Missing my other home

Well, I’ve been ‘home’ for over a week and thought it was time to write another blog about my reverse culture shock. My first feelings when I got back really surprised me. I thought I would be extremely put off by how our culture has this need to buy and have new things, but instead I wanted to have a new outfit. I felt like a kid during Christmas. Being able to walk on smooth parking lots and carpet, eating cookie dough, driving my car, taking a hot shower for longer than 3 minutes, sitting by a fireplace and sleeping in were all things that seemed so different and new to me. I call those first few days my euphoric stage.
And now…I don’t know….I’m torn. I read this quote that I felt really fit: ‘I struggle between two worlds yet ultimately yearning for another’. How can two completely different ways of living both feel like home? I’m in the States with my mom and loving the time with her and yet finding myself missing my ‘ma Margaret’ back in Cameroon. I stand in church wanting to speed up the tempo and African church dance. I automatically say ‘amen’ after each prayer finding myself the only person who is saying it. Through learning a different way to worship and love God, I’ve seen a different side of God. It’s like seeing how a dear friend interacts differently with someone else and through seeing that, you come to a deeper and richer comprehension of who that person really is.
I’ve gotten many emails from the other Westerners over in Cameroon. Apparently I was only 4 days short of missing grasshopper season! So disappointing as I really wanted to just try eating one to see what it tastes like. I helped set some of my Cameroonian friends up with email addresses before I left. Internet is a new thing in Cameroon as most Cameroonians don’t need it and computer access is limited. I got my first email from one of my Cameroonian friends the other day. Fred was one of my Cameroonian physical therapy co-workers that I really connected with. I wanted to share a little of his letter because it really touched me:
“ Hi Dr. Jayme how was your journey back home? we here are still feeling your depart one week after. I hope you did had a nice journey back home. Your present was highly felt by all of us here. May the Lord Almighty bless and keep you till we meet again, Amen.
jayme, you made me to see how beautiful our Mbingo is, when you appreciate the topography around. You were so busy and hard working that I in particular was so happy about. Although rain still felt yesterday, the weather have been so friendly that the green grasshoppers started coming. How lovely to both children and adult alike could be seen following these green inserts at night, how I wish you were
there. Also there have been a good supply of nice vegetable for fufu and jama jama. Today in the morning we had a good song leader for some African dance in the chapel. All these makes one to love being around but how about life satisfaction? You can better tell.
Dr extent my warm greetings to your entire family. Please alway remember to pray for us all the days of your life. Your coming here this time have made to write my first Email over there, so you shall remain my sourse of inspiration and hope for the future. remain bless so through you I shall be bless also.”
Fred is a very intelligent person. If he lived in a developed world, he would have had more opportunities to do whatever he wanted-and he knows that. But I think his life is wonderful. He has a beautiful home, two cute kids, loving family, positive work place and his faith. There is this misconception that the Western world is better than the developing world. However, there are things that the developing world has that the Western world is missing and vise versa. I’ve seen a few Westerners even when coming to Cameroon have that attitude of superiority that I don’t think they even realize that they are portraying, but the Cameroonians can tell. Two things happen as a result: 1. The Westerner is not as effective as a medical teacher/professional or witness because the Cameroonians do not like or trust them and 2. The Cameroonians feel like their lifestyle is ‘not as good’ and as a result they yearn for a world in which they believe that all their needs and their family’s needs will be met and they will be completely happy with no suffering. They feel like they are ‘under' or 'below' the Westernern lifestyle and hence, many resort to certain levels of begging even though they don’t need to beg. The hospital depends on donations from Westerners when technically they have enough funds to support themselves. So, when does donating and helping benefit and when does it take away from them being able to walk on their own feet? I know I'm rambling-I'm just homesick.

Recovering from the jet lag...

