Filed under: Cameroon, Peace Corps, Post, Teacher Training, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Culture, Excursions, ICT, Information Technology, IT, Peace Corps, Post, Teacher Training, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
And just like that, one year is coming to it’s conclusion here in Cameroon. It seems like not long ago that I signed on for a third year of service, but in a few days I’ll be going home. Sunday morning, after my bags were loaded onto a bus in the chaotic but charming manner I am used to at the bustling bus station, I left Bamenda for the last time. I gazed over the rolling hills of the North West Region, and I thought how much I would miss this place. I’m now in Yaoundé and will set about this week finalizing all administrative and medical business before I depart at the end of the week.
Looking back on this year I feel like it went pretty well. I didn’t accomplish every little thing I had hopes of doing, but I actually feel like this was my favorite year spent in Cameroon. Not only did I meet great friends and strengthen existing relationships, but I added a few accomplishments too. In the overall scope of things, I feel my contributions are small to say the least, but I hope I’ve helped people to improve their skills and knowledge in a few areas. Even though I’ve been teaching this whole time, I feel liked I’ve learned so much more. I only hope one day I can return.
Here are the photos taken as I made my way out of Bamenda:
Leaving Bamenda Town, North West Region, Cameroon
View of Bamenda approching Upstation, North West Region, Cameroon
Last view of the hills around Bamenda, North West Region, Cameroon
Filed under: Cameroon, Holidays, Peace Corps, Travel | Tags: 3D Graphics, 4th of July, Africa, Associate Creative Director, Cameroon, Cameroun, Design, Fourth of July, Gabe Albin, Gabriel Albin, Holidays, ICT, Illustration, Independence Day, Information Technology, IT, Peace Corps, Peace Corps 50th Anniversary, Teacher Training, Travel, U.S. 235th Anniversary, US 235th Anniversary, US Ambassador to Cameroon, US Embassy, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Yaounde, Cameroon
Hello! People from Cameroon would say the following after not hearing from me in a long time: “ça fait longtemps!” or “you have been missing!” (in both francophone and anglophone, respectively. And I do deserve it… it’s been a while. I’ve been preparing to come home, but also continuing to work here. So I’ve been quite busy. Sometimes the work feels like a lot, and I even feel discouraged from time to time. But when someone, a Cameroonian or American, thanks me for the volunteer work I’m doing it feels really good.
So I was overwhelmed with surprise and joy when a very important American–the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon–thanked me personally during his remarks at an event in Yaoundé on Wednesday. The U.S. Embassy hosted a celebration in honor of Independence Day and Peace Corps’ 50th Anniversary. In order for us to be well represented, 50 Peace Corps volunteers including myself were invited to attend. The event was very nice and it was great to see my fellow volunteers from around country as well as various officials from the US and Cameroon. Standing alongside other PCVs felt really good as we were given praise. I’d like to thank Ambassador Jackson for his kind words in support of Peace Corps volunteers. You can check out the Ambassador’s Remarks to read what he said in full.
This trip to Yaoundé will be my second to last, seeing as the next time I’ll be here will be to COS or “Close of Service”–Peace Corps loves it’s acronyms.
Filed under: Cameroon, Peace Corps, Teacher Training, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Education, Excursions, ICT, Information Technology, IT, Peace Corps, Post, Seminar, Teacher Training, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Delivering ICT Seminar in WUM, Northwest Region, Cameroon
A busy time it is, indeed. Just when I felt my responsibilities were waning slightly and I might begin to focus some of my time on preparing to return to the United States, I was given the opportunity to embark on a seminar tour to teacher training colleges in the Northwest. I had designed a program of ICT seminars a while back, and had done a few pilot programs, but had no way to fund the travel and expenses to take it outside of Bamenda. Recently however, my counterpart, the Inspector Coordinator of the Regional Inspectorate of ICT, a very dynamic woman, arranged for the seminar tour including all of the logistics. I was very happy to take the program on the road, and all in all, it’s been going very well.
So far, we have visited the towns of Ndop, Mbengwi, Foundong, Wum, and have more to go, delivering seminars on topics including Researching though ICT and Learning Through ICT. In short, I’m working with the student teachers to improve their ability to utilize Information and Communication Technology in the classroom to enhance the learning of pupils, as well as give techniques for internet research to improve the teaching process.
I’ve enjoyed traveling, as grueling as traveling can be in Cameroon, and have been taking in the new scenery, meeting new people and colleagues, and have been doing good work—so far I’ve reached over 1,000 student teachers!
Presenting to student teachers in Wum, Northwest Region, Cameroon
Year 3 - Volunteering in Cameroon 