Spaghetti Omelet Sandwiches

Finally time to write about my new found favorite lunch: spaghetti omelet sandwiches.. yes this is a real thing. They take some eggs, spices and vegetables, mix in a handful of spaghetti and make an omelet, then stuff that omelet in a delicious baguette. It is really an incredible experience. So when I drown in the Middlebury pool come December everyone will know what to blame. Coming to Africa I thought it would be fairly easy to stay in shape and eat healthy but it is really difficult. Almost the entirety of the diet is carb based – bread at every meal, pasta, couscous, rice, etc. Meat is really expensive so it is rarely the focus of the meal. There are a fair amount of vegetables at dinner but we can’t get them off the street or in the supermarket unless we plan on cooking them or we will get sick so there are few alternatives to eating a primarily carb diet. In addition to that, either the malaria medication that I take or I am having a really hard time adjusting because come 8 pm I am beat. I just have no extra energy to go on a run or work out most days, plus there is rarely time even if I did have the energy. Very nervous to go on training trip in December but hopefully you other abroaders will be right there with me!! 

Sooo good.

First Day in Dschang

Had quite an off and on night of sleep as the light in my room flickers all the time even when it is off. Was awoken around 5 by yelling and, of course, roosters, and finally at 6 my host mom called for me to wake up and take a shower. People shower every day here without fail, it is really bad to wake up and not shower before school. Apparently, our shower does not actually function, so bucket showers for two weeks. It is impossible to wash my hair with a bucket so it’s going to be nice and dirty for my return for Yaoundé. I had a glass of hot powdered milk and some bread for breakfast before taking a crazy route to school. My mom had to show me the way today because I had never been to the university, and we left with my sister around 7. At first it was just really muddy but then we came to a crazy hill pass that was really slippery and will no doubt be a giant slip and slide when it rains (we’re in the rainy season.) After about 40 minutes of walking we reached the university, which is really big but we have a classroom that they let us use. We talked for a long time about our experiences, some good, some bad. We had a guest lecturer talk to us about the Bamileke ethnicity that is dominant in this region but is highly controversial in Cameroon. For lunch we went to the France/Cameroon Alliance center for an omelet. However, there were two men and a tiny kitchen trying to feed all 13 of us so it took a really long time. We came back for an hour of French class and then were released for the day. I walked home with another girl, we tackled the hill together which was awesome. On the way home I bought a weird food they call plums but they are far from plums. They sit and roast over a fire on the street, you can buy one for 20 cents and they are all warm and mushy inside. I also bought an avocado on the way home for 20 cents. (pineapples are 80 cents, mandarins 10 cents.) Made it back to my house safely and sat in the living room doing homework for a couple hours while my host sister played with her friend, constant screaming. I’m really enjoying Dschang so far though, it feels a lot homier than Yaoundé; guess I’ve always been a country girl, but I sure do miss my Yaounde family.

(And of course you real family!!)

French/Cameroon Alliance buildings

Water (September 23)

I have a feeling my Cameroon adventure is just now beginning. In Yaounde my host family has a maid that lives next to the house and is responsible for all the cleaning and maintaining of the house. But in Dschang people don’t have money like that. My 6 year old sister taught me how to wash the dishes after my first lunch here. We stood outside and used a small pot of dirty water and some old sponges to wash all the plates, putting them right back on the ground when we were finished. Then we got a basin and rinsed them all and put them back in the house. It was more effective than I thought it would be but it was still quite the experience. And I can’t believe that a 6 year old knew exactly how to do everything, I guess they have to have a lot of responsibilities here when there is so much not covered by appliances.

Dish washing

The kitchen in our house

Dschang!!!

