Lolo Bound!!!

Well we had post announcements last Thursday and I am heading to a lovely little town in the South Region, by the name of Lolodorf. I know not a very good African name...it's actually German, but I really like it. I just got back from 5 lovely days there with the current PCV, Megan where we ate tons of wonderful veggies and mac and cheese and even made a chocolate cake! She is amazing and I definitely have huge shoes to fill, but I think there are tons of opportunities and projects just waiting to get started there! She and my counterpart Grand Mes, spent a few days introducing me to all the important people in town and any one else who was around. I have an adorable little yellow house with two bedrooms, a kitchen, dining area, living room, and bathroom. I have electricity and internet capabilities, but no water. However, there is a guy who gets water for me and I collect rain water for things such as my pour flush toilet...which is great!! My landlady is wonderfully friendly and protective of me and has 3 precious boys who I'm sure will come around to keep me company for the first few weeks.
I'm going to go ahead and throw the invitation out there...I have an extra room and would love to host anyone who wants to come visit!!! I'm one of the closest posts to the beaches and only 3 hours from the capital. The post really seems to be a great mix of rural and urban as well as an abundance of culture!! The temperature is very similar to eastern NC with humidity and sun, but I'm in the middle of the rainforest, right next to a lovely river and beautiful mountains. The scenery really is breathtaking!!!
In other news, we have three weeks of stage (training in French) left...it sure has flown by!! But it seems like everyone is happy with where they are posted...but I'll find out more once we are all together again in Bangante/Bamena. Right now I'm with a bunch of PCVs who are COSing (leaving) this weekend. It is so crazy to think that they are finishing up their crazy adventure and mind is just beginning, but it's really reassuring that they are all so sad to go! I am super excited about my post and all of the opportunities that seem to be awaiting me. It really seems to be a perfect fit!!!
Please be in touch!! I will hopefully have internet pretty regularly once I move into Lolo which will be in about a month!! So please send emails, but really nothing is exciting as letters and packages! :) hehe! O and speaking of...my address is posted on here and on my facebook and will stay the same for my whole service since I have to be in the capital for banking and committees at least once a month...so it's easier to just let PC get my stuff from the post office! So please send away!! I promise I'll write back!! Ok I think it's siesta time! Love you all so very much!! Thank you so much for all your well wishes, thoughts, and prayers!! I miss you all!!!
<3 Amanda

A Slice of Life!

Well Cameroon is fabulous as always! It has been 5 weeks now that we've been here learning French and trying not to stick out too terribly bad. We visited a current volunteer this week and another health center...we are learning tons and staying super busy!!!
On a more exciting front we had bike training last week and on our inaugural ride around the finely crafted roads here in western Cameroon...I fell. Yeah, not a big surprise I know...however it ended in a trip to the hospital here in the thriving metropolis of Bangante and getting the first stitches of the group. So ok basically I managed to fall on my bike brake handle which angrily inserted itself into my upper thigh. It is going to be a pretty gruesome scar but on the whole was really not as bad as it sounds/looked. I go back to the hospital tomorrow to get my stitches removed and everything is clearing up well. What are the odds? Ha...but what a great story right? Yeah I got this gnarly scar mountain biking in Africa...
Anyway things are going great! We find out our posts in 5 days!! And then in 7 days we get to travel to our respective sites to meet people and peek around. Keep your fingers crossed that I will be able to have internet at my site! Anyway I must be going...but I love you all! I'll write again when I can!
Love from Cameroon!!
<3 Amanda

All the way from rainy Cameroon!

Ok so it is Saturday afternoon here in the great country of Cameroon!! I am mooching internet off of a current volunteer which will actually let me send things...pretty amazing!! So it is the end of week 3 for our stage which means only 7ish weeks left in training. We are so busy in class 6 days a week that it really is flying by! We have classes in French, Cross Culture, Technical Training, and Medical stuff mostly. We took a field trip yesterday to the local health clinic in our tiny village of Bamena which was really interesting. We are having a blast!!
We are currently living with host families to help us assimilate into Cameroonian life! My family is amazing and really patient with me! My parents are both teachers and my mom is also a businesswoman who makes and sells bonbons...yeah who'd a thunk I'd go to Cameroon with Peace Corps and run the risk of gaining weight!! hehe! But yeah host family life is interesting and hard but quite fun as well!!
Anyway I am having a blast! I'm in the happening town of Bangante right now which is where the agro volunteers in our stage live. We got the night off and are going to hang out and have a shindig tonight in celebration of hopefully a Cameroonian win today!! So it looks like its time to try to find the host family house of our agro friends and get ready to throw down for a little while!! I will post again soon...and we just heard the screams meaning the game has begun! Let's go Indominable Lions!! Bon Soir!!
<3 Amanda

Bonjour de Cameroon!!

Hi everyone! I hope that you are well! I am currently at the Peace Corps office in the capital! We just got done with our language assessment and a meeting with my health coordinator! I am having a great time getting to know my fellow volunteers and eating some delicious Cameroonian food! I have to go but I love you all! I'll post again soon!!
<3 Amanda

Not really sure what I'm doing...

Here is a the long awaited blog which I am starting from the comfort of my kitchen table in TN! But honestly...I can't believe I'm doing this! I always said people who blog have too much free time on their hands...no offense to, I guess now, fellow bloggers. Anyway I am taking today to do some housekeeping things since I'm still pretty sickly! Not too much going on here...just some packing and napping and phone call making!

On a more bittersweet note...I had such a fabulous time in NC this past week! It was hard to say, "see you soon", but so wonderful to see each beautiful face! I truly have the most amazing friends and family in the entire world!! I have never felt so popular and loved in my whole life...I mean my phone died a total of four times while I was there and I know I hit a personal best for text messages! But seriously, I love each and every one of you with all my heart! You are so wonderful and I can't thank you enough for your smiles, hugs, support, and encouragement!! I hope this blog will give you a little insight into what I'm up to over the next little while in my life and I hope to get responses and hear all about what you are doing!! I love you!!!!
<3 Amanda