Top: Christmas in Nkongsamba, Below: IST in Kribi

 I am sorry I let so much time go by since my last blog. I am fine and all is well.  The time just slipped by.  I went off to In Service Training at the beach in Kribi on Dec 9 and rebonded with all my best new friends and got refreshed and re-stimulated! I roomed with the other older volunteer (47) in my class who is very funny a bright and we shared some excellent conversation and lots of laughs. It was so great to see everyone! We stayed in an old charming motel just across the road from the beach. Once the hot water kicked in (a couple days into the week long stay), we were all enjoying our hot showers to the maximum. The ocean is warm and the weather very hot in Kribi (tropical). We swam every afternoon after training and had lots to eat......lots of protein including wonderful very fresh seafood. The mosquitos also ate very well. I even found a dog to pet on the beach that was not terrified of me. Dogs are terribly mistreated here and are usually either mean or terrified....or most likely both. I managed to learn a little something too and was elected to serve on the Peer Support Network, which is exactly what it sounds like.....support of fellow vols who are having a tough time and need someone to talk to.

i spent Christmas with 7 young friends in Nkongsamba. I will tell you that it is very hard to get in the Christmas spirit here tho we tried!  We watched Christmas movies ( on the computer) and made faux american food to eat. We made pasta salad, potato salad, hummus, guacamole, tofu, green beans and had some lunch meat and cheese from the white man’s store (very expensive!). One of us made a pound cake and I made chocolate chip cookies.....both of these in a makeshift oven on top of the gas cookstove.  

I am back home in Batie now. I guess the Christmas celebration was very low key here and from what my local friends tell me, I didn’t miss much.  Apparently New Year’s is the 

big celebration with a two day party at the Carrefour. I guess I’ll bring my specialty of the house....yes, the chocolate chip cookies....luckily. they are very popular .

We got a lot of new material at IST and I am, at the moment, spending a lot of time going over it and trying to learn the ins and outs of stuff like the Small Grants program, the Monitoring and Evaluation process, and the Peace Corps method of Needs Assessment called PACA (yawn). 

My first project will be teaching the Mama’s to compost....so I will be giving formations to the various women’s groups when I get this organized. I’m trying to get a fellow Agro volunteer to work with me on the first formation as there are tips and tricks for this climate that I am not aware of. Meanwhile I am just pulling info off the internet and creating my own formation.  I will be dealing with some illiterate women here, so I have to create drawings  to represent the process for them. In any case, this should cut down on the amount of garbage that is thrown into the bush (which is how they dispose of trash here) as well as increase output for these struggling women. Hopefully it will be beneficial for them.  It’s a start.  I have other ideas brewing in the back of my mind for follow up. 

That’s it for now. I will try to keep in better contact! Happy New Year!

Heloooooooo

Happy Thanksgiving!  I am spending it with a friend who lives pretty near Batie in a little town called Bapa.  She is a quality individual and I am very happy to know her. We will have a strange combination of cranberries, apple pie, tofu (my contribution as a lady in my village makes it) and a nice bottle of wine. (She’s a vegetarian and I can’t kill animals....what a pair!) I went to Douala again yesterday to  get my computer which seems to be working perfectly now. Yes!!! Picked the wrong bus to come home on.  Hellish 7 hours on the worlds slowest bus.  All the passengers were angry and tormented the driver mercilessly.....I joined in with relish. 

I threw a party a couple of weeks ago.  About 10 people came from around the western region and we ate and drank and laughed and stayed up too late.  We built a big fire in the middle of my back yard (anything goes here) and made a lot of noise until very late.  Everyone spent the night. Waking up in the morning with a house full of people was wonderful. They hung around until early afternoon and then everyone departed to their various posts. The volunteers are really supportive of one another here.  It is a real joy.

