Its ridiculous, crazy, and something else entirely. So much that it gets its own blog post. The reason for traveling? I received my post last week! Its Batouri in the eastern region. There are 3 SED (small economic development trainees posted in the in the east, all of whom girls. Coincidentally, 3 Education trainees received posts in the east...all girls as well. All the men volunteers who have finished their service are getting replaced with woman. Random, yes. And for the least developed region of Cameroon an interesting choice.
So traveling. Its been full of its moments of culture shock. My sunday, the 4th of July for my American counterparts, was spent immersed in learning this new way of travel. Every trainee traveled with their community host. Each community host is from the city/village where we are all posted. They are given the responsibility of making sure we meet people and get integrated in the society. So sunday morning Elizabeth, Patricia, and I traveled with our counterparts all the way from Bafia to Bertoua. Bertoua is the biggest city in the east and travel time is 8 hours away on a GOOD day. We met at the bus station 8:00 am where there were already a ton of organized chaos going about. Once you pay for your ticket you take your bag to your bus where they will put it on top of the bus for you. They always wait for the bus to be full before they will leave so expect...to...wait. Even when you think the bus is full its not. Last second it always fills up with more. Where the aisle is there also fits a seat. So comfotably seating 3 now with the aisle seat becomes 4 but its full when there is 5 seated in one row! There was a pig tied up laying next to the bus that people kept kicking as they walked by. When a lot of men suddenly surrounded it and then came a bunch of squealing. The 3 of us panicked thinking they were killing it, but no, turns out they were putting on the top of the bus. Yep, we had carried a pig with us for 2 hours all the way to Yaounde. With all of us packed in together, I still find it strange that Cameroonians no matter how hot it is hate wind. They were getting after us to shut the window but Patricia said she was in need of air and could vomit if she didn't have any. That put all the complaining to rest.
That was Bafia. When we arrived in Yaounde we had our biggest scare. We had to take a taxi to catch our next bus to Bertoua. As we neared the bus station all of a sudden the trunk of the taxi opened up and guys started grabbing for our bags. Thinking they were trying to steal them we hurriedly grabbed for our bags and yelling at them to stop. Our taxi driver got out to tell them to quit, and as it turns out thats what they do when you know you're going to take a bus. There are two bus companies competing for business so if they can grab your bag and take it to their bus company thats what they do. But of course scaring "la blanche" (the white girls) is something they would get a kick out of to. It was supposed to leave at one, but it didn't feel up until 2 but for a 6 hour bus ride on what we as Americans consider a normal bus (and complete with air conditioning!) was pretty decent. The only difference, bathroom breaks by the side of the road where you just find a spot wherever. Where we might like to find a private spot, nope they would line up relatively near each other.
Can there possibly be more? Definetly yes, but to keep things short let me skip to the next day and talk about my prison bus trip from Bertoua to Batouri. Its was supposed to leave at 1 but we didn't leave until 3 so I got some good reading time in. I can't give any decent description of this and will have to post a photo just for accuracy. The chairs are like folding metal chairs put together to form a bench. One on each side and of course don't forget the metal chair that folds down on the aisle. It was rickety old bus that you pray doesn't break down during the 2-3 hour (on a good day, 4-? on a bad one) bus ride over a dusty, bumpy road. It took 3 hours to go 90km. There are different and even better buses to take, but I just happened to have gotten the prison bus transportation as my first ever visit to my post. The roads are better than they have been so its not always prison bus transportation like it used to be. So (mom) I don't want to give you a worse impression than it really is. So as not to be claustrophobic I sat next to the window. Luckily no one told me to close it but as I was sitting on the left/drivers side I arrived in Batouri with a nice layer of dirt on my face. So right side it always is! If not just for the dirt its also for safety. The east is rich in natural resources and there is constantly logging trucks on the road bringing in logs from the CAR (Central African Republic). This hasn't happened in forever, but its been known to happen that a truck sideswipes one of the buses and that would affect anybody seated behind the driver..so, yah, again right side it is! We did break down for about 20 minutes and as it was nearing night at this point I was praying it to be a quick fix. Just for this reason, the Peace Corps advising volunteers not to travel at night so as if the bus breaks down you are not stuck spending the evening stuck on the road.
