I promised my friend in stage that I would title my next blog that. It is the blatant truth and although the food is fabulous, it is heart stopping (literally). Cameroonians cook with an incredible amount of palm oil and the daily diet is loaded with carbohydrates. This includes but is not limited to, rice, potatoes, pasta and vegetables cooked in tons of palm oil which is ten times worse than regular vegetable oil. Needless to say I am looking forward to being at my own house and controlling my diet. The men volunteers tend to lose weight (with I have already witnessed with my own eyes) and the girl volunteers tend to gain weight. Jeez, I love the female body. While the guys have to poke extra holes in their belts to keep their pants up, we have to have dresses made that we can fit into!
Time is passing quickly and my next LPI (language proficiency test) is on Friday. I have changed language instructors again and now are back with Monique full time. I think that I have improved but some days I feel that I am back where I started. Being in Anglophone for a week really through me off and has also made me seriously question the need to continue with French. I know that I need the basis but it is extremely frustrating and I really want to begin learning Pidgin and the local patois of Bali. I am still working hard and will continue to do so until I have a good grasp on French. I have to keep reminding myself that this is only the seventh week that I have been learning it!
Stage is only three more weeks but it seems like a life time. I am finding it difficult to be on such a tight schedule with every minute of everyday planned for us. It is also interesting to live with a family again. It is also hard because I feel like an imposter most of the time. I try to balance it out by getting other trainees to come buy sheets and towels from my home stay mother! They are great and extremely patient with me but I hate not helping and it is almost impossible to do so. I feel like a boarder, which I guess in essence I am.
So, the dress didn’t turn out as well as I hoped. It is huge and the “pocket” is quite odd. I am going to take it to another seamstress and have it fixed. I definitely learned my lesson and will not be drawing any sketches but taking dresses or pictures out of magazines as examples. A lot of the girls have had good experiences and had some really cute things made. I am going to bow down to their wisdom and follow along their golden path that hopefully will lead to (if not Oz) a really great seamstress.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
July 19, 2009
I am safely back in B-town after an extremely tiring day of traveling. I caught a ride into Bali town, where it would be easier to catch a taxi into Bamenda. I was quickly grabbed (because the fight over passengers) and then had to wait as it filled up. Time was passing so I jumped out and offered to pay for an extra space if we could leave now. Luckily it worked and off we went with me in the front and four adults and two small children in the back. Paying double definitely has its advantages but I felt pretty guilty. It was by far the fastest trip into Bamenda that I had the whole week, I have to admit that I am glad his speedometer did not work or I might have had a heart attack!
Kristin finally made it to Bamenda after her bus and then taxi broke down from Njinikom. We then were squished on to a bush taxi for the two hour journey to Baffausom where we then had to take a taxi to get another bush taxi to B-town. By the time I finally got home my entire left side was asleep and I woke up this morning with bruises down the right side of my body (the side that was jammed up against the side of the bus). To tell the truth, although I make traveling here sound awful, it can be quite fun. The main thing is to remain patient and forget all about personal space. If you can do that, you will be fine and the people watching is incredible!
I just finished lunch and have already had a very productive morning. I went with my home stay mother to her seamstress to have some material made into a dress and ended up buying a skirt and top. I really hope I end up staying in Cameroon for the two full years because these outfits are definitely not style appropriate for the U.S. but I actually like them. Who knows, maybe when I get home, I’ll start a fashion trend. I seriously doubt it but you never know! I also managed to get all of my clothes washed and now I am just keeping my fingers crossed that the rain will hold off in time for them to dry!
On a side note, a couple people have asked about what to send in care packages. Please do not feel the need to do this. My understanding is that is extremely expensive and I don’t want anyone spending unnecessary money but letters are wonderful things to receive! If you are really adamant and want to still send something, a few small things that I can’t find here are crystal light singles, crest toothpaste, and baby wipes! Hand sanitizer is always welcome to! Thank you for all of the emails and prayers they are all needed well received!
