at your service in the diplomatic corps of the United States of America
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Trip to Douala and Mutengene - May 13-14, 2009
I went on my first out-of-town trip to do two site visits. The first stop was at the Embassy Branch Office in Douala, where we get a lot of support for our shipping and customs operations. Minimal U.S. citizen services are also available. The second stop on the trip was Mutengene to visit the lab renovation project for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Driving to and from Casino, a French Grocery Store Chain
Driving here is certainly an experience. I didn't get pictures in the grocery store, but there was a little boy who decided he would be helpful and report to me (in French) that our car had been hit while we were shopping. There was no damage to the car. I didn't like the fact that I had to get an Xterra, I am loving that SUV more and more each day.
Today was the first (and probably last) big snow of the winter. I guess the groundhog was right. I apologize for calling him a liar too soon. Several of us engaged in some friendly snowball warfare, which explains the last picture. Won't see snow at all where I'm headed in three weeks, so I'm enjoying it as much as I can.
So what did Flag Day yield for me? Aaron and I will finally be reunited in March 2009 when I go off to Cameroon to take up my first job as a diplomat. I am thrilled, of course, and I cannot wait to go.