The beginning and the end!

Good evening to all of you...well....mmmm...where do I begin...I left off by telling you all that I was planning to climb Mt. Cameroon..well, we began our journey up the mountain at about 6:30 in the evening on Friday night. It was the porter, the mountain guide, Amadou and my dear friend Elvis. So here you go....me and 3 african men....well, we started in the forest part of the mountain..it is absolutely beautiful. Then in about an hours time...we needed to use "torches" or as we call them flashlights.....it was so dark but, the african sky was incredible....climbing up was very challenging...it is beyond steep...rocky and muddy and slippery...I had on my tennis shoes....I really needed my hiking boots...but, we kept going....we stopped at HUT 1. We took a break and I flashed my light into the hut and a bat came flying at me....ahhhhhh....well, we rested for a brief time and the guide said that it was time to move on...We continued and it began to cool down. The 3 africans were all dressed and here was I ....with just 2 tshirts on....I was not that cold....it is all what you are used to....Well, by the time we reached HUT 2...which is where we were to stay for the night...it was 11:45. I was quite exhausted...you should see how we had to sleep for the night...on wooden slabs with mice and mountain rats...!!!!!! I am NOT joking....I began to put my sleeping bag out and a mouse scurried by....so, guess what...I was awake the entire night...there were rats underneath the wooden bed and I kept hitting the wood to scare off the unpleasant creatures.....I did not want them to get into my food....It was a creepy night and it was SOOOOOOOO cold.....I did not have enough clothes...I froze all night and waited for the creatures to come near me......!!!!!
By 7 am on Saturday...Amadou called to me that it was time to start up and again. Amadou and I were the only ones to continue. Elvis was ill and the porter was going to rest for the while. So here we go again...me and Amadou...up to HUT 3. The wind and the steepness were very challenging....it got colder and colder and windier and windier.....I was holding a walking stick and my hand was frozen....the wind was knocking me over and my lungs were being strained due to the altitude....Amadou kept checking in with me...we got to a certain point of the mountain and he said that at this point was where you either failed or succeeded....he called it the medical check up point...if you had any illness ...this is where you would no longer be able to continue the climb...well, you know me....I said...you could take that as a challenge or as a threat....I chose to challenge myself....we continued and my chest continued to crush inside of me...but, I was determined....Amadou told me that I was a very couragous woman...I told him that it was part of my heritage...Norwegians are tough...and extremely stubborn.....he laughed...Well, we reached HUT 3....and it was cold and blustery and miserable...we sat and ate and drank for abit...he told me that we were about 360 meters from the summit....I contemplated and told him that I was not up to the rest....the clouds were low, visibility was almost zero and the winds were brutal...I figured that there would not be much to see....I was tapped.. We turned around and trekked back to HUT 2. We got back to HUT 2 by about 12:30. Coming down is so much harder than going up....it is rocky and slippery and incredibly hard on the knees....so, we rested for about 1/2 hour and then started our descent....oh my...I struggled...I fell so many times and hurt myself....it was so hard...at one point I just got so teary eyed...I just wanted to be on the bottom of the mountain...I was frustrated and sore and tired and blisters...etc...etc....etc......We finally made it to the bottom at 6 pm.
I could barely walk.....I felt sooooo beat up....I returned home and I had several guests at the house to give me a homecoming...it was so wonderful...they went out and bought beers and toasted to me...I drank the beer and it went all to my head...I could barely walk....you should see the blisters...and the bruises.....it was an incredible experience but I would never climb it again....I have to say that Mt. Cameroon is beautiful...it has many different terrains...forest...savannnah...rocky, volcanic areas...unbelievable....It was hard but a good thing....!!!!
Today I went to class...or I should say hobbled to class....I love my kids and will miss them dearly...they all keep handing me notes and expressing their love for me....it is so touching...I am off to a "send off" party for me!!! The school is hosting a party to wish me off....I feel so sad to leave...this is home to me now...I love it here. I leave tomorrow for the long journey home....It will be exhausting....I am excited to see everyone at home but sad to leave my second home.....I hope that everyone is relaxing and ready to enjoy Thanksgiving. I will hope to see all of you when time permits....the transistion back to Wheaton will be a challenging one....I thank all of you for supporting me and following my journey here in Cameroon....It has opened my heart and my mind....I will begin a new course of my life....and I believe that Cameroon will inspire me to do more traveling and visit new cultures throughout my lifetime....it has been such a transforming experience. Thank you God for this remarkable opportunity.
I will see you all when I arrive back to Chicago...until then...my love to all and a very Happy Thanksgiving...be thankful for everything....those are my sentiments to all who live in the United States......
Love, Nancy

More on my last few days..

Good day to all or as they say here...Bon Jour....we had a terrential rain today so I spent most of the day packing up my belongings and making a pile of things that I plan to give away...I will not be carrying much back....it is refreshing....I have been giving away different items and people are so appreciative of them. A lady that works at the cleaners, (she has cleaned a lot of my clothes) told me today that she wants to give me some African-wear....that is so sweet....
I have been going around this afternoon...visiting all my friends and taking pictures of all of them....as they say here "snap" them.....they love it....actually, I should say that some of the people here like to be "snapped" but, the other night John and I took out a friend of ours for a drink and I snapped the two of them and there was a Cameroonian man behind us and he went crazy on us...thinking that we took a picture of him...he was yelling at us....but, then it all subsided...you never know here....!!!!!
I went out to dinner last night with my co-operating teacher, Victor and his wife, Obe.....they are so sweet...we went to a hotel that they like and I bought them dinner....kind of a thank you to them....they were so happy...Victor said that is was the best part of his day....and let me tell you....Africans CLEAN their plates....there is nothing left on the plate...including the chicken bones.....they eat it all......a lot of times...they do not know when their next meal will be....they were so happy with the meal. Obe is expecting her second child..(actually, her third, but their second child died at the age of one and a half...) Victor told me at dinner that he wanted to name the baby after me.....they want to use one of my names to have for the baby...along with many other names...africans have many names...I was shocked and very honored...I think that I will give them the name of Ludvigson.....but, if it is a girl ...they said it should be Nancy!! How about that....I am very touched.
I went to visit Amadou.....who will be my guide up Mt. Cameroon...Myself, an african friend and Amadou will be making the trip on Friday....and we hope to come back Saturday night...let's see how that goes...there has still been a lot of rain despite being in the dry season....now I know why they call it the rainforest....rain like you would not believe...so, I hope that God spares us the rain on Friday....
My last day of teaching is Friday and actually Victor said that he would teach and I can just relax and mentally prepare for the climb....My friend, Elvis will be coming to my classes tomorrow to videotape me.....it will be a bit nervewracking...but, I am planning a competition again for the class and preparing them for the exam next Monday.
Next Monday night, they want to have a farewell for me....a send off....that is what they call it here...it should be fun...I plan to take plenty of pictures....hope to share them with you all.....
I hope all is well back home and I will be making the long trip next week....and I mean long......!!!!!
I look forward to sharing my past few months with all of you when time permits....my love to all
Nancy~

Last few days!!!

It has been a whirlwind the past couple of days...where do I begin....my students are so sad to think of me leaving in the next week...they told me that I mean so much to them and they will cry when I leave...I am NOT looking forward to that day...it will be a very bittersweet day...
I went to the school today to do sport day with the staff and the students...we played volleyball...it was so much fun....and then I got a tour of the dormitories where the girls stay...what an eye opener....it reminded me of a concentration camp...it was so hard to see the living quarters...they seem to like it and they have such good spirits....I took pictures and they were thrilled...they were holding my hands and hugging me ....they all have so much love...it is rather amazing to see...these kids have pretty much NOTHING and they have such good hearts...it has been a very incredible experience....
I will have to write later perhaps tomorrow...I have some people waiting on me to go out...I have a lot of loose ends to tie up before leaving next week..I will get back to you tomorrow...love to all
Nancy~

The remaining days!!

