"Party rock is in the house tonight / Everybody just have a good time / And we gonna make you lose your mind / Everybody just have a good time"

My time in Tanzania ended just as I was due in the capital for our Completion of Service conference.  COS time is a week of reflecting on what you’ve accomplished and preparing for the transition afterwards.  The formal agenda aside, it’s also the last time to see everyone from your training group (many of whom I hadn’t seen since our In-Service Training in March 2011).  The administrative side was chaos per usual, with nearly four dozen of us all attempting to fill out the required paperwork while catching up on each others' lives and post-PC plans.  The plus side is that all this was handled in the comfort of a swanky hotel in Yaounde.  Most of us being fresh out of the village were more than a little thrown by the accommodations and amenities.  Air-conditioning?  WiFi?  Elevators?  Hot showers?  A pool?  As jarring as it was at first, it’s amazing how quickly one adapts to that lifestyle. 

Health/Agro PCVs 2010-2012

Nostalgia reigned supreme during the week, aided by a video kick-off that a few people had put together highlighting some of our experiences in the past two years.  Having the opportunity to see everyone was great, but the entire COS process was a little overwhelming.  The first morning of the conference, administration casually said that, since we had 15 minutes, we could decide our COS dates.  Anxiety swept the room, as life suddenly started to feel very real.  Forget that many of us were still in the throes of trying to figure out our immediate plans.  We were given 5 distinct weeks as options, and asked to write our top picks on a Post-It note.  After a minute of deliberation as to what would work best for me, I decided that I didn’t have anything so pressing that it should complicate someone with actual plans, and wrote “Whatever.”  As fate would have it, I got the last group, set to gong out December 7^th, which is probably perfect for me.     

The rest of the week had its ups and downs, with sessions ranging from resume help and medical coverage, to learning the fate of our posts - replacement or not - and even a visit to an amazing primate rehabilitation center (learn more at www.apeactionafrica.org ).

(Primate photos courtesy of Yaya Tang)

 

Rather than give in to the panic attack that was brewing over the 3-month/6-month/1-year/5-year life decisions that should be made, I chose to enjoy the moments with friends who have become more like family (and, on more than one occasion, therapists).  This meant long evenings and late nights thus exasperating my already exhausted state.  By the time the week was over, I was fighting off fatigue and a two-week head cold so barely said my goodbyes before passing out - aided by a fair amount of Sudafed - and sleeping the weekend away.

Between presentations, vacation, COS Conference, and meetings, I had been away from village far too long.  I was missing Bapa something fierce so happy to get back to the peaceful day-to-day life.  My neighbors welcomed me back and I doled out the gifts I had gotten for them.  It’s a Cameroonian tradition to ask “Tu me gards quoi?,” or “What did you guard me?”  A lot of PCVs get upset by this question, since we invariably get it from nearly *everyone* - especially after you’ve been gone for more than a few days (heck, I often get it just walking through village on a random Tuesday).  I’ve tried to remain optimistic and consider the underlying intention rather than the surface meaning.  Most people aren’t upset if you have nothing to offer but an empty hand and a smile.  For those you can offer a gift to, it’s less about the present and more about the fact that you cared enough to think about them while you were away.  I can respect this, and I equate it to my friend Sarah always giving me her airplane snack when I would pick her up from the airport.  It had less to do with me somehow *loving* tiny packets of crackers or cookies, and more to do with what the gesture represented.   

The kids took care of (i.e. wore out) Cardamom while I was gone.  Before they got the cash though, we did math on the chalkboard to calculate exactly how much they had earned.

With time ticking on these village moments, I’m vowing to live it up and soak up as many cultural exchanges are possible.  Sooo…I spent several days in August just hanging out at my house with the door open and people coming in and out casually.  We made banana bread and lemon squares, listened to music, made paper beads, and watched pirated versions of “America’s Best Dance Crew” (admittedly I thought Cameroonians would be more impressed by their moves than they were…).  In exchange, I got informal patois lessons and learned how to make one of my favorite Cameroonian dishes – koki.

