The Foreign Service Journal, February 2011

tour, thinking that, at long last, West Africa’s potentially richest country would get on track. Instead, I am sorry to say, I learned a hard lesson: once an African country is driven in the wrong direction for a generation, the possibility of a quick recovery is slim. Just four days after the funeral, the military seized power under the dictatorial leadership of Lansana Conté, who clung to power until his death in 2009. Sadly, 26 years after Touré’s death, I am still waiting for Guinea to find its way. Perhaps the most bizarre aspect of this chaotic funeral was the strong be- lief that the casket was empty because Sékou Touré’s body had been secretly spirited off to Morocco for burial. Given the fact that Moroccan imams controlled the funeral from start to fin- ish, and did not allow anyone else to see Touré’s corpse, this is a distinct possibility. Sékou Touré’s grave site is adjacent to that of his great-grandfather, Samory Touré, the famous pre-colo- nial warrior chief who battled invad- ing French troops for years before being captured and exiled to Gabon. But to this day, most Guineans do not believe their first president is buried there. F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 1 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 47 When I bent over to remove my shoes, I bumped heads with Beninese President Mathieu Kérékou. Have something to say? FSJ wants to know! Send us your Letter to the Editor OR Speak Out about something that’s on your mind! E-mail fsjedit@afsa.org. All submissions are edited for grammar and punctuation, and must meet FSJ editorial guidelines. The ABCs of Education Allowances By Pamela Ward Online High School Courses By Kristi Streiffert Online Education: Unprecedented Opportunities By Kristi Streiffert Community College: Time To Take Another Look ? By Rebecca Grappo Getting Found: Global Nomads 2.0 By Mikkela Thompson Building Resiliency in Global Nomads By Rebecca Grappo Flying Solo — Going to College from Overseas: A Guide for Parents By Rebecca Grappo Special-Needs Kids and the Foreign Service: Dispelling the Myths By Pamela Ward The Boarding School Option: A Tent for a Global Nomad By Pamela Ward How to Choose The College That’s Right For You By Francesca Huemer Kelly The International Baccalaureate Program: A Primer By Francesca Huemer Kelly Taking A Gap Year By Ingrid Ahlgren FAQ: Educating Special Needs Children Overseas By Francesca Kelly Going To College In America By Francesca Huemer Kelly Study Abroad: Take The Plunge By Brooke Deal Lost And Found: International School Reunions By Mikkela Thompson Applying to U.S. Colleges: A Primer for FS Teens By Francesca Huemer Kelly Dip Kids Fill Void at U.S. Colleges By Antje Schiffler A RCHIVE OF Articles onEducation Make this collection of authoritative Foreign Service Journal articles the starting point for planning your children’s education. Go to www.afsa.org/ads/school/ for a PDF of these articles. Dean Mitchell/iStockphoto.com