September 06

September

WOW! The summer break went extremely fast. I was first in Mbalmayo helping train the new volunteers. There are 40 some new volunteers here now. I then came back to Tiko to help mentor a few people in computers and worked at a Southwest Province conference for teacher training. It was an extensive 2 week course in Computers for 60 new computer teachers in the province. It was in Buea at a bilingual secondary school which has a better set up than most American schools! I was the head trainer, in charge of the whole training experience. At the end of the seminar the Provincial Delegate came and a television crew. It was a big event! I was on TV.

The next day a friend of mine came in from the US to visit. She is doing a tour of South America, Europe and Cameroon. We traveled all over. I kept her busy. We went to a wedding in Yaounde. We visited Limbe many times, for the beach. Then went to visit a friend in Bamenda, a small village where he grew up. We went horseback riding to a waterfall. It was a good time!

August was non stop rain and I was constantly wet and muddy. It would rain all day and all night. I am glad,now, it is coming towards the end of the rainy season. I have been working on my computer lab since school has started. I have been having electricity problems and have learned a ton about it. I guess, if it always works smoothly you never need to learn. How much we take for granted! I have been shocked many times but no stopping of the heart.

This year I have refined some things that I learned the hard way from last year including...structuring classes, discipline, teaching styles. Teaching is a science that I never realized how complicated it can be. One example, trying to lecture to 100 kids at 2:00pm when the temperature is hitting a sticky 97 degrees. How do you get them to listen? Obviously you are handicapped but there are strategies I have made that have helped. Currently I have 17 working computers, 14 of which are networked. That is defenitely way above average here in Cameroon. I tell my students they are spoiled.

I have been reading a lot at night and on weekends because there isn't a whole lot to do in the rainy season and my DVD player broke on my computer, so no computer games or movies, but I have been able to adjust. I am enjoying NOT traveling now and sleeping in my own bed. Many PC Volunteers travel all over Cameroon. I am lucky to live in a house in a small city. Transportation is most difficult!! Last weekend I went to an Inlet and rented a canoe from a fisherman and paddled through mangroves..It reminded me of the everglades.

I would like to hear how everyone else is doing send me an email.