As stated in the previous blog, I want to share a little about the landscape that I have seen in Cameroon. For starters, Cameroon is called “Little Africa” because of the span of different regions and environments you can find here. The grand North it is extremely hot and arid. This is where the largest population of Muslims is in the country. I have not been there yet but hope to visit during my two years here.
The regions that I have been in are Central, West and North West. All of these are very similar in terrain and plant life. Everywhere you look you will see plantain and banana trees, corn and other tropical trees. In the Northwest it is also common to see pineapple plants everywhere. I feel like I am in the jungle all of the time, but what we Westerners call the jungle, Cameroonians call the forest. I asked about the planting seasons and was told that you can plant whenever but for corn there are generally two seasons, one in early spring and the other is now till the end of summer. I think I will try my hand at planting some corn, tomatoes and beans.
All three of these areas are mountainous and some people have been comparing it to Ireland because of the green, fog and mountains. These areas are also at very high elevations, so there are always clouds all around. Some days it seems like you could just reach out and touch them. It is beautiful and I stare all the time. I hope that I continue to enjoy the views and don’t become too used to it like I do with Beaufort’s beauty.
B-town has horrible red mud that makes the South Carolina up-state red mud look like a cake walk. It is impossible to get out and clumps to your shoes and then it dries in hard patties. This is extremely annoying because Cameroonians judge you on the cleanliness of your shoes. I have taken to carrying an extra pair of shoes in my pack, it makes things much easier. This is also where the baby wipes come in to play, keeping your feet clean is almost next to impossible!
Kristin finally made it to Bamenda after her bus and then taxi broke down from Njinikom. We then were squished on to a bush taxi for the two hour journey to Baffausom where we then had to take a taxi to get another bush taxi to B-town. By the time I finally got home my entire left side was asleep and I woke up this morning with bruises down the right side of my body (the side that was jammed up against the side of the bus). To tell the truth, although I make traveling here sound awful, it can be quite fun. The main thing is to remain patient and forget all about personal space. If you can do that, you will be fine and the people watching is incredible!
I just finished lunch and have already had a very productive morning. I went with my home stay mother to her seamstress to have some material made into a dress and ended up buying a skirt and top. I really hope I end up staying in Cameroon for the two full years because these outfits are definitely not style appropriate for the U.S. but I actually like them. Who knows, maybe when I get home, I’ll start a fashion trend. I seriously doubt it but you never know! I also managed to get all of my clothes washed and now I am just keeping my fingers crossed that the rain will hold off in time for them to dry!
On a side note, a couple people have asked about what to send in care packages. Please do not feel the need to do this. My understanding is that is extremely expensive and I don’t want anyone spending unnecessary money but letters are wonderful things to receive! If you are really adamant and want to still send something, a few small things that I can’t find here are crystal light singles, crest toothpaste, and baby wipes! Hand sanitizer is always welcome to! Thank you for all of the emails and prayers they are all needed well received!
As stated in the previous blog, I want to share a little about the landscape that I have seen in Cameroon. For starters, Cameroon is called “Little Africa” because of the span of different regions and environments you can find here. The grand North it is extremely hot and arid. This is where the largest population of Muslims is in the country. I have not been there yet but hope to visit during my two years here.
The regions that I have been in are Central, West and North West. All of these are very similar in terrain and plant life. Everywhere you look you will see plantain and banana trees, corn and other tropical trees. In the Northwest it is also common to see pineapple plants everywhere. I feel like I am in the jungle all of the time, but what we Westerners call the jungle, Cameroonians call the forest. I asked about the planting seasons and was told that you can plant whenever but for corn there are generally two seasons, one in early spring and the other is now till the end of summer. I think I will try my hand at planting some corn, tomatoes and beans.
All three of these areas are mountainous and some people have been comparing it to Ireland because of the green, fog and mountains. These areas are also at very high elevations, so there are always clouds all around. Some days it seems like you could just reach out and touch them. It is beautiful and I stare all the time. I hope that I continue to enjoy the views and don’t become too used to it like I do with Beaufort’s beauty.
