Debbi's Cameroon Adventure

2007-05-27T06:37:00.000-04:00

Hello all,

I have not kept up with my blog in a long time. Things have been so busy I can't even articulate it. But to make up for the lost time, I have finally figured out a good way to add photos (courtesy of our friends at google) so you can at least see some of what I've been doing although I haven't had time to add captions. So go to http://picasaweb.google.com/quinnieblue to see the newest photos I've uploaded.

Best,
Debbi

2007-02-19T15:20:00.000-05:00

2007-02-19T14:22:00.000-05:00

2007-01-26T14:10:00.000-05:00

You might be interested to know what the Jan-term students did while they were here so I’ll write about a few of the highlights. The first night they were tired from the long journey so we had dinner at a nice restaurant and everyone turned in for a good night’s rest. We started early the next morning with lectures at the University of Buea, our host institution. Three lecturers from the History department talked about a range of topics from Cameroon history, politics, health care, women’s issues and education to development. We had lunch at UB’s Faculty/Staff canteen and then went for an afternoon of sightseeing. We visited the last lava flow from Mount Cameroon in Idenau and then went into Limbe to visit the Wildlife Center. By the time we finished there, the Botanical Gardens were closed but if you ever get to Limbe, you should definitely visit the gardens and the zoo. We walked along Down Beach where the students saw fishermen working on their nets and a few boats coming in for the evening. We had dinner at one of the beach-side restaurants – a lovely evening. And since there were no roasted fish, the owner invited us back the next night for the best roasted fish ever.

The next few days were spent learning about issues such as poverty, education and health and how these issues are inextricably linked. Thanks to the folks at LINK-UP Charity Foundation, the South West Provincial Delegate for Social Affairs and the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Complex in Mutengene for their assistance. The students came away with a greater understanding of the challenges confronting developing countries in general and Cameroon in particular.

Next to the Bamenda area and visits to the Government Primary School in Bambili and a day in the village of Pinyin, courtesy of my friends, the Mbuh family. Watching my students work on the farm with the primary school students was both heartwarming and humor-filled. I would guess that the highlight for them was the food – njama njama, kati-kati, fufu corn, ndole and of course the sweet, juicy pineapple. Other highlights were the children we met and the visit to a metalsmith’s workshop.

In Foumban, the visit to the Sultan’s Palace and learning about the historical richness of the Bamoun people was truly enlightening. And in Baffousam, we visited the local CRTV station and were hosted by a great group of people. There are many more things to see and learn in Cameroon, but the time was short.

By the time we reached the airport on Wednesday evening, homesickness was just setting in. the group weathered delays in Paris and Newark but they are now all safely back at home and getting acclimated to a new semester. This was the second year of what I hope will become a long love affair between McDaniel College and Cameroon.

2007-01-26T14:08:00.000-05:00

Wow! Many apologies to all of you who have reminded me that it has been a long time since I’ve added to the blog. Life happens… I’ve been home to the US to visit family for the holidays. What a blessing to be able to share with loved ones if only for a few days. Three days after I returned to Cameroon, my January Term 2007 students arrived along with my colleague, Zephia Bryant (Director of Multicultural Services at McDaniel College) and a Western Maryland alumna and her husband, Sharron and Ci Taormina. Sharron was a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon in the 1960s and this was her first visit since then. I believe that the Jan-term students learned a lot and had fun at the same time. I will upload some photos from the trip soon and provide an update on the University of Buea.

2006-12-08T10:52:00.000-05:00

The update on the University of Buea is not good. Classes have yet to resume. There have been additional clashes between gendarmes and students. Students are still being detained. Students are still protesting several issues involving the new medical school. I had hoped that the calm indicated some resolution, but it does not. Friends are hoping that classes will resume on Monday but I am not hopeful. Please check the Post for regular updates.

