Dust is everywhere. Every time the wind picks up, there is more dust, when a moto drives by, when a car or truck rumbles down the road; more dust.
Right now I am dutifully waiting for the rain to come. Locals here say that the Ides of March is the official turning point between seasons, but so far no rain. Everything gets dirty right after you clean it and somehow the dust creeps into your house. Sweeping happens daily and somehow the dust still manages to be there.
Ok that is enough complaining about the dust; I just look forward to when the trees are green again, the sky is blue again, and the air is fresh.
18 March 2011
04 March 2011
World Map Project
I have been working on a painting a world map at the town high school with my post mate Lindsey. You can see a picture on facebook now (it is my profile picture). I am painting some of the countries with students at the school.
It has been a lot of work and I am definitely learning a lot about the countries of the world as we are going. We are hitting some difficulties because the maps we had been using were 15 years old, and guess what, the political boundaries and country names are changing.
Once we finish we are going to work with the high school students doing geography activities. There are differing levels of knowledge about the world, but it is great to see that some students do know that the world is out there.
I have also given extra maps I had lying around my house to the primary schools that I work at. We have been going through continents right now. It is frustrating work because the primary school students have not had access to this information before. But little by little, hopefully they are getting an idea of where Cameroon is and how vast the rest of the world is.
It has been a lot of work and I am definitely learning a lot about the countries of the world as we are going. We are hitting some difficulties because the maps we had been using were 15 years old, and guess what, the political boundaries and country names are changing.
Once we finish we are going to work with the high school students doing geography activities. There are differing levels of knowledge about the world, but it is great to see that some students do know that the world is out there.
I have also given extra maps I had lying around my house to the primary schools that I work at. We have been going through continents right now. It is frustrating work because the primary school students have not had access to this information before. But little by little, hopefully they are getting an idea of where Cameroon is and how vast the rest of the world is.
16 February 2011
The Difficult Days
Sometimes this country breaks my heart. I just walked over to the health center. There is an infant who is malnourished and severely dehydrated. Just seeing her sunken eyes and sad face was too much.
Then as I crossed the street to my house I watched two children carrying bottles searching for water. One was bow legged due to a vitamin deficiency. They trudged along slowly going up the hill from concession to concession, as water is out everywhere around.
I wish I was superwoman and I could just fix everything instantly. I want to make it so that kids or mothers do not have to walk kilometers just to get water at their houses. I want to end malnutrition, dehydration, and hunger. If only I could snap my fingers and bam, world peace, education for all, food for all, and happiness for all.
Some days are hard. You see all of this around you and you realize that maybe what you are doing is not making any difference.
Then as I crossed the street to my house I watched two children carrying bottles searching for water. One was bow legged due to a vitamin deficiency. They trudged along slowly going up the hill from concession to concession, as water is out everywhere around.
I wish I was superwoman and I could just fix everything instantly. I want to make it so that kids or mothers do not have to walk kilometers just to get water at their houses. I want to end malnutrition, dehydration, and hunger. If only I could snap my fingers and bam, world peace, education for all, food for all, and happiness for all.
Some days are hard. You see all of this around you and you realize that maybe what you are doing is not making any difference.
10 February 2011
The end of vacation season
I have had almost two months of vacation. It was a nice and needed break. I already wrote about my trip to the North; my next trip was to the US!
I flew from Yaoundé to Paris and then from Paris to Miami. Ben met me in Miami and I visited ECHO with him. After that I met up with my parents and Mary in Fort Lauderdale and we went on a week-long cruise with ports of call in Curacao and Aruba. Mary found he perfect career: dancing entertainment on a cruise! It was nice to see Aruba again after so many years. Also on the cruise were a couple of my dad’s friends from college who had been living in Saudi Arabia for the past 20 years. It was interesting to hear their perspectives and how it was to raise a family abroad.
Once the cruise was over I flew to Philadelphia. I was able to see lots of family and friends here. It was so nice and comforting. I was also able to eat lots of good food. It is amazing how much I missed food sometimes, or maybe it’s the convenience of just being able to say I am hungry, what am I in the mood for?, ok let’s go get it! I then met up with Kevin and we went to the Art museum, saw the liberty bell, and did the tango!
The last part of my vacation was with my god parents. They took me to Atlantic city. We gamble a little (for me it was a very little) and had great food. We also walked to boardwalk and found some great dollar stores. I was able to find lots of good gifts for my friends in Cameroon.
I flew from Yaoundé to Paris and then from Paris to Miami. Ben met me in Miami and I visited ECHO with him. After that I met up with my parents and Mary in Fort Lauderdale and we went on a week-long cruise with ports of call in Curacao and Aruba. Mary found he perfect career: dancing entertainment on a cruise! It was nice to see Aruba again after so many years. Also on the cruise were a couple of my dad’s friends from college who had been living in Saudi Arabia for the past 20 years. It was interesting to hear their perspectives and how it was to raise a family abroad.