We had a crazy week of work, lots of assignments but nothing like life at Middlebury. We still found time to go to la Brique, a neighborhood known for its fabrics. It was predominantly Muslim and was really different than where we had been in Yaounde so far, much calmer. On Friday we celebrated the end of a long week with a beer at a local restaurant, one of the first drinks I’ve had since coming here. On Saturday we woke up early and all met at the office to depart for our second location, a more traditional and rural town in the West of Cameron called Dschang (pronounced Chang). We spent seven hours (excluding our many breaks on the side of the road to go to the bathroom in the bush) on the bus driving through all kinds of villages in Cameroon. It’s really mountainous so some of the views were really amazing. When we finally arrived at our hotel at 5 last night, we were all exhausted but excited to explore our new home. We went on a short walk and could tell immediately how different Dschang is from Yaounde. There are almost no taxis, primarily dirt roads, much less crowded and quieter.

We had an incredible dinner at our hotel, pot roast, salads, chicken, rice, bread and vegetable sauce. Then we hung out for a couple hours before going on a group trip to the nightclub. When we first got there around 10 we were the only ones. But we had a drink then hit the dance floor and danced to all the American songs they were played. Eventually Cameroonians showed up and started dancing too. It was a really fun night, great to not worry about host families and French and work for the night.

This morning we woke up to a nice breakfast and headed straight to our new host families. It’s always stressful at first, not knowing what the situation will be, what the people will be like, etc. I arrived at my house and just my papa was there. He seems really nice, really quiet though. Eventually my maman and petite soeur came back from church. Patricia, who is 6, is absolutely crazy. She ran and hugged me as soon as she got in the door and hasn’t left my side since. She loves my white skin and soft hair and is constantly touching me and laughing. She’s made the transition really easy because her parents just laugh at her all the time. My house is way nicer than I expected, we have a real bathroom with a toilet and shower. We were told to expect outhouses and bucket showers, so I’m really lucky in that regard. I was also surprised that my family is so small because in Dschang people tend to have really large families. I think it will be really fun here though, a good amount of activity but also a lot of chill time, and I have my own room, which helps a lot. We’ll be here for about two weeks before going to Bamenda, an Anglophone region, for two days to meet with a local chief before returning home to Yaounde. 

Life is good in rural Cameroon.

On the bus

So many bananas!!!

Finally in Dschang

Water

Living in Africa has forced me to think about water all the time. From buying all the water that I consume because the tap water here would probably kill me, to leaking pipes, to immense amounts of rain, to the days when the running water is not working, water permeates all hours of my life in Cameroon. For the past two days we have not had running water in the house or at school. The toilets are disgusting, I haven't really showered (bucket showers leave much to be desired) and we are very anxiously awaiting the return of running water. In contrast to the lack of water in that department, yesterday I experienced the most intense rainstorm of my life. We were leaving our visit to the University in Yaounde when all the sudden the skies opened and dumped water on us. I ran a very short distance to the taxi and was absolutely drenched in a matter of minutes. To get to school we drove through an actual lake.. it was crazy. Despite the challenges it isn't that hard to live like this, but I will be excited to take a hot shower when I get home in December. 

Doesn't even portray the extent of this rain.

Gorillas!

Happy Weekend! Woke up really early this morning and took my host sisters on our Saturday day trip. We all piled into a bus and began our adventure with a trip to the boulangerie to buy lunch supplies. My sisters, of course, wanted hamburgers. They we drove all though Yaounde and well into the suburbs to a region called Bamunda. There was visited Cameroon’s only art school. The pottery was amazing.. wish I could have taken it all home with me but you’ll have to wait until Christmas to see what I bought Mom and Dad. After that we got back in the bus and headed to a gorilla sanctuary. First we saw baby chimps.. cutest things in the world. They were so playful, all over the monkey bars and other play things in their home. Then we saw some huge gorillas that are frighteningly human-like. We trekked through the forest and saw many habitats with awesome monkeys. The highlight was probably the white-bearded monkey in the pictures below with her baby. Such a fun adventure to share with my new sisters. When we got home my mom was having a bunch of friends over for a “reunion” which happen every Saturday. People were told to come at 2 and the first person didn’t arrive until 3:30.. Cameroonians are frightening lax about time.

Really didn’t think I could be as happy as I am here. I don’t think I’ve ever been as enthusiastic about new experiences or enjoyed being out of my comfort zone so much. I’m so lucky.