www.postnewsline.com

2006-12-07T10:21:00.000-05:00

Last week I had an adventure in Douala. Douala is the economic capitol of Cameroon. It’s a coastal city with all the amenities and challenges of a city – congestion, traffic, dirt, noise, street children, small calm oases, potholes – a jumble of contradictions and surprises. On the way to meet a friend, the driver, who didn’t know the city well, turned onto a small street that turned out to be one way. Of course, we were going in the wrong direction – at a corner which housed a small satellite police station. The policeman met us with an outstretched arm in the middle of the street. “Halt!” He took the driver’s license and the vehicle documents off to his small office and then summoned the driver. My friend accompanied the driver and I remained (trying to be unnoticed) in the back seat of the car. A few moments later my friend returned with the news that the policeman wanted 15000 fcfa (a little over $30 now that the dollar has dropped to an official exchange rate of 498 fcfa). This he said, was the fine for driving the wrong direction on a one way street. An expected request might have been 2-3000 fcfa, so 15000 was quite unexpected. I immediately telephoned a contact in the Embassy Branch Office in Douala to get advice. Should we pay? Wasn’t that too much? My contact told me that the fine should be about 6000 fcfa and that we should request a receipt. I could also reveal the fact that I’d spoken to an embassy contact who would complain of harassment on my behalf, if necessary. I hate being a rude and unfriendly US American at any time, but some times it can be necessary. So I calmly informed the policeman of my contact’s suggestion that we be taken to police headquarters so that we could get a receipt for our payment of the fine. The policeman informed me that he was in fact, doing me a favor by asking for only 15000 – that if we went to the HQ, the fine would surely be 50,000 cfa. I told him that this would be fine so long as I got a receipt for the money. He also told me that HQ would only issue a receipt to an embassy official, not to me. I told him that he was welcome to call the embassy to find out whether or not they would support me. The policeman still did not think I was from the US, but his colleague who had been observing me was pretty nonplussed. He decided that it would be best to simply let us leave. After all, why should they tempt fate? I might be telling the truth. So he told his partner to allow us to leave. The first policeman wasn’t ready to do so just yet though. He made one more plea. This time for mimbo – drink, palm wine, alcohol – to assuage the noonday sun. He was right. It was a very hot and sticky day. But he shouldn’t have been greedier than the ordinary policeman to whom I would have gladly given 2000 cfa. We thanked the wiser partner and left – this time going in the right direction. We were able to meet another friend for a cool soft drink at the French Cultural Centre (which has great artwork) and we still beat the unforgiving traffic jam that was sure to develop on the approach to Bonaberi. That was the adventure in Douala.

I’ve made fun of a persistent problem in Cameroon – that of corruption. It is endemic at every level of society. The government has recently taken a number of measures aimed at stamping out corruption. Several parliamentarians have had their immunity stripped so that they can be tried and a conference is taking place in the capitol this week to discuss the implementation of anti-corruption measures. While these public efforts are to be lauded, it is also clear here that corruption has become such a way of life that not much gets done unless the necessary “dashes” are offered. Some people simply refuse to complete ordinary tasks without that dash. Everyone wants his or her share. Of course there are many reasons why this culture developed – too many to explain here – and many that are in fact somewhat legitimate in some ways. For example, there were time periods during which civil servants weren’t being paid by the government but were still expected to work. Requesting payment was for them the only way to make sure they had some form of income. But things have changed – at least for some. But the concept of being paid by a client has not gone away. And the notion of doing a job simply because it is your job is not shared by everyone. Let me be clear – not everyone participates in this collusion. Many people do not. But those who do contribute mightily to the ineffectiveness and inefficiencies that hinder progress in this wonderful country. Those who are making the effort to change the culture of corruption are to be applauded.

2006-12-06T11:14:00.000-05:00

On a lighter note, Cameroonians love to sing. Have I mentioned this before? Anywhere you go, Cameroonians are singing. Little children sing on the way to and from school. Men hum, women sing aloud. Boys sing hymns and girls mimic the latest U.S. American and European pop stars. In church, the entire congregation sings with enthusiasm and follows cues that I as an outsider have yet to decipher. They know when to pause, then continue, change the rhythm of their clapping, when to stand or sit. The church choirs I have heard, produce some of the most beautiful choral music I’ve ever heard – a musician’s dream. But believe me, not everyone here can carry a tune (not that I can either). But it doesn’t seem to matter. What matters is that they love to sing. I think that in my home culture, singing for pure joy is discouraged unless you can really “s-a-n-g” – that means sing with the voice of an angel. If your tune is a little off or wobbly, your folks will look at you sideways and say “please...” – that means “please, be quiet.” Here, however, people sing for pure joy. This past weekend, I was reminded that Christmas is approaching by a neighbor who sang “O, Holy Night” from beginning to end beautifully. What a mood lifter. And even now, a little girl in the house next door is singing a song I don’t know. I think I’ll miss all the impromptu singing when I go home. There’s something to be said for expressing the joy of life.

