Holy Macaroni!

Alas, here I am- stuck in Yaounde. The walls are closing in and cabin fever is taking its toll. The train has been a bit of a mess recently (understatement) and so here I am waiting. My most recent voyage down south was quite the odyssey totaling nearly 36 hours of uninterrupted travel and fun…actually, not much fun at all. Rather than discussing the reason for the excessive and inhumane delays I suggest that you google recent news articles regarding the train in Cameroon. The eye gouging-mind numbingly slow pace should become clear. Frankly, I’d rather risk my life at the high speeds.

International soccer games in Africa: few things can provide such an eclectic mix of danger and excitement. Naturally, the most recent world cup qualifier between the indomitable Lions of Cameroon and Gabon was no exception. All of Yaounde was in an uproar: streets were barricaded, businesses were closed, riot tanks were poised at the ready, and Lion fever was at its peak. Thousands of people swarmed into the stadium outfitted in reds, greens, and yellows, blowing whistles and horns, singing and dancing.

Amadou Ahidjo stadium is an impressive structure thrust upwards to the sky in Yaounde’s heart. It looms out of place in the city; a testament to the nation’s love of football. Ticket in hand, the Cameroonian flag hastily painted on my face, and scarf knotted in place, I set off toward the stadium with my companions. The excitement was tangible and electric in the air as we stood in the stadiums shadow with the buzzing throng.

Nothing shouts ‘security risk’ quite like a day at the match, and my fellows and I didn’t exactly blend into the crowd. I am sure somewhere in Cameroon there are talented pickpockets, but not at this game. As we waited in line (more accurately, a chaotic mass of bodies) the crowd came to a bottleneck. I looked down to find a hand wrist deep in the front pocket of my khaki pants. Subtlety was not one of this thief’s talents. I shouted at him, pulled his hand out of my pocket, and watched him disappear into the crowd empty handed. What a start to the game!

Squeezing into our seats (a long cement slab with lines painted on it) we shuffled and squirmed trying not to get the seats of our pants we from the water pooled in our spots. After a rendition of the national anthem by the Gendarmerie marching band, the Lions took the fiels with Eto’o at the head. Eto’o, a rock star, sex symbol, and demigod rolled into one soccer-playing hurricane. This man is worshipped by young and old, male and female, and not without good reason: he’s a soccer monster!

First goal: Insanity.

Second goal: Oh yeah!

Within the final ten minutes of the Game, Gabon rallied their troops and mustered their strength to salvage what was left of their pride and steal the final goal of the game.

2-1, Cameroon

The streets were mad with celebration. In just 6 days the Lions had gone from slim chances of a world cup appearance to the top of their division.

That’s my story...there is always more to tell, but I’m tired.

Peace and Love

Good News, Everyone!

I will be participating in a project with five other volunteers called Men as Partners. This is a ten day workshop that will be led by PCV’s and their counterparts for close to 20 HIV/AIDS positive men and women. The objective of the Men as Partners workshop is to promote gender equality and the rights of women through an examination of social practices ranging from drugs to sexuality. Women in Cameroon are at a significantly higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. It is the aim of my fellows and me to address some of the causes of this and reduce a woman’s disproportionate risk of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. Lessons learned and experiences gained from Men as Partners may in turn be brought to villages and continue to impact others.

As you might imagine, such a workshop will cost more than what 6 volunteers can finance personally. This is where YOU come in. We need your support to make this happen! In the current economic climate it is difficult to ask for money when it is already tight, however this is an opportunity make a tangible and lasting impact on one of the most dynamic and progressive groups I have been fortunate enough to come into contact with.

This is only a glimpse of what Men as Partners has to offer. You can find out more AND make donations at:

www.efainternational.org

On the homepage there is a link titled “Men as Partners,” which has been placed there specifically for this project in Cameroon. For those interested, I have available the workshop manual and an itemized budget, and would be happy to answer any questions!

Thanks!

Was Your Lunch Money Taken? (what the hell is twitter)

I am going to forgo the public apology for the previous blog post, which should have never made it to the blogosphere.

Foremost, it is worth mentioning that the social/technological gap between myself and the world I love so much is vast and frightening. Most notably is “twitter.” Apparently this mysterious new advancement that crept from the shadows has exploded into mainstream America. Do you send a twit? Are multiple twitters tweets? I am frightened. There is going to be a lot of catching up to do. I’ll have to make a note of it and interrogate the new trainees.

The rains have come. Yes, I did listen to that Toto song in celebration. No, there are not any other Toto songs in my library. The world has sprung to life around me. The same paths I have walked for over seven months in my village are now unrecognizable; green and lush. Wide swaths of land once barren and brown, spotted only with scattered trees, are blanketed in new growth. The fields have been plowed and seeded, the basil I thought a goner has returned from the dead, and even my garden has begun to give sprouts! This is truly an amazing time.

