T-minus 24hours until departure...

The last few weeks of my full time French immersion studies at ILSC were fantastic!! I am no where near fluent, but I feel very comfortable starting and holding a conversation – I know my skills will only improve as I work in Cameroon.

  

I have finally finished my TESOL certification as well.

 

For my last night in Montreal, Aimée showed me how to cook an Ivorian dish called Attiéké (similar to couscous) with salad and salmon. I baked an apple strawberry pie. It was a beautiful dinner with a lot of smiles and French.

  

From February 21-23 I had the opportunity to travel to Brattleboro, Vermont to visit a graduate school that I found when I was about 18 years old and researching information on the Peace Corps. Long story short – they do a Peace Corps Masters International Program that incorporates 1 year full time at SIT Graduate Institute with 2 years serving as a PC member overseas combined with a capstone paper and presentation to yield a self designed Masters of Art in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management. 

After visiting the tiny campus nestled in a small town that was a mirror image to Arcata (except colder) I felt right at home. The school only has 5 degree programs that are entirely international focused and a student population of under 200 (25% are international students, 58 languages are spoken on campus and there are 13 returning Peace Corps volunteers with many more going to serve as part of the PC Masters International Program like I plan to do). I am certain that this is the school for me. While on my very short visit, I met not only one but TWO students from Cameroon. One man was born and raised in Buea, the exact town I will be working in for the next 6 months. What a serendipitous series of events.  

Beautiful icicles on the side of the freeway from Burlington to Brattleboro.

Random Occurrence: As I left ILSC at the end of the day (it was my very last Monday at the school) I went to a local cafe Shäika Café a few blocks from my house to get some studying done. As I approached the window, I saw a uncannily familiar looking lady sitting in the front window facing me. We made eye contact and both had that look as if we were both thinking, "How do I know you!?" We smiled slightly and I entered into the cafe, unpacked my bags and stared at the back of her head just waiting for her to turn around so I could get another look at her... She turned her head to find me, obviously thinking the same thing - we met in the middle of the cafe - Turns out Sarah was in my French 3 class at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California and had transferred to Concordia where she was finishing her undergraduate studies. What a beautiful phenomenon. What are the odds of that?

Background Info: While visiting the greatest mother and father in the whole world (yes, I am talking about Jon and Maureen Morzenti: my parents) in December, I realized that my Typhoid Fever vaccination had expired and I was due for another. After calling around frantically the only local clinic (2 hours away) to administer the vaccination gave me a whopping total of $488 because I did not have any type of insurance. I said, “Thank you but no thank you” and decided to take my chances with Typhoid Fever.

Upon arriving in Canada, my wonderful Aunty Patty suggested going to a travel clinic there. So in Montreal I called around and concluded that I could afford a fee of $70 (yes, for the exact same Typhoid Fever vaccination). The doctor at the travel clinic, who happened to be Ethiopian, also wrote me a 6 month prescription for Lariam, a once weekly anti-malaria pill. She compared me going to Cameroon in the wet season for 6 months and not taking anti-malaria pills to me going there without any type of insurance. After she told me it would be about $70/month I had to pick my jaw up off the floor before taking the prescription and thanking her for her time. I have been very hesitant to get malaria drugs because last year I went 8 months with no drugs and somehow survived. So I waited and debated. 

Last Saturday I arrived in Toronto to stay my last week with my delightful and loving Aunty Patty! We have been quite busy together – going to her International Development classes at Humber College, seeing NicholasKristof and Sheryl WuDunn (NY Times journalist and authors of Half the Sky) speak at the Toronto Public Library, celebrating birthdays, and we’ve eaten Japanese, Thai, Indian, Greek and more! I went to check on the malaria pills yesterday (yes only 2 days before my departure) and it turns out that they are a third of the price here in Ontario! Only $120 for the entire prescription when I thought it was going to cost me close to $400!! The universe has been spinning in my favor lately. Needless to say I now will be taking anti-malaria, I’m sure my family will be relieved to hear that.