2006-12-06T11:11:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have heard about the student strike at the University of Buea. The past week has been confusing, inspiring, infuriating, disappointing, upsetting and more. As I’ve said before, there is so much potential in Cameroon – human potential most importantly. And what I’ve seen with the strike is the government’s inability to harness the potential of its young people. The country is suffering from the pains of growth and rapid change. The government, of necessity and external (economic) pressure, has liberalized appreciably since I was first here in 1995. There is evidence of democratization – NGOs, civic associations, local governments with the power to take certain kinds of decisions, a more open press than has been operational in the past, among other signs of change. The government has put in place a human rights commission and uses the language of human rights and democratization openly and freely. In spite of the government’s efforts to liberalize, it has yet to decentralize to the point of allowing professionals to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. This is clear in many spheres of Cameroonian life, not only at the university level. And I write here with some apprehension – I have friends and colleagues who work at every level of higher education in Cameroon. And I am an outsider. But in the few short months I have been here, I see that the centralized system will either drown itself, or kill any hope of innovation and advancement.
The striking students had a point. They witnessed an action which they interpreted to smack of collusion, corruption, or at least cronyism. [I will not recount the facts here but will include links to several news sources below.] Rearing its head again was the Anglophone question. The students’ initial complaints might have been met with an invitation to dialogue. But the government, as in the past, asked the rhetorical question “who are these students to question government?” To be fair, representatives of the government at various levels, made efforts to hold discussions with the students – and did. Others stymied these efforts. And I wonder if the discussions that actually took place were satisfying to any of those involved. While the setting is calm, tension and dissatisfaction remains high. Students have capitulated basically because of the use of force. Several students have been injured, two were killed, others have been detained and at least as of Tuesday (5 Dec), were still being held. University officials have requested that the students be released but higher government officials have refused.
I am skirting some of the deeper questions here. What I will say is that the government has lost an important opportunity to demonstrate a real commitment to embrace the perspectives of all Cameroonians in this concept they call “unity in diversity.” They lost an opportunity to prove to the next generation of leaders that their views are welcomed and appreciated. That their voices count in this political milieu. On the eve of parliamentary elections and in the midst of discussing/structuring an independent electoral commission, it would seem important to impress upon skeptical Anglophones that the education of their children is as important as educating all other Cameroonian children. While the violence has ended and students have resigned themselves to the government’s initial position, the government has only succeeded in proving to Anglophones (and many Francophones) once again (at least those to whom I am speaking) that they are welcome to participate in the political process as long as they support the “correct” positions.

http://www.lemessager.net/details_articles.php?code=44&code_art=15872

http://www.postnewsline.com/2006/11/disturbances_at.html

http://www.postnewsline.com/2006/11/yaounde_imposes.html

http://www.postnewsline.com/2006/11/the_university_.html#more

2006-11-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

I started a French class this week at the Linguistic Center here in Buea. Those who know me, know that I have taken French but show little facility for the language. The gentleman who administered my placement test asked me several questions in French. My responses were in English. Of course, he said “if you know what I’m asking, why don’t you respond in French?” I’ve had similar conversations before. And of course that is why I am taking the class. I hope to improve my ability to respond in French. I’m also going to take a second class beginning in a couple of weeks at the Franco-Camerounaise Alliance. Cameroon is a bilingual country - English and French are the official languages of the country. Even though Buea is in the Anglophone part of the country, many people here speak French. And I need to be able to speak to them. So wish me luck.

