Yesterday was the swearing in ceremony for the trainees. We took the same oath that the president takes to start service, and I became a volunteer in a matter of seconds after weeks of wishing i could just be a volunteer already. I loved Bafia, and my host family with Mama Lydie and Papa Piment, Jerry, Patricia and Epiphany. This morning I had my last spaghetti omelette sandwich and I gave Mama Lydie some printed off photos,black & white,of the family I had taken over the past months. I wrote a letter on the back of one page and handed it to her with a small box of wine. She was so happy and hugged me so tight that my eyes watered. I was extremely lucky getting them as my host family.

Today was spent in a bus with all of my fellow volunteers headed to the West. The bus was packed with water filters, bikes, regulators and suitcases that would never pass through an airport without being charged a million dollars. Volunteers were dropped off along the way in their respective villages, while the rest of us headed to the big city, Baffousam. In Baffousam there is a volunteer run transit house where we had the bus driver drop us off in front of. We lugged all of our belongings up three flights of stairs and settled in to our new home for a night. We found the internet immediately and I got to skype with ferrell and see the first american face since 3 months. The other volunteers and I walked down the road and stopped at market stands buying ingredients to make baguette pizzas. We went to the super marche to buy cheese and tomato paste. Right now I’m using the computer while the other toast the baguettes. We’re about to sit down to our first pizza meal on a table made of two metal trunks with a candle sitting on top.Our plates  are plastic grocery bags and I can’t wait.

Today I was thinking about how I was getting to do my life dream. I can’t believe how well everything has worked out. I’ve worked hard and also been extremely lucky, but I couldn’t help but tear up from happiness. I’m done being cheesy. I’m going to go eat pizza. But I love you all-my friends and family and I’m loving life in Africa and I hope you’re all doing well.