We were advised by the UN and the NGO security folks to send our "non-essential" personnel back to the homes before the big announcement at 4pm today. So they all went home, leaving the five of us who live on the compound all alone on the compound. It was really eerily quiet. There were no cars moving on the streets, no children playing in the empty field across from us, not even a goat baa-ing. There wasn't even any Celine to break the silence.
Everyone was glued to their radios and TVs to see what was going to happen. Me and Jackie even got some cold Cokes with ice and tuned into whatever English station we could find on the radio!
And lo and behold, an announcement was made - one that wasn't surprising, but significant all the same. A couple of hours after the announcement was made, we started hearing bits of life coming back to the neighborhood, but it's definitely still very quiet tonight. I think people are still not quite sure what the official announcement means for this country. I'm certainly not sure what this announcement means for this country!
I have a feeling it will be "business as usual" tomorrow down here in this part of the country. And hopefully things will remain calm in the other parts, too. BUt only time will really tell.
In the meantime, it really does feel like a holiday - so quiet and peaceful! So I'm not complaining about that!
1 comment:
we saw your big news and are hoping that all is quiet and you all stay put.
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