Peace Corps Journals

10 things I never thought I’d say

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2012-06-02 09:00:32

I’ve done and said a lot of things I never thought I would while in Cameroon. Though it has only been eight months, I’ve managed to get quite a collection going. Here are my top 10, so far, of things I never thought I’d say: 10. “So I went for a run this morning…” 9. [...]

The Beginning of the End

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Candid Cameroon

2012-06-01 18:13:00

Well there you have it. A Peace Corps service in a nutshell. This has definitely been an adventurous two years. My service is no longer down to months but weeks. Now that my last few projects are done, all that is left is goodbyes. This, between goodbye ceremonies/dinners and packing, will take up my last two weeks. It’s hard to say where my head is at. I’m sad to leave this place when I feel I’m finally mastering how to maneuver it. Not to mention it’s hard to say au revoir to friends. However, it’s time to move on. I’m proud to have finished what I started, but need some family time. I’m wrapping up things in Batouri and planning summer travel in the states. That and I just confirmed my housing arrangements in Oxford. Starting a master’s will be like night and day to where I am now. I’ve been thinking about brushing up on my English after speaking all this French!

It seems too much of a beast to try to summarize these past two years, unpredictable as they were. Talking with other volunteers we always get to talking about what we regret about our services/would have done differently. Learning Fulfulde, an ethnic language, which is spoken by the Muslims here, tops my list. My focus was always learning French, and now that I’m decent at it wish I had learned another. That being said, I’m not too stuck in regrets since this is such a crazy experience. My sage mom said it best. I did the best I could with what I was given, and, as Julia added, with whom I am as a person.

One thing I can’t put on a resume about this experience – how much I grew. I don’t even know where to start when describing the things it has taught me. It seems like nothing now to live, work, (and frankly) survive in a place like Batouri. I’ve established myself in my house, at work, and with many people in the community. I remember a conversation with my dad. I was asking him if he remembered me complaining a lot about constantly hitting brick walls when it came to finding work. In step with his calm demeanor, he slowly responded, “yep. I seem to recall a few conversations about that.” Well seek and ye shall find, and keep finding. That search opened many doors/blessings for me in what I’ve been able to do and the people I’ve met. I’m a business volunteer, but I’ve really done a bit of everything. I’ve been nicknamed the volunteer en general for my many varieties of projects. I have definitely not fit into the stereotypical PCV role that we sit around doing nothing.

It’s a two –year experience, but I feel my first year is so different then my second. My first year is defined so much by setting myself up and finding work. I had only seen three regions, had three visitors, and barely cooked. My second year is characterized by working on projects and enduring the realities of life in Africa. I have now seen all ten regions, cooked so much I, for African standards, have a gourmet kitchen, and will round out with just under twenty visitors this past year alone. It wasn’t until my year mark that I actually started really liking it.

What came easiest? Cultural integration. I’m social in nature and befriended some of the most warm, open, and generous people I’ve ever met. I will take away African hospitality and all that comes with it. My host mother always told me things that top a list for Africans and they will forever ask me are if you slept well, you ate well, and you are in good health. I’ve met many diverse people from a variety of social levels, ethnicities, and religions. My best friends, both men and women, are Muslims. Without this experience, I would not have had the chance to get to know the religion and its culture better.

What was hardest? Death. All other things, which at one time might have seemed a challenge, once you overcome them, seem like nothing. The images of death are the only enduring memory that seems to never leave my head. From seeing a gruesome accident, its resulting spectacle and subsequent disrespect for human life, seeing the grief of friends losing loved ones, taking care of a dying boy I knew in the hospital, witnessing the preventable death of a two-year old girl in her mother’s arms, and (most sadly) the tragedy of it arriving at the doorstep of one of my most beloved. My predecessor told me to see people you know pass away was one of the hardest things for him as well. I will leave this same advice for my replacement.

If I talk about myself before and myself after, the change is noticeable. This experience has changed me. If you’ve followed this blog since the beginning then you would notice this growth in the stories I’ve shared. If you’ve followed in pictures, well then I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m smaller in stature. This I predicted of myself before I even left. I know myself and my inability to cook for one. Cooking simple dinners for one from scratch and craving only cold drinks when immersed in humidity and I’ve slowly lost since I arrived. For once I let myself eat whatever I wanted during my trips outside of Cameroon knowing that gaining at least eight pounds in two weeks wouldn’t matter once I got back. And, save for most recent events, I am happy to have lost.

Hopefully it’s obvious. I will miss the hek out of this place.

Now to some photos already!

This is my training group. We arrived in Cameroon together in June 2010. We are gathering together for the last time to kick off our Close-of-Service (COS) Conference at our Director LaHoma's house.

Ha! In of all places to send us, who knew I would end up with somebody I went to university with. Crystal, has been a close comrade. We really do like each other...

My journey back to the East after COS conference. Oh the East and its travel. 90k at the beginning of my service took me top three hours, now with public transport minimum five. This is the first of two accidents during this trip. We all have to climb out and walk past to let the bus pass. Afterwards, wherever possible even if I pay double the price I've given into bush taxis.

Look at all those Easties! All are not even pictured. Since I have been in the East we have doubled in the number of volunteers.

A birds eye view 5 km out of Batouri. This is a spiritual spot for a lot of people, or possibly sorcery for others. This is looking in the direction of Batouri which is hidden by trees. Its considered special for the inexplicable way of how it came to rest like that.

With Idrissou, one of my closest friends at post.

This month I was teaching the five senses to the kids. For touch I traced their hands and then had them search out five different things they touched to glue on each finger.

Jess n'Jup!

One of my final projects was creating a world map at one of the local high schools. Believe it or not, for all the projects i've been involved, this is the first one i've started myself from start to finish! Here we are with the kids that helped us with it. For the step-by-step guide of how, i'll defer that to facebook.

My two homes: California and Cameroon.

Even if surrounded my development, I do live surrounded by great scenery. I will miss days such as this. Relaxing over an afternoon with friends and eating great food.

I have gained a new love of cooking and eating outside.

My new house! On the other edge of Batouri, i'm literally only 50 metres to the forest. Stephanie inspired me with her quotes.

My living room.

Kitchen.

Bedroom.

1st of May - Labor Day. It being a fete, they have a parade and then everybody eats and drinks, drinks, drinks. Having worn the same thing last year, not the biggest fan of the outfit the bank made me wear.

Remember That Time We Almost Died on a Mountain? And Now I’m Alone at Post

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Road Wes Traveled

2012-06-01 13:55:55

Well, I suppose I should start off by clarifying that we did not in fact die on top of a mountain. Otherwise, well, it would be a) tragic and b) creepy that I’m still writing a blog post. So have … Continue reading →

year won

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon je blague

2012-06-01 09:39:00

I’ve been in Cameroon (not at post, but in country) for one year. I’ve learned some things, and for your reading pleasure here are those things: 1. If your plumbing needs attention, handle it immediately. The other option is to watch a 15-year old kid dig up the neighbor’s concrete to get to your pipes and then carry literal buckets of shit away from your house all day. 2. Throwing tantrums in public is really cathartic, it gets things accomplished, and people seem to respect you more if you yell at them in this country. So my new approach to dealing with Cameroonians in business transactions is just to yell at them, act important and wag my finger occasionally. These are habits I will eventually need to break. 3. “La Blanche,” even when it’s not intended to be, should always be accepted as a compliment. I don’t mind being white; I should stop caring when people call me white. My new response to “La Blanche” is “Merci.” 4. No matter how much you love your friends, they will never understand you like your family does. Your family, the good ones, will not only support your decision to go to sleep at 8:30 pm at your own party, but they’ll encourage it and join you. 5. The golden rules of alcohol consumption as devised by my cousin and me based on strict research: 1. If you are having fun in one place doing one thing, do not seek out another thing in another place. Just go to sleep somewhere trusty and comfortable. 2. If you are assigning percentages (60-90%) or making up compound adjectives (drunktional, shwasted) to describe your level of intoxication, it’s time to take a tenner. 6. If you’re changing a lightbulb in your bathroom and get electrocuted causing you to drop the lightbulb and it shatters, make sure to clean it all up or you’ll probably cut your foot open pretty badly the next time you shower. Having never been electrocuted in my life, and then being electrocuted six times since arriving in Cameroon, I also suggest trying to never get electrocuted because it’s uncomfortable and it hurts. 7. Take a lot of vacations with your friends, if even just for one day. It will reset your brain and coming back to your town or village feels a lot better if you missed it while you were away. Spending too much time in one place for too long has the potential to turn you (me) into a crazy ball of anxious, bored energy – I’ve learned this from twenty-seven years of feeling anxious in places. 8. When in doubt, just say fuck it. Because here’s the thing about working in a developing country: nothing ever goes well but everything usually ends up fine – or in other words, nothing is ever working but everything always works. Worrying about it is a waste of energy. Instead, use your time learning new hobbies like banjo (at which I am terrible), washing clothes in a bucket (for which I’ve hired a Cameroonian) or writing crossword puzzles (which I send to friends so that they know how much I’m changing the world). 9. Don’t try to change the world. Just try to change yourself and a few of the people you meet. And try to leave the house at least twice a week. That’s the hardest part! 10. Internet is overrated.

