Letter from Village
August 19, 2012
It’s rare these days to receive a hand written letter. Once in a blue moon, I will receive a postcard from a friend traveling. But a legitimate hand-written letter? I haven’t received one of those in a long long while. But today, I received one. It was written in French, from my Cameroonian friend, Victor, who lives in my village.…
Read MoreReverse Culture Shock: One Year Later.
August 10, 2011
I left Cameroon just a little over a year ago. This year went by in a blur. Swoosh! and it was gone. As I reflect upon this past year, I begin to realize the impact that reverse culture shock had on me. People always say that it’s easier going into a new experience than coming back. I never really had…
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Home and Friendship
September 14, 2010
Tomorrow, I’m off to the next adventure. Though I will back in London town, a place that I know well, I will be starting graduate school at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. I am excited and terrified all at the same time. Will I be ready for the rigor of academia? How will I compete against…
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Then and Now
September 2, 2010
Two days ago, I returned from a nearly a month-long voyage to Canada then a grand tour of the East Coast visiting friends in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington D.C. The wonderful thing about being a wanderlust is that you end up with great friends literally all over the world. There is something about being together in a foreign…
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Reverse Culture Shock: America, the Land of Plenty
July 27, 2010
It’s hard to fathom that only 4 days ago, I was still in Cameroon. Despite how much I am trying to hold onto it, that life is quickly fading away into a surreal dream. I’m saddened and scared by that. Over the two years, that life in village has became my comfort zone, and for some reason, leaving that behind…
Read MoreOut of Africa: Initial Reverse Cultural Shock
July 24, 2010
Sitting at Philadelphia International airport waiting for my connecting flight to St. Louis and having a hard time believing that I am finally back in the USA, after 26 months. The layover in Brussels went smoothly. I parted ways with Laura who traveled with me from Yaoundé. We grabbed a Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks before boarding our respective flights. It…
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