Rollercoaster!

I have been in my training for about 6 weeks, there are only 4 weeks left to Swearing in. It has been a rollercoaster getting used to speaking French, forgetting my Spanish, adjusting to Cameroonian life, training, and teaching. At the end of the day, I realize that I am here to help in any way I can, inspire and be inspired by what is around me. As I reflect on the past weeks, a lot has happened in a short period of time.

I feel I have grown a lot since leaving the United States, more specifically, become more confident in myself and that it is OK to be me. It is easier to be yourself. Life is step by step. I feel this experience jumped a whole bunch of steps. I am completely out of my element. On a positive light, this is a perfect opportunity for me to grow. Never Regret, If it’s good, it's wonderful, if it’s bad, it’s experience. I guess I live by clichés, as corny as that sounds, but in a way it is true…. For me at least.

Stress is another factor about living in a different country and culture. You just have to choose healthy ways of coping with it. In my training we have had sessions on stress, and resiliency. There is a popular phrase DWI (DEAL WITH IT). I am sure it will get its use pretty quickly and become old like the over-played songs on pop radio in the states. You just deal with it, change is constant. I have been running constantly and eating a lot of bread 8-0. Also, I am trying to put my focus in my lesson plans for teaching and integrating into the community.

Teaching in the model school is actually going well. I am teaching English to the equivalent of freshmen in high school and moving around other classes. It is rewarding to know you can do something you didn’t think you could. I manage the discipline of the classroom with an iron fist. Well, I am not that strict; however, it is necessary to be stern in order to earn the respect of the students.

I went on site visit to my small village of Bélél in the Adamawa region of Cameroon. It was so breathtaking. It was completely green, hilly and also relatively cool compared to Bafia where our training is taking place. My community host is the Principal (Proviseur) of my high school (Lycée). There are about 700 students in the school and there is another English teacher. There are only going to be three female teachers in the school… Gender differences do exist in Cameroon. I can go into more depth about that later. There is one paved road, and the rest are route en terre. Therefore, there is a lot of mud, especially during raining season! Get ready to be dirty Andrea!!

I played football (Every other county in the world uses football) with the local boys of Bélél. They lead me through this path which opened up to a field which was breathtaking. Everything felt perfect.

I do not think I will have running water, but I am going to get the local neighbors to get it for me form the florage on a pousse-pousse. Also, I will probably have intermittent electricity, and a latrine for a bathroom. I will have a post mate as well. I am pretty excited for what lies ahead. Let’s do this…!



Until another time.  Andrea =)