Once the cruise was over I flew to Philadelphia. I was able to see lots of family and friends here. It was so nice and comforting. I was also able to eat lots of good food. It is amazing how much I missed food sometimes, or maybe it’s the convenience of just being able to say I am hungry, what am I in the mood for?, ok let’s go get it! I then met up with Kevin and we went to the Art museum, saw the liberty bell, and did the tango!
The last part of my vacation was with my god parents. They took me to Atlantic city. We gamble a little (for me it was a very little) and had great food. We also walked to boardwalk and found some great dollar stores. I was able to find lots of good gifts for my friends in Cameroon.
08 January 2011
Trip to the North
It has been so long since I have really written. Here are some pictures of my mom's visit and my trip up to the Northern three regions of Cameroon: Adamawa, North, and Extreme North. (I know, aren't the names so creative).
I had an amazing time taking some vacation to tour the country. Culture is very different up north. In general, there is a lot less drinking going on because the Muslim population rules the culture. You hear call to prayer everywhere, the people are calmer and gentler. It is much hotter, but it is a dry heat since it is in the Sahel.
First I took the train up over night with my friend Andrea (who is posted in Mbouda). We left Yaounde and got to Ngaoundere the next morning and then proceeded straight to Garoua, the regional capital of the North. We stayed with Lea one night right outside of Garoua. Garoua is nice because there are fresh fruit smoothies! Something I really miss. Then the next three nights we stayed with Justin in Gaschiga, which is also very close to Garoua. There we did a computer camp at his school for two days. I brushed up on my computer vocabulary in French and had fun searching things on Encarta. After that Andrea and I split up for a bit. I went to Kaele on my own to meet up with Steven and Nick. Kaele is a non muslim town among very muslim towns, so they have many drinking caberets where billbill is served all throughout the day. I ate lots of salad and went to a beautiful Crocodile lake.
After that I headed to Maroua with Martin and Carmen. There I spent Christmas Even and Christmas with many people from the new stage. It was a very nice relaxed atmosphere. Maroua had a great art market, so I found lots of nice things there in leather and jewelery. Then I headed to Martin's post in Gouria, which is right outside of Roumsiki. Roumsiki is this very touristy area out in the middle of nowhere on the border of Nigeria. It is a very beautiful area and very peaceful. The rock formations around there are so interesting. I took a tour of the valley in Roumsiki with Carmen and then we ate at an amazing restaurant called the vegetarian carnivore or chez Kodji.
The last leg of my trip involved me coming back down to Ngaoundere, the regional capital of Adamawa. Here I met up with Anais and we had fun in the city and traveling to her post. We saw a beautiful lake and some nice waterfalls on the way there. Her post is very quiet and pretty. We ate dinner with her neighbors (they tried to feed us three times!) Then we toured her 'town'. We came back to Ngaoundere for New Year's. Andrea met me back in there and we took the train back down to Yaounde together.
Unfortunately I was only able to go back to post for 4 days before I had to come back to Yaounde for midservice. Now I am here and getting ready to have a short taste of America. I can not wait to see my friends and family, it will be so nice!
I had an amazing time taking some vacation to tour the country. Culture is very different up north. In general, there is a lot less drinking going on because the Muslim population rules the culture. You hear call to prayer everywhere, the people are calmer and gentler. It is much hotter, but it is a dry heat since it is in the Sahel.
First I took the train up over night with my friend Andrea (who is posted in Mbouda). We left Yaounde and got to Ngaoundere the next morning and then proceeded straight to Garoua, the regional capital of the North. We stayed with Lea one night right outside of Garoua. Garoua is nice because there are fresh fruit smoothies! Something I really miss. Then the next three nights we stayed with Justin in Gaschiga, which is also very close to Garoua. There we did a computer camp at his school for two days. I brushed up on my computer vocabulary in French and had fun searching things on Encarta. After that Andrea and I split up for a bit. I went to Kaele on my own to meet up with Steven and Nick. Kaele is a non muslim town among very muslim towns, so they have many drinking caberets where billbill is served all throughout the day. I ate lots of salad and went to a beautiful Crocodile lake.
After that I headed to Maroua with Martin and Carmen. There I spent Christmas Even and Christmas with many people from the new stage. It was a very nice relaxed atmosphere. Maroua had a great art market, so I found lots of nice things there in leather and jewelery. Then I headed to Martin's post in Gouria, which is right outside of Roumsiki. Roumsiki is this very touristy area out in the middle of nowhere on the border of Nigeria. It is a very beautiful area and very peaceful. The rock formations around there are so interesting. I took a tour of the valley in Roumsiki with Carmen and then we ate at an amazing restaurant called the vegetarian carnivore or chez Kodji.
