Monday, 31 March 2008
Easter in Kribi
Kribi is a small coastal tow in south west Cameroon about 3 hours by bus from Yaounde.
After working hard for the last 10 days, writing the process for developing councils in Cameroon, we thought we deserved an Easter holiday. So, on Thursday, Linda, Marg, Elle and I set off on the bus.
We were hoping for a large coach but, unfortunately, as it was not early morning, we got a 20 seater minibus. All buses here are privately owned and none of them have timetables. The rule is that you turn up, sit on the bus and when it is full it leaves. If you do not want to wait too long you get to the bus station at around 7am, for the first bus. This is the most popular and may leave within 30 minutes of you getting on it. But, it may be longer.
We waited 1 1/2 hours – on a very hot and airless bus as bags and people were stuffed into every available space. Eventually we set off with 38 people and as many cases.
But it was worth it. We checked into our hotel at 6pm and by 6.15 I was swimming n the warm warm sea as the sun set and the stars came out.
It is a picture postcard beach shaded by palm, mango and avocado trees with whie sand and warm lapping waves. There were no shops close by and all there is to eat is fresh fish caught on the beach and cooked over charcoal in little makeshift cafes on the sand. The fish is marinated in an oil and peanut sauce, served with plantains and eaten with fingers.
For three days we did little but sit in the sun, flop into the sea to cool off then stagger to the shade of the café for fish.
We all set off in a taxi for one outing to a waterfall that fed straight into the sea. It was beautiful but Elle and I decided to take a motorbike taxi back to ‘our’ beach whilst the others took a canoe trip to look at ‘Pygmies in the rain forest’.
The local fishermen and their families were so friendly and we soon got to know the children, who loved to swim with us. The teenage boys were spellbound at our ‘white man magic’ of being able to lie on the water without drowning. Try as we might, we could not make them see that floating is just about being able to relax. They really thought we had special powers or were super-intelligent beings. Every time we went into the se they followed for lessons. Every time they sank, and this just confirmed that we were from another planet.
Marg brought some origami paper to the beach to show the girls how to make birds. They were fascinated but it was a little complicated for them so I showed them how to make fortune tellers. They loved playing with it although they did struggle with the movement of their thumbs and fingers.
With my stage B French and the help of Linda, who speaks French, we explained how they work and asked the girls what we should write inside. They were perplexed at our questions. We tried ‘what do you wish for’ or ‘what do you want to be or do when you grow up?’ We gave them ideas – famous singer or dancer, rich, a doctor?
Then my new little friend Lore’s face lit up. “I know, I want to marry a white man’.
Saturday, 29 March 2008
Last night in Ndu
In the morning of my last day in Ndu, the mayor said that he would like to host a meal for me to say goodbye and tha I was to come to his house at 5pm.
SG picked me up with George. We left George at a bar whist we popped round to SG’s house so that I could take some family photos before I left.
I arrived at the mayors house to find most of the council workers there. Heaps of food had been prepared and George provided the finishing touches with cases of beer and wine.
The mayor made a little speech. He is such a charming, gentle and kind man and it was so touching to here what he had to say. He thanked me for the work I had done and the way I had done it, said that I was like on of his team and asked that I consider staying the 2 years to finish the project. He said we would first eat then SG and a the Ernestine would say a few words before presenting me with a little gift.
So, after the speeches I was told to g to a back room with the girls where they would dress me in the proper clothes for a Manjuh.
I was so touched and felt a little tearful at the huge expression of love for me. I was presented to the whole room and received a round of applause. My Manjuh clothes are very beautiful and I have worn them many many times since. They are clothes for a ‘queen’, whatever that means and when I am wearing them I am often greeted in a special
way that is only used for high status people.
Caroline and Ernestine then took me dancing and Kevin came to walk me home. I had to be up at 5.30am as George was picking me and the mayor up at 6am to take us to a meeting 4 hours drive away.
I felt so loved and honoured and a little sad at the thought of leaving in the morning.
But, reality struck the next day with my daily pastime, waiting for George. He arrived at 8.30am.
SG picked me up with George. We left George at a bar whist we popped round to SG’s house so that I could take some family photos before I left.
I arrived at the mayors house to find most of the council workers there. Heaps of food had been prepared and George provided the finishing touches with cases of beer and wine.