Advice about Life to Future Peace Corps Volunteers

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-05-01 21:00:00

A few months ago, my Associate Peace Corps Director asked me to write a vignette about life as a Peace Corps Volunteer and to include any advice. The Volunteer Assignment Description will be provided to future Community Economic Development (formerly Small Enterprise Development) Volunteers coming to Cameroon...including my replacement. Here we go:

Small Enterprise Development Volunteer Assignment Description Vignette

October 2011

“Jam na?” In the local African language of Fulfulde, this translates into “Do you have peace?” Before every meeting, I must traverse the room repeating this to each attendee. I could have never predicted exactly what my projects would entail of as a Small Enterprise Development Volunteer. Some days, I facilitate the meetings of savings and lending cooperatives for illiterate women; other days, I organize artisan classes to teach income-generating activities. And of course, as cultural exchange is a part of the job description, I spend other moments dancing at Muslim weddings and playing “football” with the kids. As a Peace Corps Volunteer of this generation, you will find yourself in a transitioning world. I’ve helped women who weren’t allowed to attend school as children to create e-mail addresses. Sometimes I Skype with family and friends and sometimes I write letters by candlelight. Realize that although every Volunteer’s post is different, your own attitude and flexibility will be the true determinants of your experience. And do not worry, speaking French will come with practice and time for everybody. Life here is full of uncertainty and there will be instances of frustration as in every job, but let yourself laugh, remember that development and impact require patience, and treasure the small, everyday moments of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Krystina Nguyen, SED Volunteer

Ngaoundéré, Adamawa Region

My triumphant return...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!

2012-05-30 21:15:00

Wednesday, May 30^th, 2012

“...Is there anybody out there?”

Here I thought a month was a long time between blog posts. Thanks to my fantabulous parents, I am now back on the grid. I'm thinking of sacrificing a broken computer at my school to the computer gods so this Toshiba makes it through my time remaining. The school year is over and I'd be lying if I told you I didn't do the Carlton happy dance once I was done. I'll try and give the highlights of each month since my last post.

October- The highlight of Oct. was the Halloween party I went to. The theme was characters from the LMFAO Party Shuffle video. I chose the dancing Jesus. As some of you saw in 2009, I make a pretty convincing Almighty. I was lacking the stigmata, crown of thorns, and long locks, but I got to wear a 2pac chain and grow out a mountain man beard so I think I broke even. We know how to get down in Cameroon exemplified by our Jell-O wrestling tournament. It was actually more of a red sticky water tournament since the last batch was still steaming and managed to melt the rest of the chilled Jell-O. The championship came down to an American vs. a Cameroonian, but ended in a tie before they killed each other.

November- Turkey Day, minus the turkey, was pretty awesome. Killed my first chicken. Learned how to pluck and gut, which I have since forgotten since not practicing. Ate lots of deliciousness. Thought I'd be bummed to not be with my family, but was happy to be distracted in the company of good friends. Hiked and swam in my first waterfall. It was The Game that weekend so I also posed for a pic with arms extended in the Ohio O that a friend from the University of Florida was not too eager to take. Also, hiked to another waterfall in a different region, but was a little shallow for swimming. We still got in it regardless. Will definitely have schistomiosis (sp?) by the end of my service. Google it.

December- This was about the point where I decided that instead of getting frustrated over trivial matters I'd do my best to try and enjoy each and every day here since this will all be over before I know it. I've not always accomplished that, but I've come a long way. I went to a local cultural festival in early December called the Mpo Festival for the local people of Edea. There was a stage for traditional music groups to play and the place was packed. It felt like a music festival in the states. I left right before a semi-truck lost control and drove into one of the thatch walls around the festival, but no one was killed luckily. This month also contained what PC calls In-service Training (IST). My entire training group came back together for a week at a resort in Limbe, one of the two beach cities here in Cameroon. It was great to see some friends that are multiple days away from me, not necessarily in distance, but in travel time it takes to get there. We were applauded for our attentiveness throughout the week (Not you Rob) and went out with a bang our final night at the resort. I'll leave it at that. Christmas was also great. A lot of us got together and had a Feliz Navidad complete with delicious Mexican food. Some of us also went to a festival called Yao Fete. Long story short, we almost incited a riot due a drunk security guard that decided what we were gifting him was not good enough, but it's a better story in person. New Years found us popping bottles of cheap champagne and wine on a stoop. Who needs a giant, descending ball?

January- “Back to school. Back to school, to prove to Dad I am not a fool.” Took awhile to get back into the school routine, but eventually I was back at it. I found the local basketball court and a group of guys that play 3x a week so I was stoked. I was also anxiously looking forward to my parents visiting in March. Can't think of much else that happened this month.

February- Youth Day was in Feb. and school was pretty much non-existent with cultural planning, dances, etc. A store close to the PC house in the capital had a wine sale for youth day. Seems pretty accurate around here. Finally sampled some termites and they were actually delicious. The right balance of crunchy and chewy. Coming to a Super Bowl party near you.

March- The Blenda in Bamenda. I don't feel like writing it up for the umpteenth time, but may write a longer blog about it down the road. Long story short, got a couple wounds, dished out my fair share of punishment, and still breathing so that's all that matters. The month finally came and the Millers descended on Cameroon. My mom wrote a great article for our local paper with the highs and lows of their trip. We've got plenty of stories from that trip so catch me in person some time and I'll give you the unedited version of most of it.

April- Another year older. I saw my parents off (after getting to spend an extra unexpected night with them and a battle to get them out of Africa) and celebrated with some friends in Yaounde. Managed to lose my ID card and personalized money clip in the wee hours of the morning. A good time was had by all I'd say.

May- Finished up the school year. Saw a friend of ours from France off after he spent a year here. Next month I'll get together with some other Education PCVs to have some medical/dental checkups and probably consume a beer or two. Sorry that there wasn't too much detail in this blog, but I'm going to try and get back into the swing of updating this regularly on my adventures in Cameroon. It is a bit harder now as things that seemed so strange to me before, I don't bat an eye at these days. It's amazing what the human spirit can endure and get used to. I never thought I was gonna survive a month here, but here I am a year later. It hasn't been easy, but the friends, now like family, I have made in country and the family and friends supporting me back home have helped me come this far. I look forward to seeing what year two brings and to seeing a lot of you out there in about 6 months. I need to start making my list of places to go and things to eat back in Amurrica. Five Guys Burgers and Fries haunt me in my sleep.

Special shout out to Mrs. Judith Greene! Thank you for staying interested in my service over here and giving my Dad some extra cash for us to enjoy. It's been awhile, but I'm gonna do my best to post regularly throughout the summer.

Until next time.

Bike Ride

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Cameroon Claire

2012-05-30 09:41:00

Claire and I rode our bikes out to visit Cay and do an environmental education camp in her village. The road started out going up into the mountains. We went by lots of traditional houses and rock wall irrigation systems. It was really pretty.

Then the road flattened out and we just had the occasional sheep or cow herd.

I got a flat tire in the middle of nowhere but these guys helped me out. They only had a motorcycle pump so they completely reconfigured my bicycle valve with random spare parts and a pair of scissors to accept the motorcycle pump. And then we were back on our way! In total the ride was about 80 km.

Health Club in fun and in failure

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Urban Chic goes Peace Corps Geek

2012-05-29 18:29:00

I loved working with youngsters at the local secondary school this year on health education, especially alongside this dynamic young nurse-in-training Dibril from the hospital where I also work. But it was a major uphill battle getting logistics in place! Every week at school was another distraction - one week I arrived to find all the kids marching out of the school grounds on the way to the morgue to pay respects to the deceased wife of a former (from the 70's) principal; another week all classes were cancelled so the students could help clean up the school for a visit from a dignitary - all 2000 students were required to come to school with their machetes and clear brush, cut grass etc.

