Comments on: Time for a Change

By: Rob Crilly

Rob Crilly — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:11:55 +0000

Will email you my movements. Would be good to catch up.

By: Michael Kleinman

Michael Kleinman — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:29:24 +0000

I’ll actually be passing thru town in early August — you still be around for a drink?
And, great piece.
MBK

By: Rob Crilly

Rob Crilly — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:46:56 +0000

Thanks Rob. The blog won’t be going away although it will probably end up somewhere new come September or October. So keep reading. Cheers

By: rob

rob — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:20:32 +0000

its very sad to hear you are on your way out. have really enjoyed reading your blog posts for the last year and a half. hope you get some good rest. Best of luck with the future

By: Rob Crilly

Rob Crilly — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:36:23 +0000

Of course there are some great people who do get it and who do spend enough time to get under the skin of the place. But there are many others who did not have to spend a week sorting out their own work permit, or dealing with a landlord who refuses to return a deposit.

By: Graham Holliday

Graham Holliday — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:48:31 +0000

As you say,
“one of the problems with the NGOs and diplomats I have dealt with here is that few have spent long enough here to really understand the place (and when you live behind high walls and in constant airconditioning it is all the harder)”
That’s something I’ve noticed too and I think it could be the root cause of a lot disastrous decisions around the world.
I’ve had quite a lot of discussions with NGO and “international types” about our probably up and coming move – which you know all about – I get a universal, “Oh you’ve got to go, think of the experience. Wonderful” But the perspective they’re coming from is often entirely idealistic and based upon aircon hotels and villas, a few weeks here, a couple of months there or maybe a 6 month to a year stint somewhere else.
Visiting, even extended stays, and living somewhere are two very different things and bring you to a place where just “the experience” is not enough. Accchh… you know what I mean. Onwards and upwards. Very much looking forward to your book, although I may now have to change the delivery address on my Amazon pre-order.

By: Danny

Danny — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:41 +0000

Sorry to hear that Rob. I applaud your dedication to what has been an excellent blog. Best of luck with the next move. Danny

By: dd

dd — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:45:49 +0000

You’ll be dearly missed by me, but I look forward to the inspiration new pastures bring to you and your writing. Good luck!

By: Rob Crilly

Rob Crilly — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:40:18 +0000

I reckon it took me 18 months to really hit my stride: to recognise that rebel leaders make bad presidents, that not every famine warning should be heeded and to move Somalia into the Known Unknowns column. It took that long to get under the skin of the various countries I have covered. But even by then the fun and surprising things had become less noteworthy. As you say, it’s a fine line and one of the problems with the NGOs and diplomats I have dealt with here is that few have spent long enough here to really understand the place (and when you live behind high walls and in constant airconditioning it is all the harder).
This isn’t about Africa. I’ll post another column along the lines of “whither Africa”. There’s a million great things about such a diverse and vibrant continent. It’s just about a journalist who wants to stay fresh and excited.
I’ll always read the Africa news in the papers first. One day I hope to have a booklined study (possibly in Dorset) from which to bash out pompous op-ed pieces. And I’ll bore all my friends with my Africa stories. Now I just want to see somewhere else.

By: Rob Crilly

Rob Crilly — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:29:06 +0000

You suddenly realise five years is a long time. A lot of news orgs move their people after 2-3 years. You need to keep fresh. Book coming along nicely thanks. Publisher happy. Just going through revisions now. You any closer on where next?