Host sisters on the bus ride

Pottery!

BABY CHIMPS

Surprised monkey and babyyyy

Glowing in a large tree

African dance

Pretty normal morning of classes. We talked in French class about the emergence of NGOs in Africa and what some of the frequent problems are.  Then we had to go out for thirty minutes and find someone on the street to talk to. Lauren and I went to a bar-like area right across from our school. We bought a big bottle of Fanta and sat with a big group of guys who are there every morning before we get to school and stay until long after we leave. At first I thought they were drinking for hours but it turns out it’s just their social space. It was fun to talk to them and practice in being absurdly friendly. After lunch we had an African dance class. I already knew I couldn’t dance.. now I know that I can’t dance like an African either. While we butchered what the woman was trying to teach us, two guys on drums made the coolest rhythms. Really fun to let go and try something new despite the embarrassment! 

Thyra breaking it down

Lookman being Lookman

Pretty afternoon clouds

Mokolo!

Had a quick morning of classes then had the whole afternoon to do what we wanted. On Thursdays the office is open until 8 pm instead of 4:30 and the program staff drives us back to our homes so we’re safe after dark. Yesterday a bunch of us went into centre ville and bought African fabric so today Sasha, Abby and I went to a tailor to commission clothes to be made. I’m getting a high-waited skirt.. so excited to see how it turns out! After that we took a taxi to an enormous market. It’s amazing that we could get around on our own without feeling uncomfortable or out of our element.. what a difference a week makes. We befriended a guy named Junior who loved Sasha and he had a great leather bag that I loved so I asked where I could find one like it. We went into a back alley but they didn’t have anything great so we were about to leave when he asked if I wanted to buy his. We bartered for a while and eventually I bought it for $6 and I love it so much! I’m going to the tailor to get a zipper put in tomorrow so it’s safer to walk around with it. It was such an amazing experience. But I got back though I realized that someone had slashed a big tear in my LongChamp. While concerning, nothing was taken and I guess I just realize that I have to expect some bad things to happen here and to not let them get me down, and I was so lucky to leave with all my valuables. Hopefully someone here can repair it. When we got back we went to the grocery store to get materials for dinner. We made an enormous amount of pasta, with vegetable and tomato sauce and beans.. so delicious. We played some get to know you games because we realized while we have come to rely on each other so much we really don’t know each other yet. Now going home to skim some readings and off to bed!!

Marche Mokolo! Really doesn't show at all how crazy this market actually is.

Some small shops along the road with the mountains in the background.

Junior, our new friend who sold me his bag

Pretty light at dusk

First Thursday American dinner! (Sasha, Thyra and me)

Une Visite a l'Artisanat

First day of French classes. Wasn’t really looking forward to it because I’m so used to French class being boring. But we took a field trip to l’artisanat – a market that sells things more for tourists than for locals. It was so fun to walk around and see all sorts of masks and jewelry and talk with the vendors who are, of course, very aggressive, but also very nice. It really puts our French to the test when we have to barter and fake knowledge about how much something should cost but it’s so fun. When we came back we talked about our experiences and by then it was already time for lunch. I went to a pizzeria with some guys.. just to see Cameroon’s take on pizza. It was okay not great, but definitely overpriced. After lunch we had our field study seminar where we began to talk about the research process. It was pouring after class so no exploring today. When I got home I went on a run (so tough to remember I have to be in shape when I get back!!) and started some reading. We talk so much about being integrated that I figured I can do homework anytime but when can I hang out with my African host sisters. So I talked with Maillaka (9 years old) about her school and she asked what I was doing and I learned a lot about her life and that she’s been to France a bunch of times because her dad is living there right now. Had to stay up later than normal to finish reading but definitely worth it. We had a great dinner of pasta with bolognaise, carrots, yams and pineapple - my favorite meal since being here. Starting to get in the swing of things!

Also sidenote – please comment! I love reading them and it makes me happy to check my email and find emails from everyone!