The mayor made a little speech. He is such a charming, gentle and kind man and it was so touching to here what he had to say. He thanked me for the work I had done and the way I had done it, said that I was like on of his team and asked that I consider staying the 2 years to finish the project. He said we would first eat then SG and a the Ernestine would say a few words before presenting me with a little gift.
So, after the speeches I was told to g to a back room with the girls where they would dress me in the proper clothes for a Manjuh.
I was so touched and felt a little tearful at the huge expression of love for me. I was presented to the whole room and received a round of applause. My Manjuh clothes are very beautiful and I have worn them many many times since. They are clothes for a ‘queen’, whatever that means and when I am wearing them I am often greeted in a special
way that is only used for high status people.
Caroline and Ernestine then took me dancing and Kevin came to walk me home. I had to be up at 5.30am as George was picking me and the mayor up at 6am to take us to a meeting 4 hours drive away.
I felt so loved and honoured and a little sad at the thought of leaving in the morning.
But, reality struck the next day with my daily pastime, waiting for George. He arrived at 8.30am.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Les Blancs and a quiet night in
I am sitting in an internet cafe in Yaounde rying to send pictures of womens day and the connecton is so low that I have given up and will try tomorrow.
Internet cafes are a new experience for me. They are crowded with "les blancs" all trying to make a connection home to loved ones. It feels fraught, hot, intense and frantic but at the same time too it is a little connection with a more civilised world.
By that I mean that the serve nice coffee and clean salads which is sometimes a welcome relief from dirty messy streets and meals that take 2 hours to arrive.
It is a meeting place for NGO Blancs and I am sitting here realisng that I know several people here.
Last night I ate in a restaurant with a Canadian woman, a Morrcain man, two Italians, a dutch friend and Charlie who is a Phillipino. Three of them have just walked in for coffee as I am sitting here.
Ex pat world is odd and tonight I have chosen to sit in my room, listen to music and do my French homework rather than go to a Pig Roast followed by a night club.
I miss the contact with Ndu people but I am going part way back on Saturday to run a 2 day workshop which will be fun - apart from the madness of catching the bus......I will tell you about catching buses tonight whilst my colleagues eat pig and drink beer at Charlies house.
A queit night in, what bliss.
Internet cafes are a new experience for me. They are crowded with "les blancs" all trying to make a connection home to loved ones. It feels fraught, hot, intense and frantic but at the same time too it is a little connection with a more civilised world.
By that I mean that the serve nice coffee and clean salads which is sometimes a welcome relief from dirty messy streets and meals that take 2 hours to arrive.
It is a meeting place for NGO Blancs and I am sitting here realisng that I know several people here.
Last night I ate in a restaurant with a Canadian woman, a Morrcain man, two Italians, a dutch friend and Charlie who is a Phillipino. Three of them have just walked in for coffee as I am sitting here.
Ex pat world is odd and tonight I have chosen to sit in my room, listen to music and do my French homework rather than go to a Pig Roast followed by a night club.
I miss the contact with Ndu people but I am going part way back on Saturday to run a 2 day workshop which will be fun - apart from the madness of catching the bus......I will tell you about catching buses tonight whilst my colleagues eat pig and drink beer at Charlies house.
A queit night in, what bliss.
So many things happen in a day and there is so much to tell. Even the trival is fascinating or infuriating here. But I haven’t told you about Women’s Day yet and it was 2 weeks ago.
I dressed in my ‘uniform’ at my Rest House at 6.30am and left or the walk to SG’s house for breakfast. Kevin waved me off and told me I looked beautiful, like a real African woman.
As it was a special day SG’s lovely wife Zenobia, had cooked goat meat stew, yams and huckleberry all washed down with Ndu tea. And remember, this had been done over a wood fire at the back of the house. She as not in her women’s day dress yet but promised to meet me later.
