Lessons

1. If you live like you're always being threatened, it's only so long before you become the threat. There are more people out there who want to help you than harm you.
2. Central Africa is built on polyester hair and plastic bags. Every time the rain falls, the hair and bags emerge from the Earth. 
3. Worrying is too much work and never helps. Planning is a much more efficient use of time. 
4. Never give anyone money until they ask for it.
5. You are all you have, even when someone else convinces you otherwise. Trust yourself. 
6. Eat seasonally. Eat locally.
7. If you're gonna be in the freak show, at least be the biggest freak.
8. Jesus was in Cameroon before the Missionaries brought the good word. Trying to convince anyone otherwise – especially an Evangelical minister – will only get you into trouble. Steer all conversations away from the topic of religion. Other topics to avoid: why you don't have children, when you're going to have children, your worth as a woman without children, why you aren't married, why you don't plan to be married, your worth as a woman without a husband, Paul Biya.
9. The ways we've learned to think and the ways they've learned to think make communicating about ideas incredibly difficult. It's much easier – and less rewarding – to talk about tangible, touchable, reasonable issues.
10. Never take someone's first price unless it's in writing, and even then, argue.