Weeks before and after vacations were totally lost as students and teachers hardly show up; and in between there always seemed to be some excuse for why school was not in session, such as the teachers being given two weeks off to correct exams (over what material, I always wonder, as they never seem to be in class) and prepare trimester grades by hand. There was often some kind of ceremony, such as the principal announcing in front of the whole school the five best and worst students of the term, that kept us from meeting. When we could meet, finding an empty, unlocked classroom with a chalkboard took up half our 45 minute break slot (no room scheduler!), and getting the message to the students was even more of a runaround (calling the club advisor ahead never got me anywhere, and he was gone half the semester for a very formal 2-month long funeral - no substitute for his classes).

But when the dust had settled and the Gods had convened to bring together functional circumstances, it was awesome doing heath games, songs, and education around HIV, reproductive systems, hygiene, hand-washing, nutrition, and gender-relation / confidence-building skits together.

We decided to write and perform a song about HIV for the end of the year, to present in front of the school. Here are two brave students sharing their lyric ideas with the group.

And one giving her poem idea - we wrote the composite of what they came up with on the board behind.

Naturally the dance moves were added before we really had the lyrics down and the routine was a bit jumbled, but I tried to instill some "practice makes perfect" discipline and they really came into their own! The song talked about being a young generation that needed to protect itself and promote proper knowledge, reduce stigma, and save the future of Cameroon. It tried to strike a tone between fear (no cure!) and hope (but highly preventable!).

Finally the day of the year-end ceremony arrived, the flag was raised...and my girls were TERRIFIED and embarrassed to sing in public, especially about AIDS. Many stayed home (or just came to school very late, not sure), others ran off...

...from our 25 who wrote the song to our 16 who rehearsed...we ended up with just 4 girls present, ready and willing to share their message with their peers at 7AM that morning. I was so proud of them! And though shaking and wavering and turning in the wrong direction, they sang!

Thank goodness for our club president Diane for holding the club together by a threadbare shoestring and giving a great speech HIV to her peers. Schools are hard to work with, but students are endearing and promising if you can bare the surrounding absurdity and chaos.

I'm back... in Cameroon that is

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Everyday holds a possibility of a miracle.

2012-05-29 13:38:00

It’s just your usual Sunday night in Cameroon; the thunderstorms which welcomed me home from California have been quite persistent. “Yes, mother nature I understand that it is the wet season here in Cameroon.” She is not pleased that I ventured off to California to enjoy the beautiful sunshine, and once again I am reminded of her fury. Thunder and lightning have become my nighttime lullaby. Wasn’t it just a few months ago I was praying for rain? Its funny how the things you want more than anything come back to bite you. I will remember that next dry season. I am learning (slowly) to enjoy the present. Hard for someone who used to be a planner?

Anyways, I am slowly getting back to a routine here in Cameroon. Although, the time change really took a number on my body. I seem to be sore and aching for more sleep when I wake each morning, which leads to me sleeping into the mid-afternoon. Yikes, I guess I need to be a little more forceful with myself. The 30 hours of travel to get here were not pleasant - an upgrade to first class, is that so hard to ask for Air France… come on, throw a girl a bone.

Tuesday, I found myself at the airport in Douala, overcome by humidity, when I received a pleasant call from a fellow volunteer surprising me at the airport. I mean, I asked a few if they would be available but was unable to check my email to confirm with anyone. This definitely was such an amazing surprise because Douala airport is not so forgiving. Thanking my lucky stars, we made it out of the city with my bags in tack before dark! Success… but this Cameroon, come on“Surely you have some crazy story about the unforgivable city” you may be asking and wait “why yes, I do”. I bumped into yet another fellow volunteer in the airport who was also flying in and we were able to get into her private car which took us to location where my lifesaver and I hunted down another car to take up back to village life. This private car is like finding a needle in a haystack. Seriously, it really never happens and when it does, boy do you feel like you’ve just won the lottery. Once we got to our desired location, we were swarmed by Cameroonians pestering us about everything and anything. One gentleman approached us speaking in English that he was not from here and looking for a ride to our destination but was didn’t know the pricing. He tried to persuade us to go with him to find a car, but I was caught off guard by another bystander yelling at us in French that he was a thief and was planning on robbing us. We were immediately surrounded by angry men and women who were pushing the men away.Cameroonians willing to stand up for foreigners, it’s a pleasant and rare sight. Also a nice welcome home gift, we left with our pride in tacked.It’s always an adventure, right?

The rest of the week seemed to fly by. I was welcomed back with such warmth from my villagers who LOVED my gifts of photographs taken prior to my trip and printed in the states. I have never seen happier faces and heard such fits of giggles. They must of laughed for an hour. I was reacquainted with my counterpart Justin who could disarm anyone with his kindness. He truly is such a remarkable, fatherly figure in my life here. Smiling from ear to ear, Justin accepted his gifts and our conversations flowed as if I hadn’t spent three weeks at home speaking only English. The weekend came, and I was off to celebrate my home coming with my post mate. We treated ourselves to the usual Marie Poulet, the one and really only restaurant in Nkongsamba. We have become regulars. Overcome once again by Mother Nature, we had to become resilient and find a car. Motos were not going to cut it in the tropical storm we seemed to be caught in. You could feel the uneasiness in our eyes, but thankfully a good Cameroonian Samaritan walked through the doors picking up his freshly slaughtered and deep fried chicken to go and offered us his services.

Well, now it’s been a whole week since I left California and I am sitting, musing on my laptop, whilst relaxing under my “oh so romantic” mosquito net thanking my lucky stars that I put it up a few weeks past because of the growing graveyard of creepy crawlies pleasantly spread above me like the night stars. The mosquito net has been treated if you are asking yourself why there’s a graveyard. I have come accustom to sharing my room with my little roommates, I give them their space and they give me mine, sometimes. I always dislike waking up to a few new bites, wondering just how they managed to get under my nifty net tucking job the night before. The mice, cockroaches and other crawlies don’t bother me much, but the eight legged spawns of Satan make me uneasy, especially the steroid sized ones that have taken to my bright blue walls. Being away for three weeks meant that they no longer had to share, and I was very unpleasantly welcomed home. I don’t think 2 years in Africa will overcome my distain for spiders.

Even with the humidity, creepy crawlies, the constant stares and the fact I am like 5000 miles away from my family, I cannot help my smile. The adventure and constant, endless challenges of everyday life make me grateful for everything I have in life. It was sure hard leaving the comforts of home in California and my brother’s beautiful baby girl who was born two days before my departure back to my Cameroonian life, but I am thankful I pushed through. Once back in Cameroon, I became at ease again with my decision to do the Peace Corps and regain focus on my goals and projects here in village. Now that my nice little vacation back to the states is over and I have already passed my 8 month mark in service, I am anxiously awaiting the next year and a half.

C’est mon vie en Afrique.

As always, until next time; thank you for your constant support and love. I love you all.

Anniversaries

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Gettin' Bizzy

2012-05-29 10:01:12

So I realize I haven’t blogged in quite a long time, but I have a few half-written blogs (about travels up north, Sam’s trip to the hospital, and so on) that I haven’t gotten around to finishing, mostly because I have been so busy (a good thing!). However, as two big dates approach over the [...]

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Adventures of A

2012-05-29 09:27:00

Well, I am safely returned from the US of A, slightly more homesick that I was before I left. However, my sister's wedding was amazing (you looked gorgeous Kim!) and it was great to see all my relatives. I am happy to say that there were no arguments, let alone a murder like there was here recently over a wedding. (http://thepointonlinews.blogspot.com/2012/05/bridegrooms-brother-stabs-brides.html?m=1). What really struck me about this article is the last sentence. "Calm immediately returned to Buea Town and its environs." Basically, that describes life here. Horrible things happen, and then calm descends. Before I left for the US I was asked to speak at a local school for International Girls in ICT and Science Day. There are so many international days it is a little bit ridiculous, but as this is my field I guess I can't complain. As I was asked to speak as a Role Model to the students I decided to arrive on time, even though I know better. After sitting in the vice principal's office for a half hour, we wandered over to the meeting area, where I spend the next 2 hours helping to hang posters and curl ribbon and put out tablecloths. Who knew you could fold a tablecloth so many ways? After we started, speeches were separated by skits and poems that the students had written. There were 4 schools that attended (out of the 8 that were supposed to come): 2 primary and 2 secondary. There was a prize of a computer for each primary school and each secondary school that had the best skit and poem. For those of you doing the math, that means half the schools would win a computer. The skit that won for the primary school was all about how learning about computers can help you get a "bushfaller" husband. A bushfaller is a pidgin word for someone who is an international traveler, but usually refers to a Cameroonian who lives in the US or Europe. After I returned a few people said "the bushfaller is back!" The school that hosted was very well funded. Besides the fact that they had 2 (!) computer labs, they had a ping pong table made out of concrete. Kids played while waiting hours for the event to start.

