The following link is to a video that has gone Peace Corps viral on volunteers facebooks all over, definetly so in Cameroon. I wanted to share this with you all, but as to not be yet another person who posts this on facebook, I will avoid that and go straight to the blog. Its entertaining because its pretty true. Many of you who I keep as regular contact as possible with will recognize some of these, uh, challenges/experiences, haha. Being sick, just wanting to help, keeping a journal for a bit,internet, making it through a day, projects going down! So I thought to share with you my lovely friends and family just how life can sometimes be in Cameroon for a Peace Corps Volunteer put to the words in a youtube videdo called "Poop in a Hole" by Pacific Love from Peace Corps Vanuatu. I myself have a toilet at my house (but have used many latrines) and it made the African homeowner in me very proud when I finally got a toilet seat that didn't break the first time I sat on it!
Because i've proven myself not technology savy and the slowness of internet against me, i will just post the links and see what happens. You might have to go search for it from the link given. So enjoy, and I hope you find it amusing as we do here in Cameroon!
Yep, life is not too different ;) ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koUWaAr-itY
So on a random note, a Kenyan/Brit visiting Batouri while in town to see Ed's tobacco company awhile back gave me a phrase in terms of African colonization that I repeated to a volunteer today. That the English left an institution, France a language, Germans left buildings, and the Belgians...disaster. The Cameroonian among us agreed and it sparked quite interesting a discussion. So far from what i've learned/seen from living here where Cameroon as been colonized by three out of those four countries I can't disagree with that. So I promise more blogs coming soon than just the once a month! Summer travel is keeping me busy, but I am now equipped with a new computer and internet key :D
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Will Work For Sanity
After about another four months, i've again left the east and am now waiting in Yaounde for vacation to begin! All this has got me thinking of the past few months and I think i'll make this post a bit of a reflective one. Now that i'm a year in, I look back and organize it into different 3/4 month segments. My arrival and training in Bafia where I lived with a host family. Then my first few months pre-vacation/London at post adjusting to living on my own, the culture, language, etc. And, post-vacation/London finding work and pre-vacation/home. Confusing? If I could spend 24/7 induldging myself in cultural integration I would be just as happy but unforunately it doesn't work like that. So, I spent these last few months snuggling into post, expanding my friendships, and going on the hunt for work to help occupy my time. Coming in and being told by my predecessor that this wasn't a post where one could really find work and another volunteer was being transferred from the east because she apparently couldn't find work, well if you know me, you know just how much that challenge made me have to proove them wrong! And that was my past few months...
Being a more seasoned volunteer, I can advise any future volunteers to expect many projects to fail. I'm on four or five now. I knew this but its always the first one thats a bit hard, especially one with potential. It was a mango fruit-drying project with CAR refugees to give them some income to be able to not just sit around and wait for all these aid organizations to give them food. I realize now it probably was just a bit too ambitious for a lone PCV. Unfortunately, the timing of the service of a SED volunteer with mango season and the requirements for funding meant it couldn't qualify for any. Thus, if anybody wants to start one of the first fruit-drying projects in Eastern Cameroon there is a project proposal & buget awaiting them!
I gave my bank several ideas for projects, all of which were accepted. However, when I would go to start any my director/counterpart just kept switching them up on me and changing the ideas so that they became so watered down I got tired of it and decided to focus on looking around town for projects. Great idea but, in an area not known for its work ethic and me being a women, a bit of a challenge. Some lost interest when they found out they had to do work, I wasn't guaranteeing finance, or was not going to date any of them.
"Janelle, you can help me with my business?" Ok. For a couple days write down what you sell and buy so we can get an idea of your cash flow and then maybe a list of your expenses to get a rough idea if your even making a profit because your money in between stacks of fabric not the most accurate way. Coming back after a few days, it didn't suprise me to see nothing written down. "Ah, thats too much work, i've been operating this business for several years and been fine. Why should I write it down?" If I can't convince them, I try to just direct them places where they can focus on saving the money they do have.
"So, you're a small economic development volunteer, that means you come with money, right?" Enough said. Its become really easy for me to tell now the projects where people are just wanting money. I've seen $$$ signs going off in some heads and I've listened through several crazy project ideas because of it. Business isn't just how to get financing but also improving what you've already got.
" Are you married?" Yes sir, I am. Community people come into the bank all the time and I've come to know many people. While harrassment on the street i've grown accustomed to, having people pull me aside to talk about projects but in reality do nothing but the sort but tell me they love me, no thank you. No, me asking the ages of your five kids doesn't mean I want to hear that I please you. That even though your wife lives in the northwest would I go out with you. Or for that matter let you work with me just so I can take you to America. A recent aha moment, for a woman realizing best possible way to work...women & children.
In truth, its all about who you know. Not to be said arrogantly, but I did rely on my strength of networking. Knowing the head of a logging company put me in touch with a reforestation project. I've helped oversee the planting of about 9,000 trees there while helping the agricultural co-ops that work the land to find financing to plant in between the trees which turn apparently helps the soil. Lesson learned: living 4 degrees away from the equator means the sun is stronger than you think. Take every precaution necessary! Sad to have seen that all the trees couldn't be planted since we've not really experienced a true rainy season. Sigh, climate change.
I'm in town alot if not at the bank but hanging with friends. Sitting in my friend Baba's fabric store watching with others on TV the speech of the newly elected Benin President, I was explaining the concept of marketing to one of them. With this I realized that my french could hold out for a presentation. Now, I will be going into the meetings of the bank's associations that are made up of business people and presenting various business topics. Being in town also brought me in touch with dutch ex-pats visiting from Batouri's sister city in Holland. They introduced me to several of their projects, one of which is a lady who runs an orphanage for kids who are handicap (mentally or physically). They either have no parents or their parents don't want the responsibility of taking care of them. Teaching around 15-20 African kids english starting with the alphabet keeps me wholly entertained (since grammar is mostly excluded & games abound!), and i'm profiting from my sisters experience in child development to help me design activities for them.
