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Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2002 05:59:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Hannah Koenker <hannahkoenker@yahoo.com>
Subject: ebola update
hi everyone,
so my friends are leaving. two are going to togo to finish their 18 months the rest are going home. people are still dying up in the northeast, but there have been no cases in the south east after the first one. we're worried that the ebola on the congo side of the border will cross in; though, so that's why no one can go back to post. hopefully we'll get the new volonteers posted in september.
that's the ebola news. its been nice to see everyone this week and talk about projects and difficulties and meet people that know a little more about how to get things done. mostly its been frustrating realizing that we are an ineffective organization as far as development goes. peace corps is pr. i am having a great time but i want to be able to actually _do_ something, so when there is aids in ndende but no condoms i get a little upset. and when people tell me it will be hard to get a supply there i get more upset. because i see my students and my friends not having any kind of choice in the matter, and the government not caring. the country is going down the tubes now that the oil is almost gone, and it will be even more of an every man for himself situation. So less money getting to the interior, hospitals, vaccinations, etc, and more going to reinforce the walls around big houses and pay for suvs and gas. sorry, i'm a little bitter.
we had our seminar at pointe denis, at this beach resort which had wonderful food. it was nice and relaxing. i will be glad to get back to ndende where I know what is going on and can have time to think. libreville is frustrating beacause of the siesta - you can do one thing in the morning and one thing in the afternoon and that's it. forget about productivity. for the folks that live here its no problem but if you only have a couple days in the city you get stressed out.
i got some new pants at the moutouki though so i am psyched. now its off to find flea collars. i'll be in libreville till tuesday, so i'll try to check again before i go, on monday. hope you are all well and succeeding in accomplishing what you need to get done. i know i'm getting there, slowly slowly.
take care,
hannah
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Hannah Koenker
hannahkoenker@yahoo.com
www.econ.uiuc.edu/~hanko/
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