COS conference

The COS conference (COS=close of service) is a time for all we PCV's to learn how to write a resume and spend one last time all together as one. We got to hang out with monkeys and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner for free and sleep on spring mattresses for a few nights. Photos...

The road to Yaounde. People like to come on the bus and sell medicine called "shiny shiny" that is supposed to clean your teeth. We believe it may be finely ground rocks. This man nearly beat me when he thought i was taking his picture.

Ally and I in the Country Director (of PC Cameroon)'s mansion-like home. It has hot water, for goodness sake. And see... I got to brush my hair.

Charles and I planned matching sassy outfits.

The balcony of my hotel room at the Mont Febe hotel. That is the village of Yaounde in the background.

Walking through the wildlife reserve. Gorillas live here.... and TONS of catapillars.

This one was really really fast.

I wanted to pet him, but my flesh would probably burn off. I'm thinking of putting together a line of "alternative stuffed animals" to sell to children. Piglet squids and catapillars of West Africa.

Not-so-fuzzy.

Good halloween costume.

Baby gorilla in gorilla juvy.

We were so close to this lady, we could have shaken hands. If it hadn't been for all of the throwing of sticks and rocks and running of the huge gorilla-ness, I might have tried.

Close enough to punch. They are rascals.


My COS date has become officially booked. And I am not coming home married to a Cameroonian... my dad was so sure that was going to happen. I guess there is still a bit of time.

"The prince enjoyed a health remarkable even among princes; by means of gymnastics and good care of his body, he had attained to such strength that, despite the intemperance with which he gave himself up to pleasure, he was as fresh as a big, green, waxy Dutch cucumber." -From my current entertainment in Cameroon, Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina"

Here are some other glimpses into my day to day life in the last months of the Peace Corps experience...

Mami only had two teeth on the bottom. She wanted me to pay her for this shot. I did not.

The doorway of the Catholic juju house. Its probably one of the few religions in Cameroon that would go along with something like this. Inside they drink fermented tree juice from cow horns.

You might think these kids were looking at me because i had a camera. In fact, they stared the whole time. This is the interior of a Cameroon classroom in a village in the Northwest. Children of America... consider yourself very lucky and eat your peas.

This is one of the finest moto drivers in the NW. Notice the stereo system he has connected near where his feet should go. He goes just fast enough to give you that stomach feeling, but then it goes away.

I would seriously consider coming back to Africa JUST to weigh babies and wear a lab coat. This one wanted to see me very well.

This health center is run by a fantastic "doctor" who makes 10$ a month. He delivers babies, makes sure women have good nutrition and distributes medicines. See? There still are good people in the world. And babies. This one was in a very healthy weight range.

Doing a soy (soya) milk recipe with the ladies of the health center. Did you know one kilo of soy is equal to 3 kilos of cow meat? Meat is 1200 a kilo. At 350 for a kilo of soy, its a fabulous alternative. Don't I look ridiculous?

Grinding the soy beans.

Straining the milk through a clean cloth. Test tasting came after. Lots of "AB-AHYE!"s. The ladies really enjoyed their liquid meat.

Update...

Here is a photo of Reese's spider bite.

All day yesterday was the 11th, and today is the 12th.

I wrote a long and funny something about my anxiety towards travel in the states during my high school and college years, with special emphasis on my fear of flying. I chewed on how I have been downright desensitized in the last year to the uncomfortable and terrifying Cameroonian means of travel. However, I believe some of the photos I took in the last few days will better convey what is so unfathomably normal in this country.

In the last week I’ve of dreamed of airports three times.







These goods waved their fingers at me while i took a picture. It was a truck full of traditional leaders. My car was faster, so i snapped them anyway.





This is where my car fell in a ditch. I have a video of a bunch of boys picking it up and moving it, then another video of it sliding back in the ditch.










This is where they pushed a big truck up a really slippery hill. Note the tire tracks. Note the big truck that small people are pushing up a hill.








Overload heading out from the car park.










Cow Wey No Get Tail.













Ally and I heading to the village. 5 In the back and they were lacking in an actual seat. It was a piece of wood covered in felt.



13 people in the car on the way from the village. This was the front seat.






















Heading up to Ndu from the market.










Coming from the village. Ally and I make friends with our seat mates. We had 4 extras.

The Other Toenail…

Reese in Limbe.

I was made to pick up the chicken "like you would a football". He pooped a lot in his brief stay in my exterior room. It was really smelly. The other one tried to bite Reese twice. We enjoyed eating both of them.













A few minutes later. See how naked?? Not so tough now, eh, chicken??

It's a real treat to stay in the Case with Justin Fugo. Or I guess this was Ingrid Martens. There is a pile of stuff "up for grabs"... this rouge number was inside. We all have motorcycle helmets.

I’m in Yaounde after a brief period at post following my America trip. My boyfriend, Reese, was bit by a bird-eating spider and got his close of service (COS) early (I will try to get a photo of this wound). He's fine. I got to take a little vacation to come to “the Yao,” as Bill Zimmerman likes to call it, and see him off. Last night we had a doggone spread to celebrate Reese’s many achievements. This included slices of ham schmeared with cream cheese (dubbed “Kalamazoo rolls” by the sushi expert), sour cream & onion Pringles, groundnuts (peanuts) and fancy pitted olives. Yessir. Sad to see him go, but who doesn’t love a reason for a party?

He’s not gone that early, though. In a few short months (pending this same spider does not attack me), I’ll be going home too. I will probably fly in to Chicago… in the middle of December. I’m crossing my fingers for unseasonable warmness. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I will be reentering the United States with either toenail. The one that I wrote about a few months ago has ceased its growth. It is a stubby, painful little thing and I am forced to paint the front of my toe to achieve the look of a real nail. Today the left nail came off. It was quite a surprise.

What’s on the docket until November? Tree outplanting, soy milk fabrication, camps and songs, hanging at the palace, and lots of photos. Peace Corps time sure seems to fly by.

Note: The Fon of Bafut is presently in the United States. From what I understand, he will be in Maryland (Silver Springs), Philadelphia, Washington DC, Houston, Chicago and two other cities (maybe St. Louis and San Francisco).