Its was an interesting journey from Bertoua to Batouri. I've been in sort of a PC bubble being in training and it was good to see other parts of Cameroon. The towns I've been in so far (Yaounde & Bafia) seem a lot more plush to me know. Yes, I know I'm in Africa, but it came to me on another level when in Bertoua I saw a lot of different Aid Development organizations and their cars driving around(i.e. World Food Programme, UNHCR, UNICEF,etc.) There is nothting between Bertoua or Batouri except really small villages with mud huts. Its a lot of the Africa/African poverty seen in photos. There are signs for almost all of these villages that describe different projects that are being sponsored by these organizations. Mostly clean water projects. It was very thought-provoking to see all of it, let alone see the recognition on villagers faces when they realized a white girl was in the bus. PCV's have been referred to before as dusty-road diplomats. I was thinking of that on my way to Batouri that with the PC we live like a local, whereas other AID organizations even are own embassy stay behind their walls and leave them in their SUVs to make "field visits." I may not be doing much with international developement, BUT how interesting to say that I like live, live in Africa. I live like a local, shop like a local, soon hopefully to speak like a local. With my site visit lasting 3 days, I left already speaking some Fulfulde (local ethnic language). It was interesting to think about it just on the basis of how important an understanding of culture is and how much i'll be able to understand that having have lived like a Cameroonian for 2 years.
Coming back has been much easier. Traveling will be much better when I know more what to expect. Tonight we are in Yaounde at the Peace Corps house that they have here for volunteers right next to their offices. Its funny that I'm only a month in and i'm already rejoicing over the little things. Tonight I was able to have my clothes washed and dried by a machine! Not by hand or line-dry. Although ridiculously over-priced, I had pizza for dinner. This is followed by some stable internet, watching TV, ....and a shower with HOT WATER!!! Tommorow back to Bafia it is.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
My First T.I.A. Experiences
First off, T.I.A. stands for This is Africa. Meaning the experiences/moments I have that let me know where im at. After meeting and driving home with my host family they showed me all around the house. There is running water and for the most part stable electricity if it doesn't rain since it rained alot that first night and all the electricity went out. The house has a kitchen, but there is a place outside kind of like a covered shack where they were cooking my first dinner of fish and spaghetti. (Here fish meaning literally the whole fish, which was the second time ever i've eaten it like that!) On a cultural note, a lot of people here eat the heads of the fish, their eyes and yes sometimes even the bones apparently for the calcium. As required by the Peace Corps my room has a door with a lock, a screen on the window, mosquito net, bucket for bucket showers, some starter toilet paper, kerosene lamp, bed, matress, pillow & sheets. Because I understand better than I speak i'm afraid that they thought with the few things I was able to speak I was much more fluent than I really am. My host mother has since confimed this saying I understand very well but have trouble being able to converse back. After dinner which is normally around 8 I just couldn't take anymore in. I retreated to my room and felt the first true pangs of lonliness. Not being understood is very hard. A few tears came before I told myself that i'm exactly where I to be. A call to my mom, which consists of me "beeping" her (letting it ring twice then hanging up so she can call me back and its free for me) helped resolve this isolation feeling and I was able to go to bed with no problems. The next day we debriefed about the first night with our host family. Alot of people went to bed around 7 and we were told we should always be prepared for awkwardness the first night which made me feel better. So here they are, my first T.I.A. experiences:
1. Making sure my mosquito net is down and tucked into my mattress atleast two hours before I go to bed and then making sure i've done everything necessary before crawling into it at night.
2. Waking up to rooster's crowing every morning
3. Getting a page/ handout that describes how to use the toilets here (in short always bring a bucket of water with you)
4. Having no fear about discussing bathroom issues
5. Lying in bed in a skirt & sports bra fanning the sweat away while charging my laptop with a regulator the size of a shoebox.
6. The first couple of mornings my brother Jerry would walk me to school and pick me up afterwards. One morning I fell in front of him and scraped my knee on the dirt. C'est mon première blesseur (sp?) en Afrique!(my first wound in africa!) I said this to him to say a joke but of course to also keep my pride intact :).
7. Bringing my own waterbottle to the dinner table because its water that has been boiled and filtered.
8. Killing my first bug(and thankfully the only one so far)in my room and not freaking out about it like I thought I would.
