Being Extreme in the Extreme North

Dear All,

I know that I have been a HORRID blogger these last three months, but I do have a good excuse...internet sucks and time is always an issue. Anyway, on Thursday, we officially swore in and I am now an official Peace Corps Volunteer.  The US ambassador came and gave some speeches and so did our host families. Thursday night we all had quite the party--lots of drinking and dancing. It was very fun, but I felt like crap on Friday morning. We left on Friday to go up North...17 of us in all. Saying goodbye to all of the amazing people I have spent every single day with for the last 11 weeks was far from easy. Being the total emotional freak I am, I cried for about 2 hours on the bus.  The 13 hour train ride was uneventful, but I woke up absolutely freezing! It was wonderful. It is so nice to be in an area without humidity...thank the lord. Waking up was quite a shock..bye bye greenery and hello dust and sand.  My favorite part of the train is at every stop people come to the windows selling all sorts of things..honey, mandarines, bananas and other amazing deliciousnesses.

I will be in Maroua (Regional Capital of the Extreme North) for a few days, getting some supplies and trying to contact my counterpart, whose phone has been off...ugh. Hopefully I don't have to just show up in my village alone! Going to try to get a refrigerator and a bed, but still have no clue how I am going to get all my crap to village.  Cannot believe I am starting this new adventure for 2 years...HOLY COW. I think about every  minute "Am I even qualified to do this?!?!?" We are not suppose to start any projects these next three months--just have to integrate myself into the community and learn local languages and such...this means lots of sitting on my butt. I guess I can use this time to lose my training weight and get back into shape :)  After three months we all come back together in the West for some additional training. Should be interesting.

Anyway, I will write again soon...Hope all is going well with everyone else. ALL MY LOVE!!!!! xoxoxo

Staging-Basically a time to ask ourselves, "Do we really want to do this?"

Hello All,

Yesterday marked my transition from being a Peace Corps Invitee to an official Peace Corps Trainee (PCT).  I met our 44 person training class and we had our incredibly long, but very useful session that really went over expectations and goals of PC, along with, just as important, our own goals for this experience.  The three main goals of PC that have been used since the PC was started in 1961 are as follows:  1. Helping people of interested countries in meeting their needs for trained men and women 2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served 3. Helping promote a better understanding of the peoples on the part of Americans.  I know that is corny, but a nice reminder as to why I was inspired to serve in the first place!  We talked a lot about our anxieties and our aspirations...It was cool to see how we all had many in common--I'm not just a freak. Currently, I am just anxious about carrying my 76 pound bags out to the bus and where to store my dirty clothes!

After training last night, we all went to the Hard Rock Cafe and had a little celebration for one of the group members' birthday. Had a HUGE mushroom swiss burger and an AMAZING long island ice tea. We then walked in a massive group to a bar and of course, I had to have a PBR and a whiskey shot. Oh, how I will miss that :)

I am currently in JFK, waiting to fly to Brussels, Belgium and then onto Cameroon. This means that I won't have contact for quite some time, I presume...plus, I think it will be nice to be cut off for a little bit and really start the experience right. I already feel that our group is a family, even though I still have the awkward, "what's your name again?" after they told me half an hour before.  I began talking about poop today with someone, so I knew we had a special bond already :)  I remember feeling the same way during my time in Madagascar. This is an intense experience for everyone and we are all in it together.

After spending a couple nights in the capital city (I will buy a cell phone there and get the rest of my shots...eek) we are heading to Bafia, a small city to the north. Here, we will be placed with home stay families and really begin the intense training process on the way to becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer!  Learning French will be difficult, but I can't wait. I really want to put myself out there and just go for it.

Anyway, off to sync my ipod and such. Miss everyone already--this will be tough!

Much Love,
Laura

Phinally in Philly

I made it to Philly yesterday safe and sound. Saying good-bye to my parents was ridiculously hard, but I know they are extremely happy I am out of the house...finally!

I arrived here and had a sinking feeling in my stomach...how do I make friends? Did I pack the right stuff? What the hell am I doing?!?! I was just about to go to the hotel bar and drown my sorrows in a very strong, dirty martini, when I saw a group of people that looked my age, carrying huge backpacks and introducing themselves. So, I grew some cajones, and went up and introduced myself.  The first person I met, who would have thunk it, was a guy from Madison (went to Memorial, ick) who had been working Milwaukee for quite sometime-What a small world :)

A group of 6 of us went out for pizza and beer downtown and then we came back to my room and chitchatted.  I think we are going to go do some touristy stuff this morning and then we have orientation starting at 12....since we are now government employees, we have a ton of paperwork to fill out (of course) so that should be a good time.  Everyone seems very nice and we all are in a similar boat, thank goodness! I was happy to hear that lots of people don't know French...phew!

I still have sinking feelings when I wake up and about every 10 minutes, missing everyone-including Daisy :(  Hopefully, I will be so busy soon that I won't have time to even think.

We are off to New York tomorrow via bus and then leave for Cameroon at 6:30 pm...Can't believe I am finally going back to Africa!!!!