Exploring Batouri, also put me in touch with the UN World Food Program there. Until recently I wasn't even aware it existed. I wasn't sure with the UN backing if it would be possible, but it was one of my easiest projects yet! It didn't take much to convince them, and upon returning from vacation wil, through the aid of an interpretor (me into french them french into fulfulde), try to teach the farmers of a program the WFP finances how they can market their products, make budgets, etc.
Well in a way, thats 3 1/2 months in a nutshell. It is also not to say oh look at me and my work, but for me to share my accomplishment of hard work and offer potential ideas for incoming SEDers! This is not to be said all these projects will work there is still a kernel of truth in the stereotype, however now a year in i'm comfortable at post, i've got some work...let the second year begin! Too those of you who've heard me vent the frustrations, just saying thanks. And now...vacation! How many days now? Wait, what? Is that a plane at the airport I see with a seat that has my name on it?????
Being a more seasoned volunteer, I can advise any future volunteers to expect many projects to fail. I'm on four or five now. I knew this but its always the first one thats a bit hard, especially one with potential. It was a mango fruit-drying project with CAR refugees to give them some income to be able to not just sit around and wait for all these aid organizations to give them food. I realize now it probably was just a bit too ambitious for a lone PCV. Unfortunately, the timing of the service of a SED volunteer with mango season and the requirements for funding meant it couldn't qualify for any. Thus, if anybody wants to start one of the first fruit-drying projects in Eastern Cameroon there is a project proposal & buget awaiting them!
I gave my bank several ideas for projects, all of which were accepted. However, when I would go to start any my director/counterpart just kept switching them up on me and changing the ideas so that they became so watered down I got tired of it and decided to focus on looking around town for projects. Great idea but, in an area not known for its work ethic and me being a women, a bit of a challenge. Some lost interest when they found out they had to do work, I wasn't guaranteeing finance, or was not going to date any of them.
"Janelle, you can help me with my business?" Ok. For a couple days write down what you sell and buy so we can get an idea of your cash flow and then maybe a list of your expenses to get a rough idea if your even making a profit because your money in between stacks of fabric not the most accurate way. Coming back after a few days, it didn't suprise me to see nothing written down. "Ah, thats too much work, i've been operating this business for several years and been fine. Why should I write it down?" If I can't convince them, I try to just direct them places where they can focus on saving the money they do have.
"So, you're a small economic development volunteer, that means you come with money, right?" Enough said. Its become really easy for me to tell now the projects where people are just wanting money. I've seen $$$ signs going off in some heads and I've listened through several crazy project ideas because of it. Business isn't just how to get financing but also improving what you've already got.
" Are you married?" Yes sir, I am. Community people come into the bank all the time and I've come to know many people. While harrassment on the street i've grown accustomed to, having people pull me aside to talk about projects but in reality do nothing but the sort but tell me they love me, no thank you. No, me asking the ages of your five kids doesn't mean I want to hear that I please you. That even though your wife lives in the northwest would I go out with you. Or for that matter let you work with me just so I can take you to America. A recent aha moment, for a woman realizing best possible way to work...women & children.
In truth, its all about who you know. Not to be said arrogantly, but I did rely on my strength of networking. Knowing the head of a logging company put me in touch with a reforestation project. I've helped oversee the planting of about 9,000 trees there while helping the agricultural co-ops that work the land to find financing to plant in between the trees which turn apparently helps the soil. Lesson learned: living 4 degrees away from the equator means the sun is stronger than you think. Take every precaution necessary! Sad to have seen that all the trees couldn't be planted since we've not really experienced a true rainy season. Sigh, climate change.
I'm in town alot if not at the bank but hanging with friends. Sitting in my friend Baba's fabric store watching with others on TV the speech of the newly elected Benin President, I was explaining the concept of marketing to one of them. With this I realized that my french could hold out for a presentation. Now, I will be going into the meetings of the bank's associations that are made up of business people and presenting various business topics. Being in town also brought me in touch with dutch ex-pats visiting from Batouri's sister city in Holland. They introduced me to several of their projects, one of which is a lady who runs an orphanage for kids who are handicap (mentally or physically). They either have no parents or their parents don't want the responsibility of taking care of them. Teaching around 15-20 African kids english starting with the alphabet keeps me wholly entertained (since grammar is mostly excluded & games abound!), and i'm profiting from my sisters experience in child development to help me design activities for them.
Exploring Batouri, also put me in touch with the UN World Food Program there. Until recently I wasn't even aware it existed. I wasn't sure with the UN backing if it would be possible, but it was one of my easiest projects yet! It didn't take much to convince them, and upon returning from vacation wil, through the aid of an interpretor (me into french them french into fulfulde), try to teach the farmers of a program the WFP finances how they can market their products, make budgets, etc.
Well in a way, thats 3 1/2 months in a nutshell. It is also not to say oh look at me and my work, but for me to share my accomplishment of hard work and offer potential ideas for incoming SEDers! This is not to be said all these projects will work there is still a kernel of truth in the stereotype, however now a year in i'm comfortable at post, i've got some work...let the second year begin! Too those of you who've heard me vent the frustrations, just saying thanks. And now...vacation! How many days now? Wait, what? Is that a plane at the airport I see with a seat that has my name on it?????
Sunday, April 24, 2011
ooooo internet!
My internet situation continues to be just that-a situation.
And in an addendum to the post below, my computer is now suffering the effects of that power surge and refuses to reliably turn on. With a new power cord I was able to enjoy a few days of internet, but then Ed's internet itself broke. They replaced the whole system but continuing on this theme of luck, it did not recognize itself on any of Jackie, Jessica, nor my computer. At this whole time, my bank weirded me out a bit by deciding to become so modern by breaking down walls and expanding inside and installing internet to a few of the computers. So I have that availabiltity, although asking someone working if I could interrupt their work so I could check facebook doesn't really guarantee me quality internet time. But here's the good news! Peace Corps finally put internet and computers in the transit house in Bertoua. It may be 10 months after originally promised, but it means now that when I come to Bertoua for a day or two each month i'm getting more than an hour or two I pay for at an internet cafe. That and I can get it whenever I want and not wait months on end to upload photos! So how shall I celebrate? How about some long awaiting photos to this blog! Since i'm in Bertoua, let's start with the most recent trip to Bertoua. Making burgers and fries for some Cameroonian friends.