Dry season has officially begun, which brings with it wind and lots of red dust which coats everything. (The soil here is red.) This means the end of planting and harvesting and the official beginning of party season.....funerals and weddings. I have only been to one funeral and no weddings so far, but am sure I will be participating in more as the dry season progresses. Also, it will be interesting to see how Christmas is celebrated here.  I am told there will be a big party at the Carrefour. But the guy who told me that was a bit (understatement)  drunk (men get plastered here often) so I can’t be sure.

I have met a couple of youths here that I really like. (Actually, I have met a shitload of kids, but most can be pesty and demanding and I have to get stern and chase them away or they keep knocking on my door and looking in my windows and asking for bon-bons.) Anyway, they are the daughters of my two favorite Mama’s.....funny how that works out.....  One is 13 and one is 18, both in high school and they are completely charming and sweet. They stop by to visit and just say “salut” from time to time. The conversations have been just superficial so far, but they are becoming more comfortable with me and starting to laugh easily, I look forward to some good conversations.  I hope I can have a good influence on them.  There is also one little girl at the carrefour (about 7 or 8) who actuallly works at the bar serving beers (yes, it’s true, kids work in bars) whose spell I have fallen under.  She likes to parade around in my hat and sunglasses and asks a lot of really sweet and innocent questions. 

Anyway, that’s the deal.  Haven’t done anything meaningful yet, just making friends and trying to understand this really rich culture and walking (sometimes by choice, sometimes not) all over the place. Here’s a picture of my little “bargirl”. (I hope)

                                                       Makko, my little "Bar Girl"

                                                       Sa Majeste

The Mac saga continues. The new mother board finally arrived from China. I went to Douala (a horrible 5 hour uncomfortable, overcrowded bus ride) to retrieve my computer.  It worked perfectly while in the office of the tech there. I arrived home the next day, started up my computer and it began to beep, lose pixels and then went dark. I ended up having to send it back to Douala via an iffy delivery service (but what choice did I have?) for the tech(?) to see what the problem is. Oh! Africa!

Here’s the up side. Douala is the largest city (a major port) in Cameroon. I spent the night in a hotel with a swimming pool and running water, which means I had a hot shower…..oh the glory! And!, the bed was very comfortable. This is a popular hotel among “les blancs” (whites) when they are in town for business…mostly French and German. I found a pizza restaurant run by a Greek woman and I ate a fabulous pizza!  All the customers were blancs…..none american however.I introduced myself to the Greek woman (of a certain age, like me) and she was completely charming. I have a new friend in Douala. On the ride home, most of the women had babies with them, all of whom, I noticed, though adorable and well-behaved,  had flemmy couphs.  Of course, upon my return I came down with a chest cold complete with flemmy couph, pluggy ears and a sore throat. I am still struggling with it (5 days now) and feel miserable. But…..this too shall pass….

Tomorrow eve (Tues, 6 Novembre) I am going to a fellow PCV’s house in Nkongsamba (3 hours give or take) to watch a live stream of the election results as they come in.  This will be happening in the middle of the night here, but who’s counting. I hope to be feeling better, but if not, I’m going anyway. The Africans are all VERY aware of the elections and watching with great interest.

I struggled up the hill today to buy some fresh bread at a small market, and ran into a (male) teacher friend of mine who asked to come over later and use my internet. I said “sure”.  He then asked me, in the company of his male buddies, what I would be preparing for him when he comes over.  I said “nothing”. He asked if I knew how to prepare various African dishes which he listed (taro with yellow sauce, ndole, foo foo, etc etc) and I said no. He said….”but how do you expect to find a husband?” ….   “Oh, I already have one, and he’s a very good cook!”   … and continued down the road with my bread. (Ah, the samll pleasures in life.)  Actually, I AM interested in learning to cook some Cameroonian dishes, and have some nice mama friends who have offered to come over and teach me. Many of these dishes are truly delicious and most of them are an enormous amount of work. I LOVE the mama’s!!!!!....but they gotta rise up!