It was like a tornado had went through my stuff as I tried to pack...

In the last few weeks as I have been counting down the days and hours until I land in the muggy, hot and bustling city of Douala, I have had several changes in my life which have already begun to take a profound affect on my person growth and outlook on the next six months.

The majority of this self-development (and sheer confusion) is credited to the brilliant staff of Omprakash and Omprakash EdGE.

You can read more about exactly who, what, where and whys of the Omprakash on their site. Maybe you can find a partner you would be interested in working with or donating to. I am working with Social Development International.

I am very honored to announce that I have been selected to receive the Omprakash Volunteer Abroad Grant. This will help offset the cost of airfare, vaccinations/medicine, insurance, local room/board, internship/program fees and other travel expenses. I am very blessed to have found Omprakash and to be a part of their beautiful community; my only regret is that I didn’t find them sooner! You can see my profile here. As part of the grant, I will be required to post resources, media and blog updates before, during and after my trip.

During the interview for the grant, I was presented with some very challenging and thought provoking questions about “women empowerment” and “development work” in general. Willy, the program director, made me second guess my intentions, second guess my reasoning for wanted to do this work and even better yet – he opened my eyes to multiple dimensions of the development sector that I had overlooked in the past.

Does education necessarily lead to empowerment? Where does ‘cultural relativism’ fit into the picture? What is the ‘right’ or ‘best’ approach to development issues? What has failed/worked in the past?  HELP! WHAT DO I DO!? I have been constantly reading article after article relating to these topics and more – waking up at 6am, on the metro, during lunch break and even while walking! Afterwards, I am often left with new questions and usually even more confused yet I still yearn for more articles, more answers, more studies, more opinions, more field research, more MORE more! I don’t think this is a craving that can be curbed for I am slowly realizing that there are no definite answers in this field of work. I am always going to be perplexed by the interconnected and self perpetuating problems of ‘international development’ and that is entirely fine.

I was beyond thrilled when the Omprakash Team asked me to be part of their new initiative: Omprakash EdGE (Education through Global Engagement). I could feel my cheeks lifting towards my ears as I read through the introductory documents for the program. Essentially, this brand new program will offers student participants a unique opportunity for professional development, personal growth, and immersive experiential learning through transformative educational experiences that bring students into partnership with social actors and communities whose voices and perspectives have been historically marginalized and pushed to the edge of public awareness. In my case, I will be working in Buea, Cameroon with Social Development International in the sector of community service and development. Participants engage in a rich online curriculum curated by experts in the fields of international development and education. This curriculum prepares participants for immersive field placements which can include research and/or internship responsibilities, and all participants will complete a capstone project revolving around community-engaged learning through which they document local perspectives on the ends and means of ‘development.’

I cannot emphasis how absolutely perfect this program is for me. I was trying to do all of these things on my own, but now, to have not only a tailored curriculum to help me along the way and other students to participate and grow with,  I also have the guidance and mentorship of several experienced authorities who have an array of background skills and knowledge.

This is the study abroad experience that I was trying to create for myself in 2011. Although I am very proud of what I accomplished in East and West Africa, a program such as this would have undoubtedly been more beneficial in the end. More news to come about the program. There are so many short videos and articles so please, leave a comment if you think they are worth blogging about. All very eye opening and really make you *think* and *questions* things.

Good news, my Cameroonian visa has arrived!!

I feel eerily prepared and ready for the next 6 months.

This is nothing but a learning experience. It is a process, there are no exact answers.

I have ideas of what I could and would like to do for SDI but I am keeping a very very open mind and making sure that I have no expectations of what it will be like.

When I arrive, I plan on spending at least the first month talking with staff and volunteers who are working with SDI, talking with those who are part of their projects and are the ones who are supposed to be receiving the benefits of the programs. Only after I feel like I understand what the people of Buea want and need will I start to take any direction with planning, coordinating or facilitating my own doings.

