Here in Cameroon the school year is divided into three trimesters and each trimester is divided into two sequences, which means we have six sequences in a year. This week marks the end of the 5th sequence. The year is definitely winding down. And my first year in Cameroon is almost over, but it doesnt seem like an entire year has almost gone by (maybe it's because I measure time by blog posts).

The two weeks before last were spring break. It was an interesting two weeks for me. For most of the time I was working with the Computers Club at my high school, but I also took a little break to spend some time with my host family from Bafia (the family I stayed with during my first three months of training). I left for Bafia the first Thursday of the break. Bafia is about 80 miles from Bafoussam. I had planned to go to Bafia in the morning and return the same afternoon with the kids. I didnt get a good start on the day and ended up reaching Bafia around noon, which would have been fine if we could have left shortly after I arrived, but this was not the case. I should have known that they would not be ready and that they would want to eat as a family. So after all that was finished (the food and the packing) it was starting to get late. The parents were rightfully worried about us traveling at night and wanted us to take a bus the following morning. I explained to them that I had already planned to work at the school in the morning with the computers club and that I really needed to get back that evening. So we all piled into their car and headed to Bafoussam. That is six children, two parents and me. Surprising enough it wasn't as tight as taking a bus here in Cameroon.

We made it to Bafoussam and the parents found a hotel to stay in for the evening, because although I do have two beds, there is hardly space for nine people. We spend the next day at my high school working with my computers club. The parents and the two littlest kids went back that afternoon. The four older kids stayed with me until Tuesday when I threw them on a bus and ran the other direction. ;)

Before my host family brothers and sisters came things started to disappear from my house. The first thing was my camera. I searched and searched and searched to no avail. Then 10,000 fanc CFA (~20 bucks). Then 20,000 CFA. Then 30,000 CFA. D: And then my host family kids came and we had a great time, swimming, eating, and spending money. That is to say, when they left my bank account was finished. Oops! Luckily you can live very very cheaply here if you would like. I've been spending around a dollar or two a day, which isnt bad. It just means I can't buy the luxuries that I would like, like healthy(er) food. I can eat rice and beans and fish for dinner for about 70 cents (drenching all of it in oil is free of charge).

In Cameroon groups of people (friends, colleagues, etc) will often get together once a month and participate in a "Tontine" (sp?). A tontine is sort of like a savings plan, sort of like a lottery. The way it works is every month the members of the tontine each bring a specific about of money, say for example 10,000 CFA. And everyone gives this money goes to one person. They pick numbers at the beginning of the year to see who will "win" each month. So you see it's equivalent to saving about 20 dollars a month, but depending on which number you pick you will have all of your savings sooner than if you were saving alone. I take part in a tontine with my fellow teachers and our meeting was last Thursday. I skipped out cause I had no money and was took embarrassed to explain. Luckily I get paid tomorrow and I will pay then. :/

Life in Cameroon can be interesting as a white person. I don't mind too much the harassment, but it can definitely test your patience. The worst time seems to be while running at the track when there's lots of other people. The amount of harassment grows super linear in the amount of people in visual range. At the same time it does encourage your to run fast, because you dont want to let down your entire country by running slowly in front of a bunch of young Cameroonians.

Please let me know when you are planning on coming to visit me! Sarah Ing will probably be the first of my family/friends to come and visit. She is planning to come during summer break. My parents said they will possibly come during the next winter break. My sister has yet to commit to a date, but she said she's comming. I am still trying to convince Miss Carolyn Bonoff. If you dont come you should skype me, ryanjyoder. The United States is starting to feel like a dream and I do dream often about being in the States. It's funny because every time I dream of the States I think, "Wow, I'm back in the States, but it can't be true. Yes, it is, because..." My mother sends me photos from time to time, which is nice. It feels like I have a long tube that reaches all the way back to my house; I look in my end and can see all the way back. Sometimes I wake up and forget I'm in Cameroon. I'm sure that this happened to me the States, but when you forget where you are here, you change continents in a matter of a few seconds.

See you on the flip-side,
Mr Ryan Yoder