Mount Cameroon

Last week, I climbed Mount Cameroon with three other volunteers: Genevieve, Kim, and Mayra.  It is the highest point in West Africa at 4,100 meters.  It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and photos just don't do it justice.  It was also one of the most challenging things I've ever done.  (This makes me a total wimp because while I climbed it in three days, many volunteers run it in one day for the Race of Hope.)  Although I'm still struggling walking up and down stairs two days later, it was an amazing experience that was well worth the pain.

Blissfully ignorant of what we were getting ourselves into

The first couple of hours are in the forest/ jungle

When it started to get hard

Day 2 begins

Finally, we can see the summit

Finally made it!!!

The view from the top

Pretending we aren't exhausted

The descent begins

Craters from the 1999 eruption

Day 3: So close to the end and so sore

The 2000 lava flow

February Photo Update

The tablets that kids use for quranic school

Crazy colored bug!

More crazy ants.  Yes, this dark line is just a line of solid ants.  Terrifying.

Sunset on my way back from the garden

Mbororo homes on brousse.

Dry season outside of Danfili

Asta's garden that I have been helping her water several nights a week.

Pygmy sunbird

Da, my Cameroonian grandma, and I

Youth Day: the elementary school marching for the celebration

The little girl getting down is my Charifa

Missira and Charifa with their new uniforms and fancy hair-do's for the celebration

My kiddos <3

Nothing like a personal invitation:  "To Miss Elizabeth, the white of Danfili"

Outside of Tibati

Hawa had her friends over, Daibiya and Djeinabou.  Three adorable little stinkers.

Bamanga doing the 4pm call to prayer

Another adorable thing that happens at my house.  They were laughing hysterically after dancing around with books on their heads.

My friend, Rashida, grilling fish.  One of my favorite meals in country!

My little Peanut

The three in the middle are the school directors in Danfili during Youth Day.  

The three men in the middle are the village chiefs on Youth Day.

The Speeches Come to Cameroon

For the past two weeks, I have been lucky enough to share my Cameroonian home with Mom, Dad, and Cate.  It was a whirlwind trip all over the country, but it was wonderful to spend two whole weeks with my family and show them all of the things I've been trying to explain over the phone for the past 15 months.  They dealt with all the frustrations like pros and I was so proud to have them here.  Here are just several of our thousand photos (photo cred to the whole family).

Yaounde

First stop was Yaounde for several days.  We visited Doudou and her whole family.  It was a great, but very busy welcome to Cameroon.  They even got to try Cameroonian cuisine right off the bat!

Almost the whole gang

My sisters together

Ngaoundere

Next we headed up to Ngaoundere on the train.  We did a lot of shopping, climbed Mount Ngaoundere, and celebrated the new year.

The top of Mount Ngaoundere from the base.  Look for the little kid in the red shirt to see how huge the boulders are.

Climbing back down Mount Ngaoundere

Shopping at the Ngaoundere market

Ngaoundaba Ranch

For a break from big city noise, we headed to Ngaoundaba Ranch south of Ngaoundere.  It also happens to be a huge birding spot!

Walking around the lake

The picture isn't great,  but at dusk we saw these beautiful iridescent starlings.  Purple glossy starlings, we think.

Speckled Mousebird

Ngaoundaba Ranch from the other side of the lake.  One morning, Dad and I got up early to go bird watching down at the lake.

Danfili

After our relaxing two days, we went down to Danfili.  Everyone wanted to welcome my family and feed them.  It was wonderful to have my two families together.  

Mom, Dad, and Cate with Asta and Hamza (my parents in Danfili)

A surreal experience: sitting with my family at Asta and Hamza's compound

My sister with Hamza's children and a ton of neighbor kids.  Oh yeah, and a newborn baby.

Bamanga and my Dad.  Bamanga sewed and embroidered this traditional outfit for my Dad.

Kribi

After being troopers for three days en brousse, the family was rewarded with a trip to Kribi.  We relaxed on the beach for our last few days together until next winter.

See the huge fish?  That's the one we ate.  Along with shrimp, french fries, avocadoes, veggies, and warm 33 beer (Cameroonian beer).

The whole family at Lobe Falls