Good day to all....well, what can I say....the time is nearing the end...I have very mixed feelings about that....There is always something happening here in this town...This week has been flying by....I taught on Monday, trying something new with my students..I asked them to answer an essay question....I told them to take out a piece of paper from their notebooks....well, they just looked at me with great confusion...Their notebooks are sacred to them....they have never ripped out paper before...I assured them that all would be ok.....ha.....so, I tried to get them to write to me.....in a narrative form....some caught on to that and most others created a type of outline form.....you have to understand that the only method of teaching here is lecture. The teacher lectures on the material and the students write down what the teacher says...that is all they know....they have been conditioned....well, I am trying to shake things up...it has been an interesting challenge....
I gave a quiz last week just to see how much they are learning from me....there is a boy in my one class that got a "Zero." I talked with him after class and came to discover that his glasses broke about 3 weeks ago and he has no money to fix them. He told me that he can not see the board at all......he sits near the back of the classroom....I felt horrible about it...I told him that in the next class I am going to move him up to the front by me....he was so appreciative..
I explained the situation to my co-operating teacher and he was very unaffected by the whole story. But, I am going to take the situation into my own hands and try to correct it as best as possible.
Yesterday was Presidents day...they were celebrating the 25 year anniversary of the SAME president....it is interesting to talk to the locals about their political views.....my consensus was that most Cameroonians are not happy with the government....it is a very sad situation for the people here...no jobs, corruption, no economy......it is very heart wrenching.....John and I went out to dinner and made a joke about how I was going to start an uprising....I am very disturbed about how a lot of these people live.....there is not much hope....very sad.....We ended up walking over to the internet and spoke with my dear friend that works there...John kept telling him not to get me too excited about the presidential celebration...I have some words to say about that.....!!!! We laughed about it....but, I still have my own personal views which I would be more than happy to share with you if you would like...once I return..!
After John and I left the internet....we began our journey back up the hill to the house....you have to realize how DARK it is on the road.....Well.....guess what...Nancy slips and falls once again into the trench on the side of the road.....I smashed my other knee and scraped my leg. I have another egg on my knee and a big bruise on the side of my leg.....!!! John was astounded that this could happen again to me...he was amazed once again that I did not break anything...I just want to be ok for the climb up the mountain. I have been training for the climb....running up and down the hill almost everyday....wow...it is a workout. Yesterday I took a visit to Amadou...who will be our guide up the Mountain...we talked about the preparations....very, very nice man....He said that he saw me running the other day and he told me how impressed he was with my strength...I felt good about that! I asked him about the wildlife on the mountain...he said that we may see gorillas...anteloupe...snakes....etc.....mmmmm.....that would be wonderful to see gorillas...snakes...I could do without....
I believe that we will take the trek not this weekend but next....I have a couple of other African friends that want to join....it should be an experience....
I have a few more lessons to teach to my students....I am savoring every moment....I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to be here in Africa...you would not believe the life here...I do not even know if I could describe it with the justice that it deserves...it has changed me....I will never be the same after this experience....I believe that this is a door leading to many other opportunities in my future days....
Hope that the weather is not too cold...it is perfect here....hot...beautiful blue skies...I love it....
I miss you all and I will see you very shortly.
Take care and my love to all....Nancy~

More Stories to share

Good day to all...I feel like I have not kept in contact in quite awhile...It has been very busy and now I have some time to catch you up on the current happenings here. The other morning I was getting ready to go to school when I suddenly heard someone outside screaming and screaming. Kevin, the house boy, knew right away that there was a problem. Apparently the person outside was screaming "Thief, Thief!!" Kevin went running and John followed, with a toothbrush in his mouth. They both told me to lock the door and not to answer until they came back. Screaming and shouting was heard all around the compound area. Well, it comes to be that a thief went into the house right behind us and tried to steal some items...He was seen in the process, so he began to run..well, people started shouting "thief" and everyone that lives in the surrounding area started chasing him with Machettis and caught him up by the road....they began to beat him and finally the police arrived to take him away. Kevin came back home and informed me that sometimes in these situations...the civilians take the law into their own hands...after they catch the thief, they actually set them on fire!! How scarey is that....???!!!! This particular thief was beaten by the people and then taken away by the police.....It is a bit different here...I have to say.....There was a lot of excitement in the neighborhood after that event.
A couple of days after that....I was very ill. I am not sure if I ate something that did not agree with me....but it was not good....Thursday afternoon the principle from our school took John and myself out to eat...I think that I ate something that caused me problems later...it was a very long night on Thursday and then I had to get up very early to get ready to teach Friday morning. I had to combat the rainy weather early Friday morning...and on top of that, I was feeling very achy and had an extreme headache....I made it through the morning, but the rest of the day I laid low.....I was planning to go to Limbe on Saturday morning.
When I awoke on Saturday...my head was still exploding but I was determined to go to Limbe and experience the Atlantic ocean. I made the travel to the town....(which is quite an experience....buses, taxis, hot weather, lots of people, patrol men checking vehicles....!!!!!! It goes on and on....) When I finally arrived in Limbe, I went to Seme Beach hotel. I treated myself to a nice night in a room with a beach view....I ran to the ocean and played in the waves for about 2 hours....it was absolute heaven...water temperature of about 80 degrees and the best waves ever. After that, I went and enjoyed the biggest Prawns that I have ever eaten. They still had their eyes....EEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!!
It was an incredible day....The next morning I woke up and went and had breakfast and a man that works at the hotel...came to my room and brought a coconut that he had just chopped down from a tree. He cracked it open with his machetti and we shared the fresh coconut....I have never had fresh coconut like that before....it was nice....
Then I found myself in the ocean again....enjoying the waves and the salt water....!!!! It was fantastic.......I was extremely tired by the time I arrived back home from Limbe....it was all worth it......
Today, I taught my students and everything went very well....We are truly enjoying each other....I will be finished teaching by a week from Friday.....I hope to make my plans to do some climbing this weekend....John and I are still trying to figure out the details....I will let you know.
I am sure that the weather in Chicago has not become a bit brisk...I DO NOT look forward to that....it is so nice here...warm and humid, but I prefer it over cold....it will be quite an adjustment coming back to the states...there is MUCH that I will miss here...and MANY people that I will hate to say goodbye to.....it has been an experience that has changed my perspective and it has changed me!
My love to all...hope all is well with everyone...talk to you all very soon....Nancy~

3 MORE WEEKS

Good morning to all. I can not believe that three weeks from today I will be back on the plane to get to the states. Time has gone by rather quickly. I still have so much to accomplish before it is time to depart. School is well.. the students were rather out of it yesterday. I started teaching about Amoebas. I know that it was a Monday morning and all but, they were really not focused. They are usually much more involved, asking questions and participating. My teacher, Victor spoke to them about not paying attention....perhaps it was the material, the way I taught it or as John added, what transpired the night before...sometimes the students have to clean the whole compound and work very hard doing manual labor....one never knows...So needless to say, I was not that satisfied with the work that I did. But, that is what happens in teaching sometimes.....
My dear little friend...Clinton.....came by to visit me yesterday....he was not in school....I told him that he needed to go to school.. he brought me some pictures that he drew for me....I love that little boy...he is so adorable....I keep thinking of a way that I can get him back to the states....So today I ran into him and he was once again not at school....he told me that his mom has no money to pay the school fees.....I think that I will take a visit to his mom today and see if I can pay his fees....he is so smart and he needs to be in school...so, I will let you know how that turns out.
My running has been going very well....it is rather challenging to run back up the hill...boy, you can really feel it in the legs.....I feel stronger in my legs and hope that it will benefit when I climb the mountain next weekend...I think that we will have porters that carry our stuff up..they supply us with all the materials...water, sleeping bags...etc. I am rather excited about it.....
But, I have to say that yesterday, John was curious about how much weight he has lost since being here....he is very skinny....we got out the scale and he weighed himself...he is down to 129 pounds.... he was about 142 when he came here in August....wow....so he told me that I needed to weigh myself...well, I am not one to get on a scale.....but, they pressured me and I gave in. I was shocked to do the conversion from kilograms to pounds. I have lost almost 13 pounds.....but, we rarely eat 3 meals a day and we walk at least 3-4 miles a day up and down a hill. I have also been runnning everyday...so I am sure that all contributes to the situation. I feel good...not sure where the lost pounds were lost from but,,,, I will not complain....
I went to the store today with Clinton and bought candy for him and candy and cookies for me.....
This weekend I plan to go to Limbe and spend an overnight there in one of the hotels that look out onto the ocean....it is so beautiful and the water is absolutely wonderful. I am hoping for nice weather....it should be a wonderful time.....
I hope that all is well back home and halloween is fun for all....eat some candy for me.....we have candy here but not like in the states......enjoy....take care and I hope to chat again soon. Have a great week....my love to all...Nancy

Where do I begin?

