50 Cent (cent), Justin (tin), Timbaland (land), France

In between listening to "Ayo Technology" over and over again and going to interminable meetings the last few weeks, I've been counting down the days until my first vacation since I got here September 30, 2006. (Well, one could say that PC is 27 months of vacation, but I won't for now.) I leave Lagdo in 18 days, December 12th.

 

First I'm going to climb Mount Cameroon in Southern Cameroon, which is near the town of Buea, with some PCVs from my stage.  Mount Cameroon is Cameroon's highest mountain and in the South-West province, which is anglophone.  The mountain, Lonely Planet says, is a relatively easy climb up and down of a few days (you can do it in one if you want), but the toughest part is the fast change of altitude.  There's also an annual footrace up and down, but that's in February I believe.  This will be the first time I've done an overnight hike, so I'm looking forward to it and hoping I won't be like Bill Bryson's friend in A Walk in the Woods. (Click on the link to learn more about the mountain.)

 

A few days after the ol' mountain and some down time in Yaounde, I'm going to go to Paris, Texas. Just kidding.  La France. I'm going to spend ten days in la ville des lumieres, where I'll meet up with les parents and one Monsieur Ian Patrick McCarron for a week and a half of eating and wireless Internet.  I remember the last time I was in France (well, the only other time), all there was to eat in my eyes was ham sandwiches.  That won't be happening this time.  It's going to be nice to be out of the Cameroon fishbowl, even if it's for a relatively short time, and be able to get a break and enjoy our very nice Western lifestyle before heading back to Lagdo and the "real world" for Year 2.