muslims in spain for this past year, i can tell you that they're not scary. i fell in love with my students and contrary to common conception they were very open loving people as well. i know that the arabic people are considered a very closed culture but i found that the key to their opening is feeling that i was open: i was loving, i was very intrigued by their lives and culture, i wanted to help, and i'm just a generally very open person. i wanted to be their friend and that made a huge difference, rather than some "leader" that was there to help the poor masses, you know? that's a quick way to breed resentment. if you open yourself up, they'll soon discover that you are not what they have in mind as the typical american. join with them in agreement when common ideas about governments come up. show you have a mind of your own outside of their preconceived ideas of how an american thinks and acts.

really, the key is just openness yourself: do unto others and you'll be amazed what they'll do unto you. it's going to be an amazing adventure.

[Wendy]

Can't add much else that the others haven't said - except to say - I'm with them! This must be so difficult .... especially given your current happiness ..... it will be worth it though! You will gain so much in terms of life experience form this .... hang in there.

[Alicia]

You have my support too. I am so impressed you are going to go through with this. I understand the state of nervousness as the time draws near. I bet once you get there and get settled, you will feel some calm. And then perhaps a little more anxiety on coming home, but in a good way. *hugs*

[jo anne]

you also have my admiration and wholehearted support. honestly, i see you as one of the luckiest people on earth. to be able to do what you are doing is truly something. hats off!

[Mahala]

I know you're asking these questions without ecpecting any answers. Just know that you have my total admiration and support. And let me know if there's any additional way I can "be there" for you.