My Blog is Running on Cameroonian Time

I'm guessing you've figured it out by now, I'm not very good at keeping up with a blog... It doesn't help that to find internet in my house I have to twirl three times while saying the magic words and then do a headstand.

For now, here are some tasty morsels from training. Which ended in August... Better late than never!

Training in a nutshell: We "paid attention" to "interesting" and "informative" sessions. We broke into "collaborative" groups to "facilitate the exchange of ideas." Basically we did a lot of sitting and sighing. To be fair, I did learn a handful of things, one being that Peace Corps is so sure that we'll all contract schistosomiasis, a blood fluke found in freshwater they'll treat us all for it before we leave. So if I come home and find a tumor it's probably just a schisto cyst. Comforting, right? Oh, and I learned of the existence of mango flies. They lay eggs in clothing hung out to dry. The larvae then burrow into your skin where they'll grow until they eventually erupt Ridley Scott's, Alien-style.

A life lesson learned: If they mudfish tastes funny, stop eating it.

Spaghetti Omelet Sandwiches. Need I say more? Probably. You take spaghetti noodles, toss them in with eggs, tomato, onion, piment, fry it up in a omelet, then toss it in some french bread with some mayonnaise and voila! If you want to get a little creative (and I strongly suggest you do) add some avocado. Delicious.

Enjoying Spaghetti Omelet Sandwiches and cold(ish) beers

Swearing in Ceremony at the US Embassy

My Soul Sister

I’m sure every volunteer has hated on training. Seemingly pointless sessions, and repetition while you wait for your experience to “start.” Just wanting to be unleashed on the world so you can do what you came to do. Now a few months out of training, I find myself thinking back to those boring sessions with fond memories, not because of some content learned but because of the camaraderie that existed between 21 stagemates. The fellowship with those 20 other people is what I got out of training and I couldn’t wish for anything more.