23 - Fetes, Bike Tour, Rhumsiki, and Tourou

Welcome to our world. Wherever we go, the circus of children follows. Didn't you know there's nothing more thrilling that watching a Nassara do, well, anything?

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:36 -0800

Costello-Events
Welcome to our world. Wherever we go, the circus of children follows. Didn't you know there's nothing more thrilling that watching a Nassara do, well, anything?

The teacher at Mike's center (in the red shirt) getting down with the students during preparations for the school's Youth Day performance. Here they're practicing a traditional tribal dance ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:37 -0800

Costello-Events
The teacher at Mike's center (in the red shirt) getting down with the students during preparations for the school's Youth Day performance. Here they're practicing a traditional tribal dance ...

The opening ceremony of the Youth Day festivities in Yagoua on February 11th. The students from the teachers' training school always sing the national athem while all the officials stand in ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:37 -0800

Costello-Events
The opening ceremony of the Youth Day festivities in Yagoua on February 11th. The students from the teachers' training school always sing the national athem while all the officials stand in ...

Erin marching for Youth Day with a small contingent of our peer educator group, PEPSY.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:37 -0800

Costello-Events
Erin marching for Youth Day with a small contingent of our peer educator group, PEPSY.

Mike and others who work at the Youth Center posed with all of the students after the Youth Day parade and festivities.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:38 -0800

Costello-Events
Mike and others who work at the Youth Center posed with all of the students after the Youth Day parade and festivities.

Kids getting crazy after the Youth Day parade. Some things don't change no matter where in the world you find yourself.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:38 -0800

Costello-Events
Kids getting crazy after the Youth Day parade. Some things don't change no matter where in the world you find yourself.

Oh yes, heading off on the bike tour 2006!

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:38 -0800

Costello-Events
Oh yes, heading off on the bike tour 2006!

And we're off! The participants of the HIV/AIDS bike tour included all but one volunteer from the Extreme North province as well as three volunteers from other provinces who joined in on th ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:38 -0800

Costello-Events
And we're off! The participants of the HIV/AIDS bike tour included all but one volunteer from the Extreme North province as well as three volunteers from other provinces who joined in on th ...

The theme of the bike tour (written in French on the banner) was "Fight against the disease, not the sick." And yes, that does sound better in French. We hung this banner at every action p ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:39 -0800

Costello-Events
The theme of the bike tour (written in French on the banner) was "Fight against the disease, not the sick." And yes, that does sound better in French. We hung this banner at every action p ...

The educational showcase (no, I can't think of a better translation) took place in a different village each night. The first night was the American version of a disaster, but we pulled toge ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:39 -0800

Costello-Events
The educational showcase (no, I can't think of a better translation) took place in a different village each night. The first night was the American version of a disaster, but we pulled toge ...

Our program consisted of skits, condom demonstrations and relays, charades, and other methods to teach HIV transmission, prevention, statistics, and how to fight against stigma of the diseas ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:40 -0800

Costello-Events
Our program consisted of skits, condom demonstrations and relays, charades, and other methods to teach HIV transmission, prevention, statistics, and how to fight against stigma of the diseas ...

Elisabeth and Mike lead the officials of Mokolo through an exercise known as a "Problem Tree" to discuss the roots of the problem of stigma, its effects, and to brain storm possible solution ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:41 -0800

Costello-Events
Elisabeth and Mike lead the officials of Mokolo through an exercise known as a "Problem Tree" to discuss the roots of the problem of stigma, its effects, and to brain storm possible solution ...

Erin, with the aid of audience volunteers, helps the audience unscramble the posters to find the definition of stigma.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:42 -0800

Costello-Events
Erin, with the aid of audience volunteers, helps the audience unscramble the posters to find the definition of stigma.

A breathtaking mountain sunrise taken while climbing the most treacherous mountain during the bike tour.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:43 -0800

Costello-Events
A breathtaking mountain sunrise taken while climbing the most treacherous mountain during the bike tour.

Audience participants in the condom relay. Each of the four people on two teams had to properly unwrap, unroll, remove, and tie off a condom before passing the wooden penis off to the next ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:44 -0800

Costello-Events
Audience participants in the condom relay. Each of the four people on two teams had to properly unwrap, unroll, remove, and tie off a condom before passing the wooden penis off to the next ...

The banner filled quickly with red ribbons as the tour progressed.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:44 -0800

Costello-Events
The banner filled quickly with red ribbons as the tour progressed.

We did take some time off to site see while on the bike tour. This is the inside of a traditional hut of a certain tribe that lives outside Kolofata, near the Nigerian border. Inside the c ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:45 -0800

Costello-Events
We did take some time off to site see while on the bike tour. This is the inside of a traditional hut of a certain tribe that lives outside Kolofata, near the Nigerian border. Inside the c ...

