The Foreign Service Journal, February 2003

F O C U S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 33 harrowing eight hours on the dock while shells went off around them, the vast majority of the Americans in Bissau, led by McKay and Peace Corps Country Director Brian Cavanagh, board- ed the ship for a grueling but safe trip to Dakar. Those of us left in the capital drew a quick sigh of relief before setting to work to find evacuation routes for the 17 Peace Corps Volunteers who lived outside the capital city. One by one we coordinated with authorities in Washington to extract them by air from tiny dirt airstrips or by roads heavily patrolled by the Senegalese and Guinean military. The last volunteer was airlifted out on Saturday, June 13. We gathered up the consular seals and took the cash from the safe. It was time for us to go as well. Sunday morning, June 14, just one week after the coup began, we emerged from the embassy. The crumbling colonial town was deserted. Almost every- one had fled to the countryside, mostly on foot. Taking advantage of the mid-morning lull in the fighting, we drove to an isolated dock where we were picked up by a dinghy from a small tanker. Each of us boarded with a cat or two in one hand and a change of clothes in the other and set sail for Banjul, capital of neighboring Gambia. Twenty-four hours later, our adventure was over. Meanwhile, back in Guinea-Bissau the war raged on for more than a month. Four of our homes were burned to the ground; the rest were looted. We lost almost all our prized possessions, yet we were the lucky ones. It took more than a year to broker a sta- ble cease-fire, and for the Guineans it will be many more years before they truly recover. • One & two BR apartment homes • Control access entrances • Beautiful lounges with fireplace • Library, art studio, game room, movie theater • Chauffered activities • Hair salon on site • Social & recreational activities • Dining room w/ optional meal program Call or Stop By For Information 301-926-0696 A SENIOR APARTMENT COMMUNITY for independent living at its finest-comfort, quality and convenience. 217 Booth Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Off of Great Seneca Highway Taking advantage of a lull in the fighting, we drove to an isolated dock where we were picked up by a dinghy from a small tanker.