I then strolled off the meet Isabella, Ernestine and Caroline at the Bandstand at the heart of Ndu. We had had strict instructions from the local government officer who would be opening the day, that it would start on time, at 10am. This is almost unheard of in
Ernestine was there, looking so glamorous. She was mildly impressed with my headscarf but tactfully suggested that we re- did it inside the dressmaker’s shop. The other two tuned up 10 minutes later and we took our places in a long trail of women, gathered in clusters of groups – church choirs, farming co-operatives, work groups, campaigning groups. Each group carried a sign telling the dignitaries watching form the bandstand, who we all were. I am still not sure who the ‘Happiness Group’ are but perhaps us girls should set one up in
Some women wore the official uniform and others had designed their own uniforms. The fabric here is printed with anything you want on it - the president’s face, religious images and bible texts. So much choice and not enough days in the week. (Yes Mum, I will choose you one. Would you like an image of Mary or the crucifixion on your frock?)
The main event happens at th bandstand., wher dignitaries st in the shade. The mayor and his wife were there as were most of the individuals that I hav interviewed whislt in Ndu. The Fon of Ngarum sat in a sepearte box as he is so special. The female MP ‘Madame Esther’ greeted me very warmly and we all lined up for photos. The mayor wanted me to sit with him on the bandstand but the grils said I had to march with them so I did.
Each group take it in turns to march in front of the bandstand, singing a song and the best group win a prize. We sang:
Happy to be a woman in
Council women, Ndu sub-division
With Gods blessing
We work hard to do our best
Or
Women are shaking the nation
Women are shaking the nation
Women are shaking the nation
SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE
(shouted loudly whilst shaking our arse)
Ernestine was out choir mistress and had rehearsed us, in the street, 5 minutes before we marched. We had fun but wee beaten by the Ndu Methodist Choir, a huge group of about 30 women singing thee Lords praises in 4 part harmony. No contest I think.
I was then invited to join others in the bandstand to watch the choir and dancing competitions and my 3 friends took it upon themselves to accompany me making the most of it to have a seat in the shade.
We threw money at the groups we liked best and danced with some of them and once the speeches had been made and prizes given out I was invited to the local government officials house for lunch, along with the chairwomen of local groups.
Lunch was the usual – huckleberry, yams, plantains, cow stew and rice all washed down with a large bottle of beer. The host said grace then, in the usual Cameroonian tradition he announced that men should go first for the food, followed by the women later.
Now. I had realised that Women’s Day is mostly about new clothes but, I thought, as the token stranger I could speak up. I suggested, light heartedly, that as it was International Women’s Day perhaps, just this once, the women could go first?
He roared with laughter and led the men to the buffet.
I left sometime later to go to ‘a night club’ with the girls. A night club, in Ndu? The girls explained – all bars turn into night clubs in the evening. They turn up the music and re-arrange the furniture. So simple. Such fun dancing with crowds of women in an area smaller than my kitchen.
Monday, 24 March 2008
Just back in Yaounde after a wonderful weekend. Imagine a Bounty advert OK witout te rum I admit, but white sand, warm sea, ot ot sun and fres fish cooked over coals on the beach, minutes after being caught... That is Kribi.
I will blog more about it tomorrow and send you photos of us frollicking in the waves.
But for now we are writing reports and processes for the next voluteers. This is not my favorite pastime but it as to be done. Yaounde is not a pretty place. It is unsafe, particularly for "les balncs" as we stand out like a sore tumb as rich and un streetwise. We have to gather in groups and take taxis everywhere and the drivers are often really drunk or stoned. It is not a nice experience to be in a taxi with 6 others, in a part of the city that is unfamiliar with a drunk driver. I have done it once and will never do it again.
The alternative is to wait for George - a national pastime here. This George is one of the two taxi drivers in the whole of Yaounde that are to be trusted, recomended by VSO. But I might wait an hour to travel for 10 minutes.
It is a mad mad place. Ugly, hot, dangerous and full of pople who, if I have the time and inclination to chat to them, are very nice people, but, too too busy earning money to be kind and considerate and too tired to care. It is a very sad place really.
But I am having fun quand meme.
Next week is my last and I am not going to let tis nasty city get to me. I have plans that involve visiting posh hotels to swim in their pools.ut that will be after running a 2 day workshop in the North West which will mean 2 eight hour bus rides. And thats another blog another day.
My money is running out at te internet cafe and I am off for... guess what? Fried fis and platain for supper. And do you know what? I may treat myself to an avocado and a beer then take the 5 minute walk back to my hotel. I cant be ++++ to wait for George and I have 3 other Blancs for company.