At the moment is a 50+ degree difference between Toronto, Canada and Buea, Cameroon.

J'ai trouvé une morceau de Humboldt

Jean-Talon Marché

During my visit to Ottawa, our 'tour guide' (more like some dude who talked to us about random things during the bus ride) mentioned a handful of things that we had to do and see while in Montreal. I was half paying attention and half trying to block out the obnoxious drunk(?) Brazilians who were singing/chanting/clapping in the seats right behind me. He mentioned "Jean-Talon Marché" and I wrote it on my 'to do list'.

The entrance

He said the best day to go was Saturday, so naturally I went on a Saturday. It was fabulous!! From the moment I walked through the doors I felt this overwhelming rush of happiness and tranquility. I felt like I was back in Arcata/Humboldt, California. All I could think was, "Finalement, j'ai trouvé une morceau de Humboldt ici à Montréal" (Finally, I found a slice of Humboldt here in Montreal)

In the summer, the market is outside like a typical farmers market - but since I went in the dead of winter it was inside, which was fine by me! Jean-Talon is also considered THE most important open air market in North America! Apparently, people come from all over the world just to visit it. I guess I fit into that category too.

Des pommes!

Des poivrons colorés

Des fleurs

Des légumes et des fruits

Plus des fruits!

Des champignons

Des tomates

De la laitue

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming; the food was mouth watering with it's bright colors and surprisingly large selection for winter; and it was bustling with smiles and families.

Crème glacée: expresso et sirop d'érable! Yum!

I enjoyed my experience so much that I have went back every weekend since.

Le Métro de Montréal

Living in Montreal has really been quite an experience so far. I always thought of myself as a 'small town' girl but I have grown to really enjoy many aspects of cities, Montreal in particular. My favorite thing has got to be le Métro de Montréal (The Montreal Metro) - it makes getting around so easy!

There are 4 main lines and several bus routes that will bring you pretty much anywhere you want to go! On the website you can also find a link for a public taxi service, but I haven't used that.  A monthly pass, which includes unlimited use of ALL forms of transportation is only $77. They also do daily, weekend and weekly unlimited passes as well. If you visit the city - get one of these passes!

It was news to me that most if not all major cities have a metro system, this was the first time I have used one. I think it is a wonderful idea - mainly because such a large form of public transport cuts back on so much pollution from every single person driving their own car. During the weekdays, especially between 8:30-9:30am and 4:30-5:50pm the metros are PACKED! No where to sit, no where to put your things and sometimes there isn't even room and you have to wait until the next one comes. (Weekdays they come about every 5min and on the weekends its about every 10-13min)

I know I'm not the only one who hasn't taken a metro, so I made a quick video to show you want its like. Some of it was filmed on the weekend (very slow, mellow and not busy) but I tried to get my camera out for the busy rush our times as well. Hope you enjoy it!

Je t'aime en chocolat 

Last weekend (February 8th-10th) was the 2nd Annual "Je t'aime en chocolat" (I love you in chocolate). It is also known as le nouveau rendez-vous des amoureux du chocolate (the new chocolate lovers get together). This event showcased the most popular chocolatiers in the region. Did I mention there were free samples?

I saw the most detailed and exquisite (and expensive) chocolate that I had ever seen in my life. A box of 10 chocolates was between $15 and $20.

Les petits gâteaux

Many different kinds to sample for FREE!

Macarons!

Bouquet of chocolate :)

Very detailed and intricate chocolates. Each one hand made!

I definitely left with a stomach full of sugar. I was sure to floss twice before brushing that night.

Bharati...Il était une fois l'Inde (Once upon a time in India)
Friday night I celebrated Valentines Day by taking myself to see my first Bollywood play at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier theater in Place des Arts in Montreal. The venue seats nearly 3,000 people! भरती = Bharati, meaning in search of light, is more than a show! It's an exquisite blend of dance, music and Indian traditions! A smile of satisfaction never left my face as the story of unraveled guided by the narration of one man (he was the only one that spoke - the rest was singing and dancing). An Indian engineer who was raised in the US moved back to India for a job assignment. It was there that he met and fell in love with Bharati. The story shows him battleing another man who also wanted to marry her and also obtaining the approval of Bharati's father to take her hand in marriage.  It is a journey that uncovers the hidden treasures of the vast country. It would take more than one night to visit India but Bharati gave me a glittering glimpse of the astonishing cultural richness of India.

