Jamna!!! Jam bandu na?

Wowwww so a lot of stuff has gone on since last time I wrote, but
seriously what’s new?

I’ll highlight a few adventures since I don’t have much time before my
Fulfulde class (yes, I’m now learning this sweet dialect spoken in the
Northern Cameroon).

1)      We had an awesome dance party with the chief of my village a couple
weekends ago.  Let me tell you, Cameroonians know how to dance!
2)      I had pattes d’arichides for dinner the other night aka PEANUT
BUTTER.  Yeah, who knew?  After eating cous cous (African style cous
cous…not the same), fou fou and fish for 25 nights straight (an
exaggeration, but it feels like it sometimes) my host mom put down a
sketchy looking bowl in front of me with what looked like some kinda
weird meat in it.  I was insanely skeptical, but when I smelled the
sweet orgasmic fragrances of peanut butter I almost fainted.  Okay,
get this: we had peanut butter and bananas for dinner.  I was SO
HAPPY.  Hey, it’s the little things that count Africa, right?  I was
so excited that people eat peanut butter here that I m I figured out
how to make it and prepared a super American dinner for my fam the
other night: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with bananas for
dessert. Glorious.
3)      Watching somebody eat a watermelon for the first time is an
experience.  I certainly don’t remember the first time I had one since
I was like negative 2, but I’m sure it was something.  So, I had a
mini field trip to Western Cameroon Tuesday and bought a watermelon
for my family as a gift.  I know my host sis loves them, but they are
a little expensive here in Bafia, so they don’t get them much.
Anyway, Mama Martine has never had one before and didn’t really know
how to eat it.  I showed her how you just kinda sink your face into
it, which she did with great enthusiasm.  It was great.  It was like
Watermelon Day in sailing camp; chunks of delicious redness and water
went flying everywhere…and I’m so nasty dirty at this point it doesn’t
matter.  My clothes are all pretty much destroyed anyway haha
4)      And the most important news of all.  I’m going to be living in
Madama in Northern Cameroon for two years!! Yes yes, I received the
grand news last week and am still ecstatic about it.  If you’re
wondering where this little gem is don’t bother looking on the map
because it ‘aint there.  Yeah, I have the most remote post out of any
volunteer apparently because I’m so H core. Haha.  No, not really,
but it is out there: no running water, no internet (obviously),
sketchy cell phone service, and a generator for a couple hours if I’m
lucky a couple nights a week.  I know, paradise, right???  Well, it is
for me.  I can’t wait to get out there in the field and have agency
over my life again.  It’s also supposed to be absolutely gorgeous.
Unlike southern Cameroon, which is hot, humid, and jungle like, I’m
going to be in the harsh beautiful dry hilly region. There are
apparently giraffes and elephants where I am too.  I don’t know, for
some reason I think it will look a little like Utah, but who really
knows.  I’m also really excited because I’m learning a sweet new
language that sounds slightly Arabic and a whole lot of African.  I
will probably be doing a lot of work with Muslim women’s groups and a
health center near by.  I’ll find out in a week when I head up there
next week for my sight visit.

So yeah, I guess that’s my life in a nut shell. It’s still pretty
insane and awesome. I miss you guys so much and please if you write me
and I don’t respond please know it’s because I don’t love you….just
kidding.  As you probably know by now internet here is pretty much
nonexistent.

Seyesso!!!!

Meg