B-town has horrible red mud that makes the South Carolina up-state red mud look like a cake walk. It is impossible to get out and clumps to your shoes and then it dries in hard patties. This is extremely annoying because Cameroonians judge you on the cleanliness of your shoes. I have taken to carrying an extra pair of shoes in my pack, it makes things much easier. This is also where the baby wipes come in to play, keeping your feet clean is almost next to impossible!
July 17, 2009
When I first arrived in Africa some volunteers were talking about blogs and some interesting names they had seen. The one that stuck with me was, “thoughts from under the mosquito net” and as I sit here in my comfy bed in Bali it fits perfectly. I arrived in Bali on Sunday, July 12 and have been staying here the whole week. There is much to tell but after looking back over my previous blogs I realized that they have been sorely lacking a few significant things. Two of those are descriptions on travel and the environment in Cameroon.
I must begin with travel because it is the most amusing and I want to keep you interested so that you keep reading! Kristin and I left B-town at 9 a.m. Sunday morning after waiting an hour for the bus/van to fill up. When I say fill up, I don’t mean to the comfortable 16 passenger standards we are used to. At one point on the second leg of the trip Stanson counted 22 people, luckily we were jammed in the back and no one could climb in with us. After picking up the second bus in Bafoussam we seemed to be moving along pretty well considering the roads and it being the rainy season. After a quick stop for gas, where I managed to talk the attendant into handing me a cold diet coke through the window, we were off. A few minutes later we began to experience van trouble. Every few feet the vehicle would shutter and then cut off. Out would go the driver to mess with the gas tank and on most occasions the engine. So now our trip that was supposed to take 3 hours ended up taking more like 6. At one point Kristin, Stanson and I were taking bets on how many feet we would gain; the best was when we actually lost feet (we were on a hill).
I just want to state that this travel experience is the norm for Cameroon. Every taxi, bush taxi, bus, and moto that you see will try to fit as many people as possible and with those people go items such as large bags of vegetables, live stock (such as chickens or goats) and luggage. Children are also not counted so they have to sit on their mother’s lap. It is common for a mother to hand off a child to the person next to her, even if she doesn’t know them. Thank the Lord that this hasn’t happened to me yet!
Today I ran into Bamenda to check some emails and visit a market mama that promised to sell me some pop (a.k.a. bouille – which is like cream of wheat). On the way home I was jammed in a compact car (a corolla to be exact) with 6 Cameroonians. The best part was that all of these tiny little spiders were crawling all over me. I couldn’t figure out where the hell they were coming from… it was absolutely ridiculous. Just so you understand this is not the most packed car I have been in. Earlier in the week there were actually 8 people in the car (four in the front and four in the back). I’m not even sure how the guy was able to drive the car! Oh, I almost forgot the best part! As the driver was trying to fill up the taxi (because I refused to pay 1000 CFA for a solo ride) he ran into a woman. The hit was not hard but it definitely could not have felt good! She immediately started yelling at him through my window. All I could do was sit there with my mouth agape! Amazing!
The volunteer that showed me around Bamenda said that he had been hit by a moto and the story seems completely viable. It is almost as if they aim for you, even when the whole road is clear. It is really frustrating and my blood pressure level goes up every time I have to walk somewhere, even in B-town but the larger cities tend to be worse.
My house in Bali is nice. I have two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen and living room. It is fully furnished but in need of major cleaning. I spent almost two hours today working on the shower and it is still not finished but I feel a lot better about it. Spider webs are everywhere and I think they will be impossible to fight but I am going to try. I need to put up new mosquito nets over the beds and air out the linens but nothing really major. I am happy that I will be able to use my settling in money for CAMTEL (internet) and a refrigerator!
Having the house ready to go was extremely helpful for site visit. Not only was I able to stay there and get a good idea of what to expect for the next two years but I was able to host Stanson when he couldn’t get out of Bemenda early enough. Then Kristin stayed for a couple of nights when the volunteer that she was staying with got malaria and typhoid (she had just returned from visiting Limbe). One night Kristin and I got to experience our first bit of Cameroonian night life. Eric, who is the caretaker for the house and property that I will be living in, invited Kristin and I to a club in Bali Town.
