Josh ready to climb!

Naive.

Mount Cameroon

13,255 ft. up and down in 2 days.  Mount Cameroon has been conquered by yours truly. 

Tuesday September 4, Andy and I rose at approximately 6am to be ready to make the trip to the nearby town of Buea to begin our climbing of Mount Cameroon.  We reached the base of the mountain and met our guides and porters and started to hike at just after 9am.  I was tired after 15 minutes.  I was A LONG way from being finished. 

The hike starts off up a steep hill and through a prison that apparently still has prisoners in it, I was not allowed to take pictures.  We then entered the forest.  It rained.  Our path turned into a river.  That is when the struggle started. 

By the time we reached Hut 1, we were wet, tired, and sweaty.  At Hut 1 we met James. James lives in the area and climbed up to Hut 1 under his own accord and has been living there for almost a month.  He came up there to pray.  He has a scrapbook full of people who gave him pictures of themselves or wrote down requests for James to pray for them.  I asked James if the Mountain holds some kind of significance with regard to prayer ... he said no.  I decided not to push any further.  He did make us the most unbelievable cup of tea ever.  So.....

Once we left Hut 1, we were totally oblivious to the Hell that awaited us in the Savannah of the mountain.  Once we made our way out of the forest the Savannah was beautiful.  After having your whole environment for 3 hours be crushed by trees and branches and dense forest, any open space is warmly welcomed.  After about 18 seconds of climbing the Savannah, we were all wishing for the forest.  The Savannah is about 5000 ft. of slippery rock and grass on a severe uphill slope.  Every step I just wanted to sit down and rest.  Everytime I caught my breath, I had lost it again after 2 steps.  Everytime I thought my leg muscles were going to explode I had to take another step, then another, then another, then about 1000 more.  At each resting point I welcomed the concept of sitting down on something that wasn't a wet sloped mountain side, but then we were off again in 15 minutes. 

The last 45 minutes leading up to Hut 2, I was struggling.  Our guide, Matthias, is 59 years old and beat Andy and I up and down the mountain.  He patiently waited for me and encouraged me along to Hut 2.  Once we reached Hut 2, the sight of where we were started to sink in.  The sun started to set and it was BEAUTFIUL. But the best was yet to come. 

We finally ate some dinner and was told that if we wanted to reach the Summit and then make it all the way back down again that we would have to wake up at 3:30am and start hiking by 4.  I was in my sleeping bag at 7:30pm.  Finally, 3:30am rolls around and my 28 minutes of sleep really got me ready for the long day ahead.  None of the porters of guides thought I was going to be able to make it to the Summit.  WRONG. 

We started hiking in the pitch black of night and still sore and tired from the day before, Andy and I were moving slowly.  The minutes and hours ticked on and the next thing we knew the morning sun was peaking up over the horizon seemingly at arms length.  It was beautiful. 

One thing I should mention is that the most amazing views we had while on the mountain were either so minute or of the stars at night so I could not even take pictures of them!  On that note, I have never, and would be shocked if I ever did, see such a beautful starry night again in my life.  Being 9000 feet up, there is no light from the city, no cloud cover and nothing at all that stands in between you and the trillions of beautiful shining lights in our night sky.  It was unforgettable, irreplaceable, and impossible to capture in anything but my memory. 

By the time we could at least see the Summit, nothing else mattered except reaching that peak.  Each step was agony and each step all I wanted was to be in bed with 2 people rubbing my freezing cold and sore feet, but nothing was stopping me from reaching this goal.  Andy reached the top first and waited just steps shy of the landmark so that we could conquer the mountain together.  WHAT A FEELING!  To be able to say that I climbed a mountain, is something I am very proud of.  Considering the physical and emotional toll that the mountain takes from you.  It was amazing! 

The way down, sucked.  It was rainy, dangerous, frustrating and physically exhausting.  Every step I could feel my leg muscles twitching and begging for a rest.  Every step I thought I was going to slip either from lose rocks, wet grass, or basic muscle exhaustion.  But with each step I could feel myself getting closer to my goal ... BED. 

The mountain had this very frustrating and almost rude way of presenting you with a landmark or resting point so that you THINK that it is close when really, after you walk and struggle for another hour, the resting point seems just as far away as it did an hour ago. 

