Going out to Cameroon.

I think I'm going to change the lyrics to Josh Ritter's song "California" to make them appropriate to my new song "Cameroon." It doesn't have as many syllables, but I think it can work. Here goes it:

Goin' out to Cameroon
Gonna let the water warm my clothes
I’m alone but I’m not lonely
gonna trade the weather for the Western African coast
no don’t cry
I’ll be back and I’ll
bring the sun to shine
in your eyes
on your shoulders
Yaounde will be my new capital
Douala is a long drag for the lonely hearts
down along the east or west rainforests
runs a river of ancient history and beauty
don’t say
the trip’s been done
a hundred thousand times
cause this one
is mine
so I will work at what work finds me (agroforestry)
and I will take what comfort I can get
I’ll be back when I’m good and ready
Cameroon doesn’t seem to think I’m ready yet
no don’t cry
I’ll be back and I’ll
bring the sun to shine
in your eyes
on your shoulders

Okay, so it's not exactly poetry, but I think it will do for now. Maybe I'll be able to reinvent this song more creatively once I've had some long, lonely nights in my hut in a village somewhere in Cameroon.

I've had many goodbyes this past week. After a long weekend of prolonging my goodbyes, I had a dinner at Squirrels (aka my favorite establishment ever) with friends and got to say goodbye once more. I'm not so good at them, and I almost lost it several times. When I was saying goodbye to Chris, my housemate, I totally lost it. And then I lost it maybe 5 more times after that. And now that I am finally in Philly, awaiting my pre-departure staging, I am going to lose it several more times since I get to see my mom, my aunt, and my grandma this morning and then 3 close friends later tonight. It is so strange how moving usually isn't this big of a deal. I've gone several years without seeing some friends, but it feels harder because now I can't see them for several years. I'm not really sure why it feels like a bigger deal now. Maybe it's because I know I'm going to change. It's inevitable. When I think about how changed I was from my other major international travel (India, Kenya), I realize it's inevitable that my life will be different when I return to the states. Oregon is my heart; it's centering, it's majestic and wonderous and human (and to the other East coasters cosidering moving out there, I was told to tell you it's a terrible, awful place). But Oregon will be there when I get back. This trip has been a long time in the making and I know it's something I must do for myself. I just hope I don't get too weird or feel too out of sorts when I do return.

So that's my justification for leaving Oregon right now. That and there's no jobs for me. And I need more experience to better understand how my degree fits into the world. Anyway, I'm in Philly right now in a hotel waiting for my family to visit before we start the pre-departure staging (aka paperwork fillout time). I'm pretty sure I overpacked, as I can hardly lift my duffel bag. May need to reconsider what I'm bringing so I can send some stuff back with Mom before they leave. At least I decided to leave my laptop with her, as I strained my neck walking around Corvallis with it the other day.

And for those of you who were concerned about my swollen lymph nodes in my neck (sickness?)- they seem to be better today. It may have been stress-related or hay fever from the valley. But it appears as if I have poison oak on my legs. Ah, good times.

Next blog will be in Cameroon!!!