International African Festival of the Nyem Nyem People

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-04-09 03:59:00

The International Festival of the Nyem Nyem people annually takes place in the Adamawa region of Cameroon. Villagers and visitors climb into caves in the village of Galim while the Nyem Nyem people celebrate with war dancing. Though it’s deemed international and occurs yearly, it’s actually quite difficult to find concrete information about the festival. Being Cameroon, logistics take place at the very last minute and most publicity is done by word-of-mouth.

Thus, it was only through my Fulfulde (local language of Cameroon’s Grand North) instructor that I found out about the festival. He originally told me the dates were April 16-April 18^th, but the members of the Red Cross told me April 7-9^th. I did a final check with the Delegate of the Ministry of Tourism who stated April 6-8^th. Like I said, concrete information is hard to come by!

I was in Yaounde for my Peace Corps Close-of-Service conference until April 5^th, so when I arrived to Ngaoundere by the night train, I wasn’t sure what would really happen. And if someone had told me what would occur, I probably wouldn’t have believed them anyways.

At 11AM, Esther, a teacher and community volunteer, and I headed off to Narral bus agency. The only bus to Galim left earlier in the morning, but we could take a car to Tignere, which was only 55km away. The issue was that there was only a 1:30PM bus which was already full! We had to get there by nightfall as the war dancing would occur in the early morning.

Esther went to Alliance bus agency and called her friend at National bus agency to see if there were other cars – both fails. I called the Red Cross, but they had already left. The Delegate of Culture had already left as well. Renting a car would be too expensive on my Peace Corps salary. How would we get to this festival that was 145km away?

And that’s when a crazy idea hit me in the face. Why don’t we motorbike there? In the Ngaoundere area, you only motorbike 5km or so, no more. Otherwise, you always take a car. With no options left, I called a friendly motorbike-driving friend of mine, Obro. He and Esther said they would be in for a three-day adventure. Let’s go!

About three hours into the journey

So we were mistaken and it wasn’t 145km, but rather a 200km drive with the three of us piled on Obro’s motorbike. It was uncomfortable, but manageable…until I saw the rain clouds. “Ca va aller. Il n’y a pas un problem! (It’s good. There’s no problem!),” Obro said. It started to sprinkle and I held my breath. It stopped. Phew. It started to sprinkle again. Then no more. On the third sprinkle, it was a downpour!

Unfortunately, we were in the middle-of-nowhere with neither nothing nor no one in sight, so the only option we had was to keep on driving! Of course, the rains stopped once we reached a small village where Obro stopped to pray and we ate lunch. As we arrived to Tignere, we decided to continue on to Galim. Obro made a call as he said this would be the last place we’d have cell phone service. “Obro, do your relatives know we’re staying with them when we get to Galim?” I asked. He said no and as I proceeded to question him, it turned out that he’d never met these long-lost relatives. “Ca va aller. Il n’ y a pas un problem!” he says.

Still not there, but rather the middle-of-nowhere

He was happy to see an American

So there I was squeezed between a taximan and a teacher headed off to the tiny Cameroonian village of Galim, no clue where I will spend the night nor would I have cell phone service. Did I mention five hours had already passed by on this muddy motorbike? Sometimes I hate my crazy ideas.

Another hour passed and voila! We reached Galim safely and there was already dancing at the Lamido’s (traditional chief’s) palace. As I sorely jumped off the moto, I realized Obro didn’t have a suitcase. “Ca va aller. Il n’y a pas un problem!” he says.

The Lamido’s son, Aboubakar, saw little foreigner me and offered us a place for the night. Obro went off to find his long-lost relatives with whom he’d stay and Aboubakar led us inside the palace to a lavish meal of plantains, pasta, fruits, vegetables, and meat. Back at his house, I “bucket bathed” outside underneath the stars as I questioned whether this was actually reality.

The veranda to the house where we stayed for the weekend

Our host, Aboubakar, the son of the traditional chief

In the morning, Aboubakar had a motorman take us back to the Lamido Palace where we ate breakfast before running into the Red Cross volunteers and a few other people I knew from Ngaoundere. After breakfast and the arrival of the traditional chiefs of the nearby villages, we headed off to climb the caves on Mont Djim! Apparently, there’s a magic water spring that you can drink from that will cure all ailments, but I was more interested in the war dancing (and I didn’t believe it would cure my ailments but rather give me some sort of disease).

Let the music and horse fantasia begin!

On Mont Djim, fortune tellers predicted the future while it was one massive tailgate with food and yes, Cameroonian beer! We also hiked to the Execution Zone, where enemies would be thrown off the mountain after becoming beheaded. Why I decided to climb caves and hike in a dress and flip flops, please don’t ask!

Cave climbing in Mont Djim

Waiting for the war dancing

Hiking to the Execution Zone on Mont Djim

Back at the Lamido Palace, no one was really sure what was occurring until finally, the Nyem Nyem war dancers appeared! I’ve spent the past two years in Africa, but this performance was the liveliest dance I’ve seen with men, women, and children actively participating. I spent the next hour in awe as the men threw the children on their shoulders while dancing to the beat of the drums.

The Nyem Nyem war dancers - glorious!

The next morning, we jumped back on Obro’s motorbike to head home to Ngaoundere. Everyone knew us that weekend as we were the crazy ones that rode a motorbike the 200km to the festival (and well, I was the only American/foreigner in the sea of Cameroonians!). As we drove, Obro took a detour to Doualua, another small village. It turns out that his brother’s wife left him after he took on a second wife (polygamy is legal in Cameroon). Thus, Obro was on a mission to talk to her to get her to come back home to his brother after twelve years of marriage. As he tried to clear up the love triangle mess, I took a nap after finishing up my read “P.S. I Love You.” I guess it all worked out as she promised to come back if her husband would be nice to her.

I believed it was due to weight, but a part of the motorbike soon fell off. “Ca va aller! Il n’y a pas un problem!” Obro stated as he tied the piece back with some rubber. Note: Always travel with duct tape! A couple hours later, we survived another downpour which later turned out to be a blessing as the motor overheated and the mud water was able to cool it down.

We had left that morning at 8AM and I finally arrived to my house at 6PM. Over 13 hours on a motorbike. In the pouring rain. To climb caves 30 meters below the Earth. For war dancing with the Nyem Nyem people. In the tiny West African village of Galim. Did I mention that this was also my birthday weekend? Ca va aller!

Mosques

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Corps de la Paix- Cameroun

2012-05-28 15:09:00

Since my particular area of Cameroon is mostly Muslim, there are mosques almost everywhere. In Banyo there is a mosque almost every hundred feet. Some mosques look pretty shabby and are practically falling apart, little square houses that you only know are a mosque because of the small Arabic writing in front or the minaret. Sometimes it isn’t really even a building, but just any area blocked off with bricks in the shape of a square building with a minaret cut out. And then sometimes the mosque looks amazing. it’s beautiful with lots of detail and just really a great structure within the community. In fact I would say that some of the msoquees I’ve seen are really the most beautiful buildings I’ve seen here altogether. I will really miss walking down the street and seeing such lovely buildings when I go back and of course I’ll miss hearing the call to prayer everyday multiple times of day. Can’t say however that I will necessarily miss the constant stops while traveling for passengers to prayer…

Mayo Djinga Mosque - The newest, probably most expensive and certainly nicest building

in this small village

my favorite - the big mosque in Ngaoundere

Another nice mosque in Ngaoundere

Banyo's main mosque

Some more odds, no ends.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Le Blog de Sterling

2012-05-28 13:27:01

(1) Go’o: I’ve described, on a few occasions, the Mexican soap opera “La Fille du Jardinier,” a universally-embraced pop culture sensation here in Cameroon. However, what I haven’t mentioned is how far-reaching the population’s love for Latin American soap operas extends, beyond just “La Fille du Jardinier”; every weekday evening, on CRTV (the only national, [...]

