Not the Forest Service

Not the French Foreign Legion… We're joining the service. The Foreign Service. Not quite Bond. Not quite "The Gay Diplomat." Probably more like "The Last Remake of Beau Geste." Come along for the ride. (Movie References deliberate and ubiquitous.)

Monday, February 19, 2007

So now we know...

Well, flag day, the day we find out where we've been assigned, has come and gone. Actually, a lot of things have come and gone, and I know I've not done well about keeping you all in the loop. So, I'm going to post a number of entries over the next few days, to try and catch you up.

Oh, and yes, we do know where I'm going and when, but there are details to be ironed out. I've been given a very challenging assignment in Conakry, Guinea. It's in what used to be part of French West Africa, although the French cut them off 50 years ago, and they've been pretty ignored ever since. Naturally, in such a vaccuum, they've had two Presidents-for-Life, who have done the usual thing in such a situation. So, last week, the unions in the country started rioting and the President declared martial law. The families of the Embassy Personnel were evacuated three days before flag day. I've been advised that "it will all settle down" before I'm due to leave in June, but there is a chance I won't get to take Fred with me.

I'll find out more this week. And I promise to post more soon.