The neighbor girl is getting really good at these necklaces and bracelets

 Food-wise?  Besides gorging on delicious meals in Yaounde (pizza, fruit tarts, Indian food, etc.), there were also tasty concoctions in the transit house – stir fries, cake from a mix and chemically induced frosting from a tub.  I also had my mind blown with a simple breakfast egg and cheese sandwich with slices of refrigerated avocado.  The combination of warm and cold, melty and buttery was a great way to start the day.  Being exposed to so many good eats helped kick me out of my food slump at post.  I attempted to recreate the lime garlic fettuccini I had while on vacation and was reasonably successful all things considered.  Growing up, Friday evenings were often soup and popcorn nights so I commemorated that to kick off one weekend, putting my blender to use whipping up a thick tomato soup.  At a Peace Corps gathering, we did foil vegetable packets.  I had forgotten how good roasted veggies (zucchini, eggplant, green peppers, and onions) with a little salt, paper, oil, and vinegar can be.  This along with grilled pineapple and chocolate cake made for a perfect evening around a bonfire.  Finally, I threw together an oatmeal spice cake with toasted coconut for a friend’s birthday.           

It’s exciting to have an end-date in sight, though I’m trying to continue to be present and soak up this experience instead of get caught up in the “after.”  With that said though, I can officially let it be known that I’ll be traveling for potentially several months after I end my service here, and am open to suggestions and travel partners.  Any and all recommendations and advice will be taken into consideration.  In the spirit of spontaneity, I'm currently operating without a plan right now, so the world is mine. Basically though, name a country and it's on my Bucket List. Seriously... in a dream world, I'd touch on all 6 continents (Antarctica will have to wait for another time.)  I just feel like after what I've been through here, I'm going to need some time to process everything - and I don't know if the U.S. is the best place to do that. Plus, it seems to be an ideal time in my life.  So...if you have any plans to be abroad through the first half of 2013 and are interested in having a travel buddy, let me know details!  

                                     

"Leave your troubles, leave your fears / We'll get back to those next year / Will you choose or change your mind / Take a walk or take a ride"

An impromptu decision to use up the rest of my vacation days before I’m no longer able to do so resulted in planning a trip with someone from my training group.  Lindsay and I have a history of awful travel mishaps, but we threw caution to the wind and chose an adventure in Tanzania. With several communication problems (she doesn’t have electricity or cell phone service at her post), we forged ahead and bought the plane tickets with the understanding that we’d be winging most of the itinerary.

 

We started off as expected – rushed and wondering if we’d be narrowly missing our flight.  Luckily though, we struck up a conversation with an amicable mama selling bean sandwiches who tracked down a private car for us.  Tired from not sleeping more than two hours the night before, I fell asleep in the backseat, only waking every now and then to hear snippets of the driver’s music.  At first I found it catchy but Lindsay’s wide-eyed expression and raised eyebrow begged me to listen closely to the lyrics which were full of intense messages about abortion and “Micky Mouse Freedom.”  We made it to Douala in record time though and settled comfortably into our seats for the official start to our vacation – signified by a crappy in-flight movie and mediocre airplane food that tasted so good I was practically licking the wrapper.  

After a quick layover in Addis Ababa, we arrived in Dar es Salaam.  Although there were a lot of people clamoring to get their visas, we were in no hurry since it was 2am and we had nowhere to go.  Not trusting middle of the night transportation, we napped on some benches for a few hours until dawn when we took a taxi to the YWCA.  We slept a bit more until we felt ready to face the day, then set out towards the nice part of town.  We were clearly entering ex-pat territory and things were a bit overpriced, but after two years of fighting against the tourist stigma, we made a pact that we’d allowed ourselves minor indulgences on this trip. 

