Still in KanKan

*Scroll down for photos at the end of this post*

We're still here in KanKan. It feels like we've been here a very long time. We rented a house here with the intention of making it a passage house. Hotels here are expensive and the idea of having a place of our own when we need privacy and independence sounded good (and it is!). I didn't imagine, though, that this particular stay would last so long. We've been here for a month. At several points we've made plans to go to Kerouane to see the family or to Conakry to get some business done. The possibility of a national strike has changed our plans each time. Raising global food and gas prices are hitting Guinea hard. People who were struggling before are now simply not able to feed their families. Gas prices have increased by 30%. This is restricting the normal movement of goods which in term means less business for merchants and therefore less money and goods for everyone else. Everyday prices are going up. People are getting angry.


This sounds to me like a receipe for short-term disaster and possible long-term positive change. However, the national strikes that shut the country down last year and led to violence in all the major cities (including this one) really affected the general population. Based on conversations we're having with folks here it seems some people don't think the strikes were worth it and therefore would not support another one. Meanwhile the national trade unions keep making deadlines for the government,threatening another national srike if their demands aren't met.
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The first deadline was March 31st. We postponed travel in order to be in this city in case we needed help from foreign NGOs. Then the strikes got pushed back to April 8th. Again, we changed our plans. Yesterday we decided that we'd go to Conakry on the 10th (tomorrow). When we got to town, though, everyone was abuzz with news of a strike for (you guessed it) April 10th (tomorrow). This time it seems sure. It was announced as a peaceful protest and a two day national strike. While we hope that's the case we can't shake our memories of reports of the peaceful protests of last year that were met with violence from the government, looting from sectors of the population and the burning of governement builidings in this city and others.

When we voice our concerns to people here they laugh at us. That's right. They laugh in our faces. "Of course it will be peaceful" they say. "Nothing to worry about" they chuckle as if we're children afraid of monsters in the closet. Hopefully they're right and we'll laugh at ourselves in a few days. Remember that time when we thought Guinea was going to shut down and explode and then we were wrong? Ha,Ha, we'll laugh as we sip drinks on the island off the coast of Conakry.

For now, though, we have no choice but to take it seriously. We have no kitchen set up in our house since it was supposed to be a passage house. So we'll buy some canned food today just in case. We've contacted Peace Corps volunteers in this city as well as missionaires to find out what their plans are and if we can count on their help if push comes to shove. While they've been nice, they smile at us as if we're a bit paranoid. I sigh and think "It must be nice to have a big 'ol organization looking after your well-being. They'll do all the worrying and saving and evacuating for you." Oh, well.

More than likely we *are* being paranoid, but the stakes are too high NOT take this seriously. And to rub salt in our worried little wounds, the water didn't come today. We were hoping to stock up in case the water supply is shut off during a strike. Of course wells and pumps wouldn't shut down, but we have none near our house. We'll just have ration what we have until things blow over and we either get more or are on our way out of this town.

Here's hoping that my next post is one big laugh about what fools we were to take threats of a strike seriously.

In the meantime, here are photos of our time in KanKan. When we're not in our mosquito net you might find us:


eating beans and bread for breakfast on our mat. We've eaten this for breakfast everyday for a month and, despite the look on Matt's face, it hasn't gotten old. We buy the beans from a bean seller down the street. She's very friendly and her beans are delicious.


doing projects in our home. Matt had a HUGE backgammon set made by the local carpenter to give to the family in Kerouane as a gift (assuming we get back to Kerouane). Matt did all the painting.






visiting with my host brother Amadou who now lives in KanKan. He visits every few days and it is always wonderful to see him. Here Matt is showing him the little XO computer that Charlie gave us. This is one of Amadou's first experiences with computers (we took him to the cyber cafe a few weeks ago). It's very exciting to see the look of awe as someone sees a computer for the first time. We bought him a month of computer lessons at the cyber cafe. As soon as we get to our bank in Conakry we'll pay the owner of the cyber and he can start the classes. He's thrilled.


playing games, reading, writing, listening to BBC, and talking on our plastic mat in our home (during non-mosquito hours of course). The wall that the mat's long side touches is super hot. That side of the house is in direct sun-light during the day. By the evening the wall is literally hot to the touch. The door in the background leads to our little enclosed outside area. That's where we've been sleeping at night because of the heat.

at the cyber cafe. Matt took this photo of me in the corner when I wasn't looking. That's where I'm posting this from right now.

We'll keep you posted on the latest as soon as we know anything.