And in an addendum to the post below, my computer is now suffering the effects of that power surge and refuses to reliably turn on. With a new power cord I was able to enjoy a few days of internet, but then Ed's internet itself broke. They replaced the whole system but continuing on this theme of luck, it did not recognize itself on any of Jackie, Jessica, nor my computer. At this whole time, my bank weirded me out a bit by deciding to become so modern by breaking down walls and expanding inside and installing internet to a few of the computers. So I have that availabiltity, although asking someone working if I could interrupt their work so I could check facebook doesn't really guarantee me quality internet time. But here's the good news! Peace Corps finally put internet and computers in the transit house in Bertoua. It may be 10 months after originally promised, but it means now that when I come to Bertoua for a day or two each month i'm getting more than an hour or two I pay for at an internet cafe. That and I can get it whenever I want and not wait months on end to upload photos! So how shall I celebrate? How about some long awaiting photos to this blog! Since i'm in Bertoua, let's start with the most recent trip to Bertoua. Making burgers and fries for some Cameroonian friends.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Electronics & Janelle = Oil & Water
I really, really lucked out in that it was only two weeks until a new power cord arrived. Very grateful to Ed (the American tobacco company owner) who just so happened to be making a visit from his home in Miami. How was two weeks without any internet? Well of course I survived but, to be honest, at this point would be okay without a repeat! And yes I'm feeling extremely spoiled and a bit guilty in sharing that. Wait a second, it basically was a repeat! Can't believe I almost forget I went about two months without stable internet as soon as I first got to Batouri. Operating system wigged out on me. So much appreciation goes out to the PCVs that did exactly what i'm doing but left their families with little to no contact during their two years! No option for internet meant I did search out more time with friends in town to spend with in the afternoons which is enjoyable for me. However, a strict eye was kept on my watch and a countdown to Ed's arrival. He called me in the morning saying he arrived and by the afternoon I was watching cable tv (in english!), sipping a cold beverage, and spending the next 4 hours catching up with everything. A new record of internet time here for me. Its all about the little things and he very much indulges us while here:)
At the moment things in Batouri were going well, usual frustrations aside, so much that it was becoming predictably stable. That is to say I started feeling I was beginning to know what to get out from post. Hitting a potential stride might be in order! When Ed is in town we usually have a few dinners at his place and stay late talking and enjoying his company. It was again such an occurance and he had just dropped me off at my house when I entered and immediately sensed something amiss. My window had been broken and was wide open! While I was gone in the evening, somebody decided to slit the screen and force open my window to see what treasures they might find on my table-it was a lot of effort and apparently worthwhile for that person. My curtains are always closed when I am gone. They had no way of knowing that that particular morning when I was on my way out I decided last moment I didn't want my camera with me and took it out of my bag. Being too lazy to put it back in my room I left it on the corner of my table. Even though there are bars on my windows they had stuck a stick with a hook in through those bars and got away with my camera! I was unsettled encountering it by myself late at night. Jessica had traveled so I was unable to call her over. Spending the rest of the week dealing with the police, getting the necessary paperwork for insurance,and trying to arrange with my landlord to get my window fixed left me mentally exhausted. Usually I hate spending a lot of time at home at one time. I need to get out doing something or seeing people. Though this time I was very grateful for the rare event of electricity three days in a row and had no problem spending most of it at home recharging my batteries.
Well that situation is now in the past. I've moved on, but it is now added to my list of ever growing proof how electronics, Janelle, & Africa are like oil & water. This situation made me reflect just on what i've accumulated on that list! So much so I decided to share. Hopefully putting this out there might slow down any new additions that may be to come. Computer will be getting one thorough checkup when at home. Except for the situations in which I lost my cameras, I do find this amusing and hope you do as well. My dad and I shared a chuckle over the phone together when I shared this with him. In the near 11 months I have been in country I have:
- gone through and upgraded an operating system
- fried a computer cord
- gone through 4 telephones so much that i'm on 5 and counting
- had 2 cameras stolen and waiting to get my 3rd here soon when i head home
(insurance is worth it!)
Yep, like oil & water! Ugh(slapping hand to forehand and shaking head) the luck, lol!
At the moment things in Batouri were going well, usual frustrations aside, so much that it was becoming predictably stable. That is to say I started feeling I was beginning to know what to get out from post. Hitting a potential stride might be in order! When Ed is in town we usually have a few dinners at his place and stay late talking and enjoying his company. It was again such an occurance and he had just dropped me off at my house when I entered and immediately sensed something amiss. My window had been broken and was wide open! While I was gone in the evening, somebody decided to slit the screen and force open my window to see what treasures they might find on my table-it was a lot of effort and apparently worthwhile for that person. My curtains are always closed when I am gone. They had no way of knowing that that particular morning when I was on my way out I decided last moment I didn't want my camera with me and took it out of my bag. Being too lazy to put it back in my room I left it on the corner of my table. Even though there are bars on my windows they had stuck a stick with a hook in through those bars and got away with my camera! I was unsettled encountering it by myself late at night. Jessica had traveled so I was unable to call her over. Spending the rest of the week dealing with the police, getting the necessary paperwork for insurance,and trying to arrange with my landlord to get my window fixed left me mentally exhausted. Usually I hate spending a lot of time at home at one time. I need to get out doing something or seeing people. Though this time I was very grateful for the rare event of electricity three days in a row and had no problem spending most of it at home recharging my batteries.
