thank you for this, for everything; life in Cameroon

i guess this is it, i have been back 2-3 weeks and decided to do one more post before i close this adventure. i don't mean that this adventure will end but it is just the beginning of a new adventure. believe it or not it most ways it feels like i never left but then i walk into a washroom and thank God there is a toilet - dirty or not it is better than an ally =P. i sit with old friends or with family and sometimes while they talk i just wonder why our lives are centered around such insignificant things and i wonder about the racism and judging people do; all the preconceived notions they have no wish to investigate or prove. but that's the way of it i guess, nothing you can do. i am not saying i know everything and am never wrong but i like to think this trip opened my eyes to all i don't know and helps me keep an open mind. if nothing else this trip increased my confidence level by allot! along with thanking God for everything i have and for all the experiences, i know i will never forget my time in Cameroon or my new families and friends. this was not just a trip or vacation or adventure or even volunteering it was a life changing experience and i will just say again- thank you for this, for everything; life in Cameroon

to market to maarket to buy a fat pig, home again home again jigidy jig.

i have arrived home after a long travel and so excited to see everyone. see you all soon!

hello again

i forgot to mention somthiong, i am only mentioning it to lessen the shock when people see me. i have gotten quite a bit bigger. that is to say i am fat- every time i see a person here that i have not seen in 4 months they say "wow you are fat" so imagine the difference from when i left lol. just wanted to warn people because i am tiard of the comments. it is because of the excess foob which are mostly carbs and the lack of stress and amout of relaxation. see you all soon!

hello and so sorry for my long scilence!

during the time that i have been quiet many things have been happening. i did not tell of some problems before because i did not wish to worry anyone but now that it is resolved to a point the telling is fine. starting from Kumbo i was trying to cash my travelers cheques but they always said they did not do it, they did not do it! so until i arrived in Yaounde there was no chance of me cashing them. once in yaounde wa went to every bank and most said they did not do it and the one that said they did wanted to take 40 000frs which is just under 50 dollars to change them. that is ALOT of money here. so i ended up changing my last euros and have a fine ammount to survive until i leave. after that i mostly stayed in the house and time flew by as we where making somthing for me to bring home but it is a secret for now so no telling, i mean you Dad. so now i am back in Douala- i was going to go to Limbe for the mountain race but had to finish the things. i leave tomarow and have much to do. i have 3 of my 4 certificates, i need my hair plaited, i need to buy a few last things but other than that i am ready! see you all soon, love you ant take care. Emily

Wow it is almost over =(

there is so much to report this time! i know it has been a long time scince my last poast but i have been traveling! i left Banso(finaly the correct spelling!) Nso is the tribe, banso the place, lamnso the language-wow it took me a long time to get all of this together! leaving again was hard, i really felt a part of this family even if they always spoke in lamnso =P. i went to the end of a cry-die or death celabration and got some awsome pictures of the juju and some dances on video. so many details to give! a death celebration can happen any time after days or years. and big men who die and are a part of the traditional ...families i guess-have juju that come from all the connections to preform at the celebration. i got some awesome traditional things to bring home as well. we got a bus to Ndop where part of the family who was there for christmas lives and stayed the night. these two weeks are bilingual and youth weeks so the children are free. there will be compatitions, a march past and dancing and singing on the 11th.(this is the official youth day) after that we continued to Bamenda and stayed there for a while. visited the people i knew, returned things i forgot, got my official letter from CEFED. last night we left on the night bus and drove to Yaounde and arrived this morning. i am so tiard right now but i am enjoying this city very much though it is WAY bigger than i am used to. it is very developed compared to most places and you can buy anything for a price =). i will probably be here for a week or longer then move on to Fouala. depending on time, i might visit Limbe one of the beach/sea side areas. i leave on the 25th and arrive home on the 26th so there is lest than 3 weeks left to this adventure! wow it seemed to go so slow at first but now i look back and it disapeared! thats all for now, take care and see you soon. Emily

Adzele - or how are you? in Bamnso

hello from here! i am sorry to have worried everyone with my long scilence. there are always internet problems but this week was craze. this is my last week in Kumbo at HIC and i will miss everyone very much. i leave monday to travel back to bamenda and spend a few days before going off to Douala i belive. i plan to visit Yaounde and Limbe before i leave but i sill do not know my plans. nothing much has happened latley just the normal teaching computer, reading, oh and i baked pie. and made a stirfry with teriaki sauce which the family loved! wow it is hard to cook enough for 8 people!! i will be a much beter cook from this trip =) i also ran into two juju! but they are only compound juju not palace juju so not so radical. one even approched me! lol i bowed quickly and he put a fancy stick thing infront of me and i had no idea what to do but a nice man reminded me i had to give somthing and thankfuly i had some change on me. the culture here is to rich i will never forget it. wow only a month left! for anyone who cares, i have applyed to u of t and ottawa for next year-my plans for Dalhousie and msvu where shattered when one canceled my program and the other asks the imposible from a girl in Africa lol. but i dont mind to much the programs seem nice and if i really want the Dal i can transfer 2nd semester or 2nd year. i know now i can find my own adventures where ever i am so i am only interested in the programs and glad to be near my family and friends. enough of that-i now have some songs from here! awsome of corse and i plan to get more. well that is all for now i guess. love you all and take care of your selves.Emily

Yijinia (good eveing in Lamnsae)

Yay another language to attempt! lol i do love the languages but it is hard when you start to understand just a bit then you have to leave =( So far my list is; English(with the Cameroonian accent) French(no accent but i need practice) Sign language (for my disabled children) Pidgin (for my own sanity) and now lamnsae (i really dont know how to spell it but it sounds lamb-saw). the people sound so natural speaking it! i never realized how unnatural English is to them, french is better but neither are the natural languages. the work i am doing in the library is slow some times but some things i am doing give me a very warm fuzzy feeling inside because this is the first place where what i am doing will outlast my stay. i am teaching basic computer and internet to some workers who will be teaching or helping students and visitors to the library. and we are creating a literacy program to teach the old Mami's and Baa's how to speak English. Mami is just mother and Baa is like Pa or father. awesome language and i would love to learn all of it. guess that is it for now, i cant think of much else to report today so take care and see you all soon because there is only about 6 weeks left! ,am i will miss this place, not to mention the food! love you Emily