March 2nd, 2010

Hello everyone, sorry I have not been able to write a blog or post any photos yet. My memory card got a virus on it so I have not been able to transfer any photos onto a key to put it on my blog but mom is sending me a new one that should arrive soon! Well, I have ten minutes left on the internet tonight so I will be brief. I have been back in Cameroon since January 4th, two months already! It has been hard getting back into the swing of things coming off a wonderful Christmas at home with friends, family and great food! But, I am getting back into work bit by bit. And I keep telling myself that I only have nine months left here in Banyo so I need to make the most of it. It is dry season right now and it is really, really hot, much hotter than it was last year at this time. Last year it cooled off in the evening when the sun went down and stayed that way until mid-morning. This year it stays hot through the night and is only cooling off in the early morning around 4 am. So I am sweating a bunch! And the dust is really heavy this year. We did have our first real rain last Friday evening so the rains are not far off. By the end of March they should be here. Since we are between the seasons, the weather is bizarre and is real hot and then cools off suddenly. I am looking forward to the rains a lot this year as the heat is affecting me more than last year. Since I have been back in Banyo, we have celebrated youth week (February 11th) with many activities. The youth group I work with here made a sign and marched in the parade and the girls' football team played two games in their new uniforms which the Prefet here gave funds for before Christmas. Next week is the International Day of the Woman worldwide, but it is a big holiday here with activities begining tomorrow and ending with a parade on Monday where many women and women's organizations march. Women buy fabric to make a dress out of and either choose green, pink or yellow colors. I chose green this year since I had pink last year. The women I do areobics with are making my dress so I am excited to see it. The girls' football team is also supposed to play two real games so I am crossing my fingers it goes well. We had 31 girls come last Sunday for practice, WOW! I need many assistants now! Work at the health centers is going well. We just finished up a month of trainings on treating water to make it drinkable and are starting now on preventing dehydration, especially with diarrhea. In April, we will move onto preventing malaria which will coordinate well with the begining of rainy season when a lot of new cases of malaria appear.

I hope all is well in your corner of the world. I hope to post pictures for you all soon. Take Care and keep those letters coming :)
Stay warm,
Anna