The next morning, we took the ferry to Zanzibar, an island just off the coast.  The ride was a little choppy but it still felt glamorous.  After a few tries, we settled into a hostel that had rooms open (it wasn’t in our guidebook, but had reasonable rates, friendly staff, and free WiFi!) and then went in search of lunch to quell our groaning stomachs.  We were looking for a particular Italian restaurant we had heard about, but got a little lost (and were given blatantly wrong directions by people we asked) so were particularly eager when we finally arrived.  I rushed right to the railing to take in the stunning ocean view then heard a voice behind me call my name.  In a small-world coincidence, it was Suzanne, a friend/classmate/fellow American Studies major from college!  I was speechless at the thought of all the details that came together for our random reunion.  Lunch was amazing (lime garlic penne followed by chocolate cake topped with mango ice cream) and we worked off the calories afterwards by walking around leisurely exploring shops and trying on dresses.  While having sunset drinks on a rooftop bar, we ran into Suzanne and her friend again so enjoyed the evening catching up and hearing about what everyone has been up to.  We capped off the evening by partaking in sugar cane juice and the street food of the night market. 

Manch Lodge - our charming hostel in Stonetown

Oceanside view from Amore Mio Italian restaurant

19th-Century Anglican Cathedral, next to the Old Slave Market

Monument to the slave trade

Stonetown

Night market

Zanzibar is made up of Stonetown, the historical touristy west side of the island, and...well…everything else.  The north and east coasts have beautiful beaches and we decided to head to one of these.  We had a general idea that we wanted to try Paje Beach, but weren’t entirely set on where to stay.  During the bus ride across the island, I rattled off a few names we were thinking of, but the charger warned that they might be full.  He recommended a new place that hadn’t really gotten publicity yet, but in keeping with the spirit of being open to suggestions, we said we’d check it out.  Our van pulled up to a resort with bungalows dotting the landscape right alongside a white sand beach.  Lindsay and I looked at each other and tried not to say “We’ll take it” too eagerly.  The restaurant overlooked the water and we spent the evening taking it all in and treating ourselves once again to delicious food.

In a word...paradise

The next day was all about utter relaxation as we lounged on the beach chairs.  I went in the water a few times but mainly we just lay out in the sun reading and napping all day.  I walked along the beach to explore a bit and allowed the hammock to lull me into an afternoon snooze.  Unfortunately, common sense was also on vacation as I didn’t apply nearly enough sunscreen throughout the day.  By evening, we realized we were burnt to a crisp on our legs and backs.  Despite the crisp cool white sheets of the bed, I was suffering as I attempted to sleep. 

Footprints

The ferry back to Dar es Salaam was a bit rougher than the first but with a Bendadryl in my system, I barely noticed.  At one point, I woke up but Lindsay cautioned that I should go back to sleep immediately.  Too late – I was now awake to witness people throwing up left and right.  (As an aside, Benadryl [diphenhydramine] works on your H2 receptors – the same ones that dramamine works on so it’s a cheap alternative to avoid motion sickness.)        

We checked back into the YWCA, making do with the fact that the only place they had available was a sketchy sliver of a room with the wall falling down around the holes.  We dined like Americans at a fast food complex that served up a bizarrely mealy veggie burger and fries, but had strangely creamy soft-serve ice cream.  Having heard of a rooftop bar overlooking the bay, we instead found ourselves walking along an extraordinarily plush red carpet up to the foyer of a lavish hotel, nervous at our out-of-place villageois appearance and demeanor.  Throwing caution to the wind, we found the elevator and arrived at the top floor where we were immediately sized up and somehow allowed to proceed.  (Tank top? Check.  Flip-flops?  Check.  Pocket full of just enough shillings to order one thing on the drink list?  Check.)  Sometimes you resign yourself to saving money on lodging and food so you can spend money on things that really matter – like a fancy drink and a nighttime view of the city.

In order to afford this...

The hole makes it easy to talk to your neighbors!

...we slept here.