But eventually you get home and get to bed and it is glorious!  Then you wake up this morning and you can not move your legs.  Small price to pay. 

So that is that, enjoy the pictures I can post from here and hopefully I can share the videos with you when I get home! 

Tomorrow I have my first day at the school and I am SO EXCITED!!!!  Can not wait to start working with and get an understanding for how physical education is taught here in Limbe!!!!! 

Off to bed!  Much love to all!


Also, in case any of you were wondering, I just received a facebook message from Leonel who has safely arrived in Bamenda and is excited to start school!!!

Leonel

The following was written on September 2, 2012 at approximately 11:00pm.

Early on in my Limbe experience I got to know one of the AVFAL players on a more personal level.  His name is Leonel.  He is a great kid and a good footballer.  The first time we met up outside of the football field he introduced me to fufu and eru a local Cameroonian dish that is, for lack of a better word, gross.  We talked about football and life and he told me about his aspirations to work in development economics so that he can use his knowledge to help Cameroon and Africa.  I instantly took to Leonel and vice versa.  Once the tournament that AVFAL was playing in ended I did not see Leonel as much as I would have liked.  But I still made an effort to see him around and we still hung out and I still stopped by to see him and his dad running their corner clothing shop.  Unfortunately, we had to say our goodbyes tonight and it was a very emotional experience for him, but also for me.  I am writing this post from my room because the following story has JUST happened and I wanted to write about it while it was still fresh in my mind. 

This afternoon Andy, John, Humphrey and I were at a local bar called Mars eating, drinking and watching the English Premiere League when I noticed that I had missed a call from Leonel.  Before I was even given a chance to call him back he appeared at Mars and came to greet us.  He sat down next to me and quickly mentioned that his father had just told him that he was being sent to Bamenda, a city in the North about 10 hours away by bus, for school instead of staying in Limbe as was expected.  I asked him when he was leaving and he said at 9pm tonight and he would not be back until after I leave Cameroon.  I immediately told him that I wanted to take him out for dinner before we had to say goodbye.  Once the EPL game ended we met up. 

As we strolled around he told me about how he was still in shock about the news and how he was upset about it because he wanted to stay and hang out with me for my last 6 weeks and also so that he could continue to play football.  I assured him that we would stay in touch through email and facebook and that the better schools in Bamenda were MUCH more important than playing football or hanging out with me.  He reluctantly agreed then asked me if I would accompany him and his father to the bus station to see him off to Bamenda, and of course said that I was honoured and that I would. 

He took me to see his father who was at a bar drinking, and clearly had been for some time.  He was noticeably drunk.  Leonel said he was going to go home to finish up some last minute packing but that his father would take me there soon to go to the station.  The next 25 minutes consisted of Leonel's father explaining how he was happy that Leonel had met me and that Leonel wanted to stay because he did not want to leave me and the football team and his friends.  He wanted Leonel to go because the schools in Bamenda were better and Leonel's future had to be his number 1 concern.  I agreed and told him that I would have told Leonel the exact same thing.  After an uncomfortable 25 minutes of Leonel's father pouring his heart to me about how he had to make his own sacrifices when Leonel was born so that he could be a responsible father to Leonel, we left.  Despite his state of mind, I was happy that he felt that way and acted on it.  It does not always happen that way in Africa.

His father then took me to their house.  We walked up a very slippery, unstable, crooked, and dark staircase to the house where he almost fell over about 10 times.  We made it inside and I found Leonel zipping up his bag.  I asked him how he was feeling and he was still unsure.  Just as we were getting ready to meet the car that had been arranged to take Leonel to the station, we found out that the driver had a "complication" and was not coming.  We had to take a cab.  Then just as I was getting up to put my shoes on I was alarmed to learn that Leonel's father was not coming because he did not feel well and wanted to stay home and sleep.  Leonel left without a hug or goodbye from his father.  He will not return to Limbe until December. 

