package Mypackage;
use Config::Simple;
use Mail::IMAPClient;
use strict;

sub new {
    my ($class) = @_;
    bless {}, $class;
}

sub load_config {
    my ($self, %a) = @_;
    return new Config::Simple("$a{cfg}");
}

sub connect_to_imaphost {
	my ($self, %a) = @_;
	return Mail::IMAPClient->new(  
		Server    => $a{IMAP_HOST},
		User      => $a{EM_UNAME},
		Password  => $a{EM_PWD}, 
		Uid       => 0, 
		Debug     => $a{DEBUGGING},
	);
}

sub other_methods... {}

### and then, in my script...
use Mypackage;
my $a = Mypackage->new();
# $a has all the methods of Mypackage

$f->load_config(cfg => "my.conf")->import_names();
# this works and imports all the config vars

my $imap = $a->connect_to_imaphost(
		server   => $IMAP_HOST,
		user     => $EM_UNAME,
		password => $EM_PWD, 
		debug    => $DEBUGGING,
);
my $msg_count = $imap->message_count("$INBOX");
# the vars above have been imported via Config::Simple
# the above, however, fails with the following
##Not connected at ./myscript.pl line 48
##Error sending '1 STATUS inbox (MESSAGES)' to IMAP:  at ./myscript.pl line 48