Really glad I went, Really ready to be back

I loved Njinikom and I could have stayed there longer… but if I had some of my own space. Also needing some more internet and contact to some people. I need to vent a LOT.

Travelling is the worst part. UGH. one more 8 hour flight.

Anyways. Monday I finished up work and at 2 they had a little going away thing for us. Sister Xaveria spoke thanking us and the two med students, and someone at the hospital spoke and Mac spoke on my behalf. They danced in and gave us gifts (which we weren’t to open right then and there, unlike the U.S. custom), it ended up being Cameroonian coffee and these bowls that fit together like a little set for ground nuts (my dad and the med students got something different).

Then the women’s group from the hospital did a ceremonial traditional dance and some of the sisters couldn’t help themselves and had to jump in too.

Packed up, Sister Xaveria and Relindus came over for dinner which was fried rice, fried plantains and  agusi bitter leaf. Prisca made it for everyone. Agusi is ground pumpkin seed sauce-y stuff that she then mixed with the bitter leaf (which is supposedly similar to Jamajama). Sister Xaveria thought it was hilarious that I was taking pictures of the food.

 I can’t wait to get home where I can ACTUALLY post all my pictures. I’ll probably just post them on facebook, but I’ll label each one so that you can know what is actually going on in them. I hate looking at other peoples pictures and not actually knowing what and where and when it all is and/or was.

Tuesday morning we got in the car with our luggage and the 2 med students (Valerie and Soren) and then 5 nuns. One was coming to Douala with us, the other 4 were staying in Bamenda.. where we were actually picking up 4 more students that were in Shisong for their 3 months and knew Valerie and Soren. Wow, okay so that’s driver Bo Paul (father of Paul, his only son, his real name is Henry), my dad and I, Sister Gracia going to Douala, Valerie, Soren, and 4 more. 10. Yes. 10. In the van. And the students had all been there for 3 months so each had 2 suitcases and big back packs. So it literally barely fit in the car it was ridiculous. So on from Bamenda we stopped several times to get lunch food, and lunch and whatever else. It was sardines, spam looking bologna stuff, cheese and bread again. We each had a half a loaf of French bread again. I’m tired of French bread. I want some serious whole grain stuff, toasted.

It was a jam packed car and it was a bumpy hot road. We stopped at the fruit stand again and they cut some fresh pineapple, best pineapple of my life. I almost had to dive to catch the chunk that was slippery and slipped from my fingers but I caught it just in time… it would have been worth the dive though. Then the van wouldn’t start…. The men at the fruit stand said they’d push start it. So we all climbed in and my dad took a picture of them pushing (I’ll post it later).  It started up and as we were rolling my dad hopped in and we drove off honking and cheering. It was pretty funny. I was up in front in the middle the whole way, no seat belt, engine under the seat causing me to have a very hot butt. But I got to talk to Bo Paul a lot, he’s really nice and funny and answered a lot of questions.

We stopped at the Baptist mission to drop of the med students bags and then found out the couple coming in that day to go to Njinikom had already arrived at 4:30 (somehow sister didn’t know when their flight was coming.. so that’s great). We jumped in the car, push started it again and hurried to the “park” to drop of the med students and the rest of their bags so they could go to the beach for the week and then headed over to Padre Pio Catholic Hospital so we could shower and rest while Bo Paul and Sister Gracia went to the airport. At least Sister Xaveria knew somebody who could gather the couple waiting and stay with them until Sister Gracia got there. I’m sure Sister Xaveria (she’s the matron of the Njinikom Hospital) was not happy with the whole situation, especially because they were from Mission Doctors and she definitely favors those who come to volunteer over those who come because they are getting school credit and doing an internship, plus the Mission Doctors have more money and are more likely to spend more for the hospital and return some day.

We showered, but within 5 minutes we were sweating again. I even took a cold shower. 7:30 Bo Paul, Sister Gracia and the Coopers got to Padre Pio. We ate dinner and talked about what they should expect basically.
Bo Paul and Sister Gracia took us to the airport. We went through everything, paid the 20 dollar exit fee and got on the plane. I slept some, watched a movie. Now I’m just SOOO freaking ready for some space. I need my own room, my own bed, my own bathroom and some real food. Ugh. We’re in Paris, one more flight straight to Seattle. 