I wasn't allowed to take video but I found a great preview of the show on YouTube, please watch this...it is magical!!

 

I had pretty good seats and managed to get some photos, but they will never do justice for actually being there - feeling the drums beat in your heart, darting your eyes from one side of the stage to the other and seeing over 1,000 brilliantly colored costumes throughout the show! On the left side of the stage they had a band of 7 members playing all of the music. There were 4 singers who mostly stayed on the right side but were sometimes placed throughout the stage. Then, at any given time, there were between 2 and 30 dancers twirling around the stage! It was an outstanding and breathtaking performance. I was very happy with my decision to go :)

The band

 

 

The singers on the right.

The happy couple at their wedding!
The bride wears red because it is supposed to bring good luck and prosperity.

If you ever have the opportunity to see Bharati or any other live Bollywood play, I highly recommend it!! What a spectacular evening!

Bienvenue à Montréal!

Bienvenue à Montréal! (eng: Welcome to Montreal!)

After spending two short days with my Aunty Patty in Toronto, I headed to Montréal taking my first train with ViaRail!
The 5hour ride build up my anticipation even more.
Aimée met me at the train station. We took the metro to the house.

Home sweet home

I was quite afraid of the snow and cold in the months before arriving...

 

But I have to say...it's not that bad.

International Language School of Canada: A world leader in language training.

It took no time at all for me to remember what it was like to be a student with no time, no money and too many things to do. Luckily, I have been able to make a little bit of time to roam the city and explore.

allows visitors to walk through replicas of four ecosystems found in the Americas INCLUDING the animals found in them:

1) The Tropical Forest is a replica of the South American rainforest.

2) The Laurentian Forest is a replica of the North American wilderness.

3) The Saint Lawrence Marine Eco-system is an estuary habitat modelled on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

4) A polar area that is divided into Arctic and Antarctic.

A must see place if you ever visit the city! So much fun and so much to see!!

In addition to my full time intensive study (M-Th 9am-4pm/F 9am-noon) I signed up for night classes at ILSC which are M&W from 6-8pm. I also took advantage of free conversation classes at La Grande Bibliothèque (eng: The Large Library) every Th from 6-8pm.

I took a day-trip with the school and some friends to visit the country's capital city.
Ottawa is only 1h45m from Montréal.

The Capital of Canada - - Ottawa City

The Canadian Museum of Civilization - A national museum of social and human history.
The "grand hall" explored the rich cultural heritage of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada's West Coast. Beautiful art work and wood carvings.

The "first peoples hall" shows the history of the first known inhabitants of the region. It was fascinating to see their way of life, I especially enjoyed the clothing. But, it was sad to see how their way of life was destroyed and devalued throughout history. They were forced to conform to the "less savage" practices of the new settlers.

Left photo shows a young boy upon his arrival to a new Industrial School, the
right photo shows him in the school uniform and cut hair (obviously mandatory).

The largest exhibition was "Canada hall". You could literally travel across the country in life-size settings (houses, pathways, etc) and experience 1,000 years of history.

Lastly, there is a "special exhibition gallery" that is changed every few months. I was fortunate enough to be there during the Vodou (as apposed to the English/American spelling: voodoo) exhibit which was of high interest to me after especially after my experiences in West Africa. This specific exhibit focused on Haitian Vodou, but I do believe the majority of that came from the Dahomey Kingdom in West Africa. Disclaimer: Although the media has portrayed Vodou in a very stereotypical and negative light, it is much more than that.

There was no photos allowed in the exhibit, thus, this is my only one.