9. Seeing a family of five on the same motorcycle. Two parents with three children with a little baby near the handlebars all dressed up to go to church...of course with no helmets.
10. My family and I getting a good laugh/bonding over watching this American learn to wash her clothes by hand in a bucket of water for the first time.
11. Washing my underwear by hand in a bucket when a chicken strolled by.
12. Asking where to throw something out and being told to just put it on a trashpile on the ground outside.
Things i'm glad to have brought:
1. Camping towel
2. Solar headlamp
3. Pillow from home!
4. Small mirror to put on my desk when getting ready in the morning
1. Making sure my mosquito net is down and tucked into my mattress atleast two hours before I go to bed and then making sure i've done everything necessary before crawling into it at night.
2. Waking up to rooster's crowing every morning
3. Getting a page/ handout that describes how to use the toilets here (in short always bring a bucket of water with you)
4. Having no fear about discussing bathroom issues
5. Lying in bed in a skirt & sports bra fanning the sweat away while charging my laptop with a regulator the size of a shoebox.
6. The first couple of mornings my brother Jerry would walk me to school and pick me up afterwards. One morning I fell in front of him and scraped my knee on the dirt. C'est mon première blesseur (sp?) en Afrique!(my first wound in africa!) I said this to him to say a joke but of course to also keep my pride intact :).
7. Bringing my own waterbottle to the dinner table because its water that has been boiled and filtered.
8. Killing my first bug(and thankfully the only one so far)in my room and not freaking out about it like I thought I would.
9. Seeing a family of five on the same motorcycle. Two parents with three children with a little baby near the handlebars all dressed up to go to church...of course with no helmets.
10. My family and I getting a good laugh/bonding over watching this American learn to wash her clothes by hand in a bucket of water for the first time.
11. Washing my underwear by hand in a bucket when a chicken strolled by.
12. Asking where to throw something out and being told to just put it on a trashpile on the ground outside.
Things i'm glad to have brought:
1. Camping towel
2. Solar headlamp
3. Pillow from home!
4. Small mirror to put on my desk when getting ready in the morning
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Fast Forward
Life is very different. If I was on top of things I would have kept a journal thus far to give an accurate picture of all I have seen and done. This time last week I had already left home but was still in orientation in Philadelphia. With all that has happened, I feel its been so long since I left. Fast forward the sadness of saying goodbye to family, friends, and yes even my dog Wali. Fast forward seeing some historical sights in Philadelphia, Peace Corps orientation, meeting other volunteers, getting my yellow fever shot, 2 hour bus ride to JFK, and a frantic search as to the whereabouts of my mom to say goodbye before I left the states. Fast forward through a sleepless flight to Brussels, starting to freak out and get nervous in the Brussels airport, passing out on the plane to Cameroon, having a first impression of Africa being of two different colors red and green. Fast forward the first night in the hotel where everybody was in some way or another freaking out about something. Fast forward through the weekend of language tests, of which I placed intermediate-mid (the minimum needed for successful completion of training), through painful shots of typhoid, hepatitis, and menigitis (only 6 more required shots to go!) Fast forward through medical and safety lectures, a cultural dance event (our first official chance to do something besides being shuffled between the hotel and PC office), through a dinner at the country directors house for which the U.S. Ambassador was present.
This for the most part gets to the present. Yesterday they bused us all to Bafia where we are training for the next 10 weeks. When we arriwed,they announced the host family and then called out the name of the trainee who they belonged to. We met in front of everybody and depending on who was present we gave each family member three small hugs rotating sides of the face, kind of like three kisses on the cheek. My family has 8 people, they told me to expect 6 but well this is Africa there is no suprise to see more. They dad Celestin is a nurse, the mom Lydie is a drugstore assistant. In family terms,Jerry is my brother he is 19 and so far my main host. He haswalked me to training and picked me up and even helped me cook my breakfast this morning. My cousins are Elvis, Sandrine, and Epiphane 22,20, and 11 respectively. Anne is my big sister who is 25 that I have yet to meet. Well 5minutes now remaining on my internet so I must end this, it was rushed but I hope understandable. More on Bafia, training, my awkward first night with my African family, and this new life to come soon now that I have internet!