I got in the taxi with Leonel and we drove further outside the city, the station was actually outside Limbe city limits.  We arrived at the bus station and it was pandemonium.  I am going to re write that sentence with a further emphasis.  We arrived at the bus station and it was PANDEMONIUM.  Taxis, people, bags, honking, yelling, rocks, puddles, no organization, no identifiable people to assist in locating which bus was going where, or to help shove another bag into the over-flowing compartments; it was madness.  On top of all of this, Leonel realized that he had lost his cell phone, presumably the only form of communication he had with his father until he arrived in Bamenda.  He frantically tried calling it and looking for it before he gave up.  I grabbed him and looked him in the eye and said "Leonel, do not panic.  It is ok.  When you get to Bamenda someone is meeting you right? [he said yes] And you know their number right? [he again said yes] So, once you arrive you can find them and they will help you sort everything out.  You can call them if you have to and you can call your dad to let him know you're ok! Our only concern right now is getting you on that bus!" He agreed. 

We tracked someone down to help us put his bag on the bus and then we went to get him a seat.  He told me to wait outside while he put his backpack down and that he would be right back.  He came back a few minutes later and he told me he would help me find a taxi to take me the long way back to my apartment.  We found one immediately and we all of a sudden had 15 seconds to say goodbye. 

I found myself in a situation that I was not prepared for and in no way expected to have to handle in my time here.  Leonel, a terrified 17 year old, was about to get on a bus packed with strangers for 10 hours to go to a city that he is unfamiliar with to go to school for 6 months and write one of Cameroon's most difficult and important aptitude tests; and the only person there to say goodbye to him was a volunteer coach that he has known for 6 weeks. 

We hugged and I told him that he could and should email me at ANY time with ANY concern or question.  He told me he would.  I then told him that I was really proud of him for doing this and that it was the best thing for him.  He nodded and began to walk back to the bus.  He then stopped, started to cry and ran back for another hug.  The taxi, full of people, started to honk at us.  I promised Leonel that he was going to be just fine and that we would talk and that he was going to be amazing!  I promised him again that he was going to be fine and that I was proud of him.  He backed off slowly wiping tears away and nodded.  I yelled once more that everything was going to work out and that I was so proud. 

He turned to go the bus and I got into the taxi.  That was it. 

I took the taxi home, ate a quick dinner, and then came home to write this.  I still don't know how I feel about what just happened.  I came almost as close to crying as I did on my first night here when I actually did cry (from shock!) but now I'm just sad and confused.  I feel like I could have done more or should have done more for him but I can't think of what that might have been. 

All I can think of right now is my parents.  I am so thankful and grateful and lucky to have the family that I do. 

Mount Cameron Hut 2

Team Huddle

 

Taking a moment to console the team after a loss.  "We'll get 'em next time, I promise!"

6 Week Face

6/12

This blog post is unique for a number of reasons;

a) It is the first post, since my arrival, which is not being written at the Hotel Miramare in the Limbe Botanical Gardens.  I am sitting on the floor of my bedroom as I write this ... the internet was being stupid today. 

b) This post represents my 1/2 checkpoint.  This Saturday September 1 marks the end of my 6th week here in Limbe of exactly 12. 

c) This one is perhaps the most important, exciting, and my personal favourite.  It may not be posted on the date, but it is being written on my father's birthday.  I have never had any kind of internet following before so I am excited to use this one to wish my father the happiest of birthdays and mention that I can not wait to see him and the rest of my family upon my return.  Happy Birthday Dad! 

This week has been pretty interesting.  I spent most of this week looking forward to today because of the afore mentioned reasons, and thus it went by fairly slowly.  The way I see it, a slow week just means that I got to savour all the moments in it!  That double edged sword provided me with some lovely moments to remember and some tough ones to swallow.  The memorable moments were for the most part captured either by my memory or my camera and the tough ones were, as they all have been thus far, something I tried to learn from and take in as all part of this kind of experience. 

With regard to my ambition to work with some local schools, I went to the Delegation of Sport and Physical Education to speak with the Delegate about how I could not afford to pay the money that I was told was required to run the kind of program I was proposing.  I then proceeded to explain to the delegate and one of her associates some of the games and activities I was planning on using and they loved them so much they offered to let me "observe" a school during Physical Education period and offer any input and participate in some games as well.  This was all I wanted to do in the first place.  Except this time it's for free.  Game. Set. Match. 

