api-what? and various other things

Woman looking at les equipment pour l'apiCULTURE, or, in other words beekeeping!

My neighboring agro volunteer invited me to a workshop she was organizing with CIPCRE, a Catholic Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that helps mostly rural Cameroonians by offering different types of workshops like environment & composting, HIV/AIDS prevention and income generating workshops like beekeeping.

I always enjoy learning something new so I quickly jumped at the chance. Plus it was the first time that I got to join in with a local farming GIC (Income Generating Community). Not sure if I'm going to start a hive in my backyard but it certainly gave me some ideas about introducing CIPCRE to my own community and seeing if they might be interested in supplementing their income with honey. I've already spoken to my community host Victor and he seemed very excited to speak to the farmers in our neighborhood to set up a date. On verrai - we will see. Might also work with Liz's group to see if they might be interested in a tailored business course to help them with basic bookkeeping, accounting, savings, etc. Still feel very intimidated to start these things with my French level but it would be nice to start feeling like I'm doing something concrete.

I've heard various returned Peace Corps Volunteers say that its not really until their second year that they felt that many of their projects got off the ground, I totally see that, specially if you're learning a new language. I've had some French before, many moons ago, but still, to stand up in a whole room full of people and hold a two hour business class?? Intimidating.

I'm also in the midst of translating my yoga class into french since the yoga mats will be arriving any week now. (Hurray!) But the thought of leading a yoga class en Francais? Tres, very, intimidating! I guess you have to start somewhere though. My thought is to transcribe the class, then translate it into french, record it, then try to follow it for the next few weeks to get used to hearing it in French and learning the different body parts. I always wished I was a better student, especially at times like these. Problem was I was never very good at sitting down and memorizing.

Meanwhile I am trying to develop my cooking abilities to make up for what we don't have here. I have boiling behind me a mixture of soy beans and water and am trying my luck at making soy milk with my new blender (exciting new purchase!). Attempt #1 was a total disaster, I couldn't find the directions and didn't cook the beans. Result? Not good. Lets just say the cat would even touch it. Not that that says much. How did I happen to have the most finicky cat in all of Africa? Seems like he'd rather starve then eat the dry cat food that I give him - or any of my own cooking for that matter. Ne mange pas, if its not an avocado or smoked fish. Maybe its the smoked fish I've introduced him to that has got his taste buds attuned to nothing but fish will do. I don't know but sometimes I'll do anything to stop hearing him cry or beg and jump onto my lap or table when I'm eating.

Okay, now the results of soy milk batch #2! Not bad, not bad at all.