After just short of 70 hours, I am finally back in Sioux Falls, SD. I find it funny that I traveled through a third world country and overseas, but I had the most trouble when it came to traveling just within the States. I went to check in for my flight in Boston only to find out that there was no such thing as my connecting flight to Indianapolis. It took them over an hour to change my flight from going to Philadelphia to Indianapolis to Chicago and finally to Sioux Falls. However, when they finally printed out my tickets they realized that there was not sufficient time between connecting flights. They finally switched my airline so I was going to Denver and then Sioux Falls. I got to my gate just as they were calling the last call. 2 slight delays in the plane from Denver to Sioux Falls and I am here!
I'm finding that my reaction to Western life is different than I thought. The smell of pumpkin pie candles, drinking milk, sitting by the fireplace, the smell of crisp air, being able to flat iron my hair, lip gloss. They feel like such luxuries and I'm really loving it. Then, I feel a bit guilty. Is it ok to enjoy these things? I had thought I'd come back to the States thinking I was going to be frustrated with other people- not myself.

Zurich

Grossmunster church

Sara and Christoph

Right now I'm in Boston. My flight landed last night and I am now staying at my wonderful friends' house Jess and Aaron. I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud-the bed is so comfortable. Not that I'm complaining, but it feels so much nicer than the one in Africa where I felt the wooden boards through the mattress.
Zurich was a little chilly, but I decided to go out and explore anyways. I am so proud of myself that I didn't get lost or take the wrong train! Sarah and Christoff, a couple from Switzerland but now in Mbingo printed out a map for me, told me where I could go, and even showed me some key landmarks and train signs to look for on their computer so I didn't get lost. Zurnich is such a cute city! Very beautiful churches and houses. I walked downtown until I reached Lake Zurich. Sara and Christoph said that I would be able to see the Swiss Alps there, but is was too cloudy :( Sadness. I did see them a little from the airport though.
Just one more day of flying and then I am back home!

Saying Goodbye

Well, I'm sitting here in the Zurich airport waiting for it to get a little warmer and the weather to clear before I go to explore (I have a 10 hour layover here). These last few days have been so draining. I am saying goodbye to family and new friends. The last day, my fellow physical therapists gave me a send off party with fufu and jama jama. I finally lost it and the tears started flowing when they prayed that God would be with me and guide my footprints wherever I go. That as they were praying for me, they knew my family and friends were praying for me over in the States.
I am almost halfway done with getting all the way back to Sioux Falls. The drive from Mbingo to Douala was not fun. I get car sick easily and they had to pull over 2 times for me to puke out on the side of the road. We made a detour to Limbe for one of the passengers, so I got to see a glimpse of the ocean from the other side. It's weird going from a third world country airport and arriving in one decorated with beautiful Christmas decorations, chocolates and smells of expensive perfume. I thought coming back to the States right before the holidays would be good idea so I could be with family during that time. I wasn't thinking about how it would affect me going from a place that 200$ a month is an extremely rich person to the consumerism of black Friday and the sort.
Here are some pictures of my last few days.

The last stretch...

These last few days have been crazy with trying to fit as much stuff in my days as possible. I had 4 meals and 2 tea parties today and have barely had time just to unwind and think. Plus, I feel like my stomach is going to explode. Tomorrow is even busier I think with work, a 'surprise' gathering for me from my PT co-workers, volleyball tournament, supper and then Bible study. Pat had me over for her famous waffles with fruit tonight. Pat is retiring this year from PT and they are looking for a PT to teach...so we'll see where God leads us... I so often feel that my life is comparable to a sailboat. I just have to go where the breeze is blowing me. Sometimes I can see land and know that is where I'm supposed to port for a while, but most of the time, the destination is not clear in sight until the very last moment. I just have to trust. Maybe someday I'll have a permanent place to call home, but I don't know. I think I have ADD. I can't stay in one place for long. I love the traveling. Getting to meet new people and know a different way of living. It's fasinating. All I know is that right now I just have to keep sailing and go where the breeze is calling me to go. Next stop is home for two weeks and then I am returning back to Canby Minnesota for at least 13 weeks.