Peace Corps Close-of-Service Conference

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-04-06 03:59:00

Twenty-seven months. That's how long the US government asks you to serve when you sign up for the Peace Corps.

When I first told people that I was joining the Peace Corps, some assumed it was only a one-year stint and were excited for me. When I told them it was two years, their jaws dropped. "That's a long time!" they'd say. I know.

The average application process takes twelve months including legal and medical checks. Have unpaid parking tickets? You better pay them off! Credit card debt? Hmm, can you clear that up before you leave? I was one of the unlucky ones who had to remove a wisdom tooth. "It's just plaque and the dentist says that it's negligible," I told the Peace Corps Medical Office. They held my medical clearance until I took care of it.

From the time I submitted the application to the time I boarded the plane for Cameroon, two years had passed due to the process and due to life choices. Now, it's almost two years later and my Peace Corps service is done in just a few months.

My stagemates (Volunteers that started the same time as me) and I traveled to Yaounde, Cameroon this past week to Peace Corps headquarters. We started our journey together here and were reunited for our Close-of-Service conference. In the three-day conference, we discussed resumes, our service projects, and readjustment back to the US (some say that acclimating back to American life is the hardest part!).

I received my official French level of Advanced High from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. My official Close-of-Service date a.k.a. when I board that plane back to the US is July 20, 2012.

Twenty-seven months. It goes by quickly.

Fellow Greeter PCV, Benjamin Ace and I celebrating our last dinner

I love Ethan's traditional outfit!

Group picture try #1

Group picture try #2

Peace Corps staff, Education Volunteers, and Community Economic Development Volunteers 2010-2012

Greatest Hits: Year Two

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Rosalie au Cameroun

2012-05-26 07:03:00

Here one more time is a list of the funniest things my students have written this year. A disclaimer: I might feel guilty about poking a little fun at my students, if I didn't know how much entertainment they got out of the equally ridiculous things I say in French/Fulfulde/Mandara.

Responses to an assignment to write 10 sentences using the word "If":
"If I had eaten my foot, I would have been hungry."
"If you lie to your father, he will bite you."

On unemployment in Cameroon:
"Many efforts are being made to dehydrate this problem."

Describe a wedding you have attended.
"Last week in my village there was a wedding of my neighbours. At night young boys and girls was dancing hands in hands and heads with heads. My friend girl was waiting for me to dance but me I was absent because I was lerning my leson to success the first sequence."

Conclusion to an essay on a person you admire:
"Finally Eto'o is very shine as Lord he is popular with the showers."

Why are careers in music difficult to achieve?
"-difficult to achieve
-little security
-many thieves, adulterers"

Is it better to live in the city or the village?
"It is better to live in the city, because the city no have sorcerors."
"You see many pretty girls which you like."

What causes a student to lose interest in a subject?
"The consommation of the substance toxique."

Why didn't the English originally like soccer?
"Because King of Scotland stabbing anyone who didn't approve his decision."

What job would you like to have after you finish school?
"My job I would like to have when I finish school are: I reding a boobs, I do my homework, I slept after I wach. After of the toilet, I eat my food and I rerede my lesson. At 20:00 I slept."
(I was looking more for something like "teacher" or "doctor", but I guess this works too)

Where did Oscar work?
"Oscar didn't French Wilma."

Write a letter to your parents, telling them how you feel about your arranged marriage.
"Please let me pass my Bac first, and then I will marry. I cannot put cats in front of horse."

What are the advantages of science?
"Science enable for your field that you study your soil, then you give a feces to improve your soil."

The last exams have been graded and report cards filled out, and now I am just leading a few night classes to prepare kids for the national exams they will take next month to determine if they get to graduate or move up a year. Saying goodbye is bittersweet -- I am very much looking forward to returning home in July, but at the end of two years there will be a lot of difficult goodbyes. My English Club president (who has been one of my best students for two years now) has taken to stopping by my house a couple times a week, just to say hello. He says, in English, that he wants to spend as much time with me as possible before I return to America. I think I worried a lot (especially my first year) about whether or not I was accomplishing anything, or if I would leave with a bitter taste in my mouth. There definitely continue to be ups and downs here, but in general the things that bothered me the most have become funny stories, and when I walk around the village and think about the work I've done, I feel like I have definitely made a difference -- at the very least with individuals (like my English Club president), even if I cannot necessarily see the progress made at a larger level.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to a few more weeks of weird, wonderful adventures...and then to seeing everyone at home (and eating a lot of delicious food).

Prescraft Handicrafts, Bamenda, Cameroon

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-03-31 03:59:00

I rarely ever blog about food or restaurants. It's not that I refuse to be a foodie (who doesn't love good wining and dining), but I tend to focus my travel writing on adventures and activities. That is; however, until...Prescraft.

A fair trade enterprise headquartered in Bamenda, Northwest region of Cameroon, Prescraft is "a producer, seller, and exporter of fine African arts & crafts." Currently, over 150+ men and women directly benefit from the store's activities. The store's decorations and artisan artifacts combine traditional African culture with modern styles and flair.

Prescraft's home decor - great mix of Afro-Euro-Americana trends

Most people shop at Prescraft and then walk next door to Prescafe. The restaurant itself provides sleek IKEA-ish furniture while you dine. Menu choices include everything from cappuccinos to tomato soups. I highly recommend any kind of salad.

Even the bathroom entrance at Prescafe is sheek

It was the first time in two years I've ordered salad from a restaurant in Cameroon (due to my unhealthy eating habits and the fact that I worry about getting sick from uncooked food), but Prescrafe's pasta salad was too good to pass up.

Prescafe's pasta salad. Yum.

After two years of basically eating only Cameroonian food (and the occasional pizza/Lebanese treat), I might only blog about food and restaurants when I come back to the US!

Welcome Little Aissatou Andrea

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Une Aventure En Brousse

2012-05-25 15:53:00

Mother Didi, me, lil Andrea born May 12th, 2012 at 7:45pm (Cameroon time)

Tiny Little Fingers. :-)

                       Best friend Samira, Inna (aunt of Didi and Samira), me, Didi

On Saturday, May 12th 2012 at 7:45pm (Cameroon) my namesake, little Aissatou Andrea was brought into this world. I didn't get the text message till the next day from my friend. I was like a little kid in a candy store; feeling estatic. After a 5 1/2 hour rocky bus ride back to my village, I dropped my baggage at my house; dirty and not showered, got on a moto and high-tailed it to my friend's house. I fell in love on the spot.
    They had the baptism the following weekend, a lot of people came at 7am in the morning (Muslim tradition) and ate rice.
     Out of all my experience, having a little child named after me reflects the crossing of cultural borders and pre-conceived prejudices...Even though I'm culturally different, different views/life path, this act is amazing.

Walking into the bedroom to see the newborn for the first time was one of the best moments of my service, nothing but genuwine feelings. Moreover, if you have to ask, this is one of those that sums up my experience, and made it worth while, every last of it. :-) I was nothing but smiles. I think that's Peace Corps.

What are the ways to retrieve my car after car shipping?

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Blog of grand ambitions

2012-05-25 08:39:00

Most car shipping company will deliver your car to your home or your business place which means it is said to be door to door delivery or door to door transport.

Though these kind of delivery, may not work all the time. There are other options which will explain you how to retrieve your car if your car is not door delivered.

If your road is too thin, the HOA does not allow large trucks, or various other reasons. In that case you will be phoned by the driver of car carrier when he reaches your destination and you must have the same opinion to pick up your car from nearby parking lot.

If you cannot agenda a deliverance date for when you are at the final destination, then you will require having your means of transportation transported to a terminal.

A terminal is storage space ability for cars. Your car is transported to a terminal near your final destination and you can choose it up at your handiness. However, there is naturally a daily storage space charge. You be supposed to argue any terminal expenses with your car transport company.