Yet, vegetation is not rain’s only companion. It also brings mosquitoes, big scary bugs, malaria, and other small scary parasites. Each night I barricade myself in my home, screen door barred tightly, and do battle with seemingly endless hordes of creatures of the night. It’s not much different from a zombie film. As such, the hive/lair/mother-load is the pit latrine. Thus, business hours are over at sundown. God help me should I need to venture out in the dark to that evil place. Unfortunately, as is all too often the case with PCV’s, my digestive system is rarely on my side. So the need arises for me to head out into the cold night (actually, ‘hot as hell night’ would be more accurate), armed with only a flashlight and the sandals on my feet. It’s a traumatic experience. Fortunately, the force is strong with me and I have managed to survive the ordeal without incident thus far.

Two of my largest projects to date have been scheduled for this week: I’m planting trees! I wish I could report that they will go off without a hitch, however the outlook is grim. But alas, such is the nature of work in the field. I certainly cannot blame my counterpart for his poor timing in coming down with malaria. It is however, unfortunate. Things will likely be postponed. The first project is a wood lot, to be used for firewood and other domestic needs. If harvested in a sustainable manner, the village could use the lot indefinitely. Wood for cooking is a necessary and costly expense for nearly everyone in village. The second project is a super-fun contest designed to teach the families in my village how to plant and care for a young sapling. The family with the healthiest tree after 6 months (or thereabouts) wins a fabulous prize. *pats self on back*

Secondary projects continue to go well also. The soy has been sold and planted, but because the rain was late it is unclear whether or not the plants will produce. Time will tell.

Be sure to check back in a few weeks to read about my trip to the grand south. Really, I’ll write a post.

Was your lunch money taken?

Peace.

Richard Rahl is a Republican on Tuesdays (ghost written by Adam Turcott and Brian Stogner and Dan Archibald)

“Conan, What is good?”

“To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women”

At long last, I have made my triumphant return to the blogosphere. Post IST has been fairly productive in terms of work, but what I really want to discuss is BattleToads. What happened to that franchise? It gave so many hour of enjoyment throughout my childhood and continues to deliver through the years and thousands of miles, but I’m still not any good.

I am currently on the mend from some....unpleasant digestive issues, which I was kind enough to spread to two other volunteers. I now sleep with one eye open.

Things I Miss Most About America:

World of Warcraft
Pizza
Hi-Def
BT’s
Giant Water Parks
Universal Health Care
Shiner Bock
Endless Star Trek

Updates:

The monster under my kitchen is dead.
It’s hot.
It’s hot and dry.
Malaria has nothing on my skills as a Jedi.
Scorpion-spiders frighten me. They’re terrifying, however they’re quite tasty when grilled.
I only eat onions and rice.

Harold aka Roldy makes a superb Sulu. Enterprise: watch it.

Sorry, dear readers, who were hoping to find a thoughtful post....my black heart’s not in it today. Maybe it’s the dysentery, but more likely it’s Deep Space Nine being played directly beside me.

In proof reading I have counted more nerd references than is healthy. Thanks Cameroon for slowly chipping away my social skills.

Keep you blades sharp,
Josh

The War of Southern Agression: 3/28/09

Hello again, and please allow me a brief moment to pat myself on the back for being past IST….

…Lots of news for y’all this week so might as well dive right in.

1. Safari! Yes indeed, the trip up to Waza National park was quite a bit of fun. We saw Giraffes, Ibuses, Monkeys, gazelle, antelope, birds, etc. However, we missed the elephants and lions. The landscape was beautiful. It’s amazing to see such a large swath of preserved land that has had little impact from humans. It is certainly a far cry from the sub-sahel that has been the victim of deforestation and desertification.

2. Bugs! The night after the safari all eleven of us were exhausted from the long day and stuffed into a fellow volunteers home. Squeezed between 3 other people on a tiny foam mattress, trying not to toss and turn in the cramped quarters, I awoke late in the night to a most unpleasant sensation. Something was moving deep inside of my ear and my head was vibrating. It was not painful, but very close to being so. Not to mention more than a little uncomfortable. “Oh (expletive deleted)” I thought. “There’s a bug in my ear.” This was quickly followed by three other frightening realizations:

a. I’m going to go deaf in my left ear

b. It’s going to eat my brain

c. It will likely then proceed to lay eggs, which will hatch and take control of my mind, leaving me a zombie. A mere husk of my former self. A slave to the bugs.