We decided to check it out and at around 9 p.m. a friend of Eric’s came to pick us up. We went to a club/bar where we drank “fresh” Castel (a Cameroonian beer) and even danced a little. I need to explain what “fresh” is. Cameroonians as a rule don’t generally refrigerate their beer but they will insist that it is fresh and doesn’t need to be cold. I have a very difficult time with this because I love a freezing cold beer. Eric helped me find a place that when I return she will keep a few beers cold just for me! Yea! The club scene was interesting but we didn’t stay too long because there was a private party. Eric and his friend kept insisting that Sunday nights were the best and that is when the most people where out. I promised to go back after August.
I must begin with travel because it is the most amusing and I want to keep you interested so that you keep reading! Kristin and I left B-town at 9 a.m. Sunday morning after waiting an hour for the bus/van to fill up. When I say fill up, I don’t mean to the comfortable 16 passenger standards we are used to. At one point on the second leg of the trip Stanson counted 22 people, luckily we were jammed in the back and no one could climb in with us. After picking up the second bus in Bafoussam we seemed to be moving along pretty well considering the roads and it being the rainy season. After a quick stop for gas, where I managed to talk the attendant into handing me a cold diet coke through the window, we were off. A few minutes later we began to experience van trouble. Every few feet the vehicle would shutter and then cut off. Out would go the driver to mess with the gas tank and on most occasions the engine. So now our trip that was supposed to take 3 hours ended up taking more like 6. At one point Kristin, Stanson and I were taking bets on how many feet we would gain; the best was when we actually lost feet (we were on a hill).
I just want to state that this travel experience is the norm for Cameroon. Every taxi, bush taxi, bus, and moto that you see will try to fit as many people as possible and with those people go items such as large bags of vegetables, live stock (such as chickens or goats) and luggage. Children are also not counted so they have to sit on their mother’s lap. It is common for a mother to hand off a child to the person next to her, even if she doesn’t know them. Thank the Lord that this hasn’t happened to me yet!
Today I ran into Bamenda to check some emails and visit a market mama that promised to sell me some pop (a.k.a. bouille – which is like cream of wheat). On the way home I was jammed in a compact car (a corolla to be exact) with 6 Cameroonians. The best part was that all of these tiny little spiders were crawling all over me. I couldn’t figure out where the hell they were coming from… it was absolutely ridiculous. Just so you understand this is not the most packed car I have been in. Earlier in the week there were actually 8 people in the car (four in the front and four in the back). I’m not even sure how the guy was able to drive the car! Oh, I almost forgot the best part! As the driver was trying to fill up the taxi (because I refused to pay 1000 CFA for a solo ride) he ran into a woman. The hit was not hard but it definitely could not have felt good! She immediately started yelling at him through my window. All I could do was sit there with my mouth agape! Amazing!
The volunteer that showed me around Bamenda said that he had been hit by a moto and the story seems completely viable. It is almost as if they aim for you, even when the whole road is clear. It is really frustrating and my blood pressure level goes up every time I have to walk somewhere, even in B-town but the larger cities tend to be worse.
My house in Bali is nice. I have two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen and living room. It is fully furnished but in need of major cleaning. I spent almost two hours today working on the shower and it is still not finished but I feel a lot better about it. Spider webs are everywhere and I think they will be impossible to fight but I am going to try. I need to put up new mosquito nets over the beds and air out the linens but nothing really major. I am happy that I will be able to use my settling in money for CAMTEL (internet) and a refrigerator!
Having the house ready to go was extremely helpful for site visit. Not only was I able to stay there and get a good idea of what to expect for the next two years but I was able to host Stanson when he couldn’t get out of Bemenda early enough. Then Kristin stayed for a couple of nights when the volunteer that she was staying with got malaria and typhoid (she had just returned from visiting Limbe). One night Kristin and I got to experience our first bit of Cameroonian night life. Eric, who is the caretaker for the house and property that I will be living in, invited Kristin and I to a club in Bali Town.
