--- product_id: 8070689 title: "The Village of Waiting" price: "4885 som" currency: KGS in_stock: true reviews_count: 11 url: https://www.desertcart.kg/products/8070689-the-village-of-waiting store_origin: KG region: Kyrgyzstan --- # The Village of Waiting **Price:** 4885 som **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Village of Waiting - **How much does it cost?** 4885 som with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.kg](https://www.desertcart.kg/products/8070689-the-village-of-waiting) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Village of Waiting [Packer, George] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Village of Waiting Review: A stunning look at the long-term effects of colonialism in Africa. - I served in the Peace Corps in Borneo in the 1960s just four years after it gained its independence from Great Britain. You may see my memoir, "Living in the Ulu" published by Mission Point Press. George Packer's "The Village of Waiting" relates a great number of similar observations that I felt while living in a former colonized nation. Additionally, he captures the place of Americans in such an environment. Fascinating reading. Review: Good choice - Prior to joining the Peace Corps, I excitedly read as many experiential PC books as possible..... This is a good one, giving a feel for living in an alien culture. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #405,471 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #467 in Journalist Biographies #1,084 in Cultural Anthropology (Books) #1,619 in Traveler & Explorer Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (54) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 0.78 x 8.25 inches | | Edition | 1st | | ISBN-10 | 0374527806 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0374527808 | | Item Weight | 11.2 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 336 pages | | Publication date | August 1, 2001 | | Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux | ## Images ![The Village of Waiting - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Lz6lIatZL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A stunning look at the long-term effects of colonialism in Africa. *by E***Y on January 29, 2024* I served in the Peace Corps in Borneo in the 1960s just four years after it gained its independence from Great Britain. You may see my memoir, "Living in the Ulu" published by Mission Point Press. George Packer's "The Village of Waiting" relates a great number of similar observations that I felt while living in a former colonized nation. Additionally, he captures the place of Americans in such an environment. Fascinating reading. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good choice *by J***M on October 17, 2014* Prior to joining the Peace Corps, I excitedly read as many experiential PC books as possible..... This is a good one, giving a feel for living in an alien culture. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Powerful Memoir About Life in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer *by P***Y on April 25, 2017* I have been a fan of the writing of journalist George Packer, notably his reporting for The New Yorker and his book of reporting on the Iraq War, The Assassin's Gate. When I heard that he wrote a Peace Corps memoir, The Village Of Waiting (1988), about his experiences in the West African country of Togo I was interested to read his perspective about it. Already his reporting and narrative story telling was strong. The reader learns a lot about the country, community, and the exasperation of Africa from the perspective of a white westerner. It was a powerful experience in the per-internet days and it was a testament to his resolve that he lasted over a year-he did not complete his assignment, he failed to return for his last six months after taking a trip to Europe. Similarly another Peace Corps inspired book from another writer I liked, Chasing The Sea by Tom Bissell in Uzbekistan, also was ultimately about a failed Peace Corps stint where he basically had a nervous breakdown and was inspired to go back and find closure in the country. This is a different book from that one, but in the Afterword by the author we learn about how the country and the people he met there continued to be a significant part of his life as he returned to report there and help the friends that he made there over time. These experiences were exasperating and soul crushing in the recounting of struggles and set backs these people encountered over the years. In that sense the last part calls to mind Paul Theroux's exasperation with Africa in his last foray into the country that defeats him and sends him home packing before he planned to go home in Last Train To Zona Verde. There's also a Foreword by Philip Gourevitch, another reporter and writer about Africa that I respect. I found this to be a powerful first person account full of detailed descriptions of life in Africa in the early 80s from the point of view of an idealistic Peace Corps volunteer. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.kg/products/8070689-the-village-of-waiting](https://www.desertcart.kg/products/8070689-the-village-of-waiting) --- *Product available on Desertcart Kyrgyzstan* *Store origin: KG* *Last updated: 2026-05-08*