PST Week 4

These are the rain clouds descending on Yaounde (the capital of Cameroon)

Okay so week four is over! I cannot believe it but at the same time it is going by faster. First off, I am getting to know my fellow stagiaires (like trainees in French) very well and that is a good thing – I love all the health volunteers! Second, this week was a hot one. Seriously each day being hotter than the next. October is the mini hot season but wow, seriously, the use of the word “mini” to describe the heat the past week, well it frightens me to be honest.

So this week started off with last Sunday me and 3 friends going on a bike ride. Now, let me preface this by saying that we started this bike ride at 6:30am. Now, we didn’t chose this time because we are crazy, we are morning people, we love the challenge, or any of that crazy stuff – we chose it pure and simple because we are all awake at that time – thanks to the Peace Corps schedule – and it is not quite so miserably hot at that time of the morning. Needless to say, we began at 6:30 and returned at 9 and had a blast. I may or may not have contracted schisto through my forced entry into the standing water – but hey, all in good fun right? My legs are ridiculously bruised, I had cuts all down them (learned that despite the heat, off road bike trip require pants) and had an amazing time. Honestly it was beautiful and tons of fun. While I was taking my turn in front (we are a bunch of first borns who all have to take turns leading) we began riding along side a “stream” of standing rain water. Well, the ground next to it was not what one would call stable and so being in front I ate it into the “stream” once, and half another time. The girl behind me ate it with me that time. We learned though and soon were back to our normal functioning biking selves. I took a bucket shower and scrubbed off afterwards and almost a week later seem to be no worse for the ware.

A whole other set of injuries are coming from soccer. People here can PLAY soccer. And, being the overly aggressive small white girl I am – just doesn’t stop and runs right into people who get in the way of me and anything I want to do on the field. Now, this has resulted in many a collisions and my shins are taking the toll on that one. But, alls well that ends well and I am still walking, talking, and behaving just fine!

For those of you, cough mom cough, who are keeping track this is week 5 of me taking my malaria pills and as far as I can tell I am still sane. I have drank beer, been around people, and eaten lots of random foods all while on it and seem to be no worse for the wear – thank god. For anyone who saw me on the last malaria pills – cough friends and family in Germany cough – you know how insane I became. So, glad I am avoiding that with this new set of friends. A little early to introduce them to the insane side of me don’t you think.

Okay so Cameroon doesn’t do dairy really. So, I miss cheese. Stupid Wisconsin with there overly amazing cheeses – it isn’t fair. I miss them a lot. Rope chcese…. Mmmm… yea. Other than that, I have found most things here in various forms and for various prices. The candy here (or bonbons in French) are all hard candies and some not that great Cameroonian chocolate or very overpriced European selection that comes and goes – and all the hard candy come from Nigeria from a place called “old airport road”. There is one ingredient in the candy we cannot identify – we have stopped wondering what it is – cough jet fumes – cough.
So, some of the crazy things I have seen this week include, but are in no way limited to, a group of 12 goats waiting outside a mosque for their owners to be done praying, you can fit a very large number of “citrons” (think tiny oranges the size of limes) into a condom, two children chased me down the street this week jus to shake my hand, I finally worked up the nerve to purchase the local version of peanut butter from a lady (in French) and it turned out she only spoke Fulfulde and so a local schoolgirl had to help us out with the transaction. But, I did purchase said “pate de arachide” and it was awesome. It is like the ultimate natural peanut butter. Every morning I get bread for breakfast and with my new found “pate de arachide” and perhaps some bananas and honey – my mornings will be awesome.

My bike has now had two maiden voyages and tomorrow with my trip to Garoua I will be taking my first motto ride I believe. I am going to a soccer game of Garoua (who is suppose to be really great) against an unknown opponent. I am very excited. Got to love the African soccer! I do miss the tuk-tuks though. Man Asia was awesome. I hope Sarah is loving her time in Mozambique. I know that since I have been here Cameroon has played Mozambique in soccer and won. Woot – yea Cameroon! (Sorry Sarah)!

This week I received my last vaccine – Rabies number 3. Let me just say for all of you who haven’t known the joy of rabies shots – they aren’t the best. While they don’t hurt like typhoid of tetanus, the make me a bit dizzy and my arm would randomly hurt for a few minutes for days afterwards. Also, let me just say that taking a thick and thin smear of your own blood isn’t as easy as it sounds. We all had to practice yesterday and I sucked! I couldn’t get myself to bleed enough. Going in from the side did NOT help. I finally had to take the little metal cutter thing and stab myself deep into the finger and then blood came. Hey, at least now if I need to do a malaria smear when I am sick I have some practice! Oh, continuing with the medical theme, I got stung by a bee! A mean mean African bee! Went to move my towel away from the line of aunts that was near it and some bee flew right out and stung me! Jerk! Well, I killed it and of course my host brother witnessed all of this and laughed – but he has since asked me how I was. I am fine, by the way, just a bit angry with the now dead bee and the copious amounts of sunlight that the bite receives doesn’t help – in fact it angers it. But, thank god for benedryl cream and my remember to bring it!

In two weeks I will have my placement for the next two years! How strange is that you might ask – really freaking strange! I hesitate to get too strong an opinion now about the placement I want but I promise to update it with my placement as soon as possible.

Also, for those of you who aren’t texting me – that is just mean. It is free for me to receive them and even if I don’t respond I really love them. Especially the ones that say great comments that are pointless but really pick me up – or those with updates about the debates – or those with stupid shit that Palin or McCain say in debates – I love them and either keep them coming or start them up. I know its expensive but just like once a week – come on people. We will have to figure out the communication thing once I get to my site and see what all is available.

Oh, any creative friends who want to submit Halloween costume ideas to me please do so via text. I have just the clothes I brought – which is nothing to be excited about costume wise – and African pagne (material – which is pronounced pan-yea and the a in pan is like the ou in pound – wow I suck at explaining pronunciation almost as badly as I suck at actually pronouncing Cameroonian words) and the random clothes they sell at the goodwill like section of the local Sunday market. As of now I think I will be “summer” and be one of the four season but that was just something recently suggested to me. We shall see.

Alright, my first pagne is at the seamstress getting made into something I can wear as we speak and I promise pictures of that ASAP. But, I did buy a dress off my friend who received two dresses of the same material and well, it is entertaining. Think, African print with what might be trees and what might be asparagus on it. Yea, it’s pretty great. Her host sister forced us to purchase it in the market – apparently, with her host sister if you look at it, you buy it. And, if you touch it, that is like signing a blood contract (mom you would be in trouble like I was).

Okay well I must head to bed since I have class at 7:30 tomorrow! Miss and love all of you very much (well those of you whom I know)!