trip to post: a stop in yaounde

23 August 2008

Training is over--yesterday we swore in, and are now peace corps volunteers! Finally.

happy things:

*we get to start accomplishing things: both our primary projects (mine is teaching computers to high school-ers), and secondary projects (I’m trying to find something architecture related, like working with habitat for humanity int'l)

*we don't have a seven o'clock curfew anymore

*we get to move into our own houses, start cooking our own meals, cleaning our own dishes/clothes/vegetables/etc.

*I can set up a space in my house as a studio and get painting!

*make new friends, with my post mates and with Cameroonians like my fellow teachers, my neighbors, the ladies at the market when I try to speak Fulfulde, etc

the sad part:

*leaving my new best friends. I’ve become close to some of my fellow stagaires, and I like all 36 of them. It’s going to be hard to leave little America for real Cameroon.

*there are no other sad points

fears:

*what if I’m really bad at teaching? I don't actually know what I’m doing, teaching computers in French.

*other fears, much lighter on my mind like: catching malaria, having mice, other inconveniences

motivators:

*practice French

*practice Fulfulde

*get started teaching so i stop worrying about it, and start dealing with it

*secondary project: as soon as I realized the need for housing in Yaoundé, I felt like I might actually be able to contribute something. And that sort of project would be great on my resume for a future in architecture

*painting: space has been a limiting factor, and I would really like to be putting time and energy into my artwork soon

*become bien integrée

*exciting new things!

*setting up my own house

*getting a kitten or puppy: puppies are good for security because Cameroonians are afraid of dogs, but kitties eat cockroaches and mice. And they are so cute!

I haven't updated you guys much on stage happenings, par exemple our visit to the chief of Bangante one Sunday. I’ll have to pad further updates with those stories. For now, know that I am safe, healthy, and enthused for the move: for the real beginning of my service as a real volunteer.