Good Birthday, Good Weekend, Home Soon

Woo, what another last few days and WHAT A BIRTHDAY! Ha ha. Wow. I’ve experienced something extremely new. So after I wrote that last blog I basically was just hanging out reading playing minesweeper, which I’m now at 1% in my lifetime because I’ve won nine games.. So basically I need to reset my statistics so I can really track it.

The Belgians came over and sang to me and gave me a little string of letters that that says Gefeliciteerd which means Congratulations in Belgian. They made a necklace of Belgian snacks and hung it on my neck. It was quite cute. So then they had previously invited me to slaughter their chicken have dinner and go to a club with them because Valerie and Soren are also leaving this week. However, we already had the other plans. But they were about to slaughter their chicken they bought so they told me I could come over for that. So I put my pictures on my flash drive for them and went over. They hadn’t slaughtered it yet, I was hoping I’d missed the killing and was just going to see how Bie cut it into the pieces. They finally did attempt, with a VERY unsharp little knife. They should have like chopped and done it quick. But Bie was holding the body and Ariane was holding the head and the knife. Let’s just say if you want to know more of that story you can ask. It was quite sad, and disgusting. I didn’t watch most of it.

That was my new experience. Lucy, one of the nurses at the hospital came over and she wanted to save the feet and the head for her sister. :/ ew.

I came home and we all waited for Lilian, Quinta, Germar and Mac and his wife Maybell to come. I had a glass of Penasol white wine (it’s in a box and it’s liter and only cost about $1.20). Germar was the first to get here, African time at 6:30. Lilian, Quinta, Mac and Maybell arrived at about 7. Mac wanted to “quaff” which is a word he and his friends use for drinking. He had some beer, the rest had Grenadine (which is basically sparkling less syrupy grenadine from the U.S. just a type of pop here). They all sang to me. We at the spaghetti and garlic bread and then my dad brought out a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and 2 candles. They all sang again and I blew out the candles, wishing for rain.

My favorite part about dessert (well other than the chocolate) was that Lilian, Maybell, Germar and Quinta all had big pieces and big second pieces! Mac only had one. I had like 2 and a half. But nobody asked for a small one or complained about it. They all ate a bunch and really liked the cake. In the U.S. they would have all said, “just a small piece.” Ha ha.

I have quite a few good pictures. So now I’m hoping for good internet.

Sunday morning we went to 6 am mass. I didn’t understand most of it, some of it sounded pidgin English and it was LONG. It was a little interesting with all the different styles and fabrics but that only lasted so long. The children’s mass was better because of all the kids. But the choir at this one was kind of nice too.

Then I went on rounds, but really I just went and took pictures at the hospital. I went to the little crooked legs wards and took pictures of all the kids in their casts. Oh man they are cute. The parents were a bit annoying, but I can’t really give them the pictures because I cant print them here.  I can’t imagine being a 3 year old to 8 year old and having to sit in a full legged casts for 8 weeks. Ugh.

We had pancakes for brunch and it was only 11 after all of this. So I took a nap. At 1:30 we went for a walk, passed the midway and down the hill. We went up to the Midway for one last time and had Soya from Desmond.

Played Rage, ate popcorn, had some wine. Made spaghetti again with all of the left over noodles, watched some Friends, finished my book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and went to bed.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was kind of a weird book, but I really liked it. It would have been a better read with the actual text rather than on my kindle because of the pictures and the organization of the text and the letters in the book. Has anyone read Eating Animals or Everything Is Illuminating, by the same author? I’m debating downloading them when I get home to read.

Now it’s Monday. I entered data all morning.

This afternoon is a little going away thing with the hospital and then tonight Sister Relindus and Xaveria will come for dinner and we're off tomorrow AM back to Douala (the 8 hour drive) then our flight to Paris leaves in the evening, and then to Seattle. Back at 1 pm on Wednesday.