I’ll try to post a picture of the Grand Chef (chief) of Batie…..Sa Majeste. He is a descendant of the original chief who conquered the other tribes to found Batie.  Batie means “to push out” which is what he did to the other chiefs. He (the current chef) lives in a large compound with many wives and over 100 children. As I said previously, the Bamileke are polygamous…..especially the chiefs!  If it fails, I will post it next time I’m at the PC office in Bafoussam.  A bientot!

 

    
                                       Beautiful "downtown" Batie on a busy weekend.

That's the Route Principale that passes thru Batie on the way to Douala or Bamenda,  If you look hard you can see the yellow bush taxi I spoke about in my last blog complete with a chubby mama getting in. That is actually right across the street from where I tasted my first (and last, I hope) Rat.

Well, I have found a computer to use while I am waiting for my Mac to be repaired(?).  It’s  clunky and slow, but I’m thrilled to have it.  It’s so great to be reconnected again right here  in my very own village and to be able to access info when I need it.  Phew!  What a relief!

 I am still trying to integrate into the culture and have met many interesting and friendly people. The culture is very rich.  I have not started actual work yet. That will happen after IST….In Service Training…that will take place in early december.  We (the new volunteers) will go to Kribi for about a week to learn the various tools and organizations that are available to help us, among many other things.  Kribi is on the ocean, so that should be fun and a nice change.  My young friends are very excited and one of them told me how she had brought 7 different bikinis for just this occasion. Hmmmmmm.  My speedo will have to do, and a biiiiiiiiiig towel. I don’t want to scare anyone too badly!

I have requested a site-mate, but that won’t happen for at least a year if at all.   It can get pretty lonely in this little village with nothing to do.  I get home before dark and go to bed early.  Unless there’s a wedding….an all night party…. there is absolutely nothing to do at night.  But, I am told that during the dry season, which will start in a month or so, there are many weddings as there is not much work to do at that time (no planting or harvesting) so people get married instead. There is nothing about “love” that is involved in these weddings.  It is about culture.  A woman reaches a certain age and must marry and start popping out kids.  Quite often her father picks someone who quite often already has several wives and many children. You rarely meet a woman who is over the age of 20 and not married with children, unless she is a widow with children .Average family size is around 9. Not that anyone can actually afford 7 or so children. It is simply what is expected, but it causes a great deal of hardship. The women pretty much accept this without question.  All I can do is speak of a different way.  They listen with interest and complain a lot but are not willing to change anything…..even though, to a woman, they consider men “useless”.  Sigh.  I think that working with the children is a better answer, teaching the boys respect and responsibility and the girls their own value, but you have to catch them early. There is a wonderful non-governmental organization in Bafoussam that works with youth and they welcome PC input. We’ll see.  I have to pick and choose where I will put my efforts, as there is so much to be done.  That is why PC asks us to lay back for the first 3 months and just integrate and learn, so we can pick wisely.  Otherwise, we will be spread too thin and get nothing done. …. or so they say.

The mama’s here are quite striking in their beautiful Pagne’s and head wraps.  They are all chubby and full of life and always trying to give me food. It is rather rude to not accept, so I try not to eat before going to visit someone.  To get to the city, I have to take a taxi, which  is usually a small beat up Toyota that they insist on cramming 7 of us into before departing.  I am almost always in the back seat crushed among 3 hefty mama’s.  We usually end up having a good laugh over it.  There are no seat belts, but we are usually so wedged in, that should there be an accident, we probably wouldn’t budge.  So I will leave it at that for now. More to come…

Still no computer.  Getting desperate.  Not just being out of contact, but there is a ton of stuff on my computer that I need to draw on to do my job.  Those people that had my computer did nothing, didn't even open it to dry it out or see what the deal was.  Think they are incompetant.  Had to make a scene at the store to get it back.....it was somewhere else but not in the store. I have heard of someone who is supposed to be a great technician and can work on Macs!!!!....unfortunately he is about 4 hours away.  I'm going tomorrow.