 

The next day, we were off to Arusha in a huge coach bus.  Tanzania has public transportation down to a science and Lindsay and I were in shock by it all:  good music, comfy seats (1 whole seat per person!), no chickens/goats/urinating babies to share the space…  Heck, we even got complimentary cookies and a bottle of Coca Cola!  I read off and on throughout the 10-hour ride, and we arrived in Arusha at dusk.  Unfortunately, our carefree attitude wasn’t such a great idea here, as we found it was going to be too late and/or too expensive to organize either a short safari or trip to Ngorongoro Crater.  Since we were going to be saving money though, we splurged on another mid-priced hotel instead of enduring another hostel in our itchy sunburned condition.  Owned by a very sweet Chinese man, the restaurant featured the same cuisine and I helped myself to a platter of fried eggplant.

Since we had no itinerary the next day, we got to sleep in before casually strolling around exploring the fairly developed town.  After getting some ice cream, I went fabric shopping which involved the requisite bargaining process.  We had intended to try another restaurant for dinner, but when it was nowhere to be found we returned to the Chinese restaurant in the hotel and I enjoyed deep fried bananas for dinner.  (Hey, it’s a vacation, right?)      

Our return to Dar was a seemingly never-ending 12-hour bus ride.  The only highlights were the 2 hours of Westlife music videos (they were an Irish boy band) followed by an hour of NSync.  (Come on, is there really any contest in who wins the title for best 90s entertainment?)  We gorged ourselves on dairy for our last meal in the city as we ordered both pizza and cheesy garlic bread.  Then, it was off to the airport where we waited around until our flight.  Despite the sleep deprivation, I couldn’t get comfortable on the plane.  Our final leg from Addis Ababa to Douala was surely dominated by Cameroonians as it involved the typical lack of order that I’ve come to associate with this country:  people boarding and then thinking they could casually leave the plane for a bit until we took off, not sitting in their assigned places resulting in fights as other people searched for their seats, oversized luggage, stealing extra tiny bottles of wine, etc.  Luckily, my vacation euphoria hadn’t quite worn off yet, so I was able to just exchange one of those looks with Lindsay that says “On va faire comment?”

The in-flight movie was pretty good and again, I ate almost every crumb offered to me.  We arrived in Douala and chaos reigned as we made our way through the visa checkpoints and baggage area.  We waited 2 ½ hours for our luggage before learning that it wouldn’t be making an appearance today.  This meant we’d be spending the night in Douala, so we filled out the required paperwork and made our way to the Catholic mission.  We were exhausted and frustrated, but I felt glad to be back in Cameroon and ready to tackle the next few months of service.  

Lindsay is a great travel buddy (and a *master* at coming up with questions when there’s a lull!) and I’m so glad I followed her spontaneous invitation to travel.  Tanzania was sublime, and I highly recommend it.  (And with any luck, I’ll be able to return someday…)

“July, July, July / It never seemed so strange /… / And we'll remember this when we are old and ancient / Though the specifics might be vague”

For the 4^th of July, I decided to take my allotted vacation days and spend some time away from Bapa seeing other PCVs in the West and generally enjoying the downtime.  Even though I didn’t spend the day as planned with my toes dipped in the Atlantic Ocean at the beach, I had a very nice Independence Day.  After helping a neighboring volunteer with her tofu demonstration, we headed to another friend’s house for an evening of Mexican food followed by S’mores.  (You know…as our forefathers intended!)  

Normally when we visit each other, our time is limited and we’re always rushed getting there and then racing to get out first thing in the morning so we can get back to our respective posts.  This time though, we took the opportunity to go “tree-tapping” with one of her friends in village.  Raffia wine (vin de raphia) is a refreshing drink that starts off fruity when you first collect it from the tree.  It ferments quickly though, so is best enjoyed fresh when it is still cool, bubbly and fizzy.  Despite stumbling through the fields and woods to get it (I lost my flip-flops to the mud several times), I’m glad I got to see the process.  We even enjoyed the beverage alongside homemade crêpes for breakfast.  The rest of the morning was equally relaxing as we lazed around and watched Out of Africa.         

