Wish List 2.0

So, what do you send the Peace Corps Volunteer who has everything?  For those of you who have asked, now that we’re getting a little more settled here in Mankon country, here in alphabetical order (just because) are some comforts from home that we’ve missed.  Also, our new address is at the bottom.

Almonds
a wall Calendar
Canned salmon
Coffee (Bolivian, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Mexican, Rwandan)
Crossword books
Dried fruit (apricots, blueberries, cranberries)
Ear plugs (see The Rooster mentioned in previous posts)
Flax seeds
Granola
Hashi (also known as chopsticks)
Hops
Hydrometer
Malt (yes, Jack wants to make beer)
Pecans
Pumpkin Spice Lattes (okay, we know those won’t mail well…but we can dream…)
Sleep masks
Soba noodles
Sudoku books
Tabasco sauce
small, individual Thermoses (for taking coffee to work – no office brewers here!)
Toe socks (to go with our Vibram Five-Fingers!)
Walnuts
Whole grain pasta
Whole wheat crackers
Worchestershire sauce

Our Address in Bamenda:

Jack and Kiyomi Gaines
Peace Corps Volunteers
Peace Corps Cameroon
Bamenda Regional Office
P.O. Box 837 – Mankon – Bamenda
Mezam Division
Northwest Region – Cameroon

Things no one tells you…

Things no one tells you about joining the Peace Corps.

It’s very much like any other government job – lots of paperwork, lots of hurrying, lots of waiting, lots of not a lot getting done.  Bring a book.

It’s not at all like any other job – at all.  It’s cute that you thought you might walk into your office and be able to ask someone what you’re supposed to do though.  I see here on your resume it says you’re a creative, independent self-starter… good thing, too!  Go to it!

Peanut butter is more American than apple pie – who knew?  We went through two and a half big containers of Jif peanut butter in our first week and a half at post.  Peanut butter did not play a large role in our diet before leaving the States – organic, fair trade, fresh ground honey roasted peanuts are tasty now and again, sure, but two and a half tubs of the stuff?? Salsa or hummus, maybe… not peanut butter.  We had an inexplicable, insatiable craving.  It must be laced in the water or pumped into the air back home, and we were just in withdrawal.  Other volunteers have mentioned similar experiences.

Being awakened to a spectacular sunrise by the crowing of a rooster… leads to murderous thoughts, throwing rocks, and chasing a giant chicken around the yard.  Not a lot of sunrise reflection or appreciation.  Its not pretty.  The crow of a rooster outside your bedroom window is like being awakened by the sound of someone standing beside your bed and screaming at the top of their lungs.  Repeatedly.  It’s really enough to drive one to…wait for it… murder most fowl.

Food that feeds the body is good.  A meal to nourish the soul, home cooked with good company, commiseration and a dash of encouragement, is essential for this expat stuff…  Even better if it’s made with familiar ingredients!

The sound of your brother’s voice will make you happier than you can remember being.  And then will make you cry.

Depression, rather than something you seek “help” or medication for, is more of a state of being, alternating regularly with euphoria.  It’s either bi-polar disorder, or “culture fatigue,” but either way, those periodic glimpses of equilibrium are what you’re looking for.  They get more frequent, and sometimes you even find yourself looking around and feeling strangely comfortable, content…even, oh, yes, at home.

And the moment we’ve all been waiting for

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/22/world/africa/cameroon-election-outcome/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

While we are strictly apolitical while serving as volunteers, we are happy to say that the election results were announced last night without incident.  Thanks for all the prayers!

Some news on the Cameroon election

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/03/world/africa/cameroon-election-campaign/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

Getting settled

Hey Friends and Family!  We got to keep the house in the Ntarinkon Quarter after someone from the main office in Yaounde came to check out the situation personally.  We move in this weekend, and are so glad to finally be getting settled.  It’s been a whirlwind of buying some essential furniture and houseware items and getting familiarized with our respective offices.  We both have a half-time schedule right now, three days a week and four hours a day – we can’t complain!  The rest of our time during these first months is spent getting to know our way around our city, getting to know our neighbors and starting the process of integrating into our community.  We have an offer of cooking lessons from one of our neighbors that we can’t wait to take up!

For the month of October we’ll be on Stand-fast, which means we stay put in our town, no traveling to neighboring towns for any reason, because of the election.  The national election takes place on the 9th.  The campaign season lasts about a week here – for the last week we’ve seen flyers and people have been driving around town with loud speakers.  Then everyone gets to vote for one of the candidates, and then we hope to have results in a week or two.  Most Cameroonians seem to be like most Americans when it comes to voting – as long as their day to day lives aren’t disrupted, they aren’t terribly concerned about the outcome.  But, just as in the States civic responsibility has been on the rise in recent years, part of our job here as volunteers is going to be to build civic awareness and encourage volunteerism at the local level.  But for now, we stand fast.  Luckily we love Bamenda and don’t mind staying put here, though it’s postponed some hiking trips.

We’ve been seeing status updates on Facebook about the weather turning cooler, people dragging out sweaters and looking forward to hot cider!  Here in the Northwest, the days alternate between sunny and beautiful, or rainy and cool enough for sweaters, soup and hot chocolate – in other words, perfect for the two of us.  “Fall” here means we’re going into dry season, though, which we’re told means beautiful, sunny days alternating with just plain hot – conditions we’re also okay with, since the rain sometimes prevents going to the market, or leaving the house at all.  And we’ve been told a big benefit of dry season means laundry dries in a morning, instead of taking a day or two!  Sometimes it’s those little things that can make all the difference…

Dear Enrollment Services

 

Wow, guys, we’re overwhelmed!  We got your package today – thank you so much!  We’re so grateful and so touched, we loved looking through the pictures, reading your notes, and are looking forward to enjoying all the goodies in the months ahead!  Thanks for sending us a little bit of the best part of working at CMU over the years.  We’ll be thinking of you guys every time we take a look around the house!

Kiyomi and Jack

And waiting again… or still…

So we may have spoke too soon in the last post.  We’re now being told that the house we signed a lease on is not okay, for various reasons of greater and lesser merit.  Planning to talk to Peace Corps about it and try to get something resolved soon!  We appreciate your prayers.