So you know how after a blizzard the naked trees are left with a beautiful coat of powdery snow on top of their branches? It is truly a wonderful scene isn't it? Yeah, well its not the same with sand. The Adamawa is currently in its dry season. This means a few things, most of them not good. Where do I start?
The very arid air allows the sand to lift easily with even a footstep. A gust of air will direct the dust absolutely anywhere it pleases. It is even worse when none of the roads are paved and the trucks and motorcycles catapult all of the sand into the air. The entire village inevitably turns into a a red shaken snow-globe. All of the plants near the roads are covered in red sand. Everything you wear gets dirty and you can only imagine what this does to your throat and lungs. Actually you don't have to imagine, let me explain it to you. The already dry atmosphere ensures that your throat is almost always dry, well it is even more fun when it has a coat of dust around it too. My house used to be painted half white and half blue, now it is purple and red. Needless to say, I can't wait for the wet season. I regress though, it was even worse in Niger.
Let me change the tone a bit.
I am now moved into my new home! I am no where near being done. My stove is currently on the floor, I have three empty rooms and the only piece of furniture I have is my bed. I do have modern toilets though! Too bad the water doesn't work. Its cool though b/c there is a faucet right inside my concession (concession means compound). It is only about 10 feet from my front door. I share my concession with about three other families. I still haven't figured out who is related to whom. I can tell you though that there are about 12 children and I share the building (not house) with 5 of the boys. One is sixteen and the rest are between 9 and twelve. They don't know their ages either. There are 2 middle-aged women and one elderly, neither speak French. I have the boys translate for me. They are also teaching me Fufulde. I am a fan of the boys, not the toddlers though!
Holy eff the toddlers are a hand full.
In the last week I had to stop little Sarifa, Sadia, and Oumarou from eating the plastic wrappers from the candy I gave them, not lick my soap, put down the knives from my kitchen, not play with everything (and I really mean everything), prevented them from crayoning my walls and reminded them constantly to stop leaving their shoes in my house. Seriously, send me some tranquilizers.
In terms of work, I haven't started anything serious yet. And to be honest, Peace Corps told me not to start anything big until after my first three months so I'm going to stay chillaxed. I have however met with the Chef of my village (as well as his sons), started going to my health center and began work with some organized groups in Meidougou. Nothing too crazy. Not yet at least.
I am not in Meidougou right now though, I am currently in Ngaoundere (hence, my ability to update this blog). I'm here for some banking and getting some supplies for our Christmas celebration. The national Olympics are currently taking place right here! I actually just got back from a soccer game where I went to go cheer for my region, it was Adamawa vs. the North. We tied, but it pretty fun. I will say this, and excuse my French, fuck vuvuzelas. Like Caleb said, I now understand why they were almost banned during the World Cup.
My first night in my house I discovered that I have roughly around 100, maybe even 500 (probably more) spiders the size of iPods nested in my ceiling. Luckily Claire told me that after spending some time in my house they will slowly get scared off. I certainly hope so b/c I'm positive that they are capable of reproducing faster than the rate of which I kill them.
So I thought I was going to be able to post some pictures for this entry. Unfortunately you're going to have to wait for the next. Trust me, it'll be worth it. In the mean time, Peace Corps out people.
Carlos
12/4/10
There are many things that I would like to say to you
December 4, 2010
Day... what day am I in. Lets see I got sworn in on the 1st of December so 4, Day 4 of being an official Volunteer. So far so good. Training is finally over, I haven't gotten any severe maladies yet (knock on wood), I'm meeting the Peace Corp Volunteers that are leaving back to The States (and asking many questions), the train ride to Ngaoundere was boss (apparently a word that Californians use for 'cool' b/c saying 'cool' is uncool) and my shopping for my post is done (in terms of what I should get here). I leave tomorrow for my post. Meidougou! is the name of my new home for the next two years. Google it, its a boss village.
I don't really remember why I waited until I got sworn in to start this blog because honestly, I've been through so much that is worth writing about so far that I have a lot of catching up to do. This entry though will just be an introductory one though. No adventures, just a brief introduction of who I am, what I'm doing and maybe if I don't get lazy, an explanation of why I named my blog: The Wait of my Words.
My name is Carlos Jesus Fernandez-Torres. I am a new Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameramaroon and my program is Community Health. My responsibilities as a Health Volunteer require a long explanation so hopefully all the entries that I'll write will give a better explanation of what I do. I would normally give you my spiel but I'm tired of repeating it, plus its more boss if you just read about what I'm about to do. I am opening a new post in the Cameramaroonian region of Adamawa. My village's name is Meidougou and I love it b/c it rhymes with one of my favorite African cities, Ouagadougou. I'm 23 and I graduated from Michigan State University (Go Green) with a bachelor of arts in International Relations. This is not me in a nutshell, I cannot fit in a nutshell.
