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Rated: E · Photo Album · Other · #1589882
A photo journey to accompany readers of item #1594763
Pics from my time in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic or bust! May 1994 ~ On a soggy spring morning I said good-bye to family and friends and embarked on a life-altering adventure at the heart of the African continent. From talking to returned Peace Corps volunteers, I learned many people use old Army duffle bags as luggage. A friend gave me his, and in an effort to make mine easily recognizable, I painted bright flowers on them. It worked like a charm!
In-country Training ~ The first three months of my Peace Corps service was spent at the in-country training site. Believe it or not, we are pictured here on a breezeway between buildings at the University of M'Biki, located in the rain forest region of southwestern Central African Republic. The intensive training classes focused on three areas: Language (French and Sango), Project Development and Management, and Cross-Cultural Studies. Incidently, we were not permitted to speak in English, except in our barricks at night. Total immersion is the quickest way to learn a second (and third) language, but the stress of training in a language you don't...
Home Sweet Home, 9/1994 - 5/1996 ~ My house was a painted, mud brick structure with a galvanized tin roof. This was considered a wealthy person's home, compared to the typical structure built with "non-baked" bricks and grass thatched roof. I commissioned the thatched-roofed porch in front, and hung locally made bamboo privacy blinds. The flowers were planted and tended by the "day guard" employed by the Peace Corps to ensure my safety. The vine growing at the corner of the house was actually green beans, which I picked and ate daily. Of note: I didn't have electricity, running water, or an indoor bathroom! ...
Inside Chez moi ~ The inside of my house featured a main room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a closet. I dug a two-inch hole through the closet at the base of the exterieur wall where water could evacuate, thus transforming the space into an interieur wash room. The house's floors were cement, and the walls were white washed. Bars were fitted in the windows to keep intruders and larger animals out. I added my own decorating touches by sewing curtains out of local fabric, hanging batik artwork I bought in the market, and commissioning furniture from neighborhood artisans -- most of which I painted black. It was a really cool place! ...
The Kitchen ~ I cooked on a one burner Coleman stove powered by petrol. Other than the McCormick spices I brought from home, everything I ate was purchased in the local market, or the boutiques run by Lebonese or Portugese expatriates. Since I had no refrigeration, I walked to the market every morning to purchase the food I would eat that day. I stayed away from meat -- the butcher arrived at the market each morning in the hot sun with a wheel barrow full of various cow parts, including legs with the fur and hoofs still intact. The butcher would wave his machete over the bloody pile to momentarily shoo the flies away and ask you what cut you were interes...
Gilbert -- Guardian de Jour ~ Gilbert was hired by the PC to guard my yard and my house every day of my service. He arrived at 6 a.m. and left when the night guard took over at 6 p.m. The threat of theft was ever-present in the CAR, but more prevalent than potential intruders was the constant stream of villagers at my gate, asking if I would buy their fresh produce, artwork, furniture, animals, etc. Without Gilbert's help, I wouldn't have been able to manage the traffic. Gilbert is pictured here with his children. He was a loving father and a loyal worker, and I think fondly of him often, wondering how he is faring today. ...
Pascal -- Guardian de Nuit ~ Pascal was Gilbert's counterpart. He arrived every evening at 6 p.m. and spent the night in the yard, watching over the place for intruders, wild animals, and *mauvais esprits*. He was a soft-spoken, gentle man with a beautiful wife and sweet children. In the background of this photo on the right side is a white building which was my latrine and a frequent haunt for three-inch long flying cockroaches, snakes and tarantula.
Untitled ~ We learned in May '96 that rumors of revolution were true, and that violence had broken out in *Bangui*. The fabric of everyday life quickly unraveled, and on May 22nd, we received orders to immediately implement the Emergency Evacuation Plan -- the Peace Corps was pulling out. Voluteers throughtout the region traveled to Bambari, as our town was the designated location of the Safe House for our area. It was a tense and emotional time for us, but there were moments of laughter too. We weren't supposed to leave the Safe House under any circumstances *Rolleyes*, so my dear friend Chantal brought us delicious food for two nights as we awaited furth...
Smiles Amidst the Tension ~ Of note in this photo is the chalkboard behind fellow volunteers, Alicia and Jon. That diagram represented the formation we were to take on the end of the landing strip the next morning when the French army cargo plane would land, turn, allow us to board from the read, and take off again, all under the cover of pre-dawn dark.
Evacuation -- This is not a drill! ~ At 4:30 a.m. on May 26, 1996, forty Peace Corps volunteers and European expartiates awaited evacuation from Bambari, Central African Republic. We had been instructed to form four, single file lines across the end of the air strip, with our baggage between our legs. The French army cargo plane was to land just before dawn, directly in front of us. It would taxi to our end of the strip, turn 180 degrees and lower its rear cargo hatch. The first in each of the four lines of people was to grab his or her bag and march onto the plane, followed by the second row, and so on, until we were all boarded. We were warned to move...
The Bambari Crew ~ As we waited on the air field for the evacuation plane, we reflected on our time together in the CAR. Jon and Lee were the only other Americans living in Bambari where I lived. We leaned on each other for emotional support, and celebrated American holidays together. Other than that, each was involved in a different program, preventing us from seeing each other on a daily basis. It was so good to know they were there if I needed them, though!
Touchdown ~ The French army cargo plane touched down just after dawn and headed down the air strip directly toward us, where we waited in formation at the end.
U-turn ~ The noise from the plane was deafening as it turned 180 degrees in front of us in preparation for immediate take off. The back hatch opened and as we began boarding, four French Mirage jets came out of nowhere and did a low altitude fly-by to scare off anybody with ideas of interfering with our escape. The sound of the jets hit me like a sonic boom to the chest and I will never forget the rush of adrenalin in that moment. Inside of one minute from the time the plane landed, we were airborne. ...
Inside the Evacuation Plane ~ Inside the evacuation plane, we enjoyed none of the typical comforts you have on commercial flights. The air was hot and stuffy, our seats lined the sides of the plane's interieur so that we faced the center of the plane, and the noise was deafening. I felt air sick during the entire forty minute flight from Bambari to Bangui.
We're Both Okay ~ Christian and I hadn't spoken for three days prior to the mutany. Never was the lack of telephones a heavier burden than during this time. I left the Safe House (ignoring orders to stay put) to go see Christian with one of his Belgian collegues. His Land Cruiser had been stolen by armed mutant soldiers on their way to join the fight in Bangui. I was terrified; I didn't have any way of knowing what had become of Christian. In all, it was seven days before I had news that he was safe, and this photo was snapped of us in the US Marine Corps secured National Airport in Bangui when we were reunited at last. ...
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