Well that situation is now in the past. I've moved on, but it is now added to my list of ever growing proof how electronics, Janelle, & Africa are like oil & water. This situation made me reflect just on what i've accumulated on that list! So much so I decided to share. Hopefully putting this out there might slow down any new additions that may be to come. Computer will be getting one thorough checkup when at home. Except for the situations in which I lost my cameras, I do find this amusing and hope you do as well. My dad and I shared a chuckle over the phone together when I shared this with him. In the near 11 months I have been in country I have:
- gone through and upgraded an operating system
- fried a computer cord
- gone through 4 telephones so much that i'm on 5 and counting
- had 2 cameras stolen and waiting to get my 3rd here soon when i head home
(insurance is worth it!)
Yep, like oil & water! Ugh(slapping hand to forehand and shaking head) the luck, lol!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Happenings!
With my aptitude at expressing myself always, self-admittedly, being a work in progress let’s see how I can organize the recent happenings and my current jumble of thoughts into sentence form. Warning: one might end up kicking back and settling themselves in for some reading for this. Post is going really smoothly, though sometimes it seems sometimes I can make two huge leaps forward only to take one gigantic step back. But, such is life you say, no? So here is what you missed in Batouri.
International Women’s Day was March 8. Lots of women were out in the morning to march with their different groups/associations in a parade all wearing their women’s day pagne. This year’s theme in Cameroon, Women: Unavoidable Development Partners. Yes, I know, definitely not one of the more eloquent themes. While Jessica, Jackie, and I didn’t march we sat on the sidelines and watched. The festivities left (yawn) much to be desired, so we passed the time remarking on the different designs in which the women tailored their individual pagnes. If anything was actually done in the way of women empowerment I do not know, but true to form for a fête day in Batouri by the time I joined everybody again in town in the evening all the bars along the street were full of people drinking and dancing. Only difference this time women for once far outnumbered men.
On the home front, I feel very accomplished! From the time I first moved in till now I’ve put in a lot of time ameliorating my house. Unfortunately, now regret a bit not taking that before pic. Although at the time didn’t have fuzzy feelings for it as I was in the midst of deep cleansing, painting, or running away from the frequent spontaneous appearance of huge errant spiders. The last of the things on my original to do list that I saved for, and by no means the least important, was checked off in the purchase of a wardrobe for my clothes. Before all I inherited was a table in my bedroom where I organized my clothes into plastic storage bags. Dramatic difference now as I can actually see all the clothes I own and who knew one could underestimate how much closet organization can do for ones frame of mind at home (especially picking out what to wear) let alone the aesthetics to a room! I called Jessica (a.k.a. neighbor) over as she at the time was the only one who could appreciate it with me. The purchase in the same day of silverware that wouldn’t rust after two uses was only the icing on the cake.
If there is luck in this world, then where phones in Cameroon are considered I have none. Almost ten months in and I’m on five and counting. To put that in a little perspective, my post mates are still on their original phones and I just replaced my fourth a month and a half ago. My first had bad sound quality, second sadly stolen in the incident in Kribi, third screen cracked, and fourth screen just went white when I plugged it in. Permit me to vent a little more in this misfortune in that the last two phones broke in extremely similar situations. They both broke in the evening and I started off the very next morning flooding my kitchen by forgetting that I was filling up my water reserves. The first time this happened I had by the end of the morning one of the worst ones I have had a post yet. So by the time this happened again a month and a half later I made sure there were different outcomes. Frankly, that was not hard at all. The first go around did not start just with a broken phone and flooded kitchen, but also with a deluge of harassment in the form of Nassara/La Blanche (white person) one-liners (i.e. “take me to the states with you”, “I love you”, “give me money”, “you are my wife”, “you will have my kids”, etc.) while trying to eat breakfast at the omelet shack, a crazy person following me up and down the street yelling at me while trying to buy a phone, a group of guys making fun of my French while purchasing it, and a project that I worked hard on for two months literally fall apart in the span of an hour. I had by lunchtime vacated my town and thankfully there was electricity so I cheered myself up by barricading myself behind the compound walls where I get internet and connected with the world by talking with people back home :).
Most amusing for me as been, as the Anglophones say here, making sport. Last month I started running again after too long an absence. Knee so far is holding out! Talking about this at my bank inspired the accountant Abdoulaye to join me. Soon after that two other guys at my bank joined in. My director has even been known to drop by occasionally for a run around the track with us. It doesn’t stop there. Jessica even was convinced to join. So what started out one has now become a consistent five. Jackie runs too but prefers the solo trek. I’ve even become a bit lazy on the days when Abdoulaye can’t make the sport since he comes and picks Jessica & me up on his moto. After running, Abdoulaye now leads out in stretching & ab work, even members of the community join in with us occasionally since there are several people that run each morning at the track. Thus, ironically, unintended side project – getting my bank fit.
Speaking of keeping in touch, I have realized that at this stage of the game it has become very important, if nothing else but for my mentality and to abate any onset feelings of homesickness. When I joined the Peace Corps all I asked for was a francophone country. There was no control over being chosen for Cameroon and thus Batouri. Post lends itself to my personality well enough, however sometimes the East leaves me a bit frustrated. In this instant, the social access to people with a similar language and culture. Volunteers are very spread out and travel difficult. Picture a red dirt, dusty African road lined with the occasional small red mud brick villages along the route and that’s what I travel every time I leave post. 90k with public transportation takes me with luck a minimum of two and a half hours (record still stands at five and a half). We are eight here in the East. Three in Batouri, two in Bertoua (regional capital) then rest are scattered around by themselves in small villages. These difficulties have recently sometimes resulted in feelings of, what would that be…remoteness? Don’t get me wrong, I love the opportunity this gives me for integration, both culturally and linguistically. That’s why I came and I do put lots of effort into this. However, it’s the feelings of remoteness that come when there are sometimes now at almost ten months in when I just want to be well understood, being open and social without regard to cultural faux pas or potential nuisances from guys. To see the nearest volunteer is 90k to my right and 120k to my left. I have two post mates, but yet, I have only those two post mates. Fortunate to have them for they will in the end be the only ones who truly understand it here and we get along well. I’m closest with the volunteers that are four hours on either side of me.