Had fun with friends this weekend.  It was great to hang out and have a few laughs.  I went to a neighborhood "Development" meeting last night.  Unfortunately they spoke in the local patois so couldn't understant a word, but I'm told that the important thing is that I was presented to them and they can help me with any future development ideas I want to promote......so that's good, I guess.  Still integrating and meeting people.  The head of the Western division of the Cameroonian ministry of small bs development is coming to meet with me on Friday. That should be interesting, maybe.

Not really doing much yet except meeting people and talking to them.  The important thing at this point is gaining peoples trust and respect, so that when the time comes to push for some change, they trust you enough to take the leap, so to speak.  They seem to be very stuck in their ways and it's very hard to get them to make any changes. That's been a big part of the lack of development here.....although there are many reasons.  I hope to get some income generating activities going with some of these women's groups.  They are very willing and anxious to talk to me.  I will be going to a meeting of one of the womens groups next Sunday morning.  I am really looking forward to that.  These are the women of my actual neighborhood and they feel like they have a special claim on me.  I kinda agree.....hey, it's my hood!

Okay, till next time.....send positive vibes for my Mac!!!!  Pammy

Oh by the way, I wanted to send out emails of thanks for the really great goody boxes I have received, but can't remember many email addresses.  Once they are in my computer, they go right out of my head.....so know that I really appreciate everything and that you guys are really great goody box senders!  My friends are impressed/jealous!!!!!  Love!

In Bafoussam at PC office. Still without my computer.  (Ouch)  House is now painted and looking good. Went to a Funeral (des obseques) with my new friend the lady bar owner in Batie. It was so much fun.  Arrived around 10am and ate and drank beer, then church service, then danced (traditional) and sang and ate gross amounts and laughed and talked and drank more beer and it was a huge party.  These events are very popular in Batie. Looking forward to attending a lot more.  It is very costly for the family of the deceased as they provide all the good stuff.  Many, many, many people attend.  Next time I will take photos if I can.  Am meeting many people. Beginning to hook up with womens groups who are very interested in what I might teach them....hmmmmmmmmm.

Friends (classmates) coming to visit this weekend. Yay.  Should be some good laughs.  Been missing the wonderful American humor.

Have to run.  Much to do.  Am feeling very lost and out of touch without my computer.  I'll keep hoping for the best. I'll be in touch with a better blog soon.  P

Okay, I'm having a bad week.  I'm writing this at the PC office in Bafoussam because I spilled a drink on my computer about 3 nights ago.  It's dead.  I've located a business here who repairs computers, so I decided to bring it in....I'm desperate.  So they said they would open it and dry it out and see what happens then.  So I left it there (yipes....they didn't inspire confidence) and they said they would call me on Saturday.  Uh-huh.  Cameroonians don't exactly follow up when they say they will (but I do!!!! so I'll be on em like white on rice) for intance, the painter, tho he dropped off the paint, still hasn't shown up.  I managed to wheedle his number out of some lady, but so far have not been able to contact him.  As it stands now, he is running 56 and 1/2 hours late.....Now, that's late, even for a Cameroonian.  They call it "Cameroon Time" show up whenever, because things happen, as opposed to "American Time" (on time). We were warned about it during training. (sigh) Can you tell I'm frustrated? 

There is some problem with gas (for cooking) in Cameroon....at least in the West....there doesn't seem to be any available anywhere right now.  I am out for 3 days now.  Which means no cooking....(and, worse, no coffee in the morning) .which means I've been eating tomato sandwiches and been cranky for three days now....it's either that or the rat.  But today, since I am in Bafoussam, I will seek out some chicken or a pasta omelet (they are good) before I head back to Batie.