2006-11-24T07:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day in the US, a very important holiday in my family. Thanks to a group of very nice Americans and their group of international friends, I had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Someone made macaroni and cheese, another made dressing; there was even turkey, sweet potato pie and apple pie. There were other dishes as well, but being homesick was particularly assuaged by the dressing. The conversation was great, replete with stories of innovative auto mechanics, trips to the market, adventures in Niger, Nigeria South Africa, Ethiopia, and Cameroon, with jazz and old school Frankie Beverly and Maze in the background. You can take the woman out of the US, but you can’t take the love for home out of her heart. Thanks, folks, for a wonderful evening.

2006-11-17T04:55:00.000-05:00

I’ve had several interesting interactions with students in the last few days. They have told me how so many of them want to leave Cameroon to study or work in the US or Europe, even China. One of the things I’ve told them is that it can be difficult to make ends meet in the US, just as it is here. The conditions may be different, but things are relative. I may be able to live very well on my US salary in Cameroon, but on that same salary in the US, I have to budget carefully to meet all my financial obligations. And the fact that we have poverty and people who don’t earn a living wage is not good press for the US so we don’t publicize those types of things. I suggested to the students that it is not a bad thing to study in the US or Europe if that’s what they’d like to do. I believe that it very important to travel – that exposure teaches you about others and very often it teaches you about yourself and your own country. I also suggested that once they complete their training or studies, they should come back to Cameroon. This country is rich in resources, especially in the vibrancy and potential of the people. I would love to see them all come back to help develop this country. Some of them thought I was a little crazy – they see few opportunities for themselves here. But others understood what I was saying and I hope that is a good thing.

2006-11-17T04:52:00.000-05:00

The last week has been a little crazy but I’m still here. I’ve learned something new everyday and I have lots of great research ideas. I had never known that some of the people that live in Cameroon’s coastal region (Limbe, Douala, Kribi) are descendants of returned African Americans. I guess I missed that day in class. I did know that American missionaries had settled here. One who visited and kept traveling was Charles Spencer Smith, an interesting character who took a very controversial stand in support of colonization, although he was Black (see the new book by James T. Campbell, Middle Passages: African American Journeys to Africa, 1787-2005, Penguin, 2006, photo on the 4th photo page in the book center). But some of the freed slaves who went to Liberia and Sierra Leone in particular, made their way along the West African coast settling in Calabar (Nigeria), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and Limbe (Cameroon), among other locations. They brought with them pidgin English (sounds a lot like Gullah- and now I know why), Cuban-African music, calypso, some foods, some ways of dressing and other traditions that had originated in Africa but had undergone some revision in the Americas. There are even Johnsons and Taylors living in Limbe – these are my family names. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to find out that the reason I am so connected to Cameroon is more than just academic? Culture is truly a living breathing thing, isn’t it? So thanks to Dr. FONGOT Kini-Yen Kinni, I have some wonderful new research to explore. [Another book along these lines is Epic Journeys of Freedom: Runaway Slaves of the American Revolution and Their Global Quest for Liberty by Cassandra Pybus.]

2006-11-10T08:52:00.000-05:00

One of the things that is very interesting to me as a US American is the issue of acceptable personal space. What is comfortable and acceptable is very much bound by culture. For instance, how near do you stand to someone with whom you have entered an elevator? Many people will stand all the way on the opposite side if space permits. Personal space in Cameroon can be tricky for outsiders. Take the taxi experience for instance. If a taxi is full, you are sitting body to body with the next person. If something is on their clothing, it will probably get on yours. Holding hands is a similar case. Holding hands here is something you do with close friends as you’re walking, talking, or anything else. It is common to see boys, girls, men and women holding hands with one another as they move along the street or engage in conversation. My male friends in the States would probably rather be caught with their pants down than holding hands with another man. I have one friend who holds my hand when we’re walking, and it’s slowly becoming okay.

2006-10-31T13:00:00.000-05:00

I wrote this and the previous two posts when I didn't have internet access, so I'm posting them all at once.

Sunday I went to a Baptist church that I really liked. The people were very friendly and I’m certain that I will go back. During church the heavens broke and rain fell like crazy. The roof of the church is tin and the rain was so heavy and loud that I could barely make out what anyone was saying. The power went out and that meant the microphones went and then I really couldn’t hear. I got through everything without embarrassing myself though. The power and the water were out for most of the day – fortunately I had an extra battery for my laptop so I could do some work (and watch a movie).