Good day to all. The weather here is so funny. I awoke this morning at 4:30 in order to prepare for teaching today and it was calm outside. Within one hour, the winds were gusting and it was raining. Luckily, by the time I left at 6:30 to take my regular walk to the school, the rain had stopped, but there was a bit of a chill in the air. By the time I arrived at school, I was elated to see that the principle was not there giving his Friday lecture to the students. They were heading for their classrooms. WELL....I get to my classroom and there are only the boys sitting in their seats. The girls were all sent out to clean the compound. They had been punished. (I am not quite sure what they were being punished for and I was not able to get any information from the other students. Well, we proceeded to do some of my lesson that I had gotten up so early to prepare for....! Ha...! After my first class, I moved over to my second class and the students were still missing. But, I proceeded once again to teach the few of them. When class had finished, I took out my camera to take some pictures of these wonderful students. They went CRAZY!!!!!!!!! I began to "snap" them, which is what they call it here. They loved looking at their pictures after I took them. They were so excited. After I finally was able to calm them down, one of my girls told me that Jennifer (a girl that sits in the back of the classroom) was very ill. I went over to her and I have to say that my heart stopped...I thought she was not breathing. I come to find out that they believe that she has malaria and she was in the hospital the night before but insisted on leaving and coming back to school. I am mortified that I did not see that this was happening. I told the girls to go and get the nurse. Well, the nurse was nowhere to be found. I attempted to pick up Jennifer and get her to a bed but was not successful. A teacher came to the door and I explained the situation. He said that I should just leave her there. I was torn about the whole thing, but I do not want to ruffle too many feathers (if you know what I mean). Malaria is at its peak right now. It strikes heavily when the wet season is changing to the dry season. My cooperating teacher has been down all week with Malaria. A lot of sickness here. It is very difficult here...but, the people seem to perservere.
After my class ended today I was leaving and a boy from my one classes came up to me and said, "I love you." What do you say to that....then about 4 more boys joined him and began to tell me how much they have learned from me and how much they enjoy having me as their teacher. Can I tell you....that made my year!!!! I will be so unhappy when I have to leave them....I love these kids.....they are beautiful and smart and kind hearted. I am so blessed to have had a chance to touch their lives.....I love everyone of them...!!!
Well, on another note....last night John and I went to an art exhibit at the French Alliance club...well, there were people there taking pictures of the art.....so I decided to take pictures...well, I got in trouble...they were not happy and made me delete all the photos off my camera... oh, well...no harm done....not until John and I decided to take a different route home after dark....NOT A GOOD IDEA...let me tell you....John gets a phone call and stops to talk...I am waiting for him to finish so I take out my camera and begin to take pictures of the full moon...absolutely beautiful....well, a truck comes around the bend and turns around and stops right in front of me....A massive African Man gets out and shouts at me, "What to you think you are doing? You look very suspicious. I am going to call the police." OK, anyone who knows me, knows that I do not take well to men that verbally attack me like that. I told him that I was just taking a picture of the moon...that was not good enough for him. He continued to harass me and said that I was taking pictures of the government building. It was the agricultural building...I was not even aware of that. He said that he was going to make me "blue" (using his fist to emphasize his seriousness of the situation). I gave him my opinion and told John that we needed to start walking away from the situation. It was a bit nerve wrecking....I was shaking all the way home. I have to say that this situation was the first time that I felt unsafe. It was a strange feeling. But, I dealt with it and all is good. It was an experience. I told a good african friend today about the happenings and he said that I should not walk on that particular road when it gets dark. That is good to know.
But, all I can say that this is a very good experience being here. I have learned all about adaptation and I feel that I have done a good job with that.
I hope all is well back home. I will be coming home in about 3 weeks...I can not believe how time has a way of flying by. I have very mixed feelings about leaving, but I know that Cameroon has become a special home to me...I will never lose that. I will come back!!!
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. There is a lot going on this weekend so I will get back to you on Monday and let you know more about my adventures here in Cameroon. My love to all. Nancy~

Different people, different stories

Good morning to all....I have to say that each day brings a new perspective on life. I have befriended a little boy the age of 10. His name is Clinton. He is the boy who runs to greet me each afternoon when he arrives home from school. The other day, he showed up at my door. He looked so sad. He proceeded to tell me that he was at school from 7 in the morning until 2 and he had nothing to eat the whole day. He fell two times in school due to being so weak. I almost wanted to cry right there. I went up to the kitchen and brought down some bread for him to eat. He is absolutely a sweetheart. I would love to bring him back to the states....he said that his mom would let me do that....!!! I felt so sad for him. After he left, I went to my room and wept. He told me that he saw an american on tv that was riding a bicycle and he wished so badly that he could have a bike.....I began thinking about how I could get a bike to him...you do not see many bikes here. It proved to be another eye opener for me. Then after that experience, I traveled down the hill to go to the internet and I saw a man with a macheti and a HUGE log that he was trying to get down the hill. I took his picture and was amazed at how hard he was working. He told me that he has not eaten in days. I could sense the hopelessness within his soul. I took out some money to give him and told him to go get some bread to eat...He was so thankful. I have seen him since and he never hesitates to greet me with a big smile. All these situations have touched me in such a way. There is so much struggle here.
But, on a brighter note, I taught yesterday and the students were great...they really think that I am funny. We laugh and learn and enjoy each others company. It feels so good to be in a room with all of them.....all 78 of them....!!!!!
Later today I will be visiting Amado...he will be my guide up Mt. Cameroon. I will be talking to him about the materials to bring and the details of the trip. He has been a guide for the mountain for over 20 years. He is a very nice man. I will let you know the details as I receive them. I am planning to do the trek in 2 weeks..I am hoping to leave around noon on a Friday and return Saturday evening. I have run up and down the hill for the past two days. I recall a few years ago taking my running route in Wheaton during the hottest part of the day and repeating to myself...."I am just getting ready to handle the heat of Africa." I have to say that two days ago when I did my first official run down the hill, it was such an incredible feeling...I was actually running on African Land...it has come true...I felt so HAPPY! It was a deep moving moment for me. I have to say that today I can barely walk. My legs are so sore. I am hoping to run again today, but I may need to recover and do it tomorrow...It takes me about 15 -20 minutes to go down and then back up the hill. It is a challenge going up but I know that it will help me to do the mountain when the time arrives.
I hope all is well. I will let you know how the rest of the week proceeds. I am being observed tomorrow so that is always a bit of a stress. My love to all back home. Take care and have a great rest of the week. Love, Nancy~

Monday morning...after a busy weekend!

