I was granted an extension of service to help with training, so most of my friends in my own training group have been passing through Yaoundé, taking care of all their final paperwork, and getting on the plane to the US. It’s nice to be able to see them all for a last time, but its hard not to feel a little left behind.
Peace Corps Volunteer Adam Green in Cameroon: The Adventure is coming to an end
Update - June 13th
The Adventure is coming to an end?! I like to think it's just about to really heat up! Anyway, I'm almost done here in Cameroon and I'm starting to feel ready to begin my next adventure State-Side. I finally added a small text update below...not sure if anyone's reading anymore though! That would be my fault for feeling too busy to update. I'm looking forward to seeing many of you soon!
06/13/05
Yaoundé
The home stretch! Things have been pretty crazy around here the last few months, hence the lack of entries. Pictures will still have to wait, but I wanted to at least put up something small about what’s been going on. I moved out of Bamenda three weeks ago. Since then, I’ve been living in the transit house at Peace Corps Headquarters in Yaoundé helping to plan the next training cycle for the incoming PCVs. It’s the longest time I’ve spent away from Bamenda since I moved there, and the longest time I’ve ever spent in the transit house. It’s been a little up and down, like all things. I was granted an extension of service to help with training, so most of my friends in my own training group have been passing through Yaoundé, taking care of all their final paperwork, and getting on the plane to the US. It’s nice to be able to see them all for a last time, but its hard not to feel a little left behind. On the plus side, it’s been good to be able to give so much input into the training program for the upcoming group. They get into Cameroon this Saturday (the 18th). I’ll be part of the PC contingent meeting them at the airport. The training staff also asked me to show them a small movie I put together with pictures and video I’ve taken over the last few months. I’ll be with them for a week in Yaoundé, then I’ll travel with them to Bandjoun, where they’ll have their pre-service training. This is the same place I had my training 2 years ago. Actually, I just got back from a short scouting trip to Bandjoun today. It was strange to be back. I arrived there on Saturday, which was exactly two years to the day from when I arrived there for my own pre-service training. It felt like a pretty big circle. I’ll stay in Bandjoun (this time I get my own apartment instead of living with a host family) with the trainees for two weeks. After that (on the 9th or 10th of July) I’ll come back to Yaoundé for my Close of Service medical exams and paperwork. I’m set to fly back to the States on July 15th. My ticket is direct to Montana, where my parents now have a house. I expect to stay there and relax a little for a few weeks. After that I’m off on the next adventure: another (slower) solo cross-country trip on a motorcycle. I’m not totally sure on the itinerary yet, but I’ll be in the Chicago area for my 10-year high school reunion the first week of October. From there I hope to get to Rochester, NY if it’s not too cold. I’ll be bringing pictures and movies of my two years in Cameroon with me, so if you’re interested in putting me up for a day or two and want to see them, let me know!
It’s been a pretty wild ride these last two years (2 years and 8 days in country to be exact…but who’s counting). It’ll be good to go back home, but I really do think I’ll miss it here. I’ve made some great friends, both American and Cameroonian, and it’ll be hard to leave them. I also found myself just staring out the window of the car today admiring the untouched beauty of the countryside here. I may actually miss that more than anything else. I find myself wondering a bit about what Peace Corps is doing here, or in the larger context what any foreign interest (aid organization) is doing here, and I usually end up being a bit on the cynical side. I say this as a pre-emptive statement to all of you that have been sending me words of encouragement and praise. Believe me, I appreciate these sentiments, and they’ve helped to get me through some tough times, but anyone can come out here and play hero if they wanted to. Do I think I did something useful in my two years out here? I like to think that I did, although my personal growth and development certainly outstrip any good that I leave behind. Does Peace Corps or any other ‘development organization’ do more to help or hurt their host countries? That’s a much tougher question. Just food for thought, especially if you are prone to donate to charities that work overseas. Invite me to visit and buy me a beer if you want to hear more.
So! Life has been pretty good here these last few months. I’ve gotten to visit a total of nine out of the ten provinces of Cameroon, I’ve had a great time buying stuff with my excess local currency, and I’ve had a few other adventures that will have to be discussed over that aforementioned beer! I’m still finishing up two secondary projects that should be done in a week or two and now I’m also busy with training. Looks like I’ll be keeping busy till the end! Thank you to everyone that’s kept in touch with me throughout my time here! I only wish that I could have been a better correspondent in many cases. I’m hoping to give this site a major addition / overhaul once I get home and have broadband access! I’m looking forward to seeing all my friends and family again, as well as eating large amounts of hummus and Taco Bell bean burritos!