We decided to check it out and at around 9 p.m. a friend of Eric’s came to pick us up. We went to a club/bar where we drank “fresh” Castel (a Cameroonian beer) and even danced a little. I need to explain what “fresh” is. Cameroonians as a rule don’t generally refrigerate their beer but they will insist that it is fresh and doesn’t need to be cold. I have a very difficult time with this because I love a freezing cold beer. Eric helped me find a place that when I return she will keep a few beers cold just for me! Yea! The club scene was interesting but we didn’t stay too long because there was a private party. Eric and his friend kept insisting that Sunday nights were the best and that is when the most people where out. I promised to go back after August.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
July 10, 2009
This week has been a roller coaster ride and I’m not talking about the Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags. This one is more like the Cyclone, full of loop-de-loops and exaggerated drop offs. Monday started off with me visiting the hospital, once again. This time the occasion was to have blood drawn to figure out why my lymph nodes were swollen and why they were not responding to the amoxicillin I was taking.
If you have a fear of needle, Africa is not the place for you. To get the blood drawn, I was directed into a waiting room, where I sat on a bench with three other women. A minute later a huge Cameroonian man walked up to me and demanded that I give him my arm. The next thing I knew, a needle was in my arm and the blood was flowing as the three women gawked at me. By 3:30 that afternoon I had absolutely no idea what was going on but a man showed up and handed me medicine with a note telling when and how to take it. I know the man thought I was a moron because I dumbly starred at him waiting for more. More of what he said? Hmmm, this isn’t rocket science, it actually is pretty basic. I just want to know what I have, what I’m taking, if I’m supposed to return if I don’t get better, and so on. Well nothing is basic in Cameroon. It was four hours later when I finally knew that I had a staph infection and a few more directives from the doctor.
Yesterday morning we received our posts. I have been anxiously waiting for this announcement for the past couple of weeks. It was extremely important to me because I continue to struggle with French. I had put in a request in to be placed in one of the four Anglophone spots. I have been praying earnestly that this would happen. Thank God that He is true to His word and will not give me more than I can handle. My post is officially in Anglophone in a village called Bali about 20 minutes from Bamenda in the North West Province.
Today we met our counterparts and will continue our workshop through tomorrow with them. My counterpart’s name is Helen and she is the director of a NGO called Nkumu Fed Fed (which means Group of Sisters). Nkumu Fed Fed is a non-governmental organization that promotes women and children’s rights. The NGO is completely run and funded by professional women from all over. There are two branches in the US, one in D.C. and one in Oklahoma. Their two main objectives are empowering woman and fighting against child abuse. A few of their secondary projects have to do with things such as: loans for children to attend school; environmental projects; and HIV/AIDS Awareness. I am extremely excited about my counterpart organization and counterpart. I can’t wait to get to post and start working!
I will travel to Bali on Sunday to visit my site for the week. During my stay I will visit Bamenda to set up my bank account, the NGO I’ll be partnering with, and other PCV’s in the area. I will also get to stay at my house in Bali. Helen told me that I have a very nice house (please remember this is African standards). I was pumped to hear that I have two bedrooms, running water and electricity. The house also comes with furniture, which is awesome because I won’t have to spend of my money on purchasing a bed and other much needed household items. She also mentioned something about a boy who the NGO pays to help out. I can have him run errands for me and so on. Sounds great!
If you have a fear of needle, Africa is not the place for you. To get the blood drawn, I was directed into a waiting room, where I sat on a bench with three other women. A minute later a huge Cameroonian man walked up to me and demanded that I give him my arm. The next thing I knew, a needle was in my arm and the blood was flowing as the three women gawked at me. By 3:30 that afternoon I had absolutely no idea what was going on but a man showed up and handed me medicine with a note telling when and how to take it. I know the man thought I was a moron because I dumbly starred at him waiting for more. More of what he said? Hmmm, this isn’t rocket science, it actually is pretty basic. I just want to know what I have, what I’m taking, if I’m supposed to return if I don’t get better, and so on. Well nothing is basic in Cameroon. It was four hours later when I finally knew that I had a staph infection and a few more directives from the doctor.