Good morning to all...Well, another Monday morning...I can not believe how time is flying here....Never a dull moment here. This past weekend was an eventful one. I did some work on Saturday and went out a bit at night. Sunday was full of events. The students at the high school do a thanksgiving celebration and yesteday was the day for that. John and I walked to school and arrived at about 9 am. The celebration began. The student choir sang.. ( I have to tell you...they were beautiful....listening to them brought chills to my soul). Then they proceeded to take each"form" (grade level) and they went outside to gather their gifts to present to God. Once they were ready, the choir would begin to sing and the drummer would go crazy on the bongos....the form of students would start dancing in a line and slowly enter the room carrying their gifts. Then, all of a sudden, they would go crazy with their dancing and the whole school began screaming, clapping and shouting....It was an incredible experience....very moving...I tried to capture it on my digital camera...video.....but, you would have to be here to get the full effect. AMAZING, that is all I can say.
The celebration lasted for about 3 hours. After is was over, I traveled back home and prepared to go to Limbe...It is a fishing town right on the Atlantic Ocean. The weather is starting to clear up so I decided to grab the chance and go to a favorite spot of mine---The ocean!
I went with a friend and he helped me with the taxis and buses...oh my...what a trip....the roads...the drivers...the crowded bus...the military men along side of the road....(who, by the way stopped us...) They are always looking for a way to make money off of people traveling...they let us pass..BUT...once again, I forgot to bring my passport. My friend advised me that from now on, I need to bring that with me...I could get into a situation where the military decide to ask me for money since I do not have my passport....I have lucked out 2 times and I should probably carry that with me from here on. I tend to live on the edge....what can I say. Any how....the ocean was beautiful....bath water temperature...beautiful waves....It was refreshing.....after the ocean, we went to dinner at the "Hot-Spot" restaurant that overlooks the ocean...We were there just in time to watch the sunset. The food was amazing....Bah fish from the ocean grilled....as usual...they give you the entire fish....but, they spare you the eyeballs....I am the sloppiest fish eater here...You should see how the Africans eat their fish...perfectly....down to the skeletal part....nothing left...they also eat or I should say, suck the head of the fish.....As I butchered my fish, my african friend had his fish so perfectly eaten....I laughed as he sucked the head of the fish....I took out my camera and just continued to take pictures of the process...it was fun and very educational...! Ha.....Ha......
By the time we left the restaurant, it was dark and rather late....we had to find a taxi and then find a bus to get back....Traveling at night here is always a risk....it can be dangerous due to the roads and the drivers....I sat in this bus....cramped and extremely HOT.....(you think that we have bad humidity in Chicago....come here.....usually 97% humidity.....IT IS HUMID....) So anyway, I am cramped in the back of this bus with about 12 other fellow africans....ok, I am not talking about a Bus-bus...I am talking about a minivan type vehicle....I am beginning to look at traveling in a very different way....it is an eye opener....I arrived home at about 9 pm....I was exhausted.....I slept like a baby.....
I awoke today to a beautiful day....the dry season is approaching....my throat is causing me some trouble....but, I talked to the assistant principle today and he said that it is very common to have some ailments like that when the wet season is leaving and the dry season is beginning.
I was all prepared to start my new unit on Bacteria...and once again....it is delayed for another day. The french teacher wanted to use my period to give her test. My co-operating teacher did not show up to school, so I walked over to his house to see if that was ok....I woke him up....He came to the door looking rather pale. I apologized for waking him and he explained to me that he was suffering from a fever...perhaps Malaria....I felt so bad for him....I wished him a quick recovery and asked him if he would be there tomorrow to watch me teach. He said that perhaps he would make it but, the students seem to feel very comfortable with me....so, we'll see if he shows tomorrow....I just pray that he does not have malaria.....many people get malaria often here......
So, as of today...I am starting my training...I plan to run up and down the main road each day....approximately 2 miles, so as to prepare for my trek up Mt. Cameroon. I am planning to do that in about 2 weeks...I will let you know how the running goes...it is a rather steep road....I hope that my stamina will hold up.....
Hope things are well back home.
Welcome Back Ida...hope you had a wonderful experience in Europe.
Thank you to all the rest of my dear friends that continue to communicate with me...it feels good.....
Take care and I send my love to all. Nancy~

More interesting experiences

Good day everyone...well, things are moving along here. Yesterday, I gave back the midterms to the students....OK...have you ever had to read off 156 African names...wow....what an experience...I apologized at the beginning to the students and told them to forgive me for butchering their names...They were laughing at me as I struggled to read each and everyones name...I even began to laugh...I have the list of these names and I will show you....see how you do in pronunciating them....Any time I came across a Lewis, or Larry...I rejoiced....there is no such thing as John Smith...they have about 3 different names. An example would be Nabanga Njemo Elevis. Elevis is the first name, Njemo is the family name and Nabanga is the tribe name. Each person has a particular name that shows what tribe and location they are from...This is a slightly easy name...many others were much more difficult to read...!!! It was interesting none the less.
Today I was going to be observed while doing my teaching. The class was to start at 7. Well, the principle has a habit of talking and talking to the students on Friday mornings. The students have devotion at 6 am and then the principle lines them up outside and gives them a lecture about whatever is on his mind for that day. Well, today...he decided to talk to them until 7:40! The students had to stand in line for over an hour and a half. My cooperating teacher showed up at about 7 :25 and he decided that we should just skip class today. So my teaching was postponed today. My supervisor showed up at 7:45 and I had to tell her the dilemma...never a dull moment here in Cameroon. So, the students ended up just sitting in their classroom without being taught.
Now, I am just writing to you before I begin my weekend. I am hoping to visit Limbe this weekend to see the ocean. The weather is trying to clear up. On Sunday, the students are doing a special thanksgiving day feast, so John and I will be visiting there. It should be a nice event. The students are absolutely wonderful.
I hope all is well back home. I am sure that Halloween decor is taking over the streets...chilly weather is in the air, I bet. I hope all is well and I send my love.
Thank you Trish for your sentiments....not sure who the culprit was with the phone!
I look forward to sharing all my rather interesting stories....
Nancy~

A slight delay in the Midterm!

Good day to all. It is a nice day today unlike yesterday. I awoke yesterday to a terrential downpour and I had to get to school by 8:45 to give the midterm exam. Well, needless to say, I ran to the roadside to catch a taxi and by the time I arrived to Baptist High School, I was drenched...it was cold and wet....I come to find out that a phone charger was found in the dorms and a school search was in progress in order to find the culprit...in the meantime, they had cancelled classes and did not feed the students...so there were students roaming all about the premises. I sat and waited to see if things would change...Victor and I sat and talked about many things as we waited to give the midterm to the students...By 12:30, we went ahead and gave them the midterm....a bit crazy here sometimes!
After a long day there...I traveled back home to change and begin grading the midterms...I told Victor that I would have them done by today....NO WAY....it takes so long to grade 156 papers. I have one class finished and am hoping to get the next class done today.
As I travel up and down the road from home and back...I always encounter the most unusual situations....I come home and share my stories with John and he just laughs. Well, on Sunday as I left the internet..I began my journey back up the mountain road. A lady and her cousin came up to me and told me how much they loved me and how they want to be a friend to me. They gave me their cell phone numbers and invited me to their house for a meal. They were nice. Then, after that encounter, I came upon a man who told me that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me....ha! We talked and I tried to tell him that there was no way that would happen...He saw me today from across the street and yelled my name and wants me to visit him at work....Crazy place! After I talked with him, I ran into another man that talked to me about God...it was interesting....After the sermon, I was nearing home and from around a corner came a young boy who ran up to me and hugged me so tightly. His name is Clinton. He is absolutely adorable....I have been giving him suckers and he is so happy! So, now each day he runs to see me when I return home....
My walks each day are eventful...but, it makes things rather interesting. I am starting a new unit this week on Bacteria...so I have some lesson planning to do...Hope all is well back home and I look forward to writing again later in the week. Take care and my love to all. Nancy~

Current Happenings as of late

Good day to all. It is a relaxing Sunday afternoon and I have traveled to the internet to check in. It has been a very busy past couple of days. Thursday I had school and reviewed with the students on the material for the midterm. I have been a bit distracted the past few days and was not able to answer a few of their questions. I should of known the answers... I felt so ridiculous and my teacher said nothing about it. I just wonder what he is thinking. Well, you learn by your mistakes. Thursday night I stayed up very late and prepared about 70 questions for a competition in the class on Friday. I awoke early on Friday and walked to school. When I arrived there was so much chaos. I was not sure what was happening. I went into my first classroom and began the lesson. My teacher never showed up. I did both classes and they thoroughly enjoyed the game..I do not think they do much of that here....After leaving the school, I came to find out that there was no school for the day due to Ramadan. I was the only teacher there....no wonder the students were acting so strange when I was there...The way it works here is if there is no school, the teachers do not show up but the students still need to be in their classrooms...so, being the foreigner...I thought there was class....Ha!
Friday late afternoon, I went with a very special friend to his church meeting. They were discussing the readings for Sunday services and they read it in "Pidgin." It is a form of English comparable to how the slaves in America talked....It is impossible to read and there is no way an English speaking person would even know what the person speaking pidgin was saying...It was rather interesting. I recall Asher having to read a book for school that had a lot of pidgin in it and we both struggled to understand it...
Saturday, I had another friend from the town of Yaounde come to visit me. He is a journalist that I met when visiting the village a few weeks ago. We went to the school to visit the students because it was parent visitation day. We talked to the students and it was a wonderful time. The students are so sweet....After that, we planned the evening and went out for an incredible dinner and went to here a band. It was myself, Jean Pierre (the journalist) and his friend Bertraud. They are very classy men and treated me like a queen the whole night. We were dancing at a French alliance club and I was the only white person there. Both of my friends danced with me for quite some time....boy, do they like to dance...it was such a fantastic night....
So, needless to say, I am a bit tired today. But, this coming week looks to be slow. The students are taking the test tomorrow and I will have to grade about 150 tests. I am hoping that they know the information because is will be a reflection on how my teaching abilities are. Keep your fingers crossed that they prove to be learning from me...despite the "funny" way that I talk. Hope all is well back in the states...enjoy and I will keep in touch. My love to all, Nancy~

Alittle accident!