Babies everywhere

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Corps de la Paix- Cameroun

2012-05-25 07:24:00

In America, I would have to say that the average high schooler/college student/younger adult comes across babies maybe once in a while – perhaps a family member or family friend has a child and one gets to see and hold the baby. Here, well you practically can’t get away from babies. They are everywhere. I can’t even begin to count the number of babies I’ve held since being here, let alone all the ones that I just see every day. And sometimes I’m talking day old babies. Not only does everyone have tons of babies, but maybe since they’re just all over, people are not as concerned, I’ll say, about possible risky behavior for the baby. For example, it’s quite normal to allow a 3,4,5 year old to hold the baby, even walk around with the baby. You often see young children with babies attached to their back (like the mothers do) but sometimes I swear I don’t know how the child doesn’t almost fall over from the baby as the child isn’t much bigger herself. Then it's also normal to put babies on motos - either the woman just keeps the baby on her back while riding or even better, the moto driver rests the baby on the gas tank in front of them while on the moto.

I really liked this particular baby and asked to
'borrow' him for a day or two but it never
happened don't think they took me seriously

Another common practice thats not so much possibly dangerous but just different from what we know is for one to allow someone else to raise their child. Often people send their young child to an extended family member for a while. And it’s also acceptable to even ask for someone’s baby. For example, maybe a woman’s own children are grown and she wants to have a young child to help with household chores and have around – so just ask someone you know who has recently had a baby.

Here are some photos of just a few babies. Believe me there are many, many more …

A few day old twins

How most babies are carried around - just tie them to your back with some fabric

The Smallest Peace Corps Post: Village of Kurubi, Cameroon

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-03-31 03:59:00

You can try to research it online, but chances are you won’t find Kurubi, Cameroon anywhere on Google Maps. Not to be confused with Kribi, a well-known beach resort in the South region, Kurubi is a small 150-person village in the country’s Northwest. It is also here where I went to visit fellow Peace Corps Volunteer Crystal Leanza.

Crystal was my roommate in Philadelphia where we met for “staging,” a pre-trip departure ritual where Peace Corps Volunteers meet the other members of their group with whom they will spend the next two years with in their respective country. It was only fitting that I visited Crystal’s post before we traveled together to our Close-of-Service conference where we will find out exactly when our service ends. Two years already done!

After meeting in Batibo, the palm wine capital of the country, we had lunch at the new, swanky restaurant in town (just ask around for the restaurant - people will know what you're talking about as there's only one restaurant!). We headed off with motos to Kurubi where we took a half an hour walking tour around the village (it's really small) while catching up on our lives amazed at how fast the past two years went.

Note to future Peace Corps Volunteers: Enjoy your service and treasure it all! Though two years seems long, it is really only a microcosm of our 80+ year lifespan. Your service will pass quickly!

The local spring which serves as the village water source

Kurubi, Northwest region, Cameroon

The high school of Kurubi where Crystal teaches science

Crystal's jungle backyard

“How to Suck Less as a Man”

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Road Wes Traveled

2012-05-24 13:13:52

Well, hoorah for completing my 8th month in the Peace Corps. Next up: Month 9! Lately, work has been picking up a bit and has been getting busier. But I use “busy” in the loosest sense possible, because the pace … Continue reading →

Peace Corps Goals 1, 2, and 3

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Peace Corps Adventures in Cameroon!

2012-05-24 10:34:00

Greetings to everyone,

Hope you are all swell. My apologies for not writing sooner – I have been both busy and lazy with updating my blog. These past few months have flown very quickly. I organized my PC project, the NGO fair, in February. I went home in March for three weeks…it was wonderful to see people and catch up. Now I’ve been back in Bamenda wrapping up my work here. I am finishing my Peace Corps service and returning home July 6, 2012! Can’t believe it’s over so soon.

Lately I’ve been doing some reflecting on my two years of service. Why we’re here and how we as volunteers have contributed to the community. There have been setbacks and sometimes I’m not quite sure if the work we do here is worthwhile. There are high turnover rates within some of the organizations I have worked with in these past 1-2 years, indications of people stealing money from projects, friends and colleagues who assume that you’ll do all the work as a white person. Male colleagues who don’t respect you because you’re female, because you’re younger, because Peace Corps doesn’t give out money. On top of that, I still get irritated when people call me “white man” or “Chinese” or make kung-fu noises on the street (I’ve never been able to get past this). There are days when I just sit inside the house and watch TV all day because I don’t want to deal with the outside world. Why am I here? Am I making any kind of difference? Are people even following my work advice? Are people just seeing me with $$$ on my forehead?! In many cases, yes.

But in other cases, no. During my time here, I have managed to make genuine Cameroonian friends. People who work hard, people who don’t ask you for anything, people who want to make a difference in their community but face all kinds of obstacles. People who view you as an equal; not as a white person, but someone they can learn from. And from that, true cross-cultural exchange.

One of my very good Peace Corps friends lives in a village about 45 minutes away from Bamenda. I remember when I visited his post, he introduced me to his best friend who’s a respected teacher in the village. We hiked the waterfall that day and I remember this man was genuine and warm. I just found out he died two weeks ago. He got sick a few months ago and did not inform my PC friend. When his legs were swelling up, my PC friend went into Bamenda to buy some fruit. When he returned to village that day, his best friend had passed. At the funeral, my friend gave a eulogy and told everyone that this man had never asked him for money. Even when he fell ill, he refused to ask my friend for help. When my friend gave me the news, we wondered why bad things happen to such good people. “He never asked me for anything, and he was probably the one person out of everyone who needed help the most,” my friend lamented.

At the same time, I’m happy that this Cameroonian man was blessed to meet a Peace Corps volunteer as they shared conversations, adventures, and American and Cameroonian meals together. It touches me to know that he was friendly not because he wanted something out of a white man, but because they were genuine friends.

And this is what keeps me going. I’m so grateful for Cameroonians who appreciate me being here to bring not only technical assistance, skills that will transfer to shape the next generation of women and men into future leaders of Cameroon, but also to build friendships and learn from one another. The Peace Corps slogan, “the toughest job you’ll ever love” truly encapsulate my experiences here as a volunteer.

(Disclaimer: This post sounds pretty cheesy. It's not Peace Corps propaganda, I promise!)

vaccination campaigns

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Carry on, Cameroon

2012-05-23 21:59:48

Vaccination campaigns are not among my favorite things. We meet at 6 in the morning at the hospital and head out into villages, often staying until 4 or 5 pm. The only reason why the Far North region does polio vaccination campaigns several times a year is that we share a long border with Nigeria, [...]

Dutch group visit

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Welcome to the Jungle

2012-03-23 16:07:37

Between March 16 and 22, I hosted a group of seventeen Dutch students (including two professors/chaperones) from a group called Green Experience. They actually found me through this blog, where they told me of their plans to come to the … Continue reading →

Estelle

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Welcome to the Jungle

2012-05-02 16:38:33

I’ve written before about the severity of corruption here. It infects every aspect of life. From govt to businesses to non-profits to members of your own family. Take the case of Estelle: Estelle is actually an example of everything that’s … Continue reading →

Savings and Loan Association project

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Welcome to the Jungle

2012-05-22 16:28:43

There are no banks in Lomié. There are no microfinance institutes (MFIs) either. In fact, the history of banking here – and microfinance in particular – is not good here. Without going into more detail or personal asides (or any … Continue reading →

A Shift in Perspective

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Welcome to the Jungle

2012-05-23 16:44:20

It occurred to me a few days ago when my family asked via Skype to tell them something wild I had seen recently that I hardly know what’s noteworthy anymore. A year in, what once made me scramble for my … Continue reading →

Traditional Chiefs and Monk Monestaries in Foumban, Cameroon

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-03-29 03:59:00

Foumban is unlike other cities in the West region of Cameroon. Predominantly Muslim, it is considered an art capital of West Africa. Founded by the Bamoun Kingdom before colonization by the Germans, the city is home to a traditional Sultan who lives in the Royal Palace.

The palace itself is interesting though outsiders are only allowed to visit the small one-room museum on the second story. It is 2.000CFA/person, but if you are a history buff or interested in one of the few museums in Cameroon, the visit is worth it. Artifacts include traditional military outfits, swords, and pewter statues.

Sultan's Palace, Foumban, West region, Cameroon

Tip: Try to visit Foumban on Wednesday as it's market day! The market, which is located right outside of the Sultan's Palace, becomes a sea of liveliness and color.

Foumban's Wednesday market

After shopping at the market, we headed over to the Village of Artisans. The village is not so much a traditional market of artisan objects, but rather a street of boutiques where one hops in and out of shops and watches everything from welding to carpentry. The souvenirs are expensive, but if you want statues or home items, this could be for you!