Now, HERE'S a GOOD Thing!!!!!   I've just learned I got 4 packages today.  They are sitting right here in the office. I'm looking at them and they are calling to me. They are from Nathan, ZaZa, Jon and Durkie!  I can't wait to open them.  I'm sure there are some good eats and treats in among them.  They have been sitting at the Peace Corps office in Yaounde for quite a while.  Finally, I called the mail guy there and asked about packages I was expecting. He said, oh yeah, you have many....didn't I email you? Ahggggggg.  But now I have them in my hot little hands and will figure out some way to get them all home.  (there are also 2 letters...you know who you are...things are looking up!). Nathan, It seems like centuries ago that you said you sent a package. Oh well..... Now you all know to send to the new address I gave you, right?  I know there are other packages still coming to the old addresss (my bad) and will definitely keep an eye out! (Maryann.....still hsn't arrive....been ions....but am sure will get here)

So, my contact will be sporadic for a little while since I have to come into bafoussam to get online and retrieve emails, but this too shall pass.  Sorry about this blog.....I had to vent.  P

My back yard viewed from my back door.  To the left, that little part there is my latrine.  the rest of the building back there is for building fire for outdoor cooking and storage, it would appear.

Well, here I am stuck in the house again.  It’s raining.  I was in the village at the “Carrefour” when I got a call that the painter wanted to come and drop off the big buckets of paint for my house!  Hooooooray!   ……so I had to return and then it started to rain, so…..  The painter dropped off the paint and then left.  He will begin tomorrow at 7am he told me.

It was lunch time in the village and I was walking aound looking for something to eat and some people stopped me and said I should try what sounded like “le rah”  which I was thinking meant “the rat”. And I said “le rat? “And they said “oui, le rat”.  “Le rat?”   “Oui, le rat.”  “I never ate rat before.”  Heh, heh, well you should try it .” “But,  where did it come from?”  “The fields.”  “It’s good, you should try it.”  “But….”  “Taste it, it’s good. If you’re going to live here, you’ve got to at least try it…it’s good.”  “But….”  They lifted the cover off the pot for me to see it.  I saw a bunch of rat legs….big ones…. with the little feet attached complete with little nails…..gulp.  I had no other choice but to try it.  Holding on to the little paw, I took a very little bite. It didn’t taste too bad, but I couldn’t really get past the “rat” part, especially since it’s little nails were digging into my hand.  I took a few more little bites to satisfy them grappling with the skin which is very thick and tough,  then said I had to return home for the painter.  They said “take it home and eat it there”.  So I left on a moto for home, rat in hand.  When I got there, I threw it over the fence in the back yard and into the fields from whence it came. Yyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaggggggg.  I realize that I am not the adventurous eater I thought I was!...or maybe that I was once, but no more!

I’ve been walking into town every day to try to make contact and integrate.  Sometimes I just sit and read on a bench in front of the Mayor’s building just to be there.  That’s what I was doing today before I decided to look for lunch…..

Am really trying to make contact with some women’s groups or youth organizations if there are any.  Next week, I will start to make appearances at the schools (which just started their year) and see what comes of it.  Meanwhile, I am really feeling isolated and bored.  I’ve got to find a way to work my way into this community (other than eating rat) which I’m sure I will eventually……patience.  Maybe the painter will prove himself an interesting fellow.

The people I have met, tho friendly, never really ask me any questions about  America.  I guess it's too far out of their reality.  I'm always the one asking the questions and making conversations or offering information other than "good morning (evening), how are you". It is really hard to learn anything.  I recently purchased a map of Batie from a local cartographer.  This is very rare as there really aren't any maps of anything around anywhere in Cameroon it seems.  Anyway, the map seems to have a lot of info on it including history and caste system.  When i finally decipher it, I think I will be a lot smarter. It's a start.

There you have it.  A lovely outfit that accentuates my tall, willowy figure.  This is speech at swearing in. The Batie market (marché) is today if I have counted correctly (it happens every 8 days.....huh?).  I'm going to check it out.  I hear it is small and doesn't offer much more than you can find in the shacks in carrefour Batie (this one is at the carrefour Tshomso  up the road a piece...still Batie village) but it is a good way to make contact with other Batie residents.  Batie is so spread out due to it's agricultural nature and has 5 carrefours.  This will be only the second one I have visited so far. I shall refrain from wearing this lovely outfit this time. A la prochaine...