Hi to all...yes, I am actually writing again to you ....I have the day off today and am waiting for a friend at the internet and thought I would quickly write to you. After I left the internet yesterday, I met John over at a friends house. Abob is his name. He is a DJ at a Hotel down the street. We have become friends with his family. His mother, Clara, is the sweetest lady...She is always asking when we will come to visit. So yesterday we went to their house and Abob, Clara, and the house girl all made a dinner for us. They presented yams and cow meat. The yams are grown in their front yard. They brought the food to John and I and then they went into another room. I was thinking that they would sit and eat with us...NOPE....just John and I sitting in their living room with two incredibly LARGE bowls of yams and cow meat! Well, I do not eat cow meat...so I proceeded to eat the yams and John ate the cow meat. There was so much food, and Clara kept shouting from the other room...."EAT, EAT!" After 35 minutes of sitting at the table trying to eat all the enormous amounts of food...Clara came in and put more food on my plate, along with the cow meat. I tried to explain to her that I do not eat meat...she did not care....So, after she left again...I snuck the food over to Abob and told him that he needed to take it. Ha....what a dinner event.
Then we needed to get back home...it was around 7 pm. OK, you do not understand how dark it gets here at night....really dark! No street lights or anything. So, John and I are going to cross the street and a taxi was coming so I decided to sprint across, TOTALLY forgetting that they have a deep trench along side of the sidewalk....well, my luck has it....I fall right into the trench...I thought I broke my knee....John was shocked that I did not break anything...I could barely walk on it. He wanted to take a taxi and I decided to walk in hopes that it would subside. By the time we walked about 2 miles back home, my knee had a huge lump on it....it was throbbing. I put some frozen tomato sauce on it because they do not have ice here.
But, I have to say that I awoke today and it feels much better...a bit sore, but not too much bruising....another adventure. I actually had a laugh about it today....so, all is good.
Have a great day and I hope to write by the end of the week. We are prepping the students for the midterm test next week. Love to all, Nancy~

Beginning to feel like "home"

Bon jour to all! I have been very busy over the last several days and have not had a chance to get to the computers...But, I have to say that I am feeling so much more at home here. I have developed some friendships and it is so rewarding. I feel very loved here. Last Thursday I was all prepared to teach and get observed by my supervisor. I visited the internet prior to class and lucky for me I saw John there. He informed me that there was no school for that day or on Friday. Thursday was "spiritual" day for the students. Friday was teachers day. John and I had special shirts hand made and we went to an all day celebration. The africans love to have celebrations. I went to the school at 10 on Friday and began the celebration. That ended at about 3:30 and then all the teachers went out to a restaurant and ate and drank. It was a blast!!!!!! Except for the bathroom facilities at the restaurant which consisted of a cement slab that you relieved yourself on!!!! It was extremely rainy and chilly on Friday and then to have to go the washroom on a cement slab....rather interesting...I am becoming so adaptable...Ha...Ha.....I met my cooperating teachers wife..She is so kind. She is expecting a child in April. They have a daughter that is 5 years old. They did have a son, but he died at about the age of 1 1/2. SO SAD!
On Saturday, I went with a friend out to the town of Limbe which is along the Atlantic Ocean. We went to the botanical gardens and ate at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. I was in Heaven! I think that I am meant to be by the ocean...it felt so wonderful...We took public transportation...which also was an experience....military people are at the sides of the road and they randomly stop vehicles...they stopped our vehicle both there and back to Buea and of course...I forgot my PASSPORT!!!! That could be a big problem....both times the military looked in our vehicle and gave me the big, long stare....but they let us go...!!! I was a bit nervous...but all turned out ok...
Sunday, I was invited to go to the Baptist church with my teacher and his wife. It was a very nice morning. The people were so gracious to me. After the service, we went back to their house and they made me lunch. They live on the school grounds....very humble home but very welcoming. After the meal of rice and fish...we walked to the downtown area and had some beers! Victor told me how impressed he is with how much the students miss me when I am not there....I am telling you...I feel so loved!!!!! This is truly an amazing experience which will be in my heart and soul for the rest of my days here on earth.
I went to teach today and was observed by my supervisor. She liked my lesson and gave me some suggestions on how to improve in certain areas....I was not that happy with my teaching today...78 students in a classroom is a rather challenging environment. Luckily, the students are so sweet and respectful. I love them!!!! After the classes, Victor and I looked over a midterm test that he prepared and he wanted me to help with the usage of proper English. The rest of the week is review and the midterm will be next Monday.
As for the weather...the rain is still amidst us and I keep asking everyone when it will subside. They are trying to reassure me that the dry season is on its way...I would like that...but I am embracing every moment here...even the challenging ones....each day is definitely an adventure!!!!
I have gotten a cell phone and if anyone has a desire to call...do not hesitate...the number is
237-79-96-61-34
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO VICKI
HELLO TO ALL BACK HOME
I MISS YOU ALL
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR REPLIES
LOVE TO ALL
Nancy~

Back to school!

Hello....I went back to teach today after being gone for a few days. I talked with Victor (my cooperating teacher) before class began and he told me how much the students had missed me and they were concerned that I would not come back. He reassured them that I would be here for the next couple of months....It felt so good to know that they felt that way. Victor also told me that he missed me...ha....! I feel so loved...ha..ha....Well, I went in to teach and things went alright until I put a word on the board and totally mispelled it and a girl in the back of the room was trying to correct me but I just could not understand her.....It was very ackward...then I realized what I had done and went to correct it and I mispelled it again..........(I am not even sure if I am spelling mispelled correctly...) I just could not believe it...I was so embaressed...I left that class to go to the next one and I told Victor how stupid that was...He reassured me and said that those things happen...I was bound and determined NOT to make the same mistake in the next class....and guess what?????? I DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do not know what the problem with me was....After class, Victor said that I seemed a bit lost today...he said that I was away to long......mmmmmm....well, it was ok. We learn by our mistakes. Victor has invited me to go to his baptist church on Sunday...I am going and will be curious to see how it differs from the catholic church down the street.
There is a lady around the corner from where I live and I always go past her house (actually it is more like a shack) to go to school. The other day she, Regine, said to me that she had a gift for me. She brought out a big bunch of bananas. I thanked her and thought how nice that was for her to do that. I am sure it is not easy for her to purchase such items. A couple of days later I brought over one of my necklaces that I brought with me from home. I put it on her neck..You would of thought that I gave her a million dollars...she kept saying Thank you...Thank you...Thank you....she is so sweet......those types of things are what truly make you smile :)
I will let you know how the rest of the week progresses....Love to all...Nancy~
ps thank you Patty..my dear sister for the message...I miss you very much and love you...

