Friday, April 29, 2011

UP and DOWN Mount Cameroon

Since descending the mountain yesterday in the early afternoon, this is the first opportunity I have had to sit down and elevate my legs! You should see my legs and feet---SWOLLEN beyond belief. If anyone ever thought I had cankles before, you should see them now! Unfortunately I am still waiting on my USB camera cord in order to upload photos. Have no fear; I will attach photos of this adventure as soon as possible.

Climbing Mount Cameroon was intensely difficult and I am pretty sure that my body is quite angry with what I have put it through over the past three days. When you think of the largest mountain in West Africa or the 3rd largest on the African continent, you cannot imagine how insanely steep and treacherous the trek was, both up and down! I heard stories from other PCVs but could not quite fathom the reality until I was trudging along, right there on the mountain.

Five of us made the trek together, along with six porters and one fantastic guide, Hans. He and I became quite “close” since I was always at the back of our line and he was there to push me along and save my ass from falling down more often.

In just about 15 hours, over the course of three days, we climbed from the base of the mountain (~800 m) to the windy summit (~4000 m) [where we of course popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate] and back down through old lava flow areas, 26 craters from the last eruption in 1999, Ireland-esque rolling green hills, and dense rainforest!

Taking the night bus yesterday was probably the stupidest idea I have ever had, but needless to say, I and my unbendable knees have made it home in one piece. In fact, our group of five had no injuries, some small sunburn and collectively only three small blisters! We had heard of people losing toenails, developing blisters the size of their entire heel, and even turning around after the first resting hut. Not us! Even though it was far from easy, we succeeded with a great pace!
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Better late than never-Sunday will be Passover Seder, Cameroonian style! Hana (my post mate, friend and fellow Jew) and I have coordinated to have a Seder for us and other PCVs in our stage and who live in the Northwest-most of them have no idea what Passover is all about and so we decided to add some culture into their lives! I found a 2 minute Haggadah and an average-length one and we’ll be preparing as much of the Seder plate and traditional foods as are possible!
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Some random tidbits that often come to my mind on long bus rides to Yaoundé or Douala:

~ Taxis in Cameroon (also known as bush taxis or clandos) run on an “I think I can” basis

~ When mango season is approaching, much excitement fills the air (well at least PCV’s air) and it falls towards the end of pear (avocado) season! MANGO SALSA & GUAC! Additionally, it is also the start of plum (French word is prune) season; purple, sphere shaped “food” that tastes like a lemony-artichoke and is high in protein and fat. Delicious when paired with grilled corn or roasted plantains!

~ It is quite rare to find a Cameroonian man who approaches you and will not ultimately (usually in less than a minute of interaction) tell you he loves you and/or wants your number.

~ Cameroonians are very fond of using the statement, “we are managing/ we are trying” in response to “how are you”. Sometimes they are and sometimes they are hoping for a miracle that will make their day to day lives less difficult.

~ It is believed that lager beers = weight gain and stouts = fertility and increased sex drive.

~ Cameroon is a bilingual country, but more Anglophones (2 Regions in Cameroon) know French than Francophones (8 Regions in Cameroon) know Grammar, aka English.

~ In rural schools, the headmaster and teachers prefer that the children come barefoot instead of wearing “slippers” (house shoes-flip flops), since they are for home and not formal enough for school!
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Work Highlights at Post (because isn’t that what I am supposed to be focusing on):

~ Computer Training for the members of my NGO who are taking advantage of it
I’m not doing the teaching, but helped make the arrangements and contributed to make it fiscally possible.

~ Choose A Future
Just 4 sessions this time around for about 30 girls, at the Government Bilingual High School in Fundong, before they head off on “holiday” (summer vacation as we know it)

~ Sex Education Course
Helping to supervise my NGO to conduct another round of this course, at our office, again before the three month holiday break from school

~ Diabetes/Hypertension Manual for Health Care Practitioners and PCVs
This is something that I have wanted to assemble since I attended the local Diabetes clinic, more than a year ago. My postmate (Hana) and I have chosen twelve topics (for the 12 times a year – 1x per month) for which we will create simple lessons that anyone (no matter whether they have a lick of knowledge about Diabetes) can read ahead of time and present to a local clinic or support group. It now seems that PC Cameroon wants to have this available for all PCVs, since Diabetes and Hypertension are seriously beginning to plague this country!
_____________________________________________________________________________________

I only have about 6-7 months left as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon! Holy Shit! Time sure does fly when you are having fun, being bored, helping others, living in a new world, adjusting and changing daily!

I will know towards the end of August when my official COS (Close of Service) date will be…

Take care; be in touch, and all that jazz!

Love, Stef

No comments:

Post a Comment