The best part of the Village of Artisans? Meeting the traditional chief of Foumban! We walked in the compound as there were beautiful mud huts painted with colorful murals. One of his young sons saw us and asked if we wanted to explore inside. He ran to grab his dad who was nobody else, but the chief, Amadou Ahidjo Mbouombouo!

Traditional chief's compound

Amadou proceeded to show us dozens of photos of his trips abroad with the latest one to New York. He travels the world promoting Cameroonian culture and selling artisan artifacts. Not too shabby if you add that on top of being a chief!

We were wowed by the artifacts in his house from the elephant feet to the military swords. If anybody ever wants to travel to Foumban or wants to stay at a traditional chief's house, give Amadou a call at 74 00 55 45 or 99 93 09 19 or e-mail at njimbouombouo@yahoo.com. He'll take care of you!

Showing us a traditional military sword

Letting me feel like a queen

On the way back to Bafoussam, Amadou took us to the village of Koutaba. There, approximately 30 Trappists monks produce coffee and syrup in the monastery. It was after-hours (make sure you come in the morning or mid-afternoon), but they were nice enough to take us on a quick tour. Foumban and Koutaba have easily become two of my favorite places in Cameroon.

Trappist monk monastery, village of Koutaba

Months 7 and 8: Trying New Things

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon LVT in Cameroon

2012-05-23 10:58:00

You may not think of Peace Corps as the kind of life in which you easily stagnate, but the possibility is high once you settle in. Just living here can be enough of a challenge sometimes, so I have to push myself to keep trying new things. In doing so, I've also learned how much I don't know.

Gardening

I've always known that I would plant a garden during these years and I plan on having one back in the States as well. The rains weren't coming consistently until about six weeks ago, so until then I had a great excuse to not yet start my garden – no water! But I didn't just want to plant a garden, I wanted to do it right. I'm fairly well-read concerning the food movement and sustainable agriculture issues, but I had never actually planted anything on my own. I helped a little with my parents' large garden when I was little, learned some bio-intensive agriculture techniques in Tanzania, and spent all of last summer weeding on an organic farm. And here in Cameroon, I'm an agriculture and environment volunteer. I still didn't know what I was doing.

After a few days reading the renowned How to Grow More Vegetablesand stressing myself out about how I was going to sufficiently double dig and companion plant, I just went outside and started digging. I made a little diagram, made sure I didn't put any “antagonists” next to each other, loosened the soil, and put some seeds in the ground. Now several weeks later, I have some healthy looking cucumber plants, surprisingly big leafy greens like kale, sugar snaps that will soon need support, and basil overcoming the container it's planted in on the porch. Not everything germinated, but I've got at least a few sprouts for about eight crops. And since the rainy season lasts until November, I've got time to try again.

The beginnings of my little garden, nested between two young banana trees.

Having a Kitten

Like many volunteers in country, I had a mouse problem. Most people agree the best solution is to own a cat. I was hesitant because I was still learning how to take care of myself in Cameroon and didn't want to worry about a pet when I travel. After visiting several volunteers with cats, I caved. I picked up Tuxedo (Tux for short) last week from a friend's house. We're still learning how to live together, but we've had some tender moments. This is the first time I've taken full responsibility for another living being. I know cats are among the most independent, but I still feel responsible for this creature, especially after the two-hour bush taxi ride in a box she endured to get here. I wasn't being cruel, there's just no other way to transport cats here. And sometimes the locals eat them.

I got “new mom” anxiety before I picked Tux up. I assumed I knew how to take care of a cat, but once it became real I wasn't sure I did. How many times a day do you feed a twelve-week old kitten? What can I feed a cat in Cameroon where there aren't big bags of pet food au village? Should the cat be indoor or outdoor? How can I get her to play without biting? How can I have a litter box when there's no litter? I did some Google-ing at the regional office and asked some friends. And it's working out just fine. After living by myself for almost six months, it can be frustrating to have another living being in the house. She tries to climb up my curtains, knocks over dishes, and thinks my computer is a shiny play toy. Then we cuddle and watch TV shows on the couch, I laugh at her fighting with her own tail, she follows me around the house, and I forgive her. I'm her mommy after all, right?

Tuxedo in a rare calm moment.

Beautiful Dschang, Cameroon

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-03-27 03:59:00

Forty-five minutes outside of Bafoussam lies Dschang (pronounced "Chong"), an old German colonial town. The town is "man-made" with a constructed lake and a mountain resort.

After exploring the Artisan market, we walked over to the University of Dschang. Like it's counterpart, University of Buea, the college architecture was very modern with multi-storied buildings and tennis courts. The students sported Western jeans while enjoying the sunshine on the grass-covered campus.

The surrounding villages of Dschang were easily my favorite parts of the day. At Lingam, 10km from Dschang on the way to Fongo-Tongo, we were escorted by friendly villagers to the Cascade de Lingam (Waterfalls of Lingam). There they "blessed me" - this consisted of hitting leaves on my feet!

Though it was dry season, the waterfalls were gorgeous!

Cascade de Lingam

Having my feet blessed from my ancestors

Continuing on, we headed off to the Southwest Region to the Chute de la Mamy Wata (Mommy Water Waterfalls!). The falls were small, but the view was phenomenal!

View from Chutes de la Mamy Wata

That night, we met up with fellow Peace Corps Volunteer, Jessica Veldman, at the Musee des Civilisations, a newly opened cultural museum focusing on the diversity of various groups in Cameroon. Dschang definitely showed its charm!

Musee des Civilisations, a two-story cultural museum opened in 2011

Bafoussom, Cameroon: My New Favorite Underdog

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-03-26 03:59:00

I've always loved cheering for the underdog. With movie legends such as Rocky and The Karate Kid, who doesn't enjoy supporting the little guy?

As such, my favorite travel venues aren't the large touristy monuments, but rather the local parks or secret waterfalls...the places that are just comfortable and peaceful. Thus, one of my favorite cities in Cameroon has now become Bafoussom, capital of the West region.

Some Peace Corps Volunteers live in cemented, unpainted, and gray one-room homes. This is Ryan's posh city apartment!

Jealous of his view!

Lonely Planet describes Bafoussom as a city with "little of great interest for travellers" - WRONG! The city is sprawled out which means that when you walk on the sidewalk (yes, Baffassom has sidewalks!), you remain a distance from the front doors of shops. What does this mean for the traveler? Less chances that people will bother you with screams of "Foreigner!" or "White person!" (they'll yell that at you even if you are traditionally a minority in the US).

Do you know how Cameroonians learn about American culture? They watch Desperate Housewives

Secondly, the city is clean. Served by Hysacam, the city has daily trash collection as opposed to littering as is the only choice in other parts of the country. In fact, Bafoussom was recently voted the "most beautiful city in the West." Though the distinction came from Bafoussom's own city council, I'm supporting it!

My favorite part of the city? The market! Here, one will find everything from horse hair dusters to beautiful dresses to handwoven baskets. The Bamileke people love to haggle, but perhaps they love it more when a foreigner haggles them harder!

Shopping at Bafoussom's market

I wish I could wear this outfit and look just as cool!

Bafoussom's nightlife concentrates around Akwa, a trendy neighborhood with outdoor cafes and bars. Crystal is considered the most upscale bar (which means they have couches with cushions), but it's just as easy to find grilled fish and street chicken just right outside.

The West in general has a temperate climate and an the best selection of fruits and vegetables in Cameroon. Artisan objects are plenty and the chefferies (traditional chief compounds) are traditionally grandiose. Hands down, Bafoussom wins for me.

Traditional chief's compound, Bafoussom, Cameroon

Odds and ends (but mostly odds)

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Le Blog de Sterling

2012-05-21 08:14:51

Odd #1: When I was in the U.S., I used to hate going into those department stores where the staff were so overly-friendly and eager to help you shop that they followed you around asking you what you were looking for; while many would applaud such behavior as exceptional customer service, I always found it [...]

Travelling Washington to New York by bus

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Blog of grand ambitions

2012-05-21 05:28:00

People who live in U.S. or who come to visit U.S. are often found are often found very keen to visit New York. The New York is prominent place for its tours. There are different ways of reaching New York. You can go by bus from Washington to New York. To return, you can come by bus from New York to Washington. If you take a flight from DC to NY, it will not take enough time; however traveling by flight is quite expensive.