Back in village, I spent several days without electricity.  Now, there are several people (including other volunteers) for whom this is a way of life, but it’s jarring for those of us accustomed to the “Posh Corps” way of life.  Needless to say, too much downtime meant productivity took a hit and I instead chose to create a crossword puzzle for my Stateside friend, Sarah.

 

The neighbor kids came over one afternoon and we worked on responding to pen-pal letters that Sarah had organized from children she works with in North Carolina.  There was a lot of confusion at first about what we were doing, but I was pleased with the results and it was a nice lesson in geography, grammar, and culture-sharing.  I rewarded them by showing the film Kirikou et la Sorcière again when the power returned later that evening.

 

I had heard that there were small waterfalls (chutes d’eau) at the edge of Bapa, so before the two volunteers in the neighboring village ended their service, we set out to see them.  The falls themselves aren’t the most impressive things you’ll ever see, but they were still beautiful and it made for an enjoyable day hike.  I even got in which was cold but exhilarating at the same time.

Butterfly (papillon)

Kim, a PCV in a village 3 kilometers from my house, had been doing various presentations during the school break.  I tried my best to advertise these events around village and was pleased that a few people from Bapa attended.  One of the favorites amongst the girls in my neighborhood was bead-making.  We used old magazines and it turned out to be really fun and easy.  I’ve since taken to doing it myself during the evenings while watching a movie just to have something to do.

I also helped a fellow health volunteer with her Girls Camp.  Wesley is an absolute champ as she had organized a week-long overnight camp for a dozen adolescent girls.  (More power to her since I was whooped after only 2 days of helping!)  We covered topics ranging from anatomy and reproductive health, to goal setting and role models. 

By popular demand, I arranged a day of presentations at my house one Sunday afternoon.  The turnout was pretty good and we started a little late, but managed to cover bar soap (savon en morceau), powdered detergent (savon en poudre), wine-making, and an introduction to beading.  Of course, there were problems along the way (soap ingredients spilling all over the floor, oil refusing to melt, burning myself with the caustic materials, etc.) but we rolled with it and made do.  By the end of the day, I was exhausted and my house was a mess, but I was ecstatic.  Even though there was a party in my concession that meant loud noise lasting well into the night, I put in my earplugs and passed out almost immediately. 

The laundry detergent turned out (above) but there was a mini-explosion with the fermenting wine.  Helpful hint: Not leaving enough space in the top of the bottle will result in a spray of pineapple all around your house when you go to release some of the pressure…

My last act of “work” in July before taking off for vacation was to teach First Aid for the newest batch of Community Economic Development and Education trainees.  My time with them was short, but it was motivating to see another group of people eager to swear-in and become volunteers.  Of course, they’ll have big shoes to fill in replacing their predecessors who just wrapped up service.  Since I was back in the area, I stopped by to say hello to my two host families from when I went through training nearly two years ago.  I brought gifts from the West region (honey, shea butter, and pictures I had printed), and in turn was lavished with peanuts and a giant spaghetti omelet.  It was a bit awkward and everyone commented over and over again just how fat I’ve gotten (a supposed compliment that I’m obviously healthy and eating well) but seeing how people had changed and the babies had grown was jarring.  Life carries on and I can only imagine I’ll have these revelatory moments to an even greater extent when I return to the U.S. and catch up with friends and family.      

Per usual, I’ll end with the latest and greatest in the kitchen.  We indulged in S’more pie during the Girls Camp.Thanks to the volunteer on the left, Kalika, I’ve also managed to perfect a recipe for chocolate cake. I envision this being a staple at future Peace Corps get-togethers.  I’m also treating myself to buying canned chick peas every now and them so I can roast them.  Anything out of the ordinary is appreciated since I’ve been in a food rut.