So what am I going to do about it? I’ve decided to save for an internet key so I can get internet from home at any time. All that is required is battery power on my computer. I’m living out day to day in this rural community and it’s nice to be connected with the outside occasionally. I have been getting it for free and was very inclined to continue this from an American who owns a tobacco company here; however, electricity for the last month and a half has been cutting almost every morning and coming back every night. Great that I can charge things at night, but it ruins any chance at internet. Most stable internet is towards the end of each month when I head to Bertoua for banking and picking up supplies. Once a week at internet guaranteed, twice lucky, three times is virtually unheard of. Just looking for some stability. Hek, sometimes I decide to squander the precious time and indulge myself by uploading photos to Facebook –1 & ½ hours for 5 photos! Besides grad schools applications are coming up soon—eek.
If I have not found a stable project outside of my bank yet, it is definitely not for lack of trying. The mentality of people here can be difficult to work with. I knew this from site-visit and was well-informed and encouraged by my director and other Cameroonians before moving to post. The most well-known characteristic/ of the local ethnic group that inhabits this area is their love of leisure time, or more bluntly, laziness. I’ve made countless attempts, however the feasibility of the project or the commitment level of the people has left me occasionally discouraged but my persistence is (crossing fingers) paying off in the way of an agroforesty/business venture. Logging is a huge industry in the east. We know the owner of one of the biggest logging companies who resides here in Batouri and he collaborates with a few NGO’s in a reforestation project. They are teaching me all about reforestation. Letting me come and spend time at their tree farm where they start as roots and going to their plantation to see how they are planted. I also am working with a few agricultural co-ops in writing a business plan so they can find the necessary financing for seed money to be able to grow crops at the tree plantation.
Home is on the horizon…56 days and counting! It will be a week full of wedding festivities, wonderful company, and delicious food. Then it’s on to three days of relaxation, sightseeing, and more yummy food in Zurich before heading back to Cameroon and the start of my second year!
P.S. Well I tried for internet earlier this week to post this, and I was about upload it when I fell victim to a massive power surge. That’s right power cord is fried! A new one is already on its way but until then no power cord means no computer means no internet. Sure I wanted to cry as I saw it going up in smoke, but really I’m laughing now as I post this in Bertoua. I’m laughing mainly at the irony to which I was blogging about earlier! Oh well, whats done is done. Welcome to my African life, lol!
International Women’s Day was March 8. Lots of women were out in the morning to march with their different groups/associations in a parade all wearing their women’s day pagne. This year’s theme in Cameroon, Women: Unavoidable Development Partners. Yes, I know, definitely not one of the more eloquent themes. While Jessica, Jackie, and I didn’t march we sat on the sidelines and watched. The festivities left (yawn) much to be desired, so we passed the time remarking on the different designs in which the women tailored their individual pagnes. If anything was actually done in the way of women empowerment I do not know, but true to form for a fête day in Batouri by the time I joined everybody again in town in the evening all the bars along the street were full of people drinking and dancing. Only difference this time women for once far outnumbered men.
On the home front, I feel very accomplished! From the time I first moved in till now I’ve put in a lot of time ameliorating my house. Unfortunately, now regret a bit not taking that before pic. Although at the time didn’t have fuzzy feelings for it as I was in the midst of deep cleansing, painting, or running away from the frequent spontaneous appearance of huge errant spiders. The last of the things on my original to do list that I saved for, and by no means the least important, was checked off in the purchase of a wardrobe for my clothes. Before all I inherited was a table in my bedroom where I organized my clothes into plastic storage bags. Dramatic difference now as I can actually see all the clothes I own and who knew one could underestimate how much closet organization can do for ones frame of mind at home (especially picking out what to wear) let alone the aesthetics to a room! I called Jessica (a.k.a. neighbor) over as she at the time was the only one who could appreciate it with me. The purchase in the same day of silverware that wouldn’t rust after two uses was only the icing on the cake.
If there is luck in this world, then where phones in Cameroon are considered I have none. Almost ten months in and I’m on five and counting. To put that in a little perspective, my post mates are still on their original phones and I just replaced my fourth a month and a half ago. My first had bad sound quality, second sadly stolen in the incident in Kribi, third screen cracked, and fourth screen just went white when I plugged it in. Permit me to vent a little more in this misfortune in that the last two phones broke in extremely similar situations. They both broke in the evening and I started off the very next morning flooding my kitchen by forgetting that I was filling up my water reserves. The first time this happened I had by the end of the morning one of the worst ones I have had a post yet. So by the time this happened again a month and a half later I made sure there were different outcomes. Frankly, that was not hard at all. The first go around did not start just with a broken phone and flooded kitchen, but also with a deluge of harassment in the form of Nassara/La Blanche (white person) one-liners (i.e. “take me to the states with you”, “I love you”, “give me money”, “you are my wife”, “you will have my kids”, etc.) while trying to eat breakfast at the omelet shack, a crazy person following me up and down the street yelling at me while trying to buy a phone, a group of guys making fun of my French while purchasing it, and a project that I worked hard on for two months literally fall apart in the span of an hour. I had by lunchtime vacated my town and thankfully there was electricity so I cheered myself up by barricading myself behind the compound walls where I get internet and connected with the world by talking with people back home :).
Most amusing for me as been, as the Anglophones say here, making sport. Last month I started running again after too long an absence. Knee so far is holding out! Talking about this at my bank inspired the accountant Abdoulaye to join me. Soon after that two other guys at my bank joined in. My director has even been known to drop by occasionally for a run around the track with us. It doesn’t stop there. Jessica even was convinced to join. So what started out one has now become a consistent five. Jackie runs too but prefers the solo trek. I’ve even become a bit lazy on the days when Abdoulaye can’t make the sport since he comes and picks Jessica & me up on his moto. After running, Abdoulaye now leads out in stretching & ab work, even members of the community join in with us occasionally since there are several people that run each morning at the track. Thus, ironically, unintended side project – getting my bank fit.