This momentous Saturday also marked the start of Week 2 for the newest AVFAL volunteer, John.  Being with John throughout his first week brought back a lot of memories from my adjustment period here and some were good because I am proud of how far I have come and others were painful because lets face it, the first week was pretty rough.  But here he is in week 2 and here I am now on the cusp of week 7!  I learned some valuable lessons there in playing a new role for John as well as self reflection on how I handled some of my own frustrations here. 

Andy and I are gearing up, literally, for our ascent up Mount Cameroon.  We leave Limbe at 7am on Tuesday September 4 and return to Limbe in the evening on Wednesday September 5.  We climb up the mountain on Tuesday to what is called 'Hut 2' at approximately 9000 Ft.  We are staying the night there in their luxurious cabin complete with a tin roof and wooden floor and nothing else.  It's ok, sleep was starting to annoy me anyway.  Once we wake up, or more likely just notice that the sun is starting to come out, we begin the final ascent to the Summit of the mountain at just over 13000 Ft.  We will spend some time up there, snap a few photos, and hopefully get a cloudless view from above.  The view from above part is kind of up in the air, literally, since in the 6 weeks that I have been here there has not been a cloudless moment that was not rudely interrupted by rain within 10 minutes.  So ... I'll get back to you on that one.  All I can really hope for is a safe trip there, up, and back, a decent nights sleep, and the experience of eating cooked beans out of a can in front of a fire like a cowboy or one of those Hobos that carries all of his possessions in a bandanna tied around a stick.  Joking aside, beans really are awesome.  Beans aside, I am very excited about this mini adventure within my adventure! 

As the rainy season here comes to an end it is starting to rain more and more.  I know most of you are thinking that I am attempting humour or cleverness here but I am not.  Because that is the truth.  I was looking forward to the end of August and beginning of September resulting in me running out of sun block in 36 hours, but instead my rain jacket is getting its best use since July!  It is ridiculous!  Andy and I are actually a little worried about our early trip up the mountain, because we all remember what canoe trips were like when it rained.  Well imagine a canoe trip, except instead of a canoe you have a guide and a porter and a mountain in Cameroon, and instead of a tent you have 'Hut 2' (see picture), and instead of a hilarious, fun filled, organized-down-to-the-hour excursion you get a once in a lifetime 2-day trip up a MOUNTAIN IN CAMEROON.  I think I made my point.  But just in case missed it because you were getting yourself a sandwich, here it is again; I AM GOING TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN IN CAMEROON AND IT IS GOING TO BE AWESOME. 

Some of the players were at the apartment today and I love it when they visit because they are hilarious.  They love my music and I find it amusing to watch them dance to Foo Fighters or Led Zeppelin or Lenny Kravitz like I've really put on whatever it is that they listen to here ... Hip Hop I think they call it?  Not too sure.  The point is, it makes me think that they don't even listen.  For example, Junior was cha-cha-ing to 'The Crunge' by Led Zeppelin earlier tonight.  He threw in a little Michael Jackson, but that is too be expected.  Actually, now that I think about it, I am ok with all of it. 

Last night Andy and I joined Alex and his lady friend at a Cabaret in New Town.  This Cabaret had some very amusing entertainment.  They were playing music and serving drinks and people were talking and dancing as if they were in a place I would be used to BUT the in-house entertainment was just someone on a stage with a fake microphone who was dancing and lip syncing to whatever song they played.  And people gave them money and it was very good and entertaining.  I even joined a guy named GodGive (totally not joking) on stage to dance and lip sync to Bob Marley's 'Buffalo Soldier'.  I learned a very important lesson on that stage; that I do not know the words to that song.  It did not matter because we got cut off about 49 seconds into it.  But it was a very enjoyable 49 seconds.  ...

My 6 weeks here have provided enough ups and downs to last me a while but there has been one solid consistency; reflection.  From week 1 to week 6 reflecting on what I left behind in Toronto, what I have to look forward to here in Limbe, what was frustrating here in Limbe, how much more comfortable I am now in Limbe, and being blown away by how fast or slow time seems to move here have all been topics of conversation throughout my time.  I can sit here and reflect all I want but at the end of the day I just need to enjoy it.  I’m here and I have had 6 great weeks coaching and I can’t wait for the next 6 weeks! 

Please stay tuned for pictures and by the end of this week a Mount Cameroon account.

Much love,

Josh