Today is Monday, October 30, 2006. I met with my first graduate students on their thesis research – great projects (one on Ejaghem identity; the other on development in the South West province). The conversation took an interesting turn when they started asking me questions about my interest in Africa and Cameroon. I told them that I never learned African history as a young student and consequently I was very interested in Africa. My father once had an opportunity to visit Ethiopia (when I was in about the 7th or 8th grade) and I remember wishing that I could see what Ethiopia was like. What was most interesting was their worry that I might have believed the old textbooks that claimed that Africans had no civilizations, no culture and traditions, very little of value to the rest of the world. So I assured them that while I had read some of those unfounded claims, I see great value in Africa. Africans have the oldest and arguably some of the most advanced civilizations ever known to man. The task of today’s Africans is to reclaim that greatness and to live up to the potential that is here. The task looked at as a whole seems overwhelming, but with each person, country and organization doing its part to strengthen health care, education, and the economy, my hope is that one day we will see a rich and prosperous continent.

2006-10-31T12:59:00.000-05:00

Things got really busy this past week. Last Sunday (Oct 21) I went to an apostolic church in a village. It was a very interesting experience. Monday I woke up to a public holiday which meant the school was closed. It was the feast of Eid celebrating the end of Ramadan. Cameroon is predominantly a Christian country but there are a significant number of Muslims so the government tries to make sure that there holidays are recognized. And of course, it’s a holiday so the only people who may be unhappy are businesspeople whose traffic slows down. Wednesday I got my parlor (living room) furniture. Yea!!! Now I have soft seats when needed (after a long day) and somewhere for visitors to sit. Thursday I was introduced to my first class of undergraduate students. The young ladies wanted to know if my hair was real. I have long locs that they thought were extensions. The young men (I found out today) said they could not understand my way of speaking and commented that I was “white.” These comments were made to one of my graduate students who thought it was very funny.

Friday I started my Kenyang classes. Kenyang is the language of the Bayangi ethnic/language group from the Manyu division of the South West Province of Cameroon. The classes continued on Saturday. I learned the alphabet which is phonetic so I can now read Kenyang, but I have no idea what I’m reading. My classmates thought it was amusing to have me read proverbs and such since I didn’t know what I was saying. Now I’ll begin the hard work of building vocabulary and grammar. Kenyang is a tonal language and can therefore be very tricky. Two very different meanings can come from the same spelling but using different tones. That’s a problem for non-native speakers like meJ. But language is also a very important key to the culture of a people. So while I probably will not be able to master the language in the short time I will be here, I may gain some insight into the Bayangi people.

2006-10-31T12:55:00.000-05:00

I've been offline for a few days so this is a little out of date, but still important.

I have a student who is in Budapest, Hungary, where she is witnessing the growing pains of democracy. Here is an excerpt from her email to me:

You can NOT imagine what I have seen today. Everything started out fine, but to make a long story short we ran into a parade that then turned into a mob that stormed parliament. We thought we were far enough away and then we got caught between rioters and peaceful demonstrators...THOUSANDS! We were watching everything at Deak Ter and Ezerbet Ter which is right near parliament and then these people started taking tanks and driving them at the police. We had seen the tear gas before and yes it burned a little but then it all went to hell. Tear gas bombs rained down EVERYWHERE...rubber bullets...the whole deal. Literally a tear gas thing got set off 5 feet away and we couldn't do anything but try to push through the masses of people all ages. I could not believe what I was seeing. Though I really could not see. It was absolutely terrifying. The police just suddenly snapped and it didn't matter if you were old, young or anything...they just let loose. After that we went to an official celebration where I got to see the Prime Minister...as well as all the people that hated him. We thought that would be the end, but the main clashes between the protesters/demonstrators/rioters happens to be where we live. Right now as I write this there is still tear gas in our flat coming from the outside.

