A few pictures from a busy work week!
Our first HIV/AIDS seminar and free testing the a village went really well.
Baby weighing is more fun when guest come and soy milk is made!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
15.08.07
This blog is from May 1st--but I just found it and realized I never posted it. So…here's an old one! As for current life, it's going well. Lots of rain, cloudy days and running water. I'm busy working on 3 different projects (a 2-year high for work load!) and getting excited about finishing up in about 3 months!!
Below are some random travel pictures. There aren’t really ways to describe the wonder of Cameroonian travel except through pictures and even those don’t usually do it justice!
I was hungry, tired and sick of being the center of attention so I hopped in a car back to Ndu. The rain had stopped and the view was spectacular. Mountains in each direction and clear skies, blooming farms in every direction--it was beautiful. To make the ride that much better, I saw a monkey on a leash. What else can you ask for on a Tuesday? It was an experience…one I'll be happy not to repeat but am glad to have done, once. And, in the words of my friend Silas, "Weh, thank God." True.
This blog is from May 1st--but I just found it and realized I never posted it. So…here's an old one! As for current life, it's going well. Lots of rain, cloudy days and running water. I'm busy working on 3 different projects (a 2-year high for work load!) and getting excited about finishing up in about 3 months!!
Below are some random travel pictures. There aren’t really ways to describe the wonder of Cameroonian travel except through pictures and even those don’t usually do it justice!
The car smelled really bad--my bad didn't smell that much better though.
One kid had pink eye, one had orange hair (not so much for style, more from lack of nutrients) and there were a total of 14 of us in ONE car.
I think this may be too much stuff...
Labour Day 2007…US weekly photo shoot or national holiday??
I avoided it last year but no such luck for Cameroon Labor Day 2007! It started out well, pouring rain at 8 AM. I received one of my favorite greetings thus far:"Morning Miss Ally. You're up?"
"Yes."
"Weh! Thank God."
…Now I wasn't quite sure if "A'int that the truth!" would have translated well, so I just smiled. Our departure was delayed until about 9 wherein we bounced along, 18 in a Land Rover, not comfortable. About 20 minutes into the hour-long ride, the car started puttering, if you will. The engine was revving and it was taking about twice as long to get up hills. Finally smoke was pouring out of the hood and into the car. I said a quick prayer that, 1. We'd make it, 2. That we wouldn't explode into a million pieces and 3. That my legs wouldn't start on fire and Chaco's wouldn't melt to my feet. Once again, "Weh, thank God"…my feet are fine. The car, however, didn't make it much further. We did, however, make it to the Labor Day festivities about 12:30--an hour and a half after they were "supposed" to start. We stood for another hour or so while I had to explain why it wasn't necessary (and actually probably a little inappropriate) to march waving the American flag…I mean, come on, it was no surprise to anyone there that I'm not Cameroonian and this wasn't American labor day…right?
When the time to march actually came, we lined up carefully holding our small Cameroonian and American flags. As the march began (I should point out that marching is a very serious thing…fascist, straight-armed, iron-faced…they're not messing around), I shuffled my feet a little in line with the others only to be ridiculed by a drunken man…
"Girlfriend! My girlfriend!! Left, right, left right! Baby. My girlfriend….left, right, left, right!!!" I stared straight ahead, not following his strict marching orders. As we marched, very seriously, past the grandstand full of important people, I heard the announcer say, "And there's the Peace Corps!" I am the Peace Corps.
After the grandstand stood about 40 cameramen, dressed in their "Fuji-film" vests, stepped out of line to take my picture. It was one of the most unnecessary things I've experienced. It was like I was a Hollywood star leaving the grocery store (if so it would have ended up on that page of US weekly about "stars doing normal things." Although my caption would read something like, "…marches in parades." Not as cool as Jake Gyllenhaul throwing a Frisbee or Meg Ryan buying contact solution or something). But just like an annoyed Hollywood star, I didn't smile at all…not even in the slightest, in fact I scowled. It was awesome, I can't wait to see the pictures posted in town. After that the groups began high-fiving and hugging, seriously congratulating each other on a job well done. For marching? I can only assume. This is, after all, very serious business.
I avoided it last year but no such luck for Cameroon Labor Day 2007! It started out well, pouring rain at 8 AM. I received one of my favorite greetings thus far:"Morning Miss Ally. You're up?"
"Yes."
"Weh! Thank God."
…Now I wasn't quite sure if "A'int that the truth!" would have translated well, so I just smiled. Our departure was delayed until about 9 wherein we bounced along, 18 in a Land Rover, not comfortable. About 20 minutes into the hour-long ride, the car started puttering, if you will. The engine was revving and it was taking about twice as long to get up hills. Finally smoke was pouring out of the hood and into the car. I said a quick prayer that, 1. We'd make it, 2. That we wouldn't explode into a million pieces and 3. That my legs wouldn't start on fire and Chaco's wouldn't melt to my feet. Once again, "Weh, thank God"…my feet are fine. The car, however, didn't make it much further. We did, however, make it to the Labor Day festivities about 12:30--an hour and a half after they were "supposed" to start. We stood for another hour or so while I had to explain why it wasn't necessary (and actually probably a little inappropriate) to march waving the American flag…I mean, come on, it was no surprise to anyone there that I'm not Cameroonian and this wasn't American labor day…right?
When the time to march actually came, we lined up carefully holding our small Cameroonian and American flags. As the march began (I should point out that marching is a very serious thing…fascist, straight-armed, iron-faced…they're not messing around), I shuffled my feet a little in line with the others only to be ridiculed by a drunken man…
"Girlfriend! My girlfriend!! Left, right, left right! Baby. My girlfriend….left, right, left, right!!!" I stared straight ahead, not following his strict marching orders. As we marched, very seriously, past the grandstand full of important people, I heard the announcer say, "And there's the Peace Corps!" I am the Peace Corps.
After the grandstand stood about 40 cameramen, dressed in their "Fuji-film" vests, stepped out of line to take my picture. It was one of the most unnecessary things I've experienced. It was like I was a Hollywood star leaving the grocery store (if so it would have ended up on that page of US weekly about "stars doing normal things." Although my caption would read something like, "…marches in parades." Not as cool as Jake Gyllenhaul throwing a Frisbee or Meg Ryan buying contact solution or something). But just like an annoyed Hollywood star, I didn't smile at all…not even in the slightest, in fact I scowled. It was awesome, I can't wait to see the pictures posted in town. After that the groups began high-fiving and hugging, seriously congratulating each other on a job well done. For marching? I can only assume. This is, after all, very serious business.
I was hungry, tired and sick of being the center of attention so I hopped in a car back to Ndu. The rain had stopped and the view was spectacular. Mountains in each direction and clear skies, blooming farms in every direction--it was beautiful. To make the ride that much better, I saw a monkey on a leash. What else can you ask for on a Tuesday? It was an experience…one I'll be happy not to repeat but am glad to have done, once. And, in the words of my friend Silas, "Weh, thank God." True.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
