It’s still the rainy season in Buea. Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much rain on a fairly consistent basis. Even when it’s not raining, it’s somewhat overcast and damp. I shouldn’t make it seem too bad though. The sun does grace us with its presence every once in a while. Folks assure me that the rains will soon be over and heat will come with the dry season.

I’m still in the Hotel Capitol. It’s fairly new, about 2 years old I think and well run. The staff are all very friendly and they’ve taken good care of me. They play a lot of country music in the restaurant/bar. In fact, I hear more American country music here than I do in the states. It hasn’t been bad though – Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers. I think that many Cameroonians think that’s what most Americans’ like. I’ll have to ask. Watching television is very interesting. Lots of programming in French, of course. I watched NYPD Blue dubbed in French – a little surreal. Miami Vice comes on in English and Desperate Housewives is dubbed in French. On various channels, you can watch the Tyra Banks show, the Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live and the Daily Show. There are French and British serials on various channels and waiting in a shop one afternoon, I’m certain that I caught a few scenes of a Spanish-language serial although I don’t know which one. CNN International is a mainstay. I’m sounding very American, aren’t I? I have watched a lot of news on CRTV (Cameroon Radio and TV). The news comes on in English, in French and in bilingual editions. CRTV has a lot of local programming highlighting culture and issues in the country. They also show quite a few documentaries on wildlife, health issues, etc. The political programming is interesting too (I’ll have to find another word). I watched “Political Forum” during which the 5 political parties seated in parliament had an opportunity to make statements about anything they wished. Then there was a debate about the meaning of public service and what the public service commission should in fact be doing in terms of policy and implementation. If you were judging only from that show, you’d conclude that democracy is flourishing in Cameroon.

I should be able to move into my apartment by this weekend. I’m excited because even though the hotel staff have been more than gracious, I’m ready to get settled into my own place. I’ve bought a bed, a dining room table, a gas cook stove and some other things. It’s just like setting up a house at home. Now I need to get back in the hang of negotiating at the market. This is when my “American-ness” can be a drawback. But it’s always an adventure, isn’t it?

Greetings from Cameroon! I made it in one piece and my luggage arrived with me. Hurray! Charles de Gaulle airport has got to be one of the worst in the world when it comes to making transitions. They have great food and nice lounges, but getting from one point to another is a nightmare. Even with intentionally scheduling a fairly long layover, I barely made the connection to Cameroon. (The flight from Atlanta was late and there was no gate for us when we arrived in Paris.) In any case, my friends (and Rebecca's relatives) met me at the airport and welcomed me with a good meal and warm bed. As Giftus said to the driver, "She is coming home." And I do feel at home in this beautiful country.

If you're planning to visit, try hard to have a 3 hour layover at CDG. I'm waiting now for the Univ. of Buea folks to pick me up from the embassy in Yaounde.

Talk soon,
Debbi