Resume Builder

I hope all is well back in California; certainly life in Cameroon is going well and I am learning many things about African culture.

I want to share about a skill that I am almost convinced Cameroonians are given at birth.  This skill does not discriminate as I have seen young, old, men, women, and kids all doing it with much ease.  Apparently having the ability to carry anything such as your water buckets, artifacts to sell, wood for cooking, etc. etc. on your head is a very simple task for the inhabitants of my host country.  I know I have seen pictures of this in the past but somehow I had thought it was a lost practice.  Evidently not!

(Ashley Hansen has been in Cameroon over a year)

 


Since I am open to trying new things and because I am wondering if it could be a “resume builder” (LOL) I have made some initial attempts which have not gone too well.  I will continue to try to improve on this skill but for now I am convinced I have the wrong shaped head, heehee.
 

From sub-Saharan Africa with more to learn,

Marco

Arrival & Welcome!

Ok, so I think you all will appreciate my first hours in Cameroon.  No sooner was I leaving the airport and having my first conversation with Fr. Bibi, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Bamenda, when he said “I am going to pull over and get some wine because after such a long time traveling we all need to relax with you.”  Yeah, I thought to myself I like this guy already, LOL!!!

And to make matters even better, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the wine which we were to drink was a really nice wine from the Bordeaux region of France!  I think this is at least one thing that the Cameroonians still appreciate from there earlier colonizers. 

Toasting to my new African friends!

Cameroon or Bust

Wow, it’s here! 

Formation program complete, remaining items placed in storage, doctor appointments finalized, vaccines received, malaria pills stocked up, bags mostly packed and then ... a mild panic attack … “OMG, I’m really going!”

OK, once that passed I was back to my excited self and relishing the fact that it is time to expand my horizons and be immersed in Cameroonian culture.  The farewells have been fun but also a little stressful as I wanted to make sure I had not missed anyone (apologies if I did). 

So as I sit here on my last few days in the USA and run through my final checklist, all systems are GO:  Next stop Africa!!! 

Talk to you all soon from a new land.