Hello everyone! Hope you are all doing well. Happy early Valentine's Day, good gracious how is it already mid-February? Here is a brief summary of my life for the past month:
January 17 Plane from Niamey, Niger to Casablanca, Morocco
Transition Conference in Rabat, Morocco
Traveled around Morocco Jan 26-Feb 5
February 6 Plane from Casablanca, Morocco to Yaounde, Cameroon
Cameroon Transfer Training Feb 6-9
Feb 9 Head to regional capital, Ngaoundere
Next week: Move into village outside of Ngaoundere
Life has been a crazy whirlwind over the past month, but I am so grateful to be in Cameroon now. The Peace Corps staff and volunteers here have been accommodating and patient with us. Two volunteers came into Yaounde for the few days to help us buy phone cards and transition to life in Cameroon. The country director here and my health program manager are both amazing women and I am pumped to work with them for the few two years. Driving on the train yesterday through the lush rainforests on the outskirts of Yaounde, I couldn't help but breath in the fresh air of eucalyptus trees that we were passing. I was reminded of the gift I have been given in continuing service.
After having internet in Yaounde and being able to catch up on current events around Africa (Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan...), I caught myself having mixed feelings. On one side, I am deeply frustrated by the negative events currently happening here that involve government corruption and people protesting in demand of their rights. It is frustrating to me that these events are happening period, but it is also saddening. When people in the US or other parts of the world turn on the television or go to cnn.com, these are the images they see of Africa. This is deeply saddening because this is not the Africa that I know. I think that if people could see the rainforests and smile at children out of a window of a train, then they may gain a new perspective about this wonderful continent.
January 17 Plane from Niamey, Niger to Casablanca, Morocco
Transition Conference in Rabat, Morocco
Traveled around Morocco Jan 26-Feb 5
February 6 Plane from Casablanca, Morocco to Yaounde, Cameroon
Cameroon Transfer Training Feb 6-9
Feb 9 Head to regional capital, Ngaoundere
Next week: Move into village outside of Ngaoundere
Life has been a crazy whirlwind over the past month, but I am so grateful to be in Cameroon now. The Peace Corps staff and volunteers here have been accommodating and patient with us. Two volunteers came into Yaounde for the few days to help us buy phone cards and transition to life in Cameroon. The country director here and my health program manager are both amazing women and I am pumped to work with them for the few two years. Driving on the train yesterday through the lush rainforests on the outskirts of Yaounde, I couldn't help but breath in the fresh air of eucalyptus trees that we were passing. I was reminded of the gift I have been given in continuing service.
After having internet in Yaounde and being able to catch up on current events around Africa (Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan...), I caught myself having mixed feelings. On one side, I am deeply frustrated by the negative events currently happening here that involve government corruption and people protesting in demand of their rights. It is frustrating to me that these events are happening period, but it is also saddening. When people in the US or other parts of the world turn on the television or go to cnn.com, these are the images they see of Africa. This is deeply saddening because this is not the Africa that I know. I think that if people could see the rainforests and smile at children out of a window of a train, then they may gain a new perspective about this wonderful continent.
No comments:
Post a Comment