Whereas if you are traveling by bus to New York, it will hardly take five to six hours and the traveling cost is also very reasonable. You also have to pay $ 20 to travel the one side. However, these rates can differ a little bit depending on your coach you are taking with you. You can find many BUS DC TO NY providers who provide bus services between DC to NY. There are many bus agencies which are running their services between these two places and providing the affordable services

How I Bought Facebook Shares—And Why I’m Holding Them

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon 27 months

2012-05-20 13:55:08

Facebook went public on the Nasdaq exchange Friday, raising $16 billion by selling 421.2 million shares. This IPO, the third-largest in US history, values Facebook at $104.2 billion. Not too shabby for a company founded only 8 years ago. In terms of anticipation, demand and volume of shares traded, Facebook was the hottest IPO to [...]

My Big, Fat Pidgin Wedding

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Peace Corps Peach

2012-05-20 11:03:45

In lieu of gifts, I’ll just take one giant ‘Ashia’. Every girl dreams of her day. I’ll admit it; the thoughts have caught me in their fairy-tale influenced web more than once. The dress, the veil, the very specific song choices and the finely tuned cuisine—the wedding I hoped for had long been arranged in [...]

International Women's Day Soccer Match

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-03-08 04:59:00

So you're an American living in Africa. Crazy enough for most people. When you walk down the street, people will randomly yell "white person" at you (yes, even if you are not Caucasian). People I've never met will know where I live because out of a city of 400,000, I'm the only one that looks like me. As such, it's typical for a Peace Corps Volunteer to try to avoid situations that will attract even more attention as we constantly live in a "fishbowl."

So when the high school teachers of Lycee Mardoch invited me to play in their 1st Annual Teachers vs. Students International Women's Day Soccer Match, what else could I say? Yes!

Let's note that I used to be pretty good at soccer. Eight years of playtime including club tournaments and Varsity games make for a pretty solid foundation. However, the last time I played competitively was exactly eight years ago. Plus, this is Cameroon, the land of Samuel Eto'o and diehard fans. During the 2010 World Cup, shops would close as Cameroonians would huddle by the dozens around one television. Our Peace Corps training sessions would end early so the Cameroonian trainers could watch home games (albeit we worked through the USA games!). Soccer is life here, so to avoid complete embarrassment, I had to practice to step up my game!

My training consisted of two hours of passing with my postmate, Cyrus Suleman. I got too busy to really practice and March is the beginning of hot season. Eh.

Today was the big day. International Women's Day is tomorrow, so this week is chalk-full of activities. Throwing on my soccer socks, double-knotting my shoes, and applying sunscreen brought back elementary school butterflies before important matches. This time would be a little more intense as my teammates would be almost twice my age and the opposing team members would be almost half my age! And yes, I'd be the only American in sea of Cameroonians.

Warming up in my XXXL jersey

After never having met 7/8 of the teachers, they put me as starting right halfback. The whistle blew and it turns out that most of the women had never really played before, so the competition wasn't too tough! I kicked the ball no more than a total of five times that first half, so I just ran around getting a good workout. The students scored a goal by the time halftime was called.

But the second half I tell you! I was really confused on the new formation, so by the time we started, I wasn't really sure what my position was (or if I had one at all). So wherever the ball went, I went! While in the goal box, a student got fouled for a handball which led to the teachers scoring the penalty kick!

A minute after kickoff, the teachers brought it together for a passing play and a great cross to where I was standing. With a terrible whack at the ball with my right foot, it was a GOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

The winning goal! I promise my form used to be better.

The next school day was spent with everyone talking about the American's "magnificent winning goal!" As this was the first annual match, the Vice President told me that my legend would live on each year after. Going from fish in fishbowl to soccer celebrity? Cheers to that!

Winning team photo. Cameroonians don't tend to smile for pictures, but don't be fooled. Everyone was happy!

Looking Back

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Ma Vie Au Cameroun

2012-05-19 08:10:00

As my 1 year mark quickly approaches, I decided to read how far I have come by re-reading my old blog posts. Let me updated my dedicated followers.

Fish. I am still not a huge fan of fish, but I will eat it. I will not eat the head, the eyes or the tail, but I want to try the fins because I hear that they taste like chips. I was at the US Embassy in Yaounde last weekend and I was offered fish and given a fork and knife. I tried using the knife and realized that I have only ever eaten fish with my hands. So I switched my tools for eating and was then called "villageois" by a gentleman from Nigeria.

Bush Meat. I found out 6 weeks after living with my Host Family what type of bush meat I was eating; hedgehog. It tasted like beef but with a lot of little bones. Right now is termite season, so I am trying to get the courage to eat some. People say that they are delicious. The next thing on my list, which is a huge honor, is to it Boa aka snake. Where I live, women are not allowed to eat certain meats, and boa is one of them. So to be offered a dish is a huge honor and I will not be able to say no.

Toilet Situation. I have a "Western Toilet" as they like the call it here and I HATE IT! A latrine, a hole in the ground, is much cleaner when you do not have reliable water. Sometimes I have dreams of having a latrine. Life would so much easier. But another I have learned along the way, is always travel in skirts. That is because when you have to go and there is no latrine your only other option is to ease yourself on the side of the road and pants would expose you too much, you can hide yourself better with a skirt.

Work. I am all over the place with work, but I have found that my favorite type of work is teaching groups how to make new things to sell or just to improve their daily life: lotion or American style cakes. Right now I am working on making soap and learning how to infuse oils to improve the quality of the soaps and lotions. My next goal for the upcoming school year is to do a training with Primary School Teachers who do not make that much, around $140 a month, on how to make their own products so that they can save money throughout the year.

I still work with my group in the next village over. In the next few months I am going to be working with their kids, about 30 kids or so, to introduce "Piggie Banks" to them. When I first explained the concept to their moms, their were shocked that kids in the States save money! They demanded, in a nice and enthusiastic way of course, that I teach their kids!

The most important thing I have learned with work is that things do not always go as planned. I was and still am passionate about doing the Women's Rights and Empowerment club to educate women of the community about issues going on in the world, but it just did not work out. I am sad about it, but I still have another year to see if I can do something with that project idea. Also, the kids candy business failed because the boys kept eating their candy. It was a good learning lesson for them about a business and for me as well: giving candy to 5 kids under the age of 15 and expecting them not to eat their candy was ridiculous on my part, but we had fun in the process.

If anyone has anymore questions for me shoot me an email: daniellenicolai@gmail.com. I love hearing from you in emails and letter forms. It makes the bridge between Cameroon and the United States just a little bit smaller. Thank you for all of your support over this past year. I cannot wait for what year 2 has in store for me!

Danielle Nicolai
B.P 89
Meiganga
Cameroun

Peace Corps Life Skills Seminar

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon C'est La Vie...and Now In Cameroon

2012-03-04 04:59:00

Today we finished our two-day Life Skills seminar for 15 participants across 5 organizations that work with youth groups and women in the community. What is Life Skills you ask? I'll let Preparing for Work eloquently describe the program:

"The Peace Corps Life Skills Manual is a comprehensive behavior change approach that concentrates on developing the skills needed for life, such as communication, decision-making, and critical thinking. It also helps learners understand the importance of assertiveness, self-esteem, resisting peer pressure, and creating healthy relationships. Additionally, it addresses the important related issues of empowering girls and guiding boys toward new values.

The program moves beyond providing information. It addresses the development of the whole individual, including their health—so that a person will have the skills to make use of all types of information, whether it be related to reproductive and sexual health, safe motherhood, and other communication and decision-making situations. While the focus is on health, the life skills are relevant to those found in work readiness curricula and could be adapted for other purposes.

This manual consists of more than 50 different interactive lesson ideas, using role plays, games, puzzles, group discussions, and a variety of other innovative teaching techniques to keep the participant fully involved in the sessions. Lessons include HIV/AIDS training sessions that are particularly useful in working with youth and other vulnerable groups."

Participants included Red Cross staff, Breaking Ground coaches, teachers, and general motivated community members. At the end of the Training-of-Trainers seminar, each organization made an action plan of how they will implement the Life Skills curriculum in their work. Go team!

Peace Corps Coordinator Djenobe Talajo served as the Life Skills Trainer

The participants were happy to receive their diplomas

Showing Djenobe some gratitude

Simple moments

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Cameroon Adventures in Cameroon

2012-05-18 13:14:49

As I feel my time here quickly slipping away, I’ve been actively trying harder to appreciate the simple moments of my experience. The small, almost invisible seconds where something happens, I smile both inside and out, and cherish this moment, knowing America won’t give me moments like these. A lot of these moments are with [...]