2006-10-18T10:29:00.000-04:00

Many Africans have seen Americans and Europeans of European-descent. And many know Black Americans, especially academics and business persons who have traveled widely. But ‘regular’ people often say to me “So you’re a Black American?” or “It seems as if you’re a stranger here.” There are lots of Cameroonians who have moved to the states and come back with "strange" accents, so people sometimes think I’m a returned Cameroonian. And I don’t really look different than many Cameroonians so, just as in the States now, you can’t make assumptions based on physical appearance. It's safer for them to ask me who I am. My speech often gives me away though. I don’t sound like an Anglophone Cameroonian and my French definitely doesn’t sound French, and I can understand pidgin but I haven’t yet tried to speak it.
Even more interesting (I need to find a new word) for me is seeing Europeans here in Buea. The first few times I came here there were very few Europeans. But this time, I’ve seen quite a few. It’s funny that I even notice them because at home, I wouldn’t. But here, they stand out. I grew up as a military dependent and my family was often the only African American family in the neighborhood, so my earlier socialization was largely based on people who did not look like me. Europeans were the norm. But here in Buea, as in most of sub-Saharan Africa, Black Africans are the norm. When I see a white person, I catch myself looking for clues. Is she American? Is he German or French? And what is even more interesting to me is that I feel so American, but they have no way of knowing that unless they are paying particular attention to me. This is a new experience for me.
Yesterday a taxi driver said to me, “So you’ve come home.” I guess in a way I have.

2006-10-17T11:02:00.000-04:00

I couldn’t get to the internet yesterday (Monday, 10-16) and I felt disconnected. What does that say about how spoiled I’ve become in the short time I’ve been here? I didn’t expect to have access, now I’ve had it, and I felt deprived without it. Serious food for contemplation…
Last week one night I was walking through the bush with a friend – the bush. Buea is a town but unless you’re in the city, you’re very close to nature. Birds singing, chameleons darting, crickets chirping, sounds that I have yet to identify. So my friend was trying to make it to a small market on the outskirts of town before the vendors started closing down so we took a shortcut. For her, it was just fine, but I can admit it – I was terrified. There’s virtually no dusk here. One moment the sun is setting, the next it is gone. So we were on a narrow path going through high grass and trees, crossing streams, and hearing all kinds of sounds, and she was pulling me by the hand because she was in a hurry. Every time we approached a clearing she would say, we’re there, and then we’d keep going. We finally reached the market and she was able to get her cocoyams. I just got limes and pawpaw (papaya). I’m sure I’ll have many more adventures while I’m here, but that one made me feel very American. At home, I’m very much a citified, country girl – at ease in any environment. Here, I’m so Western, it’s not funny. I’m trying hard not to be, but in the middle of a stream with wet feet and feeling like my balance has shifted dramatically (in more ways than one), I just couldn’t help it.

2006-10-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday (Mon, Oct 16, 2006) I attended a joint celebration of the UN’s 11th Annual Rural Women’s Day and 24th Annual World Food Day in Mutengene, an interesting crossroads town. The theme for Rural Women’s Day was “Women: Leaders of Tomorrow” and the other theme was “Invest in Agriculture to Insure Food Security.” There were many women’s organizations represented, each dressed in a colorful uniform with a song to perform. The Governor of the South West Province spoke, along with the government officials representing the Women’s’ Ministry and the Agriculture Department. The *woman* mayor of Tiko, a neighboring area spoke, and the welcome was given by the Chief of Mutengene, a traditional ruler.
One of the most fascinating things for me is the fabric that commemorates every special occasion. It’s similar to the way that US-ers use tee shirts to acknowledge special events, here an entire batch of fabric is created. I’ll put up some photos (ASAP) so you can see what I mean. As a longtime seamstress, I guess I’m just captured by the fabric.

2006-10-12T10:41:00.000-04:00

Globalization and Grey’s Anatomy? (Television)
The following are imported television shows that were either on or advertised in one day here in Buea. What do you think?

