Ending my Peace Corps service in Cameroon

How to put into words how I feel? I just left my village, my home and said good bye to all my friends (Cameroonian, American, German & Austrian) in the Adamawa region. I am in the capital, Yaoundé to do medical appointments before taking the big step to be back on US soil. After two years in Cameroon, I realize that this place has become another home and the American home I dream about all the time was just another life. For all of you who read Peace Corps volunteers’ blogs or know a PCV, then these statements will sound familiar. The point is that we all feel this way; this bitter sweet feeling of leaving our PC country. So rather than bore you with my feelings, I will just share some pictures and their captions from the last couple of weeks.

We had out final meeting for the soy project and gave out the certificates to all the participants. They are all so motivated and excited to keep growing soy! I am so happy that even with the rough start in 2014, my work has been worthwhile in Cameroon and my work partners are ready to keep teaching people about soy.

2016 Soy Project Graduates and Leaders

Waiting for the rain to stop at one of the last volleyball club games (Alex decided to take over teaching the club!)
Students bring machetes to school so they can cut grass as a punishment if they get into trouble

Meeting the Ngaoundere firefighters (they may not have the best equipment but they have one fire truck!)

Last visit to Lake Tison

Need a snack? Try Parle-G crackers and Laughing Cow cheese (kind of like real cheese)

Last meal in my house (spaghetti and fried tomatoes)

Guyia and Fatimatu trying on my clothes and bandannas that I gave them (little big)

One good idea on how to say good bye to all the people I met in two years is to do it in small doses. I am overwhelmed by how many people cried (me too) and gave me gifts. I gave them photos of our adventures together in hopes that they will remember me because I know I won't forget them.

Sionie who always sells me good tomatoes and onions

Good friend and seamstress, Valarie 

Djanabo- she runs the Peace Corps office in Ngaoundere and takes care of all of us Adamawa PCVs

The ASEED (Association for helping orphaned and abandoned children) children gave me small tokens as gifts along with singing and dancing for me. Seeing their happy faces as they danced made my heart glow. We plan on doing another fundraiser for them during Christmas so please keep them in your thoughts during the holidays and give what you can so that they can keep living a brilliant life supported by Sister Carine.

ASEED children & Sister Carine

My good friends generously planned a pool party with amazing food and even cake! It rained but we are thinking that like weddings, maybe that means it will be a good future for all of us and we will all meet again.

Good friends!

The morning of leaving my house and Beka-Hosséré was the most difficult. I had packed the night before and that morning my neighbors and I sat on my porch playing Go Fish until Max came to pick me up. I tried to make it a quick goodbye so after they helped me pack the truck, we took a group photo and I gave each of them a hug. Hugs and crying are not usual for Cameroonian Muslims (only at funerals). But to my surprise, they hugged me back with love and the tears ran silently down our cheeks. The mother, Aiya was sobbing so hard that she wouldn’t even look me in the eye. Even as I write this, my eyes start welling up. Honestly, I care about people but no one told me that when I joined Peace Corps, I would want to stay and watch the children grow up just as though they are my own family.

My Cameroon family

I will spend the next week with other PCVs who are finishing their service and then we will fly to Paris; spend a couple days celebrating and then I will take the train to see my Aunt and cousins in Switzerland. By November 20^th I plan on waking up in the morning, drinking a cup of good coffee with my mom, walking with Finn out to the barn, breathing in the crisp New York air, and sitting down in the field where there are no ants to bite my butt (well hopefully). I cannot wait to see my family and friends yet in the back of my mind I have no idea what it will be like to go from cold bucket baths to hot showers; spaghetti omelet sandwiches and cous cous to cereal and BLTs; mayonnaise and hot sauce as the main condiments to ketchup available everywhere; bargaining for a 30 cent motorcycle ride to no motorcycle taxis; waking up to call to prayers & children crying to the silence of a farm with only the rooster to remind me of Cameroon (or is it that the rooster reminds me of the US?). I know I won’t miss the corruption here or the way I stand out in the street, but does it really matter? No, what matters is that I came to Cameroon with a goal, I achieved it, mostly and added bonus: I loved and was loved back. Seems like a pretty good relationship to me. For now, I will just live, share, and smile. Thank you for all the support everyone and see you stateside soon. If you do decide to ask me about Cameroon, thank you because maybe by talking about it, I will figure out what I am trying to say. And hopefully you will learn more about this country that I called home.