Thursday, September 8, 2011

I'm on a roll, eh?

Hello!
Well I have finally arrived back in Lolodorf, safe and sound, after more than a month of traveling and spending time with some of my favorite people in the world! Also I figure since my leave date is so soon, I might as well finish strong even if I did kinda fall off the face of the blog world for about a year. O and for those of you who don’t know, I’m flying home on November 1!
So my adventure began shortly after I last wrote; my friend Kim O came to visit and we had a great time just lazing around Lolodorf for a couple of days. Then we traveled up to Yaounde together and split ways so that I could go visit my host family and she went ahead to see our friend Stefanie. My host family is so great! I lucked out in that area and it’s still so nice to see them on a regular basis. I hung out with them all afternoon, ate dinner, and spent the night. They then escorted me off to the bus station so I could head out to Fundong to meet up with Kim and Stef. After a long day of travel, I arrived to Mexican dinner bliss, chocolate chip cookies, and two of my favorite girls!! We had an amazing 3 days in Fundong: eating good food, watching movies, pampering ourselves, and doing a little work. I attended a meeting led by Stef and Kim about an upcoming Family Planning Seminar that Stef’s NGO is putting on. It was great to see them at work and contribute here and there! We then whisked ourselves off to a little nook in the Northwest with a small bed and breakfast. We got a tour of this pottery making place where we saw how they make the clay then throw it and finally bake them. We were then escorted to their shop where of course we had to buy some goodies! The stuff was just too beautiful and too cheap to let get away!
After a yummy Cameroonian dinner, tea by the fireplace, a great night’s sleep, and a refreshing run, we were ready to head off to Yaounde. We arrived and headed over to the Hotel Franco for our COS conference (Close of Service). “Can you believe we’re leaving already?” was a common phrase throughout the week together. We had a great time eating good food, staying at a nice hotel, and generally reveling in each others company for the last time as a cohesive group here in Cameroon.
Sadly we had to come back down from our COS high to get back to the other side of town. We had Steering committee meetings which we didn’t really mind as it was another excuse for us to spend a few more days together! Our weekend came to an end and some of us stuck around for TDW (Training Design Workshop) and TOT (Training of Trainers) which is about a week and a half of sessions/group work to get the schedule etc. ready for the new trainees who will be here in a couple of weeks. We worked hard but got everything done. I don’t think there have ever been so many holidays during a 10 day period though, as we had to stop work one day, though some people took two, to celebrate Ramadan and then we also had issues with Labor Day since normally PC administration would not work. However, through all of the holidays and changes in the schedule we got through and I think organized a good looking schedule for the newbies! I’m quite excited as I’ll get to teach a number of lessons during their training including Water Sanitation and Diarrheal Diseases, Behavior Change Communication, HIV/AIDS and STIs, and Malaria. It is and will be a lot of work but I’m excited to get to be a part of this experience for them.
In other news, I’m applying to schools already. I have started my applications to Vanderbilt, UT (that is Tennessee for anyone who is wondering, Appalachian State, and Western Carolina. I’m going for Speech Language Pathology and I’m stoked about it! I’m still trying to get recommendation stuff together and my personal statement perfected but I think I’m well on my way.
I’d like to add one final note to any of my stagemates who might be reading this: I love you! Thank you so much for playing a huge role in making these last two years, two of the best in my life! You are an amazing person and I am blessed to know you! Please don’t be a stranger because I won’t be! I hope to see you again before I leave but if not, I want a reunion stateside so let’s make that happen!
And to all my folks in the states: I will be home soon! I can’t wait to see you! Please get in contact with me so I can see your face! I love you also and the countdown has begun!!!!
I love you all! Have a great night!
<3 Amanda

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