Hi

Have gotten my furniture recovered by a great "menuisier" (handyman, carpenter etc) from Bafoussam.  Met a wonderful woman in Bafoussam who has been helping me know who to hire and where to buy things.  She has been a friend to many past Peace Corps volunteers and so understands americans and the Peace Corps better than most.  The furniture and house cleaning has made a huge difference.  Now if I can just succeed in getting the place painted, this place will really become quite livable. The proprietaire (landlord) seems to be resistant.  Will keep pushing. Am still eating very little protein, but have been told there is a good (clean) butcher at the carrefour so will have to face up to that pretty soon. I will try to get someone local that I trust to go with me.  It's pretty basic and gross and none of the shacks that sell  foodstuffs looks clean, but I'm gonna have to toughen up here if I'm going to stay healthy and get a little variety in my diet. There are no dairy products available. So far I've been feeling great however and have had no digestive problems that are so common here....especially for Les Blanches.

I'm meeting more people and some have been very helpful with ideas of what is needed here and how I  might help. (For now I am just information gathering).Everyone is involved in agriculture (to feed their own families primarily) to one degree or the other, and the poor quality of the earth here comes up often, It's rainy season, the corn has been harvested and now everyone the women and their kids)  is planting again like crazy, beans mostly....back breaking work. Have found myself trapped in the house quite often by the rains that will be around for another month yet..  Then the dry season will come, complete with it's own problems, primarily DUST being blown around everywhere and covering everything.  It remains to be seen which season I will prefer, but the rainy is the longest, so hopefully that one. Here are the seasons:

July to September - big rainy season (cold)
October to February - dry season (dusty)
March to May/June - small rainy season.

My cooking repertoire so far leaves a lot to be desired......i.e. lots of pasta.  Am about to try to make chocolate chip cookies (from scratch....who, me?)  in a makeshift oven the PC has taught us to devise....basically, a heavy pot with sand in the bottom, covered over the fire, put cookies on cookie sheet inside once preheated.  Maybe some of you campers with a sweet tooth have tried this method.  Anyway, time for my morning pasta (not really, I will have eggs)...bye for now.  p.s.  When I post a picture, I never know where in the blog it will show up....so above is the pic of the menuisier in process of recoving my couch.

Hi,

Here in Batie, a rural, agricultural village, most everyone has their own little plot of land that they cultivate for sustenance (mostly beans and corn that I have noticed).  Sometimes, if the harvest is very good, they have a little left over for sale at the local market for a little extra money.  It is mostly the women who do this very hard work of clearing and hoeing and planting and harvesting, all with a hand tool that looks like a bent in half shovel which forces them to be bent over for hours in their fields.  In their spare time, they take care of their multiple kids, wash clothes (bent over buckets), cook, clean and basically work from morning till night taking care of husband and family. The men sometimes work during the day if they have jobs and are heads of the household and don't necessarily have to give any of their money to the family....and quite often don't. It is a very hard life for women here. They are basically responsible for everything.  Some men take multiple wives here and they have many many children who (especially the females) help care for the family too. So, I'm thinking you can guess who I will be trying to help....

I am, of course, still learning and know very little in the whole scheme of things.  Maybe I will come to understand this whole system better in time. Suffice it to say that most (not all)  people do have full bellies most of the time around here, but the nutrition is very poor....it is always about filling the belly with very little else considered.  Medical care is poor, if they can even afford any.  There are traditional healers around but still have to learn more about them before I can comment....

The other day, when it was raining very hard, I found two women on my front porch taking shelter. I introduced myself and invited them in.  I gave them some apple juice to drink and we talked for a while....they were returning from the fields.  One had a two month old adorable baby with her.  I asked if they wanted to play cards while we waited for the rain to stop.  They were delighted and taught me a game.  I asked what the name of the game was and they said simply that it was "les cartes".....cards.  Huh.  In any case, I now have two (and a half) new friends in town.....

So that is basically what I have learned so far......much more to come.....P!

