moving right along...

In some ways it feels like I've just arrived at my post and then I have these reminders that while even though I don't feel the physical effects of the seasons changing here (its Autumn now in the States) there are small reminders to let me know that time is passing.

I've had one of those reminders come in the form of a new Peace Corps Trainee who came to the house this past week. I thought back to the excitement of when I first visited Batie, seeing the house for the first time, having Wendy take me around the village, meeting new people, going to the neighboring city of Bafoussam to go to the market, the bank, etc., it was all so overwhelming at the time. I wasn't used to the Bush Taxi, I wasn't used to the market and bargaining and the aggressiveness of the city. Now here it was, my turn, to show someone new what's now 'my' town. Only three months later and its all feels very natural and normal.

I've planted, I've harvested, from my very own garden. I've gotten a kitty. I've started doing yoga again regularly. I've established a little routine. And if I miss a day down at the carrefour, locals ask me, "where have you been?!".

I've even started on some projects and feel like I'm finally starting to contribute. While walking home from the carrefour, I started counting how many projects I'm working on and I counted up to NINE!

*Books for Cameroon (Lycee Francais de NY has 5 boxes for us!)

*Motormen BEEP YOUR HORN (AIDS/HIV awareness)

*Yoga in Cameroon (branching out to the local community - JadeYoga mats are here!)

*Co-teaching business classes to a local farmers's association w/another volunteer

*Co-teaching business classes w/Cameroonian

*Crochet project with local women (using recycled plastic bags!)

*helping to organize an apiculture class for my neighboring Farmers Association

*investigating collaborating with Solar Sister & another MicroConsignment Model CES to bring solar powered lamps and affordable filters for water

*Partnering with Eyes on Africa to have them send a box of free reading glasses

These are all projects I feel pretty excited about. And many of these projects I wouldn't have started if it wasn't for the internet! That's an interesting topic in and of itself, how internet has changed the Peace Corps experience. Yes, I don't have running water and I have to run outside with a bucket to collect rain water or go to the water pump, but I'm completely connected to the outside world! On the net, I've managed to get in contact with the Lycee Francaise, JadeYoga and Eye on Africa for donations, I've made contact with great people from Solar Sister and CES for potential future collaboration and got my crochet ideas from a girl in Austin who has an inspiring website called bagsbegone.com, and so much more, like a delicious recipe for Carrot Ginger soup which I made tonight, yum.

I have to say, I'm loving my house and village so much, I've become quite the homebody. While I'm hearing all these other volunteers traveling here and there, I've really pretty much stayed in my region and have not had that much of a yearning to travel around yet. Each time I come home, I'm very happy to be living where I'm living. The beautiful mountains, the clean air, the friendly people, and yes, Buster, my at times crazy yet lovable kitty who is found most evenings curled up on my lap. (where he is now)