Round Two isn't quite like Round One!

As I discussed in my last post, my month-long vacation in America was pretty incredible. I spent some much-needed time catching up with friends and family, which I really enjoyed. But I also spent a not-insignificant amount of time simply astounded by various aspects of life back home. Smooth roads! Pizza delivery! 24-hour pharmacies! Credit cards! There are so many parts of American that I didn’t even think to miss during my first year in Cameroon, but found myself astounded by. As my trip grew to a close, I started to worry. Could I really come back to Cameroon and say another yearlong good-bye to all of the wonderful parts of life in America?

            So far, it’s looking like I can. I’ve been back in Cameroon for nearly a week now, and I’m happy to report that things have been going well. In some ways, I think that returning to Cameroon in some ways validated my level of confidence and familiarity here. I returned to Cameroon a week ago over a year after I first arrived with 54 other trainees, and it felt different in so many ways.

            This time around, the drive between the airport and the city of Yaoundé wasn’t nearly as terrifying. I was confident that we wouldn’t hit any of the dogs that were crossing the street at random, and driving through the Yaoundé outskirts in the middle of the night felt…almost normal. I spent a few days in Yaoundé trying to get over my jet lag, (turns out that taking two consecutive red-eye flights isn’t conducive to an easy transition between time zones) and I was surprised by how normal it felt to be back. I ate a spaghetti omelet, hit up a Cameroonian grocery store, and even remained calm when the cashier informed me that she didn’t have any of the necessary change to give me after my purchase. It turns out that a month away from Cameroon was, in many ways, exactly what I needed.

Side note: Getting change is a near-constant problem in Cameroon. Banks usually distribute 5,000 and 10,000CFA notes (about $10 and $20, respectively), and many daily purchases are for less than 1,000 francs. Vendors are always “begging” other nearby merchants to make change for them, and I’ve been unable to make purchases because I didn’t have a small enough denomination. One of the days in America, I tried to buy some apple cider doughnuts(!) for $6. I only had a $20, and I apologized as I handed over the bill. She looked at me like I was a little crazy and said it wasn’t a problem at all. Of course. Thanks, Cameroon.

            After my time in Yaoundé, it was time to head back to Bamenda. I had two heavy suitcases and was a little worried about the logistics of getting everything back. But as they say: “Cameroon, where nothing works but every works out” and I didn’t have any problems. I “depoted” (hired the whole car) a taxi, who brought my straight to the bus station and even guarded my bags while I bought my ticket. After a casual seven and a half hour ride, we arrived safely in Bamenda. I was able to convince the driver to let me off within walking distance of my house, and as luck would have it, one of my favorite taxi drivers was just pulling in. He loaded my suitcases into his trunk and we headed straight to my house, where he insisted on helping me carry them up into my apartment. Nothing like door-to-door service. After a quick rest, I headed out to greet some nearby friends. I didn’t pass too many on my way, but many of them greeted me enthusiastically and expressed how long “I had been missing for”. I explained that I had travelled home, and nearly everybody inquired after the well being of my family.

            When I arrived at my friend Bridget’s house, she nearly ran me through the door as I entered in her enthusiasm. Her husband and daughter were also in the room, and they all greeted me with excitement that rivaled that of my real family back in September. It was incredibly humbling and made me beyond glad that I had decided to return.

            So far, my emotional level hasn’t dipped too far below that. Cameroon isn’t getting under my skin in nearly the same way it did before I left, and I’m hoping that this positive energy sticks around for quite a while. I’ve been realizing that there are also parts of life in Cameroon that I had missed (well, am glad to return to) and that the phrase “not worse, just different” is definitely applicable to my life these days. In many ways, my life in Cameroon and my life in America seem to run in parallel in that they feel entirely separate, but both with their respective advantages.   

           

In a related note, this month marks the beginning of my second year in Cameroon and the halfway point in my service. Both of those are milestones that I’m proud to have reached, and have got me thinking about my goals for the rest of my time here. Per my family’s request, I even have a blog related goal-I’m going to try to take and include more pictures. I’ve been hesitant thus far because picture taking tends to make me feel like a tourist, but I’ll do my best. No pictures for this post, but it is something I’ll strive for.