A woman going about her daily duties while children look on (and the village is turned upside down with the appearance of 11 white people) in the traditional village.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:45 -0800

Costello-Events
A woman going about her daily duties while children look on (and the village is turned upside down with the appearance of 11 white people) in the traditional village.

The children of Cameroon.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:46 -0800

Costello-Events
The children of Cameroon.

Each night we demonstrated our support of people living with HIV/AIDS by standing behind a person living with the disease while he/she gave a testimonial to the crowd.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:48 -0800

Costello-Events
Each night we demonstrated our support of people living with HIV/AIDS by standing behind a person living with the disease while he/she gave a testimonial to the crowd.

Oh yeah, the 13 of us (exhausted and slightly delerious) on the final of 8 days and nights on the bike tour.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:48 -0800

Costello-Events
Oh yeah, the 13 of us (exhausted and slightly delerious) on the final of 8 days and nights on the bike tour.

A beautiful mountain vista in the small, quaint village of Rhumsiki. Tucked away in the western mountains of Extreme North, this is where we recouperated from the bike tour and celebrated t ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:49 -0800

Costello-Events
A beautiful mountain vista in the small, quaint village of Rhumsiki. Tucked away in the western mountains of Extreme North, this is where we recouperated from the bike tour and celebrated t ...

A herdsman and his cattle outside Rhumsiki.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:50 -0800

Costello-Events
A herdsman and his cattle outside Rhumsiki.

Three of the six women that work as team to produce beautiful, black pottery in Rhumsiki, each fulfilling a certain role from grinding and creating the clay to adding the decorations and bur ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:50 -0800

Costello-Events
Three of the six women that work as team to produce beautiful, black pottery in Rhumsiki, each fulfilling a certain role from grinding and creating the clay to adding the decorations and bur ...

A collection of the women's pottery on sale.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:51 -0800

Costello-Events
A collection of the women's pottery on sale.

The crab sorcerer as he happily reveals to us our bright future. Fertile though Erin is, we'll stop at 2 kids, first a boy followed by a girl. We'll grow old together and enjoy time with o ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:52 -0800

Costello-Events
The crab sorcerer as he happily reveals to us our bright future. Fertile though Erin is, we'll stop at 2 kids, first a boy followed by a girl. We'll grow old together and enjoy time with o ...

Talkabout your multi-tasking...breastfeeding, entertaining the tourists, and winding cotton into yarn all at once. Les femmes d'Afriqu sont fortes!

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:53 -0800

Costello-Events
Talkabout your multi-tasking...breastfeeding, entertaining the tourists, and winding cotton into yarn all at once. Les femmes d'Afriqu sont fortes!

An woman in Rhumsiki and her clan of children returning from collecting water in creek.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:53 -0800

Costello-Events
An woman in Rhumsiki and her clan of children returning from collecting water in creek.

Two kids that followed us to enjoy the view. You've got to love the resourcefulness of these children...check out his fun hat/visor!

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:54 -0800

Costello-Events
Two kids that followed us to enjoy the view. You've got to love the resourcefulness of these children...check out his fun hat/visor!

Another scenic view in Rhumsiki.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:54 -0800

Costello-Events
Another scenic view in Rhumsiki.

A group of traditional dancers that performed many tribal dancers during a private show for just the two of us!

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:54 -0800

Costello-Events
A group of traditional dancers that performed many tribal dancers during a private show for just the two of us!

Here the warriors act out a scene during one dance.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:55 -0800

Costello-Events
Here the warriors act out a scene during one dance.

Peace Corps volunteer AND she can play the chain with a callabash while dancing...how multi-talented!

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:55 -0800

Costello-Events
Peace Corps volunteer AND she can play the chain with a callabash while dancing...how multi-talented!

A callabash collection at the market in Tourou, the post of our friend Eric. This town in is of particular interest to tourist on market day when women from surrounding villages come in wea ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:56 -0800

Costello-Events
A callabash collection at the market in Tourou, the post of our friend Eric. This town in is of particular interest to tourist on market day when women from surrounding villages come in wea ...

That's us as we start the day-long seminar on hygeine and water treatment in Tourou as part of Eric's water and well building project.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:56 -0800

Costello-Events
That's us as we start the day-long seminar on hygeine and water treatment in Tourou as part of Eric's water and well building project.

Erin leading participants through our famous "How does poop enter your mouth?" presentation. Always a crowd pleaser!

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:57 -0800

Costello-Events
Erin leading participants through our famous "How does poop enter your mouth?" presentation. Always a crowd pleaser!

Mike explaining the ins and outs of the water cycle during the seminar.

nobody@smugmug.com (Costello-Events) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:15:57 -0800

Costello-Events
Mike explaining the ins and outs of the water cycle during the seminar.