Dear Family and Friends

This past May, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with degrees in Nutrition and French. For my next step in life, I am going to put what I've learned in school to use as a Public Health Coordinator in Cameroon with the Peace Corps. Cameroon is a very bountiful country in Western Africa, where one of the official languages is French but a number of local languages are also spoken.

My adventure lasts 27 months from September 15, 2010 to December 2012. The first three months in Cameroon I will receive language and skills training to help me do my job. During this time, I will live with a host family who will help me adjust to the culture and learn a new daily routine. After the training period is over, I will be placed somewhere in Cameroon and will start my assignment for the next two years, whatever that shall be. Health volunteers can work in a wide range of areas and capacities, such as in health clinics or with local NGOs. Peace Corps positions are kept very open initially so that volunteers can have freedom to pursue their own small projects.

Although I do not know for sure how accessible internet will be in Cameroon, I will try to update my blog as often as possible. One of the main goals of the Peace Corps is to educate other Americans about foreign cultures, so I hope my blog will help you better understand another part of the world.

Lots of love,
Shannon