Saturday, November 16, 2013

Written a while ago, but here is another post...been busy trying to pass my French exam. Send good karma my way! It's amazing how normal life can feel some days. Other days I think multiple times, "what I would give for ____". Often that blank is filled with a hot shower and running water. That sounds so magical. Other days I wish for a meal I make for myself with food I like. Almost every day I crave an ice cold drink of whatever, as long as there's ice in it. Today, it was a bug free (or almost bug free) house with electricity. I was in bed by 8pm since our house had no lights. Of course I have my little gas lantern that takes 10 matches to light, but the longer I stay up in the dark, the more bugs come out to get me. So, I shower quickly with my flickering lamp, carefully watching the bugs crawling around me. I hop in bed to listen to my comforting American girl power playlist and read some more about the girl with the dragon tattoo. I eventually put my "book" down (actually my little iPhone that doubles as my e-reader) and close my eyes. It's so safe in my mosquito net. I hear those loud frogs outside my window with some crickets and the occasional confused rooster. Today was a rough day. One of our fellow trainees went home. It weighed heavily on everyone and there were many comments of envy as she drove away. She will be home for the holidays, enjoying her loved ones, eating recognizable food, and showering with running hot water. After 4 hours of trying to prepare our upcoming 20 minute presentation in French, we learn about poisonous snakes and what not to do when or if we get bit. I think there's a lot of people thinking "what am I doing here?" I finish the day with one quick beer before "family Tuesday." I'm in no shape for an evening of broken French with a family that isn't mine. I get home at 6 pm, before dark and come back outside with my pagne (fabric) for our swearing in ceremony in 2 weeks. I ask my parents if I can walk next door to the tailor and they look at me odd and say it is night time. I decide tomorrow is better after what seems like an animated discussion next to me (but not with me). I wake up soon after falling asleep to my phone ringing repetitively. All I can think is something has happened back home. Thankfully it's nothing of the sort, just a local calling over and over, which is apparently totally normal. I use the bathroom before I re-start my motivational playlist. Tomorrow is a new day, I'll wake up early since I went to bed at 8 pm. I will visit the tailor with my pagne and the drawing of my desired dress. I will get a cold coke on the way to school from the small boutique owned by a nice man who has told me a couple times all the coke in Bafia is gone before I even ask for it. I get coffee and a beignet (sp? - fried dough covered in sugar) at 10 am and some pineapple at noon. The highlights of my day are the breaks from training. It's getting to the end of training and my lack of motivation is obvious. I move to my post in 2 weeks. I'm still quite nervous but also excited to be on my own again. I know there's some people back home who are as nervous as I am about being so close to Nigeria. All I can say is the volunteer I'm replacing has successfully been there for 2 years. She hasn't had any issues with the border and is excited for me to take over. That alone makes me relax and allows me to look forward to my future on the Cameroonian/Nigerian border. I am certain the holidays will be lonely but I'm hoping the time passes quickly and I can integrate into my new home relatively smoothly. I have a new address - some of you already have it. If not, Email me for my new address in the Grand North of Cameroon. I'd love any mail you want to send. I have been trying to write letters and I'm sure when I get to my new home I'll have even more time to write home.
Written a while ago, but here is another post...been busy trying to pass my French exam. Send good karma my way! It's amazing how normal life can feel some days. Other days I think multiple times, "what I would give for ____". Often that blank is filled with a hot shower and running water. That sounds so magical. Other days I wish for a meal I make for myself with food I like. Almost every day I crave an ice cold drink of whatever, as long as there's ice in it. Today, it was a bug free (or almost bug free) house with electricity. I was in bed by 8pm since our house had no lights. Of course I have my little gas lantern that takes 10 matches to light, but the longer I stay up in the dark, the more bugs come out to get me. So, I shower quickly with my flickering lamp, carefully watching the bugs crawling around me. I hop in bed to listen to my comforting American girl power playlist and read some more about the girl with the dragon tattoo. I eventually put my "book" down (actually my little iPhone that doubles as my e-reader) and close my eyes. It's so safe in my mosquito net. I hear those loud frogs outside my window with some crickets and the occasional confused rooster. Today was a rough day. One of our fellow trainees went home. It weighed heavily on everyone and there were many comments of envy as she drove away. She will be home for the holidays, enjoying her loved ones, eating recognizable food, and showering with running hot water. After 4 hours of trying to prepare our upcoming 20 minute presentation in French, we learn about poisonous snakes and what not to do when or if we get bit. I think there's a lot of people thinking "what am I doing here?" I finish the day with one quick beer before "family Tuesday." I'm in no shape for an evening of broken French with a family that isn't mine. I get home at 6 pm, before dark and come back outside with my pagne (fabric) for our swearing in ceremony in 2 weeks. I ask my parents if I can walk next door to the tailor and they look at me odd and say it is night time. I decide tomorrow is better after what seems like an animated discussion next to me (but not with me). I wake up soon after falling asleep to my phone ringing repetitively. All I can think is something has happened back home. Thankfully it's nothing of the sort, just a local calling over and over, which is apparently totally normal. I use the bathroom before I re-start my motivational playlist. Tomorrow is a new day, I'll wake up early since I went to bed at 8 pm. I will visit the tailor with my pagne and the drawing of my desired dress. I will get a cold coke on the way to school from the small boutique owned by a nice man who has told me a couple times all the coke in Bafia is gone before I even ask for it. I get coffee and a beignet (sp? - fried dough covered in sugar) at 10 am and some pineapple at noon. The highlights of my day are the breaks from training. It's getting to the end of training and my lack of motivation is obvious. I move to my post in 2 weeks. I'm still quite nervous but also excited to be on my own again. I know there's some people back home who are as nervous as I am about being so close to Nigeria. All I can say is the volunteer I'm replacing has successfully been there for 2 years. She hasn't had any issues with the border and is excited for me to take over. That alone makes me relax and allows me to look forward to my future on the Cameroonian/Nigerian border. I am certain the holidays will be lonely but I'm hoping the time passes quickly and I can integrate into my new home relatively smoothly. I have a new address - some of you already have it. If not, Email me for my new address in the Grand North of Cameroon. I'd love any mail you want to send. I have been trying to write letters and I'm sure when I get to my new home I'll have even more time to write home.