Arrived home in Alabama after being on the residency interview trail. Informed by another concerned family member of the latest NPR report of a journalist sneaking into the country from South Africa. More news articles and audio streams reviewed by the same NYTimes correspondant who also runs ZWNEWS.com. No doubt things are grim there.
Here's what Dr. S had to say about current situation in Zim for all those who have been listening to NPR, reading the NYTimes, surfing the net and finding sites like Cathy Buckle's African Tears or just plain worryin' about my safety.
I asked him this:
Have circumstances changed at all (gotten worse) since we visited the question of safety just a few months ago? (There have been a number of recent reports in NYTimes and NPR re: American and S. African journalists "sneaking" in and out of the country to report the "real" news since much is being censored.) Are you being affected by the doctor/health care worker strikes? Have you heard of govt military persons seizing foreign currency from tourists? Having probs with cholera in your area?
He responded with this:
Dear Angie,
No real change as far as we are concerned. Our family is coming in mid-Dec and we would not have them come if there was concern. We actually are going to travel extensively during that time, and I have no concern about it. We did have a very brief nurses strike a month ago, but not now with the general strike at the larger government hospitals. The situation with foreign exchange really entails Zimbabweans that are going across borders and trying to get forex to sell here. You are allowed to bring in some money, but you really do not need all that much. We can change some money for you, and you can always just write a US check to me for any money that you might need here. You do need to bring at least YS $100 with you so that you have cash for the Visa, and some cash for here; I would otherwise have only travelers checks.
NO cholera; NO malaria in our area.
Looking forward to seeing you.
Dr. Stoughton
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