VSO Fundraising
In late August, I held a going-away fundraiser in Ottawa that helped me collect over 400$. These funds were donated to VSO (Volunteer Services Overseas - www.vsocan.org), who then redirected the money to my internship. Thanks to my friends’ generosity (and a certain Alex Smith’s large contribution), I was able to collect most of the money that CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) requires from its interns. Some have asked if they could contribute online, and for that purpose I have set up an online account with VSO. If you are interested in donating, you can find my profile at the following address:
http://www.vsocan.org/display.aspx?pid=499&cid=936
VSO is a non for profit organization with a great reputation world wide. I feel confident that funds you donate will be put to good use. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
mercredi 6 février 2008
samedi 26 janvier 2008
January 2008 - Health issues, holidays abroad, climbing mount cameroon
Health
I got really sick in early January. One particular week was worse than usual. I had numbness in my muscles and articulations, fever, diarrhoea, severe fatigue, and no appetite. I very nearly asked VSO (my organization) to send a driver to come get me in my village, so that they could bring me to the better-equipped city hospital. Finally I toughed it out, and braved public transport to get properly diagnosed. It turns out that amoebas and yeast have found their way in my digestive system again. I have been fighting these bugs on and off since late September. By my own guess, I have been sick for at least a third of my time here.
Nowadays it seems I’m doing better. I’m taking things slowly since the doctors say it will take time for me to regain full strength. When I wasn’t eating properly, the iron level in my blood dropped, which contributed to my fatigue. I also lost a lot of weight. For the past few weeks, I weigh in at about 167 pounds (I have been monitoring my weight). This is a significant drop from the more than healthy 195 pounds which I brought to Cameroon in September. I’m sure I’ll quickly make up for this lost weight by eating my way through the month of March at home…
Holidays
On December 21st, I left for the south of Cameroon with Ed, a volunteer from England. I saved some money from my monthly subsistence allowance, and took out some more from my bank account in Canada to make the trip happen.
Our first leg of the trip was completed by bus. We left Maroua at about 6:30am to arrive in Ngaoudéré at 4:00pm. Then, we took the overnight train at 6:00pm, to arrive in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, at about 2:00pm the next day.
We travelled to three places: 1) Baffoussam, where we spent Christmas; 2) Buea, where we climbed Mount Cameroon; and 3) Limbe, a beach town, where we spent New Year’s Eve.
Climbing Mount Cameroon
Our climb up Mount Cameroon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Cameroon) was by far the highlight of the trip. Despite being unprepared, ill-equipped and misinformed about the conditions we would face, we managed to make it to the top of 4095 metre peak (West Africa’s highest!). Here is a breakdown of our trek up and down the active volcano:
Day 1: Departure at 9:30 am. Armed with a bit of food (we later realized we had underestimated the amounts we truly needed), a guide and two porters (mandatory as per the requirements of the NGO that organizes these climbs), we set off into the rainforest with high hopes. During these first three hours, I can honestly say I sweated more than I ever have. It was literally pouring off my face. After the hot humid rainforest, we rested for a while before continuing in the windy tundra. At 4:30pm, we found our camp for the night. It was on wood planks that we laid out our sleeping bags and prepared for a cold night.
Day 2: Departure at 8:00am. After a quick breakfast, we added some extra layers to our outfits and braved the cold of the mountain. Unfortunately for me, the high altitude did a number on my lungs, and I had much difficulty breathing. I was quiet the entire day, probably because I didn’t find the strength to talk. I had to focus on climbing…
12:00pm: Arrival at summit! By this time, our bodies felt like jello, and we were freezing. We stayed for a couple of pictures, and immediately made our way down the other side of the mountain. The scenery was beautiful; I managed to take some pictures (see Facebook pics).
5:00pm: Arrival at camp for the night. This time, we pitched a tent near a small source of water. After climbing for more than 13 hours over the past couple of days, we were completely exhausted.
Day 3: Departure at 8:00am. Only four hours of walking today… two on the dried lava from a past eruption, and two more in the rainforest. It is during these last two hours that we often had to dash over masses of dangerous red and black ants.
