Bye bye Monastery Bonjour Familles d'Accueil! (September 7)

Woke up for our last morning in the monastery this morning and had our typical breakfast of powered milk and chocolate powder and bread and left to see the SIT office for the first time. It’s a really cute building with a classroom and a room that the students can use to hang out or nap between classes. There is also a kitchen, which will definitely come in handy. We learned about the classes we will be taking - French, Seminar on Development, Seminar on Diversity in Cameroon and a Field Study Seminar where we will learn how to do our big research project at the end of the semester. And finally, after so much waiting, we got to meet our host families!! My host mom (Maman) picked me up and took me to her house where I met her daughter (Marisse) who is a German professor at the University. She lives in the house with Maman with her two daughters, Maillaka who is 9 and Illana who is 5. At first it was a little awkward but they are all so nice it will be great! I have my own bedroom and bathroom attached to the house but you have to go outside to get to it. We prepared dinner together – rice, tomatoes and little fish, complete with a tail and head. Gotta get used to Cameroon food!

New friend Lauren! Yaounde in the background.

Main area of the monastery.