Yesterday morning we received our posts. I have been anxiously waiting for this announcement for the past couple of weeks. It was extremely important to me because I continue to struggle with French. I had put in a request in to be placed in one of the four Anglophone spots. I have been praying earnestly that this would happen. Thank God that He is true to His word and will not give me more than I can handle. My post is officially in Anglophone in a village called Bali about 20 minutes from Bamenda in the North West Province.
Today we met our counterparts and will continue our workshop through tomorrow with them. My counterpart’s name is Helen and she is the director of a NGO called Nkumu Fed Fed (which means Group of Sisters). Nkumu Fed Fed is a non-governmental organization that promotes women and children’s rights. The NGO is completely run and funded by professional women from all over. There are two branches in the US, one in D.C. and one in Oklahoma. Their two main objectives are empowering woman and fighting against child abuse. A few of their secondary projects have to do with things such as: loans for children to attend school; environmental projects; and HIV/AIDS Awareness. I am extremely excited about my counterpart organization and counterpart. I can’t wait to get to post and start working!
I will travel to Bali on Sunday to visit my site for the week. During my stay I will visit Bamenda to set up my bank account, the NGO I’ll be partnering with, and other PCV’s in the area. I will also get to stay at my house in Bali. Helen told me that I have a very nice house (please remember this is African standards). I was pumped to hear that I have two bedrooms, running water and electricity. The house also comes with furniture, which is awesome because I won’t have to spend of my money on purchasing a bed and other much needed household items. She also mentioned something about a boy who the NGO pays to help out. I can have him run errands for me and so on. Sounds great!
July 7, 2009
I have just finished typing up an assignment (completely in French) for tomorrow by candle light. The power went out as soon as I finished eating supper. I have begun to get used to it but it doesn’t make it any less of a hassle. The computer is probably going to die any moment.
Today we had our field trip to Baffausom and Banjoun to visit two companies that are similar to the ones we will be working with at our posts. It was an extremely frustrating day for me because everything was in French and I did not pick up any of it. On top of that I am not feeling physically up to par. There is no doubt, Africa is not a walk in the park but so far it has been worth it. Keeps your fingers crossed that it continues that way!
Oh, my French level went from Novice Low to Novice High. I am still riding the short bus but hopefully I will get to where I need to be by August 19!
Today we had our field trip to Baffausom and Banjoun to visit two companies that are similar to the ones we will be working with at our posts. It was an extremely frustrating day for me because everything was in French and I did not pick up any of it. On top of that I am not feeling physically up to par. There is no doubt, Africa is not a walk in the park but so far it has been worth it. Keeps your fingers crossed that it continues that way!
Oh, my French level went from Novice Low to Novice High. I am still riding the short bus but hopefully I will get to where I need to be by August 19!
July 5, 2009
I have officially been in Cameroon for exactly a month. There are some days when it seems like a year and then there are others where I feel that the plane just touched down in Yaoundé. I continue to struggle with French but keeping hoping and praying that my effort will pay off by the end of stâge. I have been having extra sessions every morning at 7 a.m. with Monique and I think it is helping. The SED volunteers had our LPI (Language Proficiency Interview) on Saturday morning. I don’t feel that I did that well but it had to be an improvement from when I first spoke with Gaston in Yaoundé. We will find out tomorrow what level we placed at, I began at Novice Low, and then continue classes from there. I am praying that I at least went up to Novice High. I have to obtain Intermediate Mid for Anglophone and Intermediate High for francophone.