I am in Cameroon right now for many many reasons. I am looking for work experience. Isis (my older sis) sat me down one night and asked me, "what do you want?" I said a sandwich. I didn't really say sandwich. She did however make me realize that a job or an internship was the wrong answer to that question. The correct answer was and remains: Experience! I am here for work experience. But further more, I am here to travel. I am here to learn what it is I want to study in grad school. I am here to meet interesting people. I am here to return to the land where I spent about half of my life. I am here to connect with the Africans in a way that I wasn't able to as a child that was raised in Africa. I am here to learn French (and now Fufulde). I am here to spread peace in a peaceful manner. I am here to listen to Cameroonian music and shoot the shit what my new Cameroonian friends (Dad, 'shooting the shit' means hanging out with your friends). I am here to push my limits and finding direction to what I'm supposed to do. I am here to increase my patience. I am here to learn what 'grass roots development' truly means. I am here to learn about myself. And finally, I am here to eat mangoes.
This blog is really for the interested. However I'm writing this mainly for my family and close friends. Its my way of updating you guys on the good stories and my discoveries. It is my way of staying modern in modern times. And guess what, I'm too lazy to explain the title of my blog so perhaps another time. I hope you guys will continue reading b/c I can say that even when I don't have something to say, I can pull out one of my crazy experiences that I had during training. Peace (Corps) out people.
Carlitos
Day... what day am I in. Lets see I got sworn in on the 1st of December so 4, Day 4 of being an official Volunteer. So far so good. Training is finally over, I haven't gotten any severe maladies yet (knock on wood), I'm meeting the Peace Corp Volunteers that are leaving back to The States (and asking many questions), the train ride to Ngaoundere was boss (apparently a word that Californians use for 'cool' b/c saying 'cool' is uncool) and my shopping for my post is done (in terms of what I should get here). I leave tomorrow for my post. Meidougou! is the name of my new home for the next two years. Google it, its a boss village.
I don't really remember why I waited until I got sworn in to start this blog because honestly, I've been through so much that is worth writing about so far that I have a lot of catching up to do. This entry though will just be an introductory one though. No adventures, just a brief introduction of who I am, what I'm doing and maybe if I don't get lazy, an explanation of why I named my blog: The Wait of my Words.
My name is Carlos Jesus Fernandez-Torres. I am a new Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameramaroon and my program is Community Health. My responsibilities as a Health Volunteer require a long explanation so hopefully all the entries that I'll write will give a better explanation of what I do. I would normally give you my spiel but I'm tired of repeating it, plus its more boss if you just read about what I'm about to do. I am opening a new post in the Cameramaroonian region of Adamawa. My village's name is Meidougou and I love it b/c it rhymes with one of my favorite African cities, Ouagadougou. I'm 23 and I graduated from Michigan State University (Go Green) with a bachelor of arts in International Relations. This is not me in a nutshell, I cannot fit in a nutshell.
I am in Cameroon right now for many many reasons. I am looking for work experience. Isis (my older sis) sat me down one night and asked me, "what do you want?" I said a sandwich. I didn't really say sandwich. She did however make me realize that a job or an internship was the wrong answer to that question. The correct answer was and remains: Experience! I am here for work experience. But further more, I am here to travel. I am here to learn what it is I want to study in grad school. I am here to meet interesting people. I am here to return to the land where I spent about half of my life. I am here to connect with the Africans in a way that I wasn't able to as a child that was raised in Africa. I am here to learn French (and now Fufulde). I am here to spread peace in a peaceful manner. I am here to listen to Cameroonian music and shoot the shit what my new Cameroonian friends (Dad, 'shooting the shit' means hanging out with your friends). I am here to push my limits and finding direction to what I'm supposed to do. I am here to increase my patience. I am here to learn what 'grass roots development' truly means. I am here to learn about myself. And finally, I am here to eat mangoes.
This blog is really for the interested. However I'm writing this mainly for my family and close friends. Its my way of updating you guys on the good stories and my discoveries. It is my way of staying modern in modern times. And guess what, I'm too lazy to explain the title of my blog so perhaps another time. I hope you guys will continue reading b/c I can say that even when I don't have something to say, I can pull out one of my crazy experiences that I had during training. Peace (Corps) out people.
Carlitos
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