Speaking of keeping in touch, I have realized that at this stage of the game it has become very important, if nothing else but for my mentality and to abate any onset feelings of homesickness. When I joined the Peace Corps all I asked for was a francophone country. There was no control over being chosen for Cameroon and thus Batouri. Post lends itself to my personality well enough, however sometimes the East leaves me a bit frustrated. In this instant, the social access to people with a similar language and culture. Volunteers are very spread out and travel difficult. Picture a red dirt, dusty African road lined with the occasional small red mud brick villages along the route and that’s what I travel every time I leave post. 90k with public transportation takes me with luck a minimum of two and a half hours (record still stands at five and a half). We are eight here in the East. Three in Batouri, two in Bertoua (regional capital) then rest are scattered around by themselves in small villages. These difficulties have recently sometimes resulted in feelings of, what would that be…remoteness? Don’t get me wrong, I love the opportunity this gives me for integration, both culturally and linguistically. That’s why I came and I do put lots of effort into this. However, it’s the feelings of remoteness that come when there are sometimes now at almost ten months in when I just want to be well understood, being open and social without regard to cultural faux pas or potential nuisances from guys. To see the nearest volunteer is 90k to my right and 120k to my left. I have two post mates, but yet, I have only those two post mates. Fortunate to have them for they will in the end be the only ones who truly understand it here and we get along well. I’m closest with the volunteers that are four hours on either side of me.
So what am I going to do about it? I’ve decided to save for an internet key so I can get internet from home at any time. All that is required is battery power on my computer. I’m living out day to day in this rural community and it’s nice to be connected with the outside occasionally. I have been getting it for free and was very inclined to continue this from an American who owns a tobacco company here; however, electricity for the last month and a half has been cutting almost every morning and coming back every night. Great that I can charge things at night, but it ruins any chance at internet. Most stable internet is towards the end of each month when I head to Bertoua for banking and picking up supplies. Once a week at internet guaranteed, twice lucky, three times is virtually unheard of. Just looking for some stability. Hek, sometimes I decide to squander the precious time and indulge myself by uploading photos to Facebook –1 & ½ hours for 5 photos! Besides grad schools applications are coming up soon—eek.
If I have not found a stable project outside of my bank yet, it is definitely not for lack of trying. The mentality of people here can be difficult to work with. I knew this from site-visit and was well-informed and encouraged by my director and other Cameroonians before moving to post. The most well-known characteristic/ of the local ethnic group that inhabits this area is their love of leisure time, or more bluntly, laziness. I’ve made countless attempts, however the feasibility of the project or the commitment level of the people has left me occasionally discouraged but my persistence is (crossing fingers) paying off in the way of an agroforesty/business venture. Logging is a huge industry in the east. We know the owner of one of the biggest logging companies who resides here in Batouri and he collaborates with a few NGO’s in a reforestation project. They are teaching me all about reforestation. Letting me come and spend time at their tree farm where they start as roots and going to their plantation to see how they are planted. I also am working with a few agricultural co-ops in writing a business plan so they can find the necessary financing for seed money to be able to grow crops at the tree plantation.
Home is on the horizon…56 days and counting! It will be a week full of wedding festivities, wonderful company, and delicious food. Then it’s on to three days of relaxation, sightseeing, and more yummy food in Zurich before heading back to Cameroon and the start of my second year!
P.S. Well I tried for internet earlier this week to post this, and I was about upload it when I fell victim to a massive power surge. That’s right power cord is fried! A new one is already on its way but until then no power cord means no computer means no internet. Sure I wanted to cry as I saw it going up in smoke, but really I’m laughing now as I post this in Bertoua. I’m laughing mainly at the irony to which I was blogging about earlier! Oh well, whats done is done. Welcome to my African life, lol!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Daily Grind
I myself am interested to know if I will ever be able to describe a typical day! Having gotten over initial frustrations, I am getting more comfortable with my life and the way of things in Batouri. However, no one day is the same. This as you can imagine presents many pros and cons. In training we often said that our day starts when we undo our mosquito nets to get out and ends when they are tucked in at night. During this time period it was definitely true as one of the first people we faced everyday was somebody from our host family, thus French in your face first thing in the morning. This still holds some truth as each day one doesn’t know what to expect. A morning can be great, but an afternoon horrible. Sometimes it even comes down to moments. It’s this constant fluctuation in which I find myself currently living. These are the days when I find myself continually saying, “well, just another day at post!” Here is just a little summary of Sunday February 6-Saturday the 12th, to give you some idea.
Sunday: 4 km outside of Batouri came across an unfortunate accident. Everyone was surrounding the back of a camion (large trucks that transport fuel, logs, etc.) so when I was able to get to it saw they were surrounding three people on a moto that the camion had just run over. Moto was disintegrated and the people died instantly. Sad to say that was first thing in the morning and that marked the rest of the day for me. Another volunteer from the East was in for a visit. We were shooken up about it, but I enjoyed having her for the rest of the day. We chilled, watched TV shows, had fish dinner, and went out for drinks.
Monday: Was up and ready for my first run ever here, but it decided to rain. After taking volunteer to the agence (place where you grab a "bus" when traveling), ran back home in the rain just to crawl into bed and go back to sleep. Spent the rest of the morning at my bank studying french. Spent few hours in afternoon at internet then grabbed some food at the market before heading home to make dinner. Highlight of the evening was talking to my dad for the first time since coming back from London.
Tuesday: Went running for the first time! Intended to spend day at bank, but went to get a sign painted for our girls club so they could use it for the upcoming youth day parade. The Minister for Small Economic Development called me over to his office. After chatting for a bit (not on projects as I had hoped), he took me out to lunch. Upon returning to the bank, found Abdoulaye the accountant and good friend on his way out to do errands. I asked him what he had to do and he said that the moto driver in the accident was his cousin and he was going out to gather death certificates for him to give to the insurance company of the camion (btw driver has yet to be found, he fled into the bush directly after it happened). He asked if i wanted to accompany him and I said yes. It was an interesting afternoon learning how information such as death certificates is gathered here and learned a bit on Muslim beliefs and practices as far as death is concerned. Broke into my cereal that I brought back from London. Its such a treat that here it has become dinner food :) So tired, into bed and asleep by 8:30.
