Even amid the ongoing saga of Guinea's legislative elections, the United States Government shutdown has garnered quite a bit of attention around here. Peace Corps and Peace Corps Response Volunteers are considered "essential" (insert joke about what-are-they-going-to-do-stop-paying-our-salaries-ha-ha), as are Peace Corps medical and security support staff. The most direct impact that the shutdown has had on my daily life (other than inspiring worry that by the time I get back to America there will be nothing left but stray cats and Google) is that people keep asking me to explain why my country is such a spectacular mess and I keep not even knowing where to begin.
On Sunday I went downtown to buy soap and vegetables and whatnot and lingered in a boutique to watch an early-afternoon newscast about the slow-motion circus-train-wreck of current American politics. After the segment ended, one of the vendor guys turned to me and, in a bemused voice, said "What is the matter with them? Don't they want people to have health care? This is going to be really bad for the economy." I sighed and shrugged in agreement and said "Pffft... politicians..." and was met with sympathetic murmurs; Guineans know what it's like to have a dysfunctional government, more than I ever will, probably. I think they're often just slightly aghast at how a nation as wealthy and privileged and well-established as the United States seems embarrassingly unable keep it together. As are we all, I suppose.
P.S. You may have already seen this delightful hidden message from the National Weather Service. Secret acrostics are an underutilized means of communication. Can we please pay them already?
On Sunday I went downtown to buy soap and vegetables and whatnot and lingered in a boutique to watch an early-afternoon newscast about the slow-motion circus-train-wreck of current American politics. After the segment ended, one of the vendor guys turned to me and, in a bemused voice, said "What is the matter with them? Don't they want people to have health care? This is going to be really bad for the economy." I sighed and shrugged in agreement and said "Pffft... politicians..." and was met with sympathetic murmurs; Guineans know what it's like to have a dysfunctional government, more than I ever will, probably. I think they're often just slightly aghast at how a nation as wealthy and privileged and well-established as the United States seems embarrassingly unable keep it together. As are we all, I suppose.
P.S. You may have already seen this delightful hidden message from the National Weather Service. Secret acrostics are an underutilized means of communication. Can we please pay them already?