Hi

Here's a new address to use when sending any packages or letters.  It's quicker, but not to worry, all things already sent to the previous address will arrive, just takes a little longer.

Pamela James
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 979
Bafoussam, Cameroun

All is well.  Busily trying to get this house livable.  Have met some interesting people and talented artisans.  Having new covers made for my filthy furniture so it doesn't creep me out so bad and they will be colorful to brighten this place up. He will show up today and do it on site.  Yay.  That just about blows my monthly allowance so have to wait a bit to do anything else, but is very worth it.  I cleaned all the windows and the "mama" did a good job cleaning the floors so it is shaping up.  The landlord has agreed to paint tho nobody has shown up yet so who knows when.......All in all, I am making this place my own, am learning to share with the spiders, and think I will be happy in my new home. It really does have great potential and the living room is quite large and includes the cooking area so very good for entertaining.....

Photo is taken from entrance.  You can see back door.  It leads into a back yard with a little building that is the latrine....a hole and a little area for bucket bath....but it's one of the nicer latrines I've seen. The floor in the house is cement and the cooking area is to the rear behind the chairs.....More pix later...thanks for all your support!!!

We are now full-fledged Peace Corps Volunteers.  My speech went really well.  I’ll include pictures of our class in our pagne at swearing in when I get them.  Yes, I wore a dress….I’ve had a couple of dresses (actually matching skirts and tops) made for meeting officials and special ceremonies, otherwise I’m keeping to my casual style day to day.

 I’m in Batie now (my post) in the western region and have moved into my house.  I am the 3rd volunteer (I think) to stay in this house. It needs a SERIOUS cleaning and is full of spiders and I have a bad case of the heeby-jeebies. The furniture is old and stinky and gross.  I will probably get rid of it and try to find something I can sit on without getting the creeps.  It belongs to the landlord.  I don’t want to go to bed cause I feel like there are creepy crawlies in there, so have been staying up really late watching movies on my computer. (I downloaded a bunch of movies and tv shows before I left and also copied a bunch from fellow students, so I am set for a while).  Anyway, when I do eventually go to bed, I can’t sleep and so have been walking around here like a zombie.  Have been down to the Carrefour (area where the little shacks that sell stuff are, about a mile from my house) a couple of times to buy food and begin to connect with townsfolk. Some are friendly and happy to see me and others stare at me blankly. I don’t have any post mates and so am the only white face in town, but there are several volunteers in the western region and we run into each other in Bafoussam (the regional capital where I have to do most of my shopping and banking) and hang out which is really fun.  Bafoussam is only about 30 or 40 minutes from me.

My main job for the next couple of months is to settle into my house and get to know the town…..integrate and learn the culture. There is much to learn.  This culture is so rich and so very different from ours….very tribal and traditional and I don’t know what else.  At first I thought I was starting to understand Africa a little, and now I realize I don’t know anything.  Every area is so different.  There is a strong Animist (local tribal religion) culture here. Today I was out for a walk to get a little exercise and walked past a group of people (this is very much in the country….dirt road, lots of small fields of various crops) sitting in a circle in front of a house and they were chanting, maybe some sort of ancestral worship…..I have MUCH to learn. Christianity is also very strong here (the missionaries have done their job since the mid 1800’s and still going strong) but often the African Christians still practice Animism as well…..belief in superstition and sacrificial offerings, usually a goat, for the ancestors and probably a bunch of other stuff that I don’t understand yet.  Goat is delicious by the way, but often when they barbecue it for sale, the head and hooves are there on display, and then I lose my appetite… 

Out again today…met many locals.  Oh my, this is going to be so interesting…. House still creepy, gotta figure something to “homey” it up a bit. Have hired someone ( a “mama” …which is what they call the older women here many of whom (wo)man the shacks or work in the fields and most of whom have many kids) to help me to clean this house…i.e. wash the filthy cement floors and knock out some of the spider webs and help me do the laundry at which I totally suck). I am a “mama” also and am quite often greeted with “bonjour mama!”   It shows respect.  I’ll take it.  Here are some movies of my new village.....hope I can post them without too much trouble....A bientot! Oops, they posted right in the middle....oh well. Oops, they wouldn't upload.  I'll try next time. sorry.....P