This for the most part gets to the present. Yesterday they bused us all to Bafia where we are training for the next 10 weeks. When we arriwed,they announced the host family and then called out the name of the trainee who they belonged to. We met in front of everybody and depending on who was present we gave each family member three small hugs rotating sides of the face, kind of like three kisses on the cheek. My family has 8 people, they told me to expect 6 but well this is Africa there is no suprise to see more. They dad Celestin is a nurse, the mom Lydie is a drugstore assistant. In family terms,Jerry is my brother he is 19 and so far my main host. He haswalked me to training and picked me up and even helped me cook my breakfast this morning. My cousins are Elvis, Sandrine, and Epiphane 22,20, and 11 respectively. Anne is my big sister who is 25 that I have yet to meet. Well 5minutes now remaining on my internet so I must end this, it was rushed but I hope understandable. More on Bafia, training, my awkward first night with my African family, and this new life to come soon now that I have internet!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Timeline: From California to Cameroon
Tommorow I say goodbye to my family & friends one last time and let this adventure begin! Tonight in Loma Linda, tommorow in Philadelphia, and the finally Yaounde Friday (how crazy to think by the end of this week i'll be in Africa!). There has been a lot of waiting, preparation, & paperwork to get to where I am. For my own personal record I thought I would take a few moments to jot down my timeline just to get to this point, and if your interested, to share it with you (whoever you may be) as well.
I first thought seriously of joining the Peace Corps in October/November of 2008. At the time in the middle of a desperate employment search. After working on my application and receiving my recommendation letters I was just about to hit the submit button when I received news of my acceptance into an internship in Berlin. When I returned end of April, even though I had a brief employment search in Washington DC and temporary work here in Redlands, I knew that Peace Corps was meant to be. I never wanted to wonder what if. (My submission on June 4 is coincidentally the same day I will be landing in Cameroon). Next came an interview, an nomination for business advising in french-speaking sub-saharan leaving Feb 2010, a very intricate medical/dental clearance thanks in part to my recent "brain surgery" as it was classified (a.k.a sinus surgery), then waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Several attempts to receive possible news of a invitation always came back with a "you'll here next week." Thankfully by January I finally had my placement interview after my placement officer came back from sick leave. Then waiting. By end of January, finally was I told of my new placement officer, of my original program being cut in half, of my country, and of my departure in 4 months time. Now on the other side of those 4 months, I'm glad to say I've had that much more time to get ready, to hangout with friends/family more, and wake up in a comfy bed & with a hot shower!
These past few weeks i've gone through several, but mostly three, different moods. They shuffle between nostalgia/sadness for missing my friends/family, nervousness, and excitement. Now that tommorow is when I finally leave, the excitement is taking over. Excitment of something new, nervousness of not knowing what to expect. I wonder of what my first impressions will be, of how I will take the humidity, how I will adjust to the food, if I will luck out with a good host family, what my project will be, where I will end up in Cameroon after training, and a bunch of things that keep my mind wandering!
So as one timeline ends, another begins. Tommorow night I arrive in Philadelphia, then orientation with all the other volunteers Wednesday afternoon. Thursday morning is vaccinations & a bus ride to JFK then a evening flight out to Cameroon via a stopover in Brussels. If you believe in prayer send one out for a safe journey! Next blog post will be from Africa!!! :D
I first thought seriously of joining the Peace Corps in October/November of 2008. At the time in the middle of a desperate employment search. After working on my application and receiving my recommendation letters I was just about to hit the submit button when I received news of my acceptance into an internship in Berlin. When I returned end of April, even though I had a brief employment search in Washington DC and temporary work here in Redlands, I knew that Peace Corps was meant to be. I never wanted to wonder what if. (My submission on June 4 is coincidentally the same day I will be landing in Cameroon). Next came an interview, an nomination for business advising in french-speaking sub-saharan leaving Feb 2010, a very intricate medical/dental clearance thanks in part to my recent "brain surgery" as it was classified (a.k.a sinus surgery), then waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Several attempts to receive possible news of a invitation always came back with a "you'll here next week." Thankfully by January I finally had my placement interview after my placement officer came back from sick leave. Then waiting. By end of January, finally was I told of my new placement officer, of my original program being cut in half, of my country, and of my departure in 4 months time. Now on the other side of those 4 months, I'm glad to say I've had that much more time to get ready, to hangout with friends/family more, and wake up in a comfy bed & with a hot shower!
