Safety First

There is unrest in Tunisia. A national work strike was organized by local student population. I've been told they have been protesting for the better part of the past two months. It's all become a powder keg. There have been riots and civil unrest.

Then today, the president who has been in power for 23 years, fled the country with his family. My DH's company gathered the troops and circled the wagons. And by that obscure Western reference, I mean that they got all the employees into a conference room at a local hotel called The Golden Tulip. Then they discussed the corporate evacuation plan and went home to get their families. By 3:00 pm, all the wives and families were checked into the same hotel. All of us, in one place, easy to contact and track. Then they determined a course of action and made plans.

First step, keep an eye on the situation. Which rapidly got worse and worse. Some of the fleeing families told stories of mobs in their part of town, and seeing the looting and property damage that started at, but was not confined to, the president's family's residences.

All of us gathered in the hotel lobby, then migrated to the hotel bar. The Tunisian news channel was tuned in on the overhead flat screens and the locals were telling us what was being said by the commentators. It got to a lot of the folks. People with kids were worried about when the school would be back in session and whether or not we'd be evacuated. The opinion seems to be split half and half. Most of the parents were hoping that things would just settle out and we could go back to our homes over the weekend with things back to 'normal' as soon as possible. Many of the less happy campers were hoping to be evacuated and making plans not to return.

I just want to be with my DH. If we're both evacuated, I'm okay with that. But I don't like the idea of 'the little women' being put on a plane and sent out of the country with the 'manly men' staying behind, braving danger. Really. These are business men. None of them have any excuse for staying in the face of danger. The company should know that.

I've had my head down, unpacking boxes in the new house for the past week. No working phone. No internet connection. No TV reception. I had no idea what was going on. I was surprised when I was directed to 'pack a bag for a couple days stay at the Golden Tulip'. After seeing the news for a couple of hours, I'm just surprised I was so clueless.

It's possible I could find myself in Paris tomorrow. Or, I may still be at the Golden Tulip. Hard to say. The wagons are circled.

--Sandee Wagner