We had a party at the SED house last night to celebrate the 4th of July. Throughout the day and into the night I kept looking at my watch thinking of what I would be doing if I was home (11 a.m. – put the boat in, 6 p.m. move the boat in front of Port Royal, etc.). I was okay with not being there because I know I have the rest of my life to enjoy 4th of July’s in the States or where ever I choose. It was just a little weird to be in a different country but to still be celebrating the United States’ Independence Day. All of the Ed volunteers are on site visit this week so they were not able to come to the party but we still managed to have a pretty good time. We cooked hamburgers (and thanks to Stanson and Oliver, we had cheese from Baffousam), got pommes frites and had some pretty good cake. Chez Emmanuel stayed open late for us (he made plenty of money off all the beers we bought).
Our Cameroonian trainers came and celebrated with us for a little while. It was nice to see them in a more relaxed atmosphere (most of them even danced). I have to say that although they relaxed enough to dance; they wouldn’t give up speaking French. It was extremely annoying to me! I was pumped to find out that Norm does the West Coast swing, for you that don’t know, it is very similar to the Carolina Shag. It was fun to get to show a little bit of South Carolina to some of the other volunteers. Norm is a SED volunteer who is COSing after our stage gets sworn in. He has been filling in for our APCD throughout training and has been a great resource for us newbie’s. Alec set up is tight rope and every one had a try, I now have a lovely bruise on the inside of my leg to show for my effort. I know no one is surprised by this bit of information.
Holy cow! I just finished eating my dinner and my mouth is on fire. Fair warning for anyone who wants to visit Cameroon, the food here is extremely spicy. Thank goodness it is something that I like and can tolerate because I think that a few other volunteers are having problems with it. The spaghetti, as they call it, is unbelievable. Of course it is nothing like the spaghetti we have in the states. It is more similar to Thai food but I am hoping that my sister will teach me how to make it before I leave for my post. Speaking of post, we find out on Thursday and I am extremely anxious. There are four Anglophone spots and I am praying that I get one. They all would be great but there is one that is practically at the beach – that would be incredible. I don’t think my luck is that good though!
We had a party at the SED house last night to celebrate the 4th of July. Throughout the day and into the night I kept looking at my watch thinking of what I would be doing if I was home (11 a.m. – put the boat in, 6 p.m. move the boat in front of Port Royal, etc.). I was okay with not being there because I know I have the rest of my life to enjoy 4th of July’s in the States or where ever I choose. It was just a little weird to be in a different country but to still be celebrating the United States’ Independence Day. All of the Ed volunteers are on site visit this week so they were not able to come to the party but we still managed to have a pretty good time. We cooked hamburgers (and thanks to Stanson and Oliver, we had cheese from Baffousam), got pommes frites and had some pretty good cake. Chez Emmanuel stayed open late for us (he made plenty of money off all the beers we bought).
Our Cameroonian trainers came and celebrated with us for a little while. It was nice to see them in a more relaxed atmosphere (most of them even danced). I have to say that although they relaxed enough to dance; they wouldn’t give up speaking French. It was extremely annoying to me! I was pumped to find out that Norm does the West Coast swing, for you that don’t know, it is very similar to the Carolina Shag. It was fun to get to show a little bit of South Carolina to some of the other volunteers. Norm is a SED volunteer who is COSing after our stage gets sworn in. He has been filling in for our APCD throughout training and has been a great resource for us newbie’s. Alec set up is tight rope and every one had a try, I now have a lovely bruise on the inside of my leg to show for my effort. I know no one is surprised by this bit of information.
Holy cow! I just finished eating my dinner and my mouth is on fire. Fair warning for anyone who wants to visit Cameroon, the food here is extremely spicy. Thank goodness it is something that I like and can tolerate because I think that a few other volunteers are having problems with it. The spaghetti, as they call it, is unbelievable. Of course it is nothing like the spaghetti we have in the states. It is more similar to Thai food but I am hoping that my sister will teach me how to make it before I leave for my post. Speaking of post, we find out on Thursday and I am extremely anxious. There are four Anglophone spots and I am praying that I get one. They all would be great but there is one that is practically at the beach – that would be incredible. I don’t think my luck is that good though!
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