Back from the village of "Lewoh"

I have arrived back to the city of Buea after visiting a beautiful village called Lewoh. Well, where do I begin????? Well, I will start at the beginning.....ha....Thursday morning I woke at 4 am to a terrential downpour and NO electricity...the canadians arrived at the house at 5...we began to pack up a truck and a van with supplies while holding our karosene lamps....we finally hit the road close to 6 am....As we traveled, we occasionally stopped at the roadside to pick up bananas, bread, potatoes and even HENS....the roads were amazingly crazy when we got closer into the town...the vegetation and the land was breathtaking.....so beautiful...and the winding roads and the huge potholes.....wow.....well, we finally made it to the house at about 1 pm....and we had to hurry and clean up so we could go to the school that the canadians have built for the town....the press came with. As we arrived at the school, Prof Tambo addressed the children and they were given several computers (used of course) then the press interviewed the Prof and Captain Smith, who is the founder of the International Childrens Awareness Organization. He and a variety of volunteers have done many projects in this town to help make it a better place. The students then made us lunch....we had to quickly eat lunch and down the huge beers that they gave us to go and attend an installation of the mayor of the town....
We attended the installation and then went back to the mayors house for a huge gathering...it was very interesting and a bit ackward...but, an experience none the less.....I at least had a couple of canadians there to talk with.....
The following day..John and I and the enterage of the press came with us as we toured different schools...we first went to a catholic elementary school.....I have to tell you....I felt like Angelina Jolie....the kids went crazy on the two of us.....It was an amazing experience and one that I will never forget.....I took pictures....I sure hope they turn out....they will never capture the feeling that was there that day....there was actually a first grade class that was sitting in their open aired room with no teacher....they had no teacher for the day...so they were just sitting in the classroom hanging out....do you believe that....??????
John and I were on such a "high" after that.....I just can not describe it....they are such beautiful children.....I wanted to take them all home with me....!!!!!! We then left and went to two high schools and talked to the principals and such...the press was videotaping our whole day....it was something....Then at about noon....the press decided that they needed a break so we went to a bar....they all got beers and sat and drank for about 2 hours....John and I ended up talking to a man from the town and he took us to a local artist and we visited him and bought some of his stuff....he was fun to talk with.....
Then....believe it or not...we went and sat with a chief in another bar and drank...actually I should say that I did not drink any alcohol but I can not say the same for John....(the non-drinker) He drank at every place that we stopped at....needless to say...he was rather intoxicated....we had a blast!!!!! The people in this village are sooooooo nice and friendly and welcoming to us....they loved us.....it was a highlight day for me.....
We came back today....the roads were a wreck due to a lot of rain the past two days...and there were some roadblocks, so we had to find back roads.....wow...what an adventure.....When I got back home today....at about 1:30...I could not wait to get into a shower....4 DAYS!!!! without showering.....Gross....GROSS...GROSS!!!!!
I decided that I needed to come to the internet and share my stories with all of you....I was escorted by two men....one man that I met at the beginning of my trip..Ebob....He is so sweet and then another man that joined us and wanted to meet for lunch this week.....hey girls....no shortage of men asking women out here......!!! But, anyway I had a wonderful trip and it was something that I shall never forget.....
I hope everyone is well at home....Suzanne, I am so glad to hear from you and even more happy to know that you are well....I am thinking of you and I miss you also...very much.....
"Honey" ...I have you in my thoughts daily and am glad to know that you can get on my blog....you are still my "honey" I also want to say Happy Birthday now...I know that I am alittle early but I want to make sure that I do not forget....have a great time...enjoy.....xoxoxoxo
Cheryl...thank you for your generous thoughts....I am not sure of the address but I will get one for you....hope you are well and I look forward to seeing you soon...and so does my hair...lol.....
Marzita.....thanks once again for your support and encouragement......I will definitely have a "Out of Africa" party and I will be able to share my experiences and my pictures with all of the dear people in my life.....take care of yourself and I will wait to hear from you again...thank you as always.
I had better move on and do some school work. This week is the week that I take over the class for the next seven weeks.....wish me luck.....miss you all....I am thinking of you, Asher...and know that time will pass and all will be good! I look forward to our day together....YOU and ME!!!! It will be fantastic for both of us....know that I love you always and I have your back buddy-boy.....!!! Hang in there.....I send my love to all......talk later in the week...enjoy....!! Nancy~

Almost 5 weeks in Buea, Cameroon!!

Good morning and bon jour...what a beautiful language French is...I would love to learn how to speak it...well, I wanted to fit in a few words on my blog today and let you know that I will be traveling to a distant village tomorrow until late Saturday. We will be leaving early tomorrow morning and will travel for about 6 hours on challenging roads...(you could never imagine in your wildest dreams the condition of some of the roads here....pretty WILD!!) We are traveling with a group of Canadians that have been working hard on helping out this village with supplies, water, etc. It will be interesting to talk with these people and find out all about their mission. I hope to make some contacts....you never know how it might help in the future.
Well five weeks here have almost come and gone...in a way, the time has flown by, but in other ways, it seems like I have been away from home for such a very long time. Someone asked me the other day what food I eat at home....I really had to think about what my breakfast, lunch, and dinners have consisted of....it is a strange feeling to be so lonely and at the same time so disconnected from all the familiarities and comforts that I have back in the states. I have learned a lot here....I have some very interesting stories...I hope to also have some incredible pictures that tell of my experiences here....People laugh at me because I have my camera with me at all times and am anxious to take a picture of the most odd things...(odd to the africans, but not to me). Not all of the people are happy about having their pictures taken....
Tonight we are having a big dinner for the canadians...then off to the village early tomorrow...
I wanted to keep in touch and will let you know how this trip turns out...I hope to write on Sunday.
Celeneeeeeeeeeee..........so good to hear from you.I have a big smile on my face right this instant. I hope that you had a wonderful, relaxing time in Florida.....a much deserved break for you....My hair is a bit crazy...not too bad....I do not need to fuss with it at all...and marriage proposals...none yet....one could possibly be brewing.....Ha Ha.......there are a lot of insects everywhere but nothing too bad as of yet. Thank you so much for writing...I hope to hear from you more often...I miss the girls and I want to say "Happy Birthday to Nancy Witt" ...you have now entered a new chapter in your life......the 50's ....you go girl...!!!!
Marzita....you make my day every time I receive a message from you.....thank you for the imagery idea....what a great idea....the challenges here are rather difficult at times...but I know that I can handle it and it will prove to be so worthwhile in the end....once I leave here, I am sure that there will be many things I miss....you never know what you really miss until you are away from it...thank you for being so diligent in responding....it means more to me than you know....
I hope all is well and everyone is having a good fall.....I will write on Sunday....take care and enjoy!! Nancy~

Progress in the classroom

Hello. I had another day of teaching yesterday and it went really well. I had to draw some diagrams on the board and after the class my cooperating teacher told me how nice my drawings were...I will not question him. The students are fairly attentive and they ask a lot of questions. In my one class, I have a group of boys that I believe will keep me on my toes....they will definitely be a challenge to me. I have decided that if any of the students misbehave, instead of having them leave the room, I will have them come up to the front of the classroom and sit on the floor to take their notes....I hope that will be an effective way to discipline. I do not like the idea of kicking them out of class...I would rather have them in there...hopefully, learning something...The students are very smart and they have picked up a lot of the material rather quickly. Victor, my cooperating teacher feels that they are getting used to me and they feel much more comfortable. I am going to try to learn names but it will be hard. Some of the students have english names but not all of them. We'll see how that goes.
My trip to the "village" may be cancelled due to some complications...but time will tell. If there is no trip, John and I have decided to go do something adventurous...it is a bit hard at this time due to the rainy season still upon us....that will start to fade pretty soon.
We have 3 new hens sitting in the back of the house waiting to be killed and cooked. Rather interesting...but, I will not partake in the consumption of the dear hens. That will be left to John!
I have been here almost 5 weeks...the time has moved quicker than I thought it would, but I still get homesick a lot. Hope all is well. I would love to hear from all of you....take care and be well. Nancy~

