Happy New Year to everyone and best wishes for the start of
2016! I just got back from my Mid-Service meeting in Yaoundé where I was
pricked and prodded when getting blood drawn, visiting the dentist, receiving
shots, and finally getting medically cleared. Now I have the “ok” to dive into
the last 8 months of my Peace Corps service. My stagemates and I also gave
presentations on the work we have been doing for the past 15 months. I have to
say that I am so proud to be a member of this stellar stage. Everyone is doing
awesome work in their villages and even if they had a few bumps in the
beginning, they have stayed positive throughout all the trials of Peace Corps.
We left MST with new ideas and renewed motivation.
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| My host family except for the newest baby (Julia in front does not like pictures haha) |
During my trip, I made a quick visit (literally spent 6
hours on a bus for a 3 hour visit in one day) to my host family in Ebolowa. I
had not seen them since my training in September-November 2014. I was nervous
about visiting since it could be very wonderful or maybe slightly awkward. I
had kept in touch with my host family through text messages and phone calls but
who knows how I would feel walking back into that house where I had spent my
first months in Cameroon. I remember being so very homesick when I arrived in
Cameroon and since I could not speak hardly any French, I was unable to
communicate these emotions to my host family. Even with the tears and sleepless
nights, my host family was kind and understanding which resulted in not only me
staying in Cameroon, but successfully becoming a Peace Corps volunteer after
training. I knew I owed a lot of this success to my host family.
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| Me and my host mom, Marie Paule |
When I arrived in Ebolowa, everything felt different. I now
knew French, understood the culture, and how to catch a moto-taxi. I had to
laugh when the moto-taxi guy dropped me off at my host family’s house and his
jaw dropped as my host mom came running up to me with a huge smile on her face.
It was like turning the page in a favorite book, everything was familiar; the
house, the dirt under my feet, the couches, and the smell of humidity mixed with
dust that rose from the chair as I sat down. Life had changed a little for my
host mom. She was still with the same
boyfriend and had since given birth to a baby girl named Flora. I got to hold
Flora for a while and couldn’t help but think about how I used to dislike
holding babies in the U.S., but now it felt natural. As I gazed around the
room, I noticed that the furniture had been moved, but more importantly there
was a water filter and a new small gas stovetop. I realized that by taking care
of new Peace Corps volunteers during training, my host family had unknowingly
learned about ways to help them live a better life. Had I really helped them
even when I couldn’t speak their language or understand their culture? Just by
being in Cameroon, Americans can make a difference by being themselves.
Cameroon has helped me too. Sure I still try to live the “American comfort” as
often as possible, but I am stronger mentally and physically. I guess the
ability to speak a little French and Fulfulde helps too. And I won’t even begin
to list what I have learned about agriculture and business. Visiting my host
family showed me that it’s a two way street here in Cameroon between Americans
and Cameroonians even if we don’t realize it.
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| Me and Flora (probably the first time she has done a selfie haha) |
On another note, I recently signed up for a “Blog Challenge” where they give us a topic to write about each week. Not sure if I
will be able to keep up with it all the time, but here goes for the first
topic: “Why”
One of my stagemates used an awesome technique called the “5
Whys” to answer the question of why we are in Peace Corps Cameroon. I decided
to copy his brilliant idea, so here goes:
1-
Why did I join Peace Corps?
I felt
that I did not deserve my comfortable life in the U.S. and needed to give some
of my time to a purpose that was mainly helping others. I also thought that I
needed to learn and experience more about different cultures in the world.
2-
Why did I feel like I need to give my time and
learn more?
I have
a great life at home with wonderful family/friends and a freedom to strive for
my goals and contribute to positive change. As much as I appreciate being an
American, I did not understand why Americans were Americans or why other
cultures were different. Also there were problems I couldn’t understand in my
community and I had done all I can with what I had learned through my education
and experiences. I was feeling like a part of my mind was missing and I might
find more ideas and knowledge by living in another culture.
3-
Why is there more knowledge in living immersed
in other cultures?
By
living in another culture, I can acknowledge the differences and similarities
between the past and present of my home and Cameroon.
4-
Why is it important to acknowledge the
differences and similarities between cultures?
It helps me understand how different
cultures are formed; especially how the attitudes and ideas of the population
are learned along with the start of traditions, language, and gender roles. I
can then appreciate what makes us Americans and how much we can be thankful
for.
5-
Why do I want to understand how cultures are
formed?
Hopefully
this understanding will help me make a more positive effect on my community at
home and cultures around the world.
I have already achieved most of my goals that I had when I started Peace Corps: To be taught about another culture, to teach about American ideas/dreams/agriculture/business, and to go home with an understanding of what makes us who we are and how to best work with everyone to make this world a better place.
And on a lighter note, I guess it’s nice to appreciate good
American food, well-made margaritas, soft beds, working toilets, hot running
water, the ability to wear shorts, petting animals without getting stared at,
and just generally rolling in the grass without the threat of biting ants or
large spiders.
