My Visit to the White House was dirty

Hello from beautiful Yaounde, Cameroon!

I've been in the capital city of this crazy country for the past 2 nights attending what they call "counterpart workshop." It was basically a two day event where we (the Small Enterprise Development volunteers) got to meet the people we will primarily be working with during our 2 year service (called our "counterparts"). Aside from getting sick (I only get sick when I come to this damn city, when we stay in a nice clean, hotel, and eat good food, go figure...) and puking my brains out, it's been great.  I'm over the illness now, and enjoying some FREE internet time at the "Case" (the Volunteer "dorm" at the PC office in Yaounde). You can really see the Peace Corps budget cuts in action here, some of the beds are older than the Peace Corps itself. It's kind of like a frat house, lots of noise, and loudness at all hours (although it is quiet right now). Our, Pat and my (Pat being my roommate and coworker for the next two years) counterparts seem to be great people. They are very excited to have us and it seems like they have plenty for us to do. I was a little nervous they wouldn't be so excited about us coming to replace two of the best volunteers this country has ever seen (seriously). But they are great, and we already started developing a nice friendship (they're in their early thirties, so we get along great). One of them said "Nous sommes ensembles, et nous sommes d'abord freres, apres collegues" meaning, "we are together (a cameroonian saying), and we are first brothers, then coworkers.) Sounds like a great time to me, they said they have much to show us in the big city, where we will be moving in just ten short days.

When we got to Yaounde on Saturday, we made a point to check out the Hilton in town, supposedly one of the nicest hotels in country. It was like being in Miami for the afternoon. I honestly forgot I was in Cameroon. We had some friends staying the night there, and they snuck us into the pool. I ate (a really expensive) pizza, drank a pina colada (or two), and swam in the pool with exotic parrots staring at us from their little cages. We then went up to the very top of the building (the 12th floor) and played pool and watched Lance Armstrong win the Tour de France. It was nice to see civilization again, but it was, in the end, a waste of time and money. I'm sure that a year or so from now, I will be dying to spend a few nights there. (Dad, if you're reading, I've already made reservations, bring your credit card ;) )

I went to the White House last night. I ate fish with my hands, and drank beer with my mouth. The president was quite amused. The white house is actually a restaurant in yaounde (had you fooled, didnt I?) where they serve grilled fish and chicken. Really good food, and a favorite hangout for volunteers. I met some more volunteers who I will be seeing quite often in the West province where I will live. Should be fun...I have a feeling, in fact I know, we will be getting a lot of visitors at our apartment. Being in the provincial capital, and having a guest bedroom, a lot of volunteers will be stopping in to stay there. We will charge a small fee per night, and turn down people we dont like (there are unfriendly people in the Peace Corps, believe it or not, not that many though,). Everyone keeps saying "ooooh, you got that apartment in Bafoussam? It has hot water! I hate you! I hope you like visitors!" It's starting to get really old.

I went to a Cameroonian talent show last week. It was organized by the Cameroonian communty center in our training town, and some of my fellow trainees performed in acts such as: Cross dressed performance of that one song from the movie "Grease", a poetry reading by Stanley (the coolest 79 year old in the world), a salsa perfromance by Richard (aka Ricky Martin), some blues singing, and many more acts. Many of the Cameroonian acts were good, but there was this one group who performed about 6 times throughout the show. Two guys, a girl, and an old synthesizer. Horrible voices, horrible songs. But I was rooting for them because they were getting hissed and yelled at (Cameroonians dont actually say "booo", they just yell and tell you how they really feel). The audience was quite large and very loud.

I've been following the Tour de France. I think it gets more coverage here in Cameroon than it does in the states. Lance Armstrong is the most amazing athlete ever. People here love him, how could you not? 38 years old (or so), he beat cancer, and has won 6 times in a row. Thats amazing, no matter where you watch it from.

It's 12:20am and I'm really tired. Not much sleep in the past few days, and I just used whatever remaining brain power I have winning a game of scrabble. Tomorrow I tour the headquarters office of ADAF-the NGO I will be working with. Bonne nuit.