Hey all,
Again, my marvelous lack of writing has I'm sure left you all salivating for more. Since I last wrote, tons has happened. The most recent, I've taken the MCATs again. Hopefully for the last time. Surprisingly, the earth trembled while I wrote my literary masterpieces of my essays. I could chalk it up to my wit and talent shaking the earth, or I could choose to listen to weathermen who claim it was a freaking earthquake. I mean come on, an earthquake? on the East Coast? That's as unheard of as a hurricane hitting Boston... oh wait.... the rain outside my window is in fact Hurricane Irene.
Anyways, so yeah, as mentioned on facebook, I'm no longer going to Turkmenistan. I'm headed to Camerooooooon! Honestly, I can hardly say the name without thinking of one of those coyote cartoons jumping up and squeaking the name with eyeballs bulging out. But I digress, again. Basically, the program was cancelled for Turkmenistan and I was one of a lucky few who don't have to wait six months for an assignment. I'll be in Cameroon doing Preventative Health Education; teaching them about STDs and diseases they can contract from dirty water and such. I will admit, I'm relieved. I was excited about going to Turkmenistan and working with women in particular, especially post partum. I even harbored some hopes that I would learn about midwifery (Russian's claim to have preserved the only long lost form of "real" midwifery, according to some sources). In this new position, I won't necessarily be working with women on women's issues or health. Although that's not to say that I can't. The great part about this new placement, from what I understand, is that it's more flexible. I'll be able to check out my village (or city) and help decide what they might need. It might take more initiative and creativity on my part, but it feels like it could be extremely exciting.
I've been reading blogs from people in country now and just returning, and I got to say, it sounds like I'm in for a ride. Showers out of buckets, electricity on Tuesday and Saturday mornings before 2 am, mountain biking and dog eating. Everything I read makes me crave more information, more photos, more testimonies. To break down some facts, for those of you who don't know:
Cameroon:
Where? The armpit of Africa
Language: French, and English are the main ones with over 200 native languages (since there are pygmies in the rainforest, its possible click is one of them, although probably not).
Money: CFA about 475:1 USD
Religions: Melting Pot
I will be sleeping with mosquito nets.
I hope to learn to play drums.
There don't appear to be many lions in backyards.
That's all I really know so far, but I'm looking into more info. I do know that when I get there I will get a cell phone and this will be my first address:
Suzie Greenman
Peace Corps Trainee
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 215
Yaoundé, Cameroon
I'll spend the first 11 weeks in training, both rural and semi-urban, probably living with a host family or two before heading out to my post which is where I'll live for the next two years. I won't get that info till I'm already there. I won't know if I'll be there alone or if another PCV will be in my town or a neighboring one.
The bottom line is, there's tons I don't know. I'm spending the next few days packing and getting out of my summer apartment before being homeless for the next couple weeks. I'll float and start ripping up my roots before heading to another continent to let them settle again.
So that's all for now, bon sior (I remembered that from high school french! whoot!!!!), sleep well and many dreams of flying elephants and great adventures.