Wednesday:Second day in a row giving it a go at running. En route to bank when I got a call by my anglophone friend Jupiter. Electricity was finally stable enough after being on and off repeatedly last couple days to be able to call a technician to install my satellite! Spent all morning get it hooked. It was a success, but only for a few minutes as electricity was cut again until evening. Went to girls club where this week we were watching 50 First Dates dubbed in french with english subtitles. Dinner at Jessica's was one of my favorites here in Cameroon, Cabbage and peanut sauce over rice.
Thursday: Arrival of rainy season will soon be upon us. Woke up in the middle of the night to a strong downpour. After 8 months in Cameroon, i'm finally starting to find rain on a tin roof somewhat calming and not something that keeps me up the whole night! Spent afternoon getting hair braided by girls in our girl club for youth day the next day. We are not all wearing the same clothes but they were very particular that all our hair be braided the same way. Mmmm, had our weekly dinner of bifteck again. Each thursday is bifteck night with postmates. Bifteck (steak in engligh) is cut up with tomatoes, sometimes peas, and mixed with some sauce/broth and of course this is African/Muslim cooking so the oil content must not be anything but alot! Oh and its served with a scoop of mayonnaise. Go figure. Add some good hot powder they make from dried peppers serve it with rice and call it a good meal. The owner where we eat the bifteck is a good friend, so he always gives us chai tea with it. Bifteck & Chai tea is a very muslim thing here.
Friday: Happy youth day! They love anything to celebrate here. Youth day is big as all the local schools come together to march in front of the local level of the government. Showed up at 8:30, however big mistake as I did not take Africa time into consider and thus waited 4 and 1/2 hours before parade actually started. We marched with girls club. We waited so long to literally walk 300 yards and everybody when they reached where the local authorities were sitting stuck out there right arm out to salute them. So much waiting for so little parading. But this being a fete day meant everybody was in town eating or drinking the rest of the day.
Spent the evening watching a movie with my postmate Jackie and our Cameroonian friend Jupiter. Also good thing about being a fete day, electricity was on the whole day! Popcorn with the possibility of a cold drink, something I don't take for granted anymore!
Saturday:Went for a run in the morning then lounged around as I partook in some TV time :) Good to feel connected with the world in some way. Hosted one of my Muslim woman neighbors Hadijatou at my place for a bit. Been making the effort to get to know more women! Electricity holding so was able to go for internet two days in a row! Since the American, Ed Nader, who owns a local tobacco company where I get my internet, was coming for a visit his employees cleaned his pool. So we take full advantage of that! After that continued with my goal of having more woman friends as I went to a friends house where the woman there showed me how to make eggs wrapped in beef. I have since gone back several times to get henna painted on my hands. They are teaching me a lot about hospitality, even invited me to Muslim wedding! Woman,if not in particular Muslim women, have turned out to be such gracious hosts.
So there is just one week in a nutshell. The days are always different and there are constant fluctuations and a roller coaster of emotions, but what I have learned most from my experience thus far is how important it is to face everyday with a positive attitude. I have lots I could be negative about, but the motto I have chosen to live by for my time here is that, "nothing works, but everything works out." I'm very grateful for the experiences i've had that remind me where I am in the world. Two years in my life will not be forever, so when things are difficult I just try to appreciate what this all is teaching me. So...African hospitality, some of the best i've ever had. Positive attitude a must.
Sunday: 4 km outside of Batouri came across an unfortunate accident. Everyone was surrounding the back of a camion (large trucks that transport fuel, logs, etc.) so when I was able to get to it saw they were surrounding three people on a moto that the camion had just run over. Moto was disintegrated and the people died instantly. Sad to say that was first thing in the morning and that marked the rest of the day for me. Another volunteer from the East was in for a visit. We were shooken up about it, but I enjoyed having her for the rest of the day. We chilled, watched TV shows, had fish dinner, and went out for drinks.
Monday: Was up and ready for my first run ever here, but it decided to rain. After taking volunteer to the agence (place where you grab a "bus" when traveling), ran back home in the rain just to crawl into bed and go back to sleep. Spent the rest of the morning at my bank studying french. Spent few hours in afternoon at internet then grabbed some food at the market before heading home to make dinner. Highlight of the evening was talking to my dad for the first time since coming back from London.
Tuesday: Went running for the first time! Intended to spend day at bank, but went to get a sign painted for our girls club so they could use it for the upcoming youth day parade. The Minister for Small Economic Development called me over to his office. After chatting for a bit (not on projects as I had hoped), he took me out to lunch. Upon returning to the bank, found Abdoulaye the accountant and good friend on his way out to do errands. I asked him what he had to do and he said that the moto driver in the accident was his cousin and he was going out to gather death certificates for him to give to the insurance company of the camion (btw driver has yet to be found, he fled into the bush directly after it happened). He asked if i wanted to accompany him and I said yes. It was an interesting afternoon learning how information such as death certificates is gathered here and learned a bit on Muslim beliefs and practices as far as death is concerned. Broke into my cereal that I brought back from London. Its such a treat that here it has become dinner food :) So tired, into bed and asleep by 8:30.
Wednesday:Second day in a row giving it a go at running. En route to bank when I got a call by my anglophone friend Jupiter. Electricity was finally stable enough after being on and off repeatedly last couple days to be able to call a technician to install my satellite! Spent all morning get it hooked. It was a success, but only for a few minutes as electricity was cut again until evening. Went to girls club where this week we were watching 50 First Dates dubbed in french with english subtitles. Dinner at Jessica's was one of my favorites here in Cameroon, Cabbage and peanut sauce over rice.
