Sunday, June 13, 2010

Peace Corps Introduction and then to our families

I got to Philadelphia with no major problems and I spent 3 nights there. One and a half day was spent getting to meet the other Peace Crops volunteers that had arrived from all different corners of the US ( I should correctly say trainees, we are not volunteers until sworn in on the 18th of August). We are a total of 43 persons. This group consists of Education - TEFL, Computer and Science teachers and of Small Enterprise Development trainees.
We were reminded of Peace Corps' values and the mission that we were to accomplish. More forms had to filled out and discussions of what to expect within the next few days, such as receiving a yellow fever vaccination prior to our being driven to JFK by bus. The picture below shows a fourth of all the luggage that we had with us -- think 43 times 3-4 pieces of luggage :-)


The trip went well. One trainee did have too much weight  in her luggage but all helped in spreading her things  into suitcases that were under weight. One trainee, unfortunately, fell ill while waiting to check in in New York and had to be transported to the hospital. She luckily was able to join us 5 days later.
We arrived in at Yaoundé airport quite exhausted, but picked up energy quickly when we were greeted by the new appointed Peace Corps Director and her assistant that held a Peace Corps sign. We had finally arrived. Our passports were taken and while they were being examined and stamped, we were shuffled through to get our luggage pieces -- all of the 43*4 pieces. Believe it or not, only 1 person had a piece of luggage missing, which she received 1 week later. When all was in order we boarded a bus and went to our hotel where dinner was waiting for us. Here are a few pictures of Yaoundé from our hotel window.

While in Yaoundé our levels of French speaking was tested so that we could get grouped according to language skill levels. Myself and a girl from Haiti tested very high, so we are getting private lessons on Cameroonism. I have now even have been asked to conduct the pedagogies class to the trainees since they saw that I had taught aspiring teachers before. I have also been asked if I would be interested to be sent to a post that would allow me to teach aspiring Cameroonian teachers. We will see. I have an interview coming up where this will be discussed.
In Yaoundé we also received our first living allowance of 25 dollars, it felt like hundreds. We were not allowed to leave the hotel until the third day where; if we were 4 persons together; we could leave for 1-2 hours. It felt great, except that it was a Sunday and all was closed. We also received power surge protectors, telephones and SIM cards. We learned a lot about certain health issues, such as, boiling, filtering and then adding bleach to our water before drinking it. We learned about not putting any of our freshly washed and dry clothes on us, unless they have been drying for 3 days or ironed (including underwear) so that we do not suffer from the mango flies' eggs hatching (google it) AND more vaccines for Typhoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis A, B and now undergoing a series of Rabies vaccines. Yes, malaria pills are being taken.
After 3 intensive days, we boarded a bus and after 2 1/2 hour we arrived at Bafia where are "mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters" were waiting for us.



We were all excited, them as well as us. My "mother" is a single mother and is an English teacher at the Lycéé Bilingue de Bafia, she is also the school's disciplinary. She has 2 daugthers, 4 and 6 years old. She also has taken in a neighbors daughter who is 12 and an orphaned girl of 15. She is very nice and tries very hard to make sure that all food is prepared in such a way so that I will not get sick. Life is different here and she must make do with the little salary that she gets and the responsibilities that she has. Here are a few pictures of how it is. All cooking is done outside, except for mine, which she cooks for me separetly. I am
spoiled.





I am not allowed to cook yet, nor fetch my water or do my own laundry. I have learned in my class one can not refuse help on the first offers, but that I can gradually ask them to show me how to do things so that I can take care on myself once I am out at my post alone.


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Saying goodbye

The last few weeks have been a series of saying goodbyes --- with friends that lived far away, it was by phone or by Skype, with friends that lived closer, by taking the time to talk over long extended lunch hours which ended with long hard hugs and avid promises of keeping in touch --

Family is different --- saying goodbye has been a mixture of sadness for leaving them for such a long period of time, yet at the same time, a thankfulness and happiness for their having given me their support in a decision that, for me, had been so important. In their eyes I saw their efforts and strengths in making sure that I knew and felt their happiness for me but yet, when I looked deeper, I also saw their sadness my leaving was and is causing them. I am blessed and thankful for their love of being able to set me free and of helping me to realize a dream/a calling that I have had since childhood.

Within the last 4 days, I have left my family in Sweden and now my family in the US. I am on my way to the first day of my Peace Corps experience. I am off to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Many have asked me,  "How does it feel ?"--- Honestly, it is so surreal that it still has not really sunk in yet --- maybe after I meet the other volunteers? I will let you know when possible.