These past few weeks i've gone through several, but mostly three, different moods. They shuffle between nostalgia/sadness for missing my friends/family, nervousness, and excitement. Now that tommorow is when I finally leave, the excitement is taking over. Excitment of something new, nervousness of not knowing what to expect. I wonder of what my first impressions will be, of how I will take the humidity, how I will adjust to the food, if I will luck out with a good host family, what my project will be, where I will end up in Cameroon after training, and a bunch of things that keep my mind wandering!
So as one timeline ends, another begins. Tommorow night I arrive in Philadelphia, then orientation with all the other volunteers Wednesday afternoon. Thursday morning is vaccinations & a bus ride to JFK then a evening flight out to Cameroon via a stopover in Brussels. If you believe in prayer send one out for a safe journey! Next blog post will be from Africa!!! :D
Thursday, May 20, 2010
So the Peace Corps, eh?
So without further ado, let this blog begin! For better or for worse, here it goes. For those that may be reading this and have no idea as to the origins for its creation, I have been accepted into the Peace Corps (an American volunteer program run by the U.S. Government) and will leave June 1 for a 27 month adventure in Cameroon as a Small Business Advisor.
So the Peace Corps. When i've informed family & friends of this decision there have been many reactions. The two most common being either the comment "WOW, you are brave" or the question "why?". To the comment I say its a chance to make a difference, allow for a huge growth opportunity, experience a new culture, get out of my comfort zone, and well, frankly, to have the travel adventure of a lifetime :). I hope my answer to the question will be clear in spite of its conciseness. I've done crazier things, time wise at least. When I left for my internship in Berlin, I was accepted into it on a Friday and arrived in Berlin the following Friday. Except for bad luck with accomodations and a witchy landlady in my last apartment there, it was a fabulous experience! Yes I've lived in France for 8 months, but this by far is the biggest, longest, and farthest travel experience I have ever pursued. For the Peace Corps, I will be leaving a year to the day I applied last June. So I have had a full year to consider my decision, and the process of getting to where I am now was not the easiest. Patience truly is a virtue. Also, there were many volunteer projects I led out on in college (the biggest of them being a Zimbabwe fundraiser and creation of a Microfinance project for the School of Business) which put in my head the idea of what it would actually be like to live in a developing country. Coupled with my desire to on a professional level pursue Diplomacy and to avoid a 8 to 5 cubicle job, I figure I'm young...why not?
So with my Bon Voyage party last weekend, a weekend trip to Walla Walla, WA to my college town for my friend Megan's wedding coming up this weekend, and that fact that i'm already packed (yes, don't judge its true!)I'm going to sit back and enjoy my last two weeks with my family, friends, good food, and a good dose of American culture! Join me on this adventure? Stayed tuned for more...
So the Peace Corps. When i've informed family & friends of this decision there have been many reactions. The two most common being either the comment "WOW, you are brave" or the question "why?". To the comment I say its a chance to make a difference, allow for a huge growth opportunity, experience a new culture, get out of my comfort zone, and well, frankly, to have the travel adventure of a lifetime :). I hope my answer to the question will be clear in spite of its conciseness. I've done crazier things, time wise at least. When I left for my internship in Berlin, I was accepted into it on a Friday and arrived in Berlin the following Friday. Except for bad luck with accomodations and a witchy landlady in my last apartment there, it was a fabulous experience! Yes I've lived in France for 8 months, but this by far is the biggest, longest, and farthest travel experience I have ever pursued. For the Peace Corps, I will be leaving a year to the day I applied last June. So I have had a full year to consider my decision, and the process of getting to where I am now was not the easiest. Patience truly is a virtue. Also, there were many volunteer projects I led out on in college (the biggest of them being a Zimbabwe fundraiser and creation of a Microfinance project for the School of Business) which put in my head the idea of what it would actually be like to live in a developing country. Coupled with my desire to on a professional level pursue Diplomacy and to avoid a 8 to 5 cubicle job, I figure I'm young...why not?
So with my Bon Voyage party last weekend, a weekend trip to Walla Walla, WA to my college town for my friend Megan's wedding coming up this weekend, and that fact that i'm already packed (yes, don't judge its true!)I'm going to sit back and enjoy my last two weeks with my family, friends, good food, and a good dose of American culture! Join me on this adventure? Stayed tuned for more...
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