Friday and what an eventful one

Good morning...I have to say that this week has been quite eventful and stressful at the same time...I was suppose to teach just this last Monday. Then I found out that the professor through my program was coming into town for this past Fridays class.. I found out last Thursday that I had to plan a lesson and teach Friday morning.....YIKES>....I was a bit nervous...I ran home on Thursday and spent time planning...When Friday arrived, Prof Tambo was there to watch...he is hightly respected in the education world. I made a few mistakes in my lesson....and a student actually pointed out 1 mistake to me....I told her...thank you very much and then I corrected it. After the class, we had a meeting to discuss my progress. The prof was so kind and said very positive things....he liked the fact that I thanked the student for pointing out my mistake....I guess I did something right....actually, it went well and he had some good advice on some things....I was quite relieved when it was over.
After that, we went to watch the mayor of the town get installed into his position...what a major event that was for the town. I took some interesting pictures of the dancing and all the festivities...it was a sight.
This next week, we are planning to go and visit a "village" which will be totally different from the town I currently live in. I will have to let you know how that trip unfolds....hope all is well and everyone is doing well...miss you all and my love to each and every one of you. Nancy~

Home-sickness has arrived

Good morning to everyone. I have to say that the past 24 hours have been filled with depths of home sickness. I can not pinpoint the exact catalyst that brought me to this place. But, I have been a bit blue. I am fortunate that my three dear children have all contacted me and have given me great support and they know how important this experience is for me and my future. I realize that many doors will open for me after this transforming experience. I do miss so many things back home....I miss my beautiful city...chicago....I realize what a chicago-junkie I am and I look forward to walking those streets of that beautiful city when I arrive back home. I struggle with the cultural differences here. I know that I will survive the school that I am teaching in despite the teaching styles and obviously, the disciplinary measures that are used. These are all incredible growing experiences that many will never have in their lifetime. When I reflect on those particular dynamics, I thank God for sending me here. He has a plan and Africa, I believe, is part of it.
I thank my dear, dear friend, Trish, for your words and knowing that they come from a "seasoned" teacher, makes them even more powerful in their content. While reading your comment, I laughed but I also felt my confidence rise up! I know that I can handle situations here. I have learned about myself. I have come to know my flexiblity and realize that I have an open mind. I am quite adaptable. All these things come in handy when in Africa. Thank you Trish for being an incredible friend. I am so very lucky to have you in my life.
I hope to continue to embrace this God Given opportunity and deal with the homesickness. I thank all of you for keeping me in your thoughts. Have a wonderful day....! Nancy~

First class under my belt....!!!!

Hello everyone. Well, what can I say. I was a bundle of nerves this morning walking to class thinking of how my first teaching experience here would be. I spoke with my teacher before hand and he looked over my lesson plans. He gave me the thumbs up. I went into the first class of curious students. I began by telling them that I know how funny I speak (of course, they all laughed) and I will try to speak slowly and clearly. I encouraged them to ask questions especially if they are unable to understand me. I also explained to them, that it is difficult for me to understand them. Once we accomplished that, I proceeded with my lesson. I have to say that I was somewhat surprised at how comfortable I felt. All these african faces looking at my every move. I felt good! I made a handout for them, made 156 copies at the copier (that alone was a major feat!) and passed them out. The students did not know what to do with it. I explained to them how it can be useful. After the class, I asked them if they found it helpful to have an outline and they all nodded "yes". Victor could not believe that I paid money to have the copies made...he was rather surprised. They do not have any such thing here for the students. All they have is their notebook and the words that they write in there....that is it!!!! At the end of the lesson, I asked them to guess how many cells are in a grown human being...they had such fun guessing....100,000,000 cells for all of you that did not know that cool fact. I gave a few pieces of candy to the student that came the closest. It was a hit....!!! I did struggle with the chalk and the chalkboard. The chalk kept breaking into pieces and my chalkboard looked like a war zone...it was a bit out of hand...I ended up writing so many of the words that the students did not understand...I have to work on my chalkboard management....and also my classroom management. The kids were rather well behaved but you have to understand that they are extremely strict with these students. Victor talked to me after class about how critical it is to maintain a strict environment due to the large numbers in the classroom. They do corporal punishment here and I am struggling with that. But, overall, Victor had many positive things to say about my first class experience. His criticisms will help me. You learn by your mistakes. I feel better now that I have been in front of them. That anxiety can now leave me. I am quite exhausted today...I think that my nerves took over and I did not sleep well last night....but, next Monday I will have another chance to teach. I will be teaching about viruses...It is a rather interesting topic...I am excited about the topics that I will be teaching...it is all rather fascinating.
Thank you Jakob for your love and all your supportive words. I love you so very much and know that you believe in me just as I do in you. Hope your first day went well also. Call me anytime....I always love to hear your voice....say hi to all at Princeton....And Mica...wow, hope you had a wonderful time in Italy...I can't wait to hear all about it. Thank you for your thoughts also. It feels so good to know that people are thinking of me while I am so far away from all my familiar surroundings...Hope things go well back in Chicago. When I get back we have to catch up...I am sure we will have a lot to talk about. Last but certainly not least, David and Julie..so great to receive a post from you. I appreciate all words and you just can't imagine the BIG smile that comes across my face when I read what you have written. It totally makes my day to hear from loved ones....I get so homesick sometimes and just reading these words makes all the difference in the world. I love you all and hope all is well with ALL of you. Keep the comments coming, even just to say hi....it feels soooooooo good. Well, my time is running out here...it took me about 20 minutes just to get on this website. My love and thoughts are extended to each and everyone of you....Thank you for your continual support. Nancy~

Saturday here in Buea

Good morning to all of you. It is 11:30 here...you are all still sleeping(5:30 your time..) It is another rainy day but I have to say that sunny days have been happening more often. I sat out-side the other day for about 10 minutes...just relaxing and the next day I woke up with a red face...not too bad but enough to remind me about the sunscreen (thank you Cheryl for being so concerned about me- you are a sweetheart!)
I will teach my first lesson Monday morning. I got the class list from "Victor", my co-operating teacher...very nice man. I have 78 kids in each class....156 kids total. My goal is to get to know all their names..not sure if that will happen. There is not a lot of interaction between the students and the teachers. I hope to make that a bit different for my students. I plan to have "office" hours after certain classes...in case they have questions. It is hard to understand them, even though they speak english. I will have to remind them to speak slower so I can understand them.
Thank you Marzita, again for the insightful and beautiful words. Cheryl, the thought of the girl scout troop sending stuff here is a wonderful and generous idea. Keep me posted. If you decide to do that, I can give you an address to send it to. It takes about 6 weeks to have packages arrive here...sometimes they arrive and sometimes they don't. You have to take a chance with it. I believe that Johns school is sending stuff too!! I am sure that they would appreciate any donations.
Most of the clothes people buy here are the clothes that we in the states get rid of. I walked the other day with a group of ladies...they called me from across the street...."White Man" ..they were talking to me. I went across and walked and talked with them. They were so curious about me and where I was from. I had jeans and a t shirt on and they told me how classy I looked....Ha...Ha... I took the compliment. We walked past a market with clothes and the one lady said to me,"We get all your left overs." I said to her that I was sorry about that and she replied, "We love it." Different perspectives....TOTALLY!!
Well, hope all is well back home...sounds like fall has arrived. I hope that the Falcons are winning some games...go ASH..!! I hope to tell you more after this week of standing in front of the kids. Thanks again for all your support. Miss all. Love to all. Nancy~

My game plan!!!!!