Short history and some interesting facts I learned about Vodou:

Between the 16th-18th century, millions of Africans were uprooted from their home and transported on ships (part of the Transatlantic Slave Trad) to the Caribbean. Despite having Christianity forced upon them to the point where all religions other than Catholicism were banned, and those who disobeyed would risk severe punishment and even death, African slaves refused to give up their ancestral religions. Maroons are slaves who escaped from the plantations and sought refuge and protection in the mountains and forests. The number of maroons grew and this is, for the most part, how Vodou culture and traditions stayed alive. Vodou (traditional West African) began to merge with Christian elements and formed the Haitian Vodou we have today. This religion soon became an identity for the slaves and a source of resistance. 

Photo Credit: Ottawa Citizen and Krunn's Sit

Vodouists worship only one god, Gran Mèt (Great Master). Lwa is a Vodou spirit (and there are many). You must communicate with the lwa in order to enter into commutation with the active energies emanating from the Gran Mèt.

Bodies of water, forests, trees, caves, cemeteries, and crossroads are used to communicate to the lwa, but the preferred method of communication is through dreams.

Communication with the lwa is at the heart of the religion. To Vodouists, everything in the world that exists is interconnected - nothing can exist on its own separate from other things. Therefore, communicating with the lwa is crucial for maintaining or restoring balance in your world.

Several different lwa - Photo Credit: Krunn's Site

Each lwa is called and welcomed with different drum rhythms, prayers, dances, colors, fragrances, songs and vèvè (sacred symbolic drawings) - all specific to him or her.

Possession is a powerful way to communicate with the lwa. When people are possessed,  the lwa speaks and moves through them. It expresses itself, advises, consoles, talks to others, reprimands, punishes, encourages or heals them. Possession is not out of the ordinary and can last from a few minuets to several years.

Outdoor Vodou Ceremony - Photo Credit: Krunn's Site

I could go on, but I think all of this information will be enough to process for now.

I feel like I better understand the ceremonies I saw in Africa. Although the Ndep (like a modern day exorcism) was in Senegal (not part of the Dahomey Kingdom), I feel like it could have some how related to these beliefs.

After the Museum we headed into the city and into the market. I tried the overpriced famous "Obama Cookie"...in my opinion, it was just like his presidency - I was not very impressed. I moved on quickly to a garlic butter and cheese Beaver Tail!

Here I am eating my 'beaver tail' - a local favorite!

The largest skating rink in the world, the Rideau Canal, was closed because it had been pretty warm out the previous days and the ice wasn't think enough, so we just strolled around town for the rest of the day and then headed back to Montreal.

Back to school, back to the books, back to reality.

It was really cold this week, as you can see. Thursday, the electricity went off at about 11am in school. Because it didn't go back on, they cancelled classes for the afternoon and I went to the Redpath Museum.

The Museum located right on McGill campus!

The first floor "back to the sea" was an exhibit on marine vertebrates whose ancestors were terrestrial (animals that live predominantly or entirely on land). The ancestors of all reptiles and mammals came from the sea. There was everything from whales, seals and sea turtles to extinct marine reptiles that lived at the same time as dinosaurs! This display shows the diversity of the sea floor in the region of Montreal during the Ordovician period, 450 million years ago.

The second floor, 'dawson gallery' which uses fossil specimens to show some of the most remarkable events in the history of life on Earth: from the earliest trace fossils in the Ediacaran of Newfoundland, to the strange creatures of the Burgess Shale that arose from the Cambrian explosion in the Rocky Mountains. There were tons of specific exhibits including a collection of African culture, footbinding practices and shrunken heads from Amazonian tribes.

  

Shrunken head used for trade with white settlers.

Explanation of footbinding:

 

Foot and shoe of a 15year old
(literally 3inches big.

The weekend is nearly here and I will pass most of my time studying and staying warm! There are a few sights I have on my list for Montréal, but it is so cold out that I think I might wait until it gets into the double digits!