I will blog more about it tomorrow and send you photos of us frollicking in the waves.
But for now we are writing reports and processes for the next voluteers. This is not my favorite pastime but it as to be done. Yaounde is not a pretty place. It is unsafe, particularly for "les balncs" as we stand out like a sore tumb as rich and un streetwise. We have to gather in groups and take taxis everywhere and the drivers are often really drunk or stoned. It is not a nice experience to be in a taxi with 6 others, in a part of the city that is unfamiliar with a drunk driver. I have done it once and will never do it again.
The alternative is to wait for George - a national pastime here. This George is one of the two taxi drivers in the whole of Yaounde that are to be trusted, recomended by VSO. But I might wait an hour to travel for 10 minutes.
It is a mad mad place. Ugly, hot, dangerous and full of pople who, if I have the time and inclination to chat to them, are very nice people, but, too too busy earning money to be kind and considerate and too tired to care. It is a very sad place really.
But I am having fun quand meme.
Next week is my last and I am not going to let tis nasty city get to me. I have plans that involve visiting posh hotels to swim in their pools.ut that will be after running a 2 day workshop in the North West which will mean 2 eight hour bus rides. And thats another blog another day.
My money is running out at te internet cafe and I am off for... guess what? Fried fis and platain for supper. And do you know what? I may treat myself to an avocado and a beer then take the 5 minute walk back to my hotel. I cant be ++++ to wait for George and I have 3 other Blancs for company.
Cameroon Conversations
Cameroonians are very direct people. Total strangers will want to find out who
you are and tell you what to do i.e. go to a night club with them, marry them, give
them money, sit in their taxi.
In
3,000 francs’. If you respond no, they will say ‘Ok then give me 2,500 francs.’ It
is no good saying that you don’t want the tacky beads because they will then just
say ‘then just give me some money’. Here are two of the most common
conversations that occur daily.
The Marriage Conversation (circular) Only happens in the French speaking
part of
Total stranger Will you marry me?
Me No
Total stranger Why not?
Me Several reasons, but as a starting point, I am already very happily married.
Total stranger But I want to marry you.
Me But you don’t know me or anything about me. Do you want to marry me or do you want a visa?
Total stranger I want a visa, but, I also want to marry you. So will you marry me?
Me No
Total stranger Why not? (go back to the start and continue for as long as you want)
The NGO Conversation (circular)
Total stranger Are you here with an NGO?
Me Yes
Total stranger Are you going to fund some development?
Me Yes I am working with your local council to improve their effectiveness so that they can represent you better.
Total stranger That’s really great. I am so happy you are here. You are welcome.
Me Thank you.
Total stranger But are you going to give us money to build new roads?
Me No. I am working with your local council to improve their effectiveness so that they can represent you better.
Total strange That’s really great. I am so happy you are here. You are welcome.
Me Thank you.
Total stranger But are you going to give us money to build new roads?
Repeat the conversation for as long as they are walking next to you (5, 10, 15
minutes)
The Ordering Meal Conversation
This is the conversation at every restaurant in Cameroon.
Me Can I see the menu?
Waitress here it is
Me Can I have this fish and some green beans
Waitress We don’t have that fish and we have no beans. You could have this fish with mixed vegetables.
Me Ok, this fish and mixed vegetables
20 minutes later
Waitress You can’t have mixed vegetables because we do not have any beans
Me Can I have mixed vegetables without beans
Waitress I will ask in the kitchen
30 minutes later
Waitress No
Me So, what have you got?
Waitress Fried Barr (a type of white fish) and fried plantains
Me OK I will have that
90 minutes later it is served minus the plantains. They come once the fish has
been eaten and are taken away without consultation.
I now know that the first question to ask is ‘what is there to eat? Even that is a
redundant question because I know the answer. The answer is always fried Barr
and fried plantains.
So, it has taken me 6 weeks to get this right. The thing to do is to go into a
restaurant and say ‘ Can I have some Barr and fried plantains please. I will still
wait around 90 minutes for the food but it saves waiting to hear what they have
not got.
NB This conversation is ALL in French (when in Yaoundé). Thank you thank you
to my French teacher, Valerie for such great lessons. They are working.
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