Almost at the end of training

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before or not, but my host family's host is like a transit house during the summer. It's great because I get to live with 8 or 9 or whatever number of host siblings for a few weeks at a time. This isn't counting all my cousins. It's good practice for my french, because the first week, there is no comprehension of each other at all so it results in many long awkward silences. I'm not just talking about the language barrier here. There are things american's do that are strange, and there for, until my new host siblings get to know me, I am strange. Understandable. I boil and then filter my water in my bedroom. I'll grab my bread for breakfast and run out the door with wet and messy hair for school. I wear bug spray and sunscreen. Not exactly typical.

Anyway, one of my brother's patou who has been gone for the past few weeks returned today and I was estatic. My host father also came back from a week long vacation with a stereo system. Back to the movements in the transit house... my cousin Papi who was staying with me for the past week, left and gave me a cameroonian bracelet that everyone around here wears. I gave him a burned mix cd. In cameroonian context it could mean that we're going to have to get married, I mean.. mixed tape and a bracelet? Hopefully not, and it just means what I think it signifies, that he think's I'm not completely strange. So last night we listened to Hank Williams on the new stereo over dinner. And afterwards I immitated John Cena, a WWF wrestler, and my family actually knew who I was talking about. Oh and my sister Cristal had a baby girl. The family jokes that they're going to name it "Shivance". My dad here calls me shivance, the rest of the family including him I'm sure know's it's not even close to the correct pronounciation, but says it anyway.

Someone asked me, what keeps me motivated to be here? I thought it was a great quesiton so decided to share the answer with all of you who make it through reading these long blog entries. The short answer is I get the experience of a life time everyday. When was the last time I listened to Hank williams and talked about wrestling, and babies being named after an incorrect pronounciation of my name all at the same time?? This weekend I learned how to repair my own bike, tires, brakes, chain and all. The other day I saw a chicken's head cut off (it was dinner). Nik, trevor and I, the only SED volunteers going to the east are all matching today. I had cheese for the first time in 2 months. I taught a simulation business class in french today and sunday we're going to visit the chief's house in the sacred forest. Alot of those things are little, not really significant, but when's the last time any of that's happened?

I also love all of your comments, emails, phone calls, cards and packages from home. Recieving anyone of those things is just like christmas. And christmas is my favorite. Hopefully this blog ends on a more upbeat note than the last one. Best wishes home, and Happy Birthday Analesa! And Happy Late 21st to David!