frist one

I`ll try to make it quick, because I`ve got only 40 min left, and the net and to comp is very slow, they were slow the last time I was here, and since then noone changed them.

The trip: well, not whithout complications...
First of all, they cancelled my flight 2 days before leaving, but that was actually ok (besides that I had to rebook the other ticket) because my final exam/defence was postponed one day (got 5, lasted 15 min, actually 30 but for 15 mins we were trying to launch the projector). So far so good, rushing to Bp, got the plane next day to London, and then it started... 4 hrs delay at Heathrow, apparently pilot stike at Royal Air Maroc, missed my connection in Casablanca, stuck at the airport (thousands of ppl in the same situation, no rooms in airport hotels, night on benches, at least I saw Casablanca). After 3 hrs sleeping I got up at 7, still 14 hrs untill our flight to Yaounde, what to do, let`s see Morocco. Well that was funny, first time in my life, I was afaraid on the street. There is a train from the airport to the city, I didn`t have a map, didn`t know if there is anything to see there, just went there so that I won`t be stuck at the airport. Got of the train, started to walk around, and well, I`m used to man saying hi on the streets, `cause that`s the same in all African counrtries, but here actually I was the only women on the streets... it was scary. and ask my brother what does it mean, that I say it was sacry on the street. but well, I thought that there has to be a mosque here, or medina, or sg, so I asked two guys, who looked as if they were tourists (they weren`t), what can I see there, but they said I should take a taxi. First I didn`t want, and started to walk in the direction they said I will find the medina, but after 5 mins I realized a car is following me all the time. So I almost run back to the train station to get a cab, and actually here the cab drivers are also tourist guides, so for 10 Eur he showed me the mosque, some nice buildings and the medina. Quite a nice city, well, would be nicer if I could have walked in the streets, I don`t enjoy sightseeing too much...

Then evening flight to Yaounde, slept on the airport till the project assistant came and picked me up. But already could smeel tha air, see the trees and to red soil, just love that. And then I thaught to myslef that the jungle here is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Slept in Sheri`s house during the day, than at 6 got on the train to Belabo. 2nd class, some woman and man and mostly children everywhere. There is a stop abt every hour when dozens of woman and children rush up to the train and sell bananas and plantane and batons (strange cameroonian food fold in leaves). Quite cheap, so everyone buys something and they have a picknik in the train. Bit messy, but not much worse that hungarian trains:)

Go to the project about 4 in the morning, this time choose a cemented cabin (Dobrochna, there are two beds, so I thought we could share it when you come), met Ann the current volunteer and went directly to sleep.

Next day I met Sheri, who was leaving in the evening, I was already surpised, that she leaves us without supervision. Poor Ann was running the whole day, I was running after here, to see what has changed, and what has to be learnt again (a lot!!!!). But still at the and of the day felt, like I almost never left. There was no time for quarantine, so the first night I was sleeping already with Margot, an about 10 month old baby, who sleeps with us the night. First she was very scared of me, but when I went to see her the second day, she already vocalized happily:) Then last night I have spent at the camp, where we have a paralised chimp, who gets exercises 4 x during the day, and at night we have to turn him 4 times, so that he doesn`t get any wounds.

So as for the next 2 months, when I`ll be the only volunteer here (Ann leaves in 2 weeks, and no one comes untill september) I won`t have much sleep, cause probabley i`ll be the one turning Arvid at nights, and then when Agnes comes back, she will sleep with the baby Margot (she needs milk bottles at least 2 times at night).

As for the rest of the chimps, i should be in quarantine, but again not enough hands to work, so I`m already in the schedule. I don`t think they recognize me, although Ballas was really staring at me and Aaron desperately wanted to touch me, which he apparently does not do with everyone. Then Caro, she is the same, she wants to garb everyone, so I don`t think she was especially interested in my person, it was rather the novelty. The babies (the ones I spent the most time during my last stay) are so big now, I couldn`t believe, they are already almost young adults... No sign of any memory trace... They are tipical adolescents, think only about themselves:) Now they are in a group of 24, and they really can do everything.

And big change, in the night, you are really alone at the camp, because the baby chimps (Margot and 3 other ones) live next to Sheri`s house, which is about 500 ms down the camp, the enclosures are also bit far, and since now we are only two, Ann and me, and we have to divide between Margot and Arvid, someone has to go to Sheri`s place, and the other person stays in camp with Arvid. And that is amazing, you can just walk around, and there is noone, just you and the jungle (there are though night guards at the enclosures). It`s perfectly safe, the dogs start barking whenever someone comes, so the night guards can come and check what`s going on. But otherwise just you and the jungle. Beautiful...

I`ll continue but I have to go now...