12:00pm: Arrival at foot of hill. Exhausted, we are looking forward to a relaxing time at the beach in Limbe!
Return
Just over a month left! I can't way to get back and see everyone. I'll probably arrive Ottawa in early March. If you didn't already know, I miss home! I'm going to make the most of things here while I still can. But after that, I'm looking forward to well-derserved break at home. After some rest, I'll be looking to find a great job somewhere. Any ideas?
I got really sick in early January. One particular week was worse than usual. I had numbness in my muscles and articulations, fever, diarrhoea, severe fatigue, and no appetite. I very nearly asked VSO (my organization) to send a driver to come get me in my village, so that they could bring me to the better-equipped city hospital. Finally I toughed it out, and braved public transport to get properly diagnosed. It turns out that amoebas and yeast have found their way in my digestive system again. I have been fighting these bugs on and off since late September. By my own guess, I have been sick for at least a third of my time here.
Nowadays it seems I’m doing better. I’m taking things slowly since the doctors say it will take time for me to regain full strength. When I wasn’t eating properly, the iron level in my blood dropped, which contributed to my fatigue. I also lost a lot of weight. For the past few weeks, I weigh in at about 167 pounds (I have been monitoring my weight). This is a significant drop from the more than healthy 195 pounds which I brought to Cameroon in September. I’m sure I’ll quickly make up for this lost weight by eating my way through the month of March at home…
Holidays
On December 21st, I left for the south of Cameroon with Ed, a volunteer from England. I saved some money from my monthly subsistence allowance, and took out some more from my bank account in Canada to make the trip happen.
Our first leg of the trip was completed by bus. We left Maroua at about 6:30am to arrive in Ngaoudéré at 4:00pm. Then, we took the overnight train at 6:00pm, to arrive in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, at about 2:00pm the next day.
We travelled to three places: 1) Baffoussam, where we spent Christmas; 2) Buea, where we climbed Mount Cameroon; and 3) Limbe, a beach town, where we spent New Year’s Eve.
Climbing Mount Cameroon
Our climb up Mount Cameroon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Cameroon) was by far the highlight of the trip. Despite being unprepared, ill-equipped and misinformed about the conditions we would face, we managed to make it to the top of 4095 metre peak (West Africa’s highest!). Here is a breakdown of our trek up and down the active volcano:
Day 1: Departure at 9:30 am. Armed with a bit of food (we later realized we had underestimated the amounts we truly needed), a guide and two porters (mandatory as per the requirements of the NGO that organizes these climbs), we set off into the rainforest with high hopes. During these first three hours, I can honestly say I sweated more than I ever have. It was literally pouring off my face. After the hot humid rainforest, we rested for a while before continuing in the windy tundra. At 4:30pm, we found our camp for the night. It was on wood planks that we laid out our sleeping bags and prepared for a cold night.
Day 2: Departure at 8:00am. After a quick breakfast, we added some extra layers to our outfits and braved the cold of the mountain. Unfortunately for me, the high altitude did a number on my lungs, and I had much difficulty breathing. I was quiet the entire day, probably because I didn’t find the strength to talk. I had to focus on climbing…
12:00pm: Arrival at summit! By this time, our bodies felt like jello, and we were freezing. We stayed for a couple of pictures, and immediately made our way down the other side of the mountain. The scenery was beautiful; I managed to take some pictures (see Facebook pics).
5:00pm: Arrival at camp for the night. This time, we pitched a tent near a small source of water. After climbing for more than 13 hours over the past couple of days, we were completely exhausted.
Day 3: Departure at 8:00am. Only four hours of walking today… two on the dried lava from a past eruption, and two more in the rainforest. It is during these last two hours that we often had to dash over masses of dangerous red and black ants.
12:00pm: Arrival at foot of hill. Exhausted, we are looking forward to a relaxing time at the beach in Limbe!
Return
Just over a month left! I can't way to get back and see everyone. I'll probably arrive Ottawa in early March. If you didn't already know, I miss home! I'm going to make the most of things here while I still can. But after that, I'm looking forward to well-derserved break at home. After some rest, I'll be looking to find a great job somewhere. Any ideas?
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