Refugees

As of 11pm last night my home became a refugee camp to 2 British women who had to evacuate their homes yesterday. I wasn’t prepared for this. I had of course prepared for the driver who is now living (much to my indignation and against my will) in a truck outside my home. And by prepared I mean of course I had bought enough food and provisions to cook for me and the driver during our ‘lock down’ (lets not forget the 3 guards of course, they are now a given), but now I have 2 extra mouths to feed.

You see today, since 3am this morning people have been standing in a queue waiting to vote in the general elections. By all accounts the queues aren’t moving, and people are standing in the wrong queues but lets forget this little point….

Its standard practice for charities to ground or ‘lock down’ their staff during these times. So as of now I am not allowed to leave my property until 8 am tomorrow.

To be fair though, the country pretty much locks its self down too, in terms of stopping all non official vehicle movement and people have been instructed to ‘vote, go home, stay home listen to the radio’ for the rest of today.

The other safety measure the charities have put in place is to move the cars into strategic positions, just in case any tension erupts and people have to be relocated. I lost the argument with the Director against having the driver live in the car outside my home for the next 3 days. The only reason I backed down was I was told my ‘safe house’ would be different to the French men and in the complete opposite direction– yippee, happy days, bring on the evacuation, free at last, free at last, God almighty I’ll be free at last!

I also had great pleasure in successfully challenging some of the other safety measure that my charity tried to enforce, like the ‘walking strictly forbidden in all circumstances’ statement. When I asked if they would be sending a nurse in to turn me and if I would be using nappies or a bed pan, they didn’t quite understand that they had in fact confined me to my bed. OK it was petty, but hey you’re not living with a man sleeping in a car outside your home giving you resentful glances!

Anyway amidst all our charities planning and preparations, and me shopping for a family of 5 (3 guards, 1 driver, me and….. oh OK…. I admit it, the stray dog that I’ve also taken to feeding = 6), for a protracted long lock down, VSO friends were looking on in quite a disparaging manner. They were open in expressing that they though all these actions were a little bit OTT. (To be honest my thought are not far behind them!) And I think somewhat proud at being the hardened British volunteers in the country enacting the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ maxim.

Then yesterday 2 of these friend decided they had to leave their house after losing their own private battle against a bed bug infestation and so I offered them my spare room for the night while their house got fumigated. Amusingly they arrived at 11.30 last night slightly sheepish, with a mild look of horror on their face announcing that as of midnight they too have been totally grounded. Best of all until MONDAY! I couldn’t help laugh, which I think pissed them off a bit, but it was 12.01 so they couldn’t strop out! Saying that they have just taken an executive decision and gone out, breaking their curfew. I am not complained. We all realized at the same time that we had a serious and concerning problem - my house did not contain enough alcohol for 3 of us and so they literally have gone out on a beer run to the hotel next door!!

To be fair though, I’ve somehow landed myself quite well this election and dead impressed with my self preservation skills. Last I spent with diplomats and personnel from US government sitting by the Head of Security for West Africa at diner. On Thursday I spent the night at my friend who just happens to be the head of the security network for all the charities in the country. And now, despite the fact I possible don’t have the right quantity of food for 7 people (and the dog) beyond Monday, I have a guest who is a professional chef staying with me!! Fan-bloody-tastic. Grounded for days, with a chef  -Bingo – Sorted – this is the life!!

So, the only safety and security risk that this election so is posing me appears to the exposure to bed bugs and bankruptcy from feeding my ever growing dependants!!

XxX