Thursday: Arrival of rainy season will soon be upon us. Woke up in the middle of the night to a strong downpour. After 8 months in Cameroon, i'm finally starting to find rain on a tin roof somewhat calming and not something that keeps me up the whole night! Spent afternoon getting hair braided by girls in our girl club for youth day the next day. We are not all wearing the same clothes but they were very particular that all our hair be braided the same way. Mmmm, had our weekly dinner of bifteck again. Each thursday is bifteck night with postmates. Bifteck (steak in engligh) is cut up with tomatoes, sometimes peas, and mixed with some sauce/broth and of course this is African/Muslim cooking so the oil content must not be anything but alot! Oh and its served with a scoop of mayonnaise. Go figure. Add some good hot powder they make from dried peppers serve it with rice and call it a good meal. The owner where we eat the bifteck is a good friend, so he always gives us chai tea with it. Bifteck & Chai tea is a very muslim thing here.
Friday: Happy youth day! They love anything to celebrate here. Youth day is big as all the local schools come together to march in front of the local level of the government. Showed up at 8:30, however big mistake as I did not take Africa time into consider and thus waited 4 and 1/2 hours before parade actually started. We marched with girls club. We waited so long to literally walk 300 yards and everybody when they reached where the local authorities were sitting stuck out there right arm out to salute them. So much waiting for so little parading. But this being a fete day meant everybody was in town eating or drinking the rest of the day.
Spent the evening watching a movie with my postmate Jackie and our Cameroonian friend Jupiter. Also good thing about being a fete day, electricity was on the whole day! Popcorn with the possibility of a cold drink, something I don't take for granted anymore!
Saturday:Went for a run in the morning then lounged around as I partook in some TV time :) Good to feel connected with the world in some way. Hosted one of my Muslim woman neighbors Hadijatou at my place for a bit. Been making the effort to get to know more women! Electricity holding so was able to go for internet two days in a row! Since the American, Ed Nader, who owns a local tobacco company where I get my internet, was coming for a visit his employees cleaned his pool. So we take full advantage of that! After that continued with my goal of having more woman friends as I went to a friends house where the woman there showed me how to make eggs wrapped in beef. I have since gone back several times to get henna painted on my hands. They are teaching me a lot about hospitality, even invited me to Muslim wedding! Woman,if not in particular Muslim women, have turned out to be such gracious hosts.
So there is just one week in a nutshell. The days are always different and there are constant fluctuations and a roller coaster of emotions, but what I have learned most from my experience thus far is how important it is to face everyday with a positive attitude. I have lots I could be negative about, but the motto I have chosen to live by for my time here is that, "nothing works, but everything works out." I'm very grateful for the experiences i've had that remind me where I am in the world. Two years in my life will not be forever, so when things are difficult I just try to appreciate what this all is teaching me. So...African hospitality, some of the best i've ever had. Positive attitude a must.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Ah, Vacation!!!
Yes, it is several weeks after my actual return from vacation, but it was very noteworthy as this vacation was to the first-world! As a sidenote, I should mention after Kribi I did make an attempt to climb Mount Cameroon on Christmas. I feel accomplished enough to say I spent christmas eve on the side of it at a altitute of around 3000 meters. However, bloody heels and being miserable coupled with an altogether sentiment that I wanted to revive some christmas spirit/cheer made me decide to tourn around. The descent was just as difficult and it led to any small step downwards (even with my by then acquired walking stick) the slowest and most painful descent I have ever done. Christmas was revived at Bill & Trixy's with great food, christmas lights/music, excellent company, and a christmas movie. All more to my liking :)
Onto London. It was awesome! Having already been too London several times, it was really just a chance to see my parents and get some R&R. I could regale you with all the adventures, but I will leave all that to hopefully pictures that I can one day post (internet here is too slow for that :( ). After living in Cameroon for almost 7 months at this point, it was definetly weird to be back in such a civilized world. More, to even feel like a visitor in this world I used to know so well. I did have my list of things to eat, as I had told my parents I was trumping them on all food matters. Not every choice was met, most unforunately, but I did go above and beyond my expectation where cheese is concerned :). Body may have said slow down a couple times, but I have no regrets. So let me sum this up by saying what was very noticeable to me coming out of my third-world life for a quick breath of air. I was thankful for: great customer service, reliable/on-time transportation, retail-therapy as I know it to be, great food, and anonymity. The anonymity was really the breath of fresh air. Not being watched wherever I go/whatever I do, being called white in every language around here, hearing I love you's and requests to take them back to the U.S., and not just so blatantly standing out. It went by too fast. It was a nice way to enter into 2011, coincidentally the entirety of which will be based here in Batouri, Cameroon. Hard to adjust the first couple days back just from the extremes from which I transitioned. Though, it must be said that it was an easier transition than first thought. Since by then it was a break from post, yet I knew more the way of things when I did get back. London trip = success :D. oh and p.s. to this post. Treated myself to a haircut and came back to Cameroon not only with a real cut but alsot as a brunette!
Onto London. It was awesome! Having already been too London several times, it was really just a chance to see my parents and get some R&R. I could regale you with all the adventures, but I will leave all that to hopefully pictures that I can one day post (internet here is too slow for that :( ). After living in Cameroon for almost 7 months at this point, it was definetly weird to be back in such a civilized world. More, to even feel like a visitor in this world I used to know so well. I did have my list of things to eat, as I had told my parents I was trumping them on all food matters. Not every choice was met, most unforunately, but I did go above and beyond my expectation where cheese is concerned :). Body may have said slow down a couple times, but I have no regrets. So let me sum this up by saying what was very noticeable to me coming out of my third-world life for a quick breath of air. I was thankful for: great customer service, reliable/on-time transportation, retail-therapy as I know it to be, great food, and anonymity. The anonymity was really the breath of fresh air. Not being watched wherever I go/whatever I do, being called white in every language around here, hearing I love you's and requests to take them back to the U.S., and not just so blatantly standing out. It went by too fast. It was a nice way to enter into 2011, coincidentally the entirety of which will be based here in Batouri, Cameroon. Hard to adjust the first couple days back just from the extremes from which I transitioned. Though, it must be said that it was an easier transition than first thought. Since by then it was a break from post, yet I knew more the way of things when I did get back. London trip = success :D. oh and p.s. to this post. Treated myself to a haircut and came back to Cameroon not only with a real cut but alsot as a brunette!
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