Bonjour!  I survived! We are on the brink of becoming full-fledged volunteers.  On the 16^th we will be sworn in.  It’s a big deal here.  The American Ambassador to Cameroon will be there along with the National head of Peace Corps, the Prefet of Bafia, the mayor, a bunch of Ministers and TV Cameroon. I have been chosen to give a speech (in French of course) for our Stage (training class)….It never ends.  I’m a little (yipes!) nervous but I wrote a really good speech with the help of one of my favorite “formatrices de langue” (language trainers) so all will be fine. I’ve never liked (translate, have a fear of) public speaking, and now it seems like a never ending series of speeches of one sort or another…..in a foreign language, no less……character builder! I confess that I could never have done this when I was the age of my fellow students….they are really something. On the 17^th we will be all heading for our respective posts (mine in the Western Region in the village of Batie).  I’m not that thrilled with my posting, but I’m sure I will grow to love it. I am told there is a very strong and interesting tribal culture there….the Bameleke….they have gotten in trouble with the government in the past for political activism, for example….so maybe will turn out to be very interesting.  Only time will tell.

Last night (Saturday) I got invited to the neighbor’s birthday party along with my “mom”.  She’s (the birthday woman) an amazing cook and a very warm person, so it was quite a party (feast)!  I made a pig of myself.  A friend and I bought a lot of the food she was preparing as a gift….we bought the chicken (alive) and then they murdalized it….I made the mistake of looking it in the eye and so couldn’t participate in the bloodletting. It was served in a delicious sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil and palm oil….very yummy….the feet and the head were in it (chickens have HUGE feet), but I managed to avoid those. And we had Poisson Braisé which is a really popular dish…made with mackeral coated in a spicey dark green sauce and grilled…..really out of this world and served with batons de Manioc (gag..but managed to avoid that).  And there was cake (chocolate) made over the fire outside in a makeshift oven…….yyyyyyyummmmmmy.  Finally,  I have eaten deeeelicious Cameroonian food!  I knew it must be out there somewhere. Oh and my address for now will remain the same with one small change, It will now be “Peace corps Volunteer” instead of Peace Corps Trainee”.  I might change it later, but this is the safest way….it might prove to be too slow (don’t know yet) at which time I will change it to a more local PO box….but the above address will always find me no matter what.  Okay, enough for today.  Goodbye from the Bafia Catholic Church….

Okay, I just tried to post 4 little videos to show you Bafia and my walk to school each day but it rejected all but one (probably too large file) so you get just a little taste.....sorry....I'll also put a photo of the church I attended last weekend just to see (presbyterian)....the service was 3 and a half hours......

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Hi.  Found a fast internet connection at the Catholic church, so this is my new hangout when I can get here.  They are working us like dogs.  Only 3 weeks left of training tho.  We are all tired and are ready to be at our sites.  I'm a little trepidatious, but ready to go and determine what I can do.  I have less structure than most everyone else  and have to make my own way.  Most people are assigned to a microfinance institution or a non-governmental organization of some sort to start, I am not.  I kinda like that but it does leave me kinda out there without a net. It's a constant series of adjustments here, but I've done fine so far and will surely continue to do so.  Meanwhile, I have two big presentations coming up. Can you tell I'm a little stressed.  It's normal....we all are.  Here are a few pictures how we blow off steam.....I have reverted to being 24 again and am always shocked when I look in a mirror (when I can find one) and see that I am an old lady.....don't feel like it as you can see in the pix. Okay, they're kicking me out.  Don't forget to post comments. I love it when you do and I know you are out there reading this!  Also, I wonder why some people are having trouble posting their comments (some of you have emailed me saying this).  Do those of you who do comment have a secret that the rest of them don't know? I just hit "reply" and "publish" when I comment. Bye.