chick, chick, chick

The chicken saga continues…. We received our one day old baby chicks (100 of them) on the 6th of last month. We have experienced many trials and tribulations. First, we bought our chickens through a middle man (a vet, which we thought was a good thing) (we were later told to never buy thru a middle man….thanks) who provided us with weak little chicks “de dernière qualité” (poor quality) which means they were the ones that had already been sorted out as the weak ones not really fit for sale (to those in the know). The vet was able to sell them to us (he knew we were new and saw us coming) for the same price as the good ones, thereby making a bigger profit. So we started off with pitiful little sickly chicks and in the end, we lost 20 of them (dead) which is a very large number.  Then we struggled along with the rest through many ups and downs, but succeeded in fattening them up pretty well. He also sold us a bunch of unnecessary products (which we will eventually use) that really put us in the hole. We are in the process of selling them already (they are 37 days old now) and luckily they are selling like fat little hot cakes and (due to the time of year) for a good price. So we are climbing out of that hole, but will still take a loss for our first round. But!  We have learned our lessons and are much wiser for our second go round. We have already ordered 200 new chicks directly from the top breeder around which will be arriving on the 20th of this month. We have also found some good local advisors that have offered their help to us, so things are looking up.  Enough about the chickens already!

I spent Thanksgiving with friends (fellow volunteers) in Bamenda which is a city in the english speaking section of Cameroon. It was a warm and wonderful experience. We are so bonded that it was like spending time with family. We all cooked together and made various vegetable casseroles, stuffing, mashed potatoes and chicken (oh noooo).  I’m having a hard time eating chicken these days… Chirstmas is fast approaching, tho you would never know it….no trees, decorations, christmas music, shopping frenzy….

The weather has been very strange. It’s the dry season, yet it has been cold and rainy (really bizarre!) and the beans that are planted everywhere all over the west during the dry season are beginning to rot in the fields...The mamas are harvesting and saving what they can. I don’t know how big a crisis this is yet.

My new postmate is 21 and from Iowa. She is sweet, bright, capable and happy to be here. What more could I ask? We will work well together. So there are now 2 white faces around Batié (one a little worse for ware) and everyone is delighted. The Batians are really very welcoming. I realize that I am well integrated now and have many friends here. They have really accepted me despite my many faux pas. It is a joy to walk around the village and be greeted so warmly. They never grow tired of hearing the one or two phrases I know in their patois (local dialect) and laugh heartily (at me) when I speak them. Mama Paméla (also known as “Grand-mere” (yag!)) is very entertaining indeed.

The fence in my back yard is wearing thin and several holes and gaps have developed, so now I am greeted by various creatures from time to time when I go to the latrine….a dog, a few chickens, a dead rat ( I wonder what it died from), half a mouse….who knows what’s going on back there! 

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the Batie market. (It takes place every 8 days just to keep us on our toes.) This is not usually an exciting event except for the fact that my mamas will be there selling what is left of our chickens. It’s fun to watch them in action.

End of story. Stay tuned for “chickens of Batié”….round two…..exciting stuff!!!

Mama Paméla