After sending Megan off, I was in Yaoundé for Mid-Service – the week-long medical exams to make sure I didn’t catch any strange diseases over the past year. Very luckily, nothing weird. I got my teeth cleaned, some dental work done. But overall, still very healthy, alive and kicking.
I got back to village and was completely alone for the first time in over two months. Truth? it sucked. But after a few days, I began to cherish the solitude. Every now and again, I enjoy staying in my house and not leaving for a few days. I take pride in the fact I am never really bored and there is always something to occupy mind – read a book, read a magazine, cook a meal, watch a movie, etc. The very simple things in life that we often neglect when things get busy. I am learning to really cherish them.
My projects are going well, in fact, beyond my wildest imagination. The 25 bilingual library project has now grown to 28. A Cameroonian gentleman emailed PC Washington inquiring about the project. He would like to donate, but only if the Limbé City Library can be included in the project. Limbé is the gorgeous beach town here in Cameroon. So I told him I would be more than happy to if he will foot the bill for extra transportation and lodging costs for me to get there and check out the site. Phase I of the project is in full swing fundraising mode to get $11,500 in collaboration with Books For Africa! You can contribute your next $5 latte/beer/burger here: Http://tiny.cc/booksforcameroon or follow our progress on Facebook under the Books For Cameroon page!
Besides the library project, I was contacted by RELUFA, a micro-credit NGO in Yaoundé. I will be returning there next week to do a 5-day business seminar meanwhile accessing the internal operation of the organization. And in response to popular demand, the second series of business classes will begin again in Batié during the first week of August!
So life is great overall. Recently learned more of the French volunteers whom I am close with will be leaving at the end of the summer; that’s not so great news. But after a year here, I am getting better at handling the coming and going of friends. I try as much as possible to put my energy in work and planning for the future, and hoping the rest will work themselves out.
Oh, finally! The new shipment of volunteers arrived last month. It’s so weird to think I am now the “old ones”. Strange to think just a year ago, I was in stage. Also, Happy Belated 4th! I barely remember the last 4th of July that I was in the US. ‘Tis the life of a globetrotter!