I Certainly didn’t want any of these things to happen, so I jumped up and attempted to flush it out with water….I think I got it out. But, I suppose it is possible that I didn’t and am now under it’s control.

3. IST! A/C, Toilets, Swimming Pool, Comfy Bed….yeah, it has been a good week… Oh Yeah, the sessions were good too. It was great getting to see friends and catch up on what everybody has been doing at their respective posts.

I suppose that is all for now....more on IST later.

peace

The War of Southern Agression: 3/28/09

Hello again, and please allow me a brief moment to pat myself on the back for being past IST….

…Lots of news for y’all this week so might as well dive right in.

1. Safari! Yes indeed, the trip up to Waza National park was quite a bit of fun. We saw Giraffes, Ibuses, Monkeys, gazelle, antelope, birds, etc. However, we missed the elephants and lions. The landscape was beautiful. It’s amazing to see such a large swath of preserved land that has had little impact from humans. It is certainly a far cry from the sub-sahel that has been the victim of deforestation and desertification.

2. Bugs! The night after the safari all eleven of us were exhausted from the long day and stuffed into a fellow volunteers home. Squeezed between 3 other people on a tiny foam mattress, trying not to toss and turn in the cramped quarters, I awoke late in the night to a most unpleasant sensation. Something was moving deep inside of my ear and my head was vibrating. It was not painful, but very close to being so. Not to mention more than a little uncomfortable. “Oh (expletive deleted)” I thought. “There’s a bug in my ear.” This was quickly followed by three other frightening realizations:

a. I’m going to go deaf in my left ear

b. It’s going to eat my brain

c. It will likely then proceed to lay eggs, which will hatch and take control of my mind, leaving me a zombie. A mere husk of my former self. A slave to the bugs.

I Certainly didn’t want any of these things to happen, so I jumped up and attempted to flush it out with water….I think I got it out. But, I suppose it is possible that I didn’t and am now under it’s control.

3. IST! A/C, Toilets, Swimming Pool, Comfy Bed….yeah, it has been a good week… Oh Yeah, the sessions were good too. It was great getting to see friends and catch up on what everybody has been doing at their respective posts.

I suppose that is all for now....more on IST later.

peace

Where do death eaters get their robes made?

please suspend judgment on spelling momentarily...i dont feel like fighting the french keyboard. -the management

Ok! i have made it to IST, almost. In-Service Training is the first milestone a volunteer reaches. The initial probationary period is over and now all bets are off. so, in a few days i will be catching up wilth all of the volunteers I trained with and going to technical sessions. That is not to mention in-door plumbing, air conditioning and a pool! Lifes going to be tough for the next week, i know.

There have been few noteworthy adventures over the past few weeks. Most of my days are a combination of presentations, reading, and sweating. I have managed to find quite a bit of work in a total of about ten villages in the area surrounding mine. The initial introductory phase is over now and we, my counterpart and I, are moving on to vaying projects for each individual village. the month of April is going to see a big soy push. That way seeds can be ordered and distributed before the rains come, which will likely be around may/june.

I am also in the process of getting about 5 community groups legalized. I see this as the most important first step of my work . In every village that I have visited there are pressing and costly needs, but no there is no system in place by which these issues can be addressed. All of the villages know what their problems are, but do not necessarily know how to go about solving them. So I see my role as being to teach things like how to run a meeting, goal setting, organizational skills, money manaement, and accountability, and most importantly acting as cheerleader. Once a group is in place, solutions do not come quickly or easily, however they do come much more so than were it simply several individuals trying to accomplish the same goals. Once groups are legalized and have established themselves, outside funding for development becomes much more accessible.

I have also been doing quite a bit of teaching: english twice a week and environmental education once a month at the primary school. Actually, the kids at the primary school really surprised me by asking to start an after school group. Should be fun once I manage to put it all together.

Plus animations, animations, and more animations.

It is hot with little respite. Really, really, really hot. I would imagine that my neighbors are tired of seeing me walk around my house in boxer shorts. But, like I said, it is about a million degrees in the shade, with no escape. Even the dog, who had dug herself a hole in the shade gives me miserable, complaining looks.

But, aside from the heat, all is well. As you can probably tell, work is keeping me fairly busy and village is becoming more and more comfortable. But, even with all of the work i am trying to get done, there is still a lot of down time. This in turn translates into a lot of reading. so, I have finally decided to read the Harry Potter series. I just finished number 6 last week.

As far as things I may need, not much has changed. Anything essential can be gotten here. Its just the creature comforts that I miss: gum, candy, books, magazines, movies, etc.

Well, i suppose that is it for now. I am hoping to have another update for you during IST, very soon. I miss you all.

Peace.