"People who live in glass houses..."

16-11-11

…shouldn’t get dressed during the day. This “traditional American proverb” provided by the English Club of the Lycee Classique in Bafia. Your life is changed forever now, I know. How I survived this long without that word of wisdom, I’m just unsure.

Cultural misunderstandings and awkward dinner party stories abound here, I may never run out of fuel for lags in conversation in America ever again… that is, if I remember to tell these stories in English, which is increasingly becoming a problem. I’ve just started learning Fulfulde (a language predominant amongst the Muslim Fulani people of Nigeria and Cameroon), but interestingly, these lessons are taught in French. Franfulglais: coming to you compliments of your United States Peace Corps volunteers. Nonetheless, I did have a conversation with my Community Partner on the phone in French and I think we both understood each other pretty decently—SCORE! More and more I’m having moments where I feel like I sound like an intelligent human being in French (or, at least, one who has completed primary school.) I have a long way to go, but it’s always encouraging to feel like you’re making progress J

Dry season (or hot season, depending who you talk to and what region they’re from) has hit Cameroon, and it’s hitting hard. Oddly, it’s cold at night and in the morning but blazing hot the rest of the day—more than once I’ve woken up with goose bumps. Mosquitos are suddenly far more awful than they’ve been this entire time, and the Moot Moots are even worse (they leave these horribly itchy bites that bleed and are shaped like archery targets.) Thanks Camps Ledgewood, Whip-Poor-Will, and Libbey for preparing me for the awful-ness of having a million bites at all time.

We swear-in on December 8, and that can’t come soon enough. Peace Corps is all about the waiting and the patience-building, but in general, I think that’s a good thing… I’m just feeling ready to do something useful. Plus, I mostly just want to get started on making my house livable. Can we just skip the school work and whatnot and fast-forward? Plus side/side-note: I dropped off new fabric today to the tailor to get a dress made for Swearing-In… I absolutely adore my tailor, she might just be the cutest person I’ve ever met in my life. I hope that I can find a tailor in Batouri who is as fantastic. Double side-note: tie-dyed fabric, I want some. They sell it in Bertoua…yet another reason to be excited to move-in.

I can’t believe how long I’ve already been here. It is insane how much I learn in a day and how many new things I experience. I don’t know another time in my life recently where anything has so fully absorbed me; it’s like being five again because everything’s new all the time. Also, fun fact, I was literally punished for not bringing home my host mother a present from Batouri—good thing I am a pro at washing dishes quickly/effectively Cameroonian style, otherwise I might have felt bad. Anyhow, the living situation with a family and being surrounded by all the volunteers who are clearly so much more knowledgeable than us definitely adds to that whole five year old effect.

Quick other updates: 1) I have finally seen the mouse that abides in my room and, if you so please, I could give you a detailed list of the things he does and doesn’t like to eat. 2) Our cat, Minette, ran away and I’ve been without cuddle time with the cat ever since. 3) We’ve all discovered a frozen yogurt treat near to the school that’s helping us to survive the awful heat, and, thankfully, frozen yogurt exists in Batouri, as well. 4) I have become a pro at hailing taxis and motorcycles, but unfortunately, not a pro at avoiding stereotypical Stephanie bad luck—hopefully that’s next. 5) Thanksgiving: what I wouldn’t give to eat delicious amounts of that food.

Miss you all, love you, and hope you’re all staying safe. Drink some apple cider for me, lay under a warm blanket in flannel PJ pants, and watch a couple episodes of obnoxiously bad TV.