OK everyone...I have decided to save myself intense frustration. I will try to blog to all every few days. The interent connection here is absolutely painstaking...I sit and watch the paint dry while I wait to get a connection. I will try my best but there are no guarantees.
I was very excited yesterday because it was a beautiful day out, the sun was shining, a blue sky, and a very comfortable temperature accompanied by a slight breeze...I sat outside for a few minutes and realized how powerful that sun is so close to the equator...It was 4:30 in the afternoon and the sun had great heat....it felt good though.
I go back to class tomorrow and start focusing in on what to teach the kids....it is a bit challenging due to no resources, only a chalkboard and chalk....with 70 some kids....mmmmmm.....I am trying to create some interesting lessons for them. The method of teaching at Baptist High School is mainly lecture...I want to change that up a bit. They are incredibly strict with the kids here....John watched his class yesterday and a boy got in trouble and the teacher put an eraser full of chalk dust on his head! Needless to say, he had a head of white hair....
I want to say thank you to my fellow classmates for all the support and concern for me here in Buea. I miss all of you and wish I could be at the seminars to enjoy your company once again.....We will have to all get together when done with student teaching...know that I am thinking of all of you and wish you the best!
Ty, as far as more catholic masses....I thank you for the invite....but I think I will pass....LOL.....!
Good luck Ash with football this weekend...do good....score one for me sweets.....xoxoxoxoxo
And to all my dear friends whom I have not mentioned....I miss you all....I will have an African Party when I get back so I can recreate my life here....
I hope to send another message by the end of the week...until then.....good day...Nancy~

Monday, Monday

Good day to all of you. Well, I have just entered the second week here at Baptist High School. I have come to the realization that I actually have a class size of about 72 kids in two different classrooms...This will prove to be a bit of a challenge. I hope that I am capable of educating these young minds. I will be teaching about viruses, bacterica, fungus, algae (which they pronounce al-gay). It will be interesting.
I went to a catholic mass yesterday. I did not understand much of what the priest said and it was a rather large congregation with one white woman amongst them...ME.....!!! They rely a lot on prayer and Gods guidance...
We are still having a lot of rainfall. It is incredibly foggy out today. I believe that we will go to visit the capitol of Cameroon over the weekend...Yaounde (yow- as in wow -un-day). Perhaps I can find some fun souveniers...I have had no luck yet here in Buea.
I hope all is well and the Bears are winning...enjoy the beautiful fall. I do miss the turning of the leaves and the fall fresh air...
My love to all. Nancy~

first week of school is over

hello to all..well, the first week of observations has ended...i am a bit overwelmed by the number of students in the classroom. there are 60 kids in each class...i am not sure how i will be able to teach that many....i will have to be very creative....any suggestions from my readers.....sorry my shift key does not work...i have met some nice people. i met a older woman today that studied in oklahoma...she is in charge of a prison...she was very kind and would love to sit and talk with me. i have also met a very educated man at the internet cafe that does a lot of work with the states ...his latest product development is working on bottled water for cameroon. i see a lot of the same faces when i go to the internet cafe....
next week i will be continuing observations of the freshman biology classes...and after that week, i believe that i will start taking over the classroom....i am a bit intimidated....keep your fingers crossed for me....
thank you ash-man for the wonderful post...i love you so much...infinities, infinities and beyonds.....tears rolled down my cheeks when i read your message...you are always in my thoughts and my heart.....please stay in touch.
well, lastly, i think i got my first mosquito bite....hope nothing evolves from that...malaria is very prevalent here. i would appreciate any prayers for my contiuned safety while here in cameroon.
i miss all of you and hope that things are well with everyone...i will be visiting the market tomorrow and try to find some unique african items...not sure what i will find....i will let you know what treasures lie there.....love to all...enjoy your weekend......ps asher, good luck in your football game...know that i am there in spirit....always.........nancy

First day of school

Good day and hope you are all enjoying Labor Day. I on the other hand began the morning at 4 am. I was quite anxious to start school today...yes, today was the first day of student teaching. I left the house at 6:30 and took a long walk to school. When I arrived there, all the students were lined up outside getting a lecture from the principal. 800 students lined up perfectly, not moving a finger and listening to the principal talk to them about behaving and doing the best work possible. I then proceeded to talk to my teachers and went to observe some classes. The students stood up when I came into the room and greeted me in unison. They are adorable. It shall be a very interesting experience. They do things quite different than in Chicago. There are about 60 students to a class. It is rather crowded.
Hope all is well back home. We are in the midst of the rainy season....and I mean rainy season. But, the Cameroonians promise me that by the end of September, the sun will shine all over the sky. It would be nice to see my beloved sun.....(you all know how much I love the sun!!!!)
It has taken me a long time to produce this message today...the computers are extremely slow...so I will say goodbye for now and would love and welcome any comments...it is so fun to hear from you. miss all and love to all . Nancy~

Rainy days, crazy markets, so on and so forth

Hi to all. I was not able to come to the internet cafe yesterday. I spent the morning with "Sir Kevin" (his name is Bumsa,but he likes to be called Kevin and I have decided that I like to call him Sir Kevin). Kevin is an african man that is 23 years old. He cooks, cleans, goes to the market, fixes things....and on and on and on. He is very sweet. He has a smile exactly like my nephew Lukey....it makes me smile. He took me to the market yesterday....Well, OK...you would never believe this sight. Everyone from everywhere comes here to buy EVERYTHING...I mean EVERYTHING from onions to underwear. It was quite something. They even had a cage full of LIVE hens for sale. I also saw some dead thing in a cart that had hooves still on it...(sorry if I am grossing out anyone...but, hey I am a vegetarian and I had to look at it first hand...if I have to suffer so do my readers.
Then in the afternoon I actually dozed off to sleep...very unlike me....it is not like I am not getting enough rest....Kevin awoke me from my strange and weird dreams...(which by the way I have been having PLENTY of those each and every night...very strange. My companion John claims that it is stress....John knows all (or at least he thinks he does...) Kevin had prepared a nice lunch for me which included rice, beans, and a cabbage dish which was very tasty but spicy. I will use that recipe back home..it is very good and very healthy. After that I was invited to a meeting with my host mom, Pat. I went to the meeting with her for about 5 hours...believe it or not...but, I was treated to a very interesting meal(same as above, except there was mackeral and some pale looking potatoe type dish. I will find out the name of it in case any of you are interested in making it...LOL.....
Today, once again a monsoon...it started out sunny...John and I are so happy we stumbled upon a Launderette. The lady will do our clothes. You do not understand...they all wash their clothes by hand and then it takes about a week(maybe a very slight exaggeration) to dry...I think I will have my school clothes cleaned and pay the money...it will be worth it. As we were walking to the IC (Internet Cafe), we met a young man that works at Mermoz Hotel. They have live music on the weekends. He took us there and gave us a tour.....very interesting....Look out Four Seasons, you have competition. LeBob was the 24 year olds name. He is planning to come to the U. S. beginning next year. He wants to do electrician work. He was very kind. We will be seeing more of him at the hotel after a week of being in school.
Well, I start at the baptist hs tomorrow. We need to be there by 7 am...I will need to get adjusted to the early mornings once again. No problem, I want to get this started. I will be working with Simon, Victor, Louis, and Hansel. All men....I will let you know how that continues to develop.
Hope everyone is doing well...enjoying the beautiful Fall season back home. Football, sweaters, brandy in hot chocolate for the cool nights....I actually had a dream about tons and tons of doughnuts last night.....I miss a lot of stuff from the states.....I want to say hi to all my friends and family that I so dearly think about all the time...I actually have not changed my watch to African time yet...because I always look at it and think...mmmmmm....wonder what everyone is doing now....It makes for a rather long day....when it is 6pm here and it is noon by all of you...then I fall into Chicago time...I really need to wean myself from that....I do so miss all of you and hope things are well and everyone is doing fine. I will write again as soon as I am able...electricity and speed on the internet was very good today...I can not say that about every day. love to all. Nancy~

I finally figured out this french

Good day to all. I am sitting here by myself at the internet cafe on a day that you can not see past your hands...it is so foggy out. It has been raining for a very long time...all night I heard the patter of rain drops upon the roof, along with the watch dog barking and the rooster...lwho , by the way is STILL alive....No plans for this weekend...we were to go to Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon...but, the plans have changed. I am quite anxious for school to start...the days can be rather long...there is not a lot to do....unless we have the special opportunity to go to the "club" to have a drink...I will show you all the club...you need to be a member to go into the place. Well, I have had my lunch comprised of black beans, potatoes, rice....and as for the rest of the day...probably reading, and working on my meditation skills...this would be a great place to become more disciplined in that area....I am still praying a lot to God....to give me strength to handle the very different lifestyle here....I know that I will grow through these experiences. Thank you Marzita for being such a support to me...I thoroughly enjoy your posts. They give me much inspiration. I would love to hear from any of you....I could use the company...even through words....Love to all...hope all is well back in the states. Nancy~