Thanksgiving

My last week here. The more I start to think about heading back to the States, the more excited I get. It’s going to be hard to leave, I’ll miss Cameroon. But I’m ready to be home. I figured out that my journey back to Sioux Falls is going to take approximately 55 hours or so. At first I was really not looking forward to my 11 hour layover in Switzerland, but then I talked to a couple from Switzerland and they printed out a map of Zurich and told me what things I can go see (the Alps!!). The map looks pretty easy to follow, so I’m hoping that I won’t get lost.
October and November are known as Harvest or Thanksgiving time in Cameroon. What they do is that they donate some vegetables or fruit from their gardens to the church. After the church service, they auction the food off and the proceeds go to churches that are in very rural Cameroon that do not have enough money to support itself. And that’s Thanksgiving for the Cameroonians. Not getting to eat a lot of food, but donating their own so that others can eat. After yesterday’s church service, I went to a co-worker’s house and met his wife and children. I ate sweet yams and avocados while watching African dance videos. They loved having snaps (pictures) taken of them.

Mbingo Hill

For my last Saturday hike in Cameroon, I decided to climb Mbingo hill. We had some warnings about going up there due to animal traps, snakes and very high grass. But this was something that I really wanted to accomplish before I left. I convinced some of the other short termers and one Cameroonian to go with me. It was a short, but demanding hike. Mbingo hill looks smooth from a distance, but it is really rocky and volcanic rock. The grass went up over our heads. The view of the hospital from up top was amazing and I'm so glad I got to make it to the top before I left.

Arts and Crafts

The Central Baptist Convention has a program called the rehabilitative program. Although there are rarely any new cases of leprosy here anymore, there are still people who have obtained it from years ago. Amputations, hand deformities and decreased sensation are a few of the remaining difficulties of people with leprosy. I tried to teach the librarian how to set up an email account and it took at least an hour and a half just to sign up due to the mouse on my computer being touch sensitive. What the rehabilitative program does is it teaches these people how to do different arts and crafts to sell in order to make an income. The hospital sells their embroidery work and it is beautiful. I am amazed at how someone who not only has hand deformities, but also minimal to no sensation could embroider these beautiful tablecloths.

Radio Talk

Today I spent 3 hours being interviewed for the Bamenda public radio station sponsored by the Central Baptist Convention. They have a health program every Monday talking about various health issues to the people around Bamenda. A lot of people don't go to seek health care right away or they go to Traditional African medicine doctors first. You know when a patient has gone to a traditional healer by looking at the scars on their skin- traditional healers cut the area that hurts and try to 'bleed' out the pain. I interviewed for 3 shows: cerebral palsy, motorbike accidents and dizziness. We tried to find a quiet place to interview and ended up recording in my room. Here's Namondo saving one of our interviews.

Pat and Joy

I found out about physical therapy in Mbingo from Joy Karges who now a professor of physical therapy at the University of South Dakota and member of my home church. I don't even remember how long I've known Joy, but she had been encouraging me to do physical therapy since I was in middle school. Joy came here about 20 years ago as a student to learn physical therapy in third world countries. I even found some of her PT school books that she left here 20 years ago. She is still contributing to the physical therapy department in Cameroon. She donated some money for an educational course and there was some leftover money to which Pat Lenz, the PT here, used to buy this skeleton. Pat is a native of North Dakota and has been here 37 years doing physical therapy!! This year is her last and she is retiring to either North Dakota or Sioux Falls. She has just handed down her position to another PT Cameroonian at the convention last week. She has done amazing things for physical therapy in Cameroon and I am sure she will be greatly missed.

Break Time

A lot of times someone gets a dash from a patient (gift of money for a service). So we all share the gift and buy puff puffs (Cameroonian doughnuts which are my favorite Cameroonian treat).

Conference pics

Presenting me with a woven basket for being the guest speaker


Teaching the Epley maneuver


Teaching Vestibular physical therapy