Grey’s Anatomy
Miami Vice
Homicide: Life on the Streets (dubbed in French)
The Young and the Restless (in French)
Tyra Banks
Oprah
Larry King Live (CNN International)
Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN International)
Reality TV – Beef (Tupac and Biggie)
Survivor Africa
Good Morning Cameroon (on STV)
Filipino soap opera called (?) – I’ll look up the exact name
Latin American soap (what country?) called La Ravancha

2006-10-11T07:37:00.000-04:00

Access to technology like the internet in Cameroon is very location specific. The Fulbrighters who have been at the University of Buea before me were not able to take advantage of the wonderful IT center (which I visit on a regular basis, but happens to be down after torrential rains last night). The ITC has maybe 25 computers available for student use and a special room set-aside for faculty with about 10 machines. Each computer is windows-compatible and in addition to having internet access, many regularly used programs like Word or WordPad are available. There is a small fee for students – 200 cfa per hour (about $.40-.50). Even though the fee seems small to US-ers (US Americans), it can be a great deal to a student here.

Even before I was introduced to the ITC, I found that there are many internet cafés on the main streets. Many of these shops offer a range of services from internet access to internet phones. Even the state run telecommunications system has an internet café at their Buea office (where I am today). Others offer office services like photocopying, scanning, and laminating.

I am constantly amazed at the ingenuity and creativity of Cameroonians. Used shipping containers are often used as businesses. Think about it – it’s a very good setup. You purchase goods from abroad and they are shipped to you in a metal container that’s about 12 x 12 ft (I’m guessing at these dimensions). The container is sound, can be locked and is large enough to move around in with careful organization. You lease a small space from the municipal board, set up your container, run electricity, water or whatever you need to operate and you’re in business. I bought my curtains in such a shop, but there are internet cafés, small household items, and snack shops set up in this way. Great idea!

2006-10-10T07:54:00.001-04:00

Taxis are pretty crazy and interesting anywhere in the world, but I think they're especially fascinating here. Check with any of the students who came this past January. You pay the taxi per rider. The last time I was here, it was cfa150 per person but now it has gone up to a standard cfa200 (about $.40-.50). But --you can bargain. If you're going a short distance, you say, for example, "High Street 100." If the taxi driver will accept, he honks his horn and you get in. If not, he waves or simply drives off. Or you can counteroffer - 150? He may accept. Also, if you're with another person or a group, you can offer "3 to High St, 3-150?" Be-beep, hop in. Three people in back and two riders in front with the driver. At one time, folks would crowd in as many as would fit, but there has been a recent government initiative on road safety so drivers limit the number of passengers. There's even a song and video I've seen on television, "Mr. Chauffeur." It asks drivers to be careful, to pay attention to road signs, and to realize that they have lives in their hands. Pretty effective way to promote safety in a country where highway accidents are one of the leading causes of death.

and the horns... they have gotten very creative. Babies crying, sirens, musical interludes, laughing hyenas. Fascinating...

2006-10-06T10:11:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, October 5th, was World Teachers' Day, the 13th annual event sponsored by the UN. It was a grand and glorious occasion in Cameroon. Every locality had a celebration that included speeches, bands, music and the traditional "march-past." I went with a new friend, Arrah, who is a journalist. She sat me in the front of the grandstand while she went off to "do her thing." What a coincidence to learn I was seated next to Taelor's (my eldest niece) teacher from when we were here in 1997. She now has her own primary school.

After the commemoration at the town center, we went to a reception at the Mountain Club, followed by an afternoon meal and dance at another event hall. The day was full of food, flowing drink, dancing and recognition of those hardest and least appreciated professionals - teachers. I will upload photos with a link asap. It's slow and time is money :)

2006-10-04T07:33:00.000-04:00

Let me tell you, this rain is a bear. Yesterday I started out in the morning in a blouse and skirt. I even thought my feet were taken care of in closed toe Clark's - very comfortable and feet would be dry, or so I thought. After two short errands I was drenched and had to change wherein I gave in to my Western sensibilities and just threw on a pair of jeans and sneakers. I was frustrated with trying to follow the norms that I tell my students to adhere to -- I gave in and looked "so American" that it wasn't funny. Oh well, what can I say? I gave in...

On another note, I'm in the apartment but I still have little furniture and am still not able to cook at home. Folks who know me know that I am slow, but I'm not this slow... I'll have to learn a new sense of time if I'm to survive the year.

2006-09-28T13:48:00.000-04:00

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?

2006-09-20T06:14:00.000-04:00

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

2006-09-11T15:34:00.000-04:00