welcome in wum

1/18/2002:
in Bamenda. spent most of the day in Babadjou, though. alone... i mean that i was the only one from Bamenda to go down to the Swearing In Ceremony for the new agro-forestry volunteers. the ceremony was OK. unfortunately dampened by the accident 3 of the former-trainees got into a couple days ago.

they got pretty beat up in a crash b/w Mbouda to Babadjou. you know the road all too well from training. how bad the cars are. how fast they go. one of the trainees broke her jaw. another hurt his head/neck... pretty badly. they both were sent off ot DC today.

the third is in Yaounde... injuries not too serious. all the new volunteers are going to Yaounde actually. for some counseling sessions, understandably. a few seem like they really need it. especially the ones that were at the scene of the accident.

they’re pretty shaken. would not do well at post like that... alone. hope everything works out for them. those in DC and Yaounde. tough time for this stage. hope they stick together. i'm sure they will.

mama called... she’s fine! i’m a little tired. spent much of the day walking. around Bamenda in the AM and Babadjou/Mbouda PM. ate lunch at the Saladiere with Andre and Raymond. they’re coming to visit me at post soon. Das, too... i think.

it’ll go like this... Raymond during Youth Week. a handful of volunteers the week after (they're waking to Wum from Nkambe in 3-4 days!). Das during or before Eid. oh!... and Maggie [my new agroforestry post-mate] will be in Wum in another week or so. everyone’s coming to Wum. everyone’s welcome in Wum!