The last leg of my trip involved me coming back down to Ngaoundere, the regional capital of Adamawa. Here I met up with Anais and we had fun in the city and traveling to her post. We saw a beautiful lake and some nice waterfalls on the way there. Her post is very quiet and pretty. We ate dinner with her neighbors (they tried to feed us three times!) Then we toured her 'town'. We came back to Ngaoundere for New Year's. Andrea met me back in there and we took the train back down to Yaounde together.
Unfortunately I was only able to go back to post for 4 days before I had to come back to Yaounde for midservice. Now I am here and getting ready to have a short taste of America. I can not wait to see my friends and family, it will be so nice!
10 December 2010
22 November 2010
Mom in Cameroon
Wow this has been an interesting two weeks. My mom just left Cameroon after spending two weeks here. We spent almost a week in my village seeing the kinds of things that I do and some traditional ceremonies and then we spent a week seeing Bamenda and Limbe. Overall it was very different than I expected. I enjoyed getting to share my life with my mom and just getting to see her, but I think in some ways I was not prepared to take on the ‘mom’ role.
I know how to get around in Cameroon, how to speak French, and generally how to live here. All of this was very knew for her, though. So I had to go back to what it felt like when I first arrived. Ok so here is a short review of everything.
The first night she arrived around 9pm at the Douala International airport. I was not allowed to go to the baggage claim with her, but the driver I was with was able to go and help her through. Then we had crazy teenage boys carrying our bags and ripping the $2 tip out of our hands when we finally made it to the car. The first night neither of us slept very well because we were too excited to sleep.
The next morning we left bright and early from the hotel to get an early start on the day. We went to the bus station and then proceeded to wait for 7 hours before our bus finally left. I was so upset at this point because I knew there was nothing we could do but wait. Finally we left and made it to Bafoussam by nightfall. Right as we were about to go to Ben’s house, Mom realized that she had left her wallet on the bus. It was a crazy taxi chase to the next city. We met the bus there and the kind lady sitting next to us had found the wallet with everything in it! So exhausted after that.
The following day we saw the market in Bafoussam for a bit and then went t Mbouda. Alain and Rose met us there to pick us up with all our stuff. It was a long ride on unpaved roads and I think Mom was glad that I was in the car with her. We made it to my house at nightfall with no electricity, of course.
The next few days we went to the health center, went hiking, attended a few meetings, did market, etc. All of the normal things around village. Rose and Alain were very accommodating the whole week being great hosts. They were super grateful for the health supplies that my mom was able to bring over (a whole 50 pound crate of them!)
Finally we left for Bamenda and Mom got to ride a moto! I think she liked it. We stayed with Kelly in Bamenda and saw some art stuff. Mom bought some pagne is having a nice traditional dress made I also found a few movies for myself and some pagna.
Then it took a whole day to travel to Limbe and we made it to our very nice hotel by nightfall. The black sand beaches were amazing and it was a much needed rest after our eventful trip. I am so happy that my Mom was able to see Cameroon and experience how I live first had. She took lots of pictures and video so I am sure that soon most of you will be seeing everything I just described.
I know how to get around in Cameroon, how to speak French, and generally how to live here. All of this was very knew for her, though. So I had to go back to what it felt like when I first arrived. Ok so here is a short review of everything.
The first night she arrived around 9pm at the Douala International airport. I was not allowed to go to the baggage claim with her, but the driver I was with was able to go and help her through. Then we had crazy teenage boys carrying our bags and ripping the $2 tip out of our hands when we finally made it to the car. The first night neither of us slept very well because we were too excited to sleep.
The next morning we left bright and early from the hotel to get an early start on the day. We went to the bus station and then proceeded to wait for 7 hours before our bus finally left. I was so upset at this point because I knew there was nothing we could do but wait. Finally we left and made it to Bafoussam by nightfall. Right as we were about to go to Ben’s house, Mom realized that she had left her wallet on the bus. It was a crazy taxi chase to the next city. We met the bus there and the kind lady sitting next to us had found the wallet with everything in it! So exhausted after that.
The following day we saw the market in Bafoussam for a bit and then went t Mbouda. Alain and Rose met us there to pick us up with all our stuff. It was a long ride on unpaved roads and I think Mom was glad that I was in the car with her. We made it to my house at nightfall with no electricity, of course.
The next few days we went to the health center, went hiking, attended a few meetings, did market, etc. All of the normal things around village. Rose and Alain were very accommodating the whole week being great hosts. They were super grateful for the health supplies that my mom was able to bring over (a whole 50 pound crate of them!)
Finally we left for Bamenda and Mom got to ride a moto! I think she liked it. We stayed with Kelly in Bamenda and saw some art stuff. Mom bought some pagne is having a nice traditional dress made I also found a few movies for myself and some pagna.
Then it took a whole day to travel to Limbe and we made it to our very nice hotel by nightfall. The black sand beaches were amazing and it was a much needed rest after our eventful trip. I am so happy that my Mom was able to see Cameroon and experience how I live first had. She took lots of pictures and video so I am sure that soon most of you will be seeing everything I just described.
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