arrivée!

i have arrived safely in cameroon! i'm sitting in a cybercafé in bafoussam now -- today our class orientation activity is learning to get around toan on our own (but not auite alone, i have a partner luckily). we are to find a cloth shop, train station, and taxi back to our hotel -- both scary and exciting!

some interesting things that have happened so far:

on our way off the plane in douala, a woman collapsed and someone had to start CPR on her while half the riders were trappes on the plane as the poor woman blocked the entrance. i was just behind her, it was so sad. we eventually had to leave through another door, i hope she was alright. chrisitane, our director, had no clue what happened, she thought we were caught up in customs and was very relieved to see us when we finally made it to the baggage claim.

we are staying in bandjoun for the orientation, a small town 20 min outside of dschang. it took six hours to drive from douala to bandjoun, mostly because the roads here are in horrible condition, with potholes literally the size of craters and checkpoints every 15 miles. the drivers -- gaston and bertrand -- are the best i've ever seen. they manage somehow to avoid potholes and other crazy drivers and they take it slow, i feel very safe. in fact i feel very safe in general, everyone who works for the program is quite experienced in carting around unassuming american students and they know which mistakes we will make before we even make them! the orientation has been really helpful, i feel very prepared to go into my homestay family on saturday (!).

i won't be living with my friend thomas' family unfortunately, but i will have a great family who has previously hosted american students. i can't wait to get to dschang and start a daily routine. i'll have class from 8-noon, then lunch, class from 1-3:30, dance class on tuesday afternoon, dinner with my family at 8pm and then homework time! there is a lot of that -- papers, interviews, movie analyses, cultural observations, etc etc etc. and that doesn't include prep for the ISP (independent student project).

i have been taking dramamine for car trips and haven't gotten carsick even once -- MIRACLE DRUG!

we visited a museum inside a chief's compound yesterday. we saw photos of the chief all decked out in leopard skins and beads and a huge ceremonial hat, along with all his "chief things" -- scepters, drums, thrones, sculptures etc etc. when we came down the stairs from the tour, we saw a man standing at the door wearing a rain jacket, green track pants and a big gold tiger tooth bling. it was the chief and none of us knew what to do! so embarrassing. for future reference, we should have bowed with our hands clasped and not looked at him directly. whoops.

my minutes are up -- more news ASAP!

ju