Our journey together is coming to an end, but I will continue to explore Cameroon and I hope this has inspired you to learn more about African countries.
I am learning many things I did not expect on this journey. My focus is on my research and I expected most of my challenges to be science-oriented. I was wrong! The day-to-day life in Cameroon can be difficult and even traveling to the same place can have a new challenge each time. Recently I traveled in northern Cameroon, which has a more savannah-like habitat and is not heavily forested like the Dja region I have been working in.
The people in the North and Adamawa regions are predominately Muslim and this is reflected in the villages and culture of the area. Even after six months in Cameroon I am having many new experiences and eating new foods. An adventure has good experiences and bad, and thankfully both have helped me grow.
I have found that even if you cannot speak the language, it is easy to connect with people when they invite you into their home for a meal. Kindness and respect for other people leads to positive interactions despite cultural differences. It is important to understand how others live their lives so that we can reflect on our own lives and goals.
Lastly, I truly hope you enjoyed seeing the wildlife of Cameroon.
