What to do in Cameroon when you get bored/ A tribute to all my former hairdressers

Tita, Ann Maire and Carles

Birthday present!!!!!

What my living room looks like after i get a package, everything spread out

I cut my own hair!

Eeeeeek! I'm 24!!!! Which is almost 25 if you didn't know. I had a really good birthday, we went out to a nice restaurant and I had chicken which was amazing. I Ann Marie and Carles gave me macaroni and cheese! I had some the other night and basically teleported back to america, it was so amazing. I also got lots of love and messages from friends in Cameroon and friends and family back home and I really appreciate them. I am so loved on 2 continents.

So anyway, The other day I was bored. Really bored. No not like the bored in the states, there are several things Ill never complain about ever again when I get home, being bored is one of them. I feel like half of my old life in the states was centered around entertainment. There are things everywhere to be entertained by. Kids have Toys R Us, a store just for kids who are not yet old enough to even get an allowance let alone make their own purchases. From the day a baby is born, they're given toys and crib hanging things to entertain them. You know what kid toys are here? Machetes, a stick and a tire, a plastic bottle with a string attached to it so it can be dragged around, or a car made out of a sardine can. Animals in the states even have toys, battery opperated mice/balls that move around, carpet houses and dogs have doggy sweaters, booties and ensembles. They even make organic toys for pets now. What does that even mean?

I remember this is was an interview question for peace corps. They asked me what I will do if I get bored. I think I said I would go running or take a walk. Now that Im here, thats about the last thing that I want to do. The white girl who lives in town is already a show, the white girl who goes running?? Running where and why? Or the white girl who walks her dog?? Thats premium entertainment right there... for everyone else and I hear about it. No thanks.

This bordom was the kind where I can't possibly read another page or watch another movie because I've seen all of mine dozens of times, including the extras.. the deleted scenes, making of the movie, with commentary and without commentary. Oh yeahhhh, its a new level of bored. Also the last thing I want to look at is french or do work.

So I decided to cut my hair. This is the first time in my life that I can't afford a hairdresser. In the past I've paid some serious money to get my hair done (anywhere from 25 to 225 - the last figure was a one time thing). Secondly, there are not very many people here who would know how to cut my hair. Maybe at the spa at the hilton in yaounde, where renting a room would cost me my monthy salary. A haircut there might be my rent money.

So I cut it myself, a cute little bob, which I'm sure is not that even in the back. Cutting your hair in the back of your head is alot harder than it looks. But over all I'm pretty pleased with it. During inservice training I might have one of the girls fix it up a bit. I missed my usual routine that normally comes with getting a haircut though. Incredible talent and patience that all of my wonderful hairdressers had. Amazing smelling shampoo and products, head and neck massage, talking and catching up, freshly brewed tea or a cold beer. Yup I had it pretty nice.

When I get back, no I'm not going to spend 200 dollars on a haircut or get it colored every month like I would want to, because thats ridiculous. But I will take a day or two at the spa. Or three. The longer I'm here, the longer the spa appointment in my head gets...