Part of the l'artisanat 

Selfies in the market

View from the porch

My family!!

Je suis etudiante! (September 10)

Today was the first day of school and I was so excited to hear about everyone’s experiences with their host families and speak some English! There was really quite a range. One family doesn’t have running water at all and they have to do retrieve it from a dangerous trench, but on the other end of the spectrum another family has a maid and does very little manual labor. We talked about host family experiences all morning and at noon went to find lunch. We are given $3 every day for lunch and you can easily go to a restaurant and eat for that much. A couple other girls and I opted to buy supplies at the grocery store and cook it at the office though, scrambled eggs with green peppers yum. We talked for a while in the afternoon then went exploring. When I got home my host mother was wearing my scarf which was definitely weird but the culture here is very communal so what belongs to me belongs to them. Something to get used to. I gave them presents for having me stay with them, coloring books, crayons, mini lollipops, Red Sox hat and shirt and bouncy balls. The kids went wild they were so excited. I hung out with my 5 year old sister for a while before dinner and we played dolls and I showed her pictures of my family which she loved. I’m starting to feel like a real part of the family :)

Road to school

View from school

Ilana et moi!! In the living room of my house.

Moi? Je viens de Cameroon (September 8)

First morning really living in Cameroon. The girls started to warm up to me, the strange white girl in their house. We walked around the backyard and chased the chickens (and the roosters that are my new 5 am alarm clocks), two super cute kittens and the “guard dog” Julie who is actually the sweetest. Then I went out with Maman to do errands. The roads here are all filled with vendors and markets and the roads are madness with absolutely no rules. We took an enormous bag of peanuts to a guy who grinded them up, mixed them with rice and turned the combination into a powder we later made into balls of doughy stuff. It was quite the scene to observe while we waited with a vendor in front of us salting tons of sheep skins. Maman took the scraps off the ground (complete with hair) to cook for the dog and for our live-in maid who likes the meat from the pieces. After we were done Maman dropped me at the office for my language placement test. After the test I attempted to walk home and found the street very easily but for the life of me could not find the right gate. I walked for an hour up and down the street looking like a complete fool. It was a little scary because guys kept walking with me and telling me how “exquisite” I was. Trying to realize that this is just the culture and they do this to Cameroonian girls too but didn’t feel very comfortable with it happening while I was alone. But FINALLY I found my house! Such a relief. Watched French television with Maman for a while then made some dinner but in the middle of eating the power went off which is apparently very common. But pas de probleme! Dinner by lantern and off to bed. Overall great first day being Cameroonian, despite the challenges.

A picture of the whole group! 

Bye bye Monastery Bonjour Familles d'Accueil! (September 7)

Woke up for our last morning in the monastery this morning and had our typical breakfast of powered milk and chocolate powder and bread and left to see the SIT office for the first time. It’s a really cute building with a classroom and a room that the students can use to hang out or nap between classes. There is also a kitchen, which will definitely come in handy. We learned about the classes we will be taking - French, Seminar on Development, Seminar on Diversity in Cameroon and a Field Study Seminar where we will learn how to do our big research project at the end of the semester. And finally, after so much waiting, we got to meet our host families!! My host mom (Maman) picked me up and took me to her house where I met her daughter (Marisse) who is a German professor at the University. She lives in the house with Maman with her two daughters, Maillaka who is 9 and Illana who is 5. At first it was a little awkward but they are all so nice it will be great! I have my own bedroom and bathroom attached to the house but you have to go outside to get to it. We prepared dinner together – rice, tomatoes and little fish, complete with a tail and head. Gotta get used to Cameroon food!

New friend Lauren! Yaounde in the background.

Main area of the monastery.

First Experience in Yaounde (September 6)

Today the program directors paired us up and dropped each pair off in an unknown location in Yaounde. We had a list of places to find and information to gather with no map and no other help. My partner Lindsay and I were dropped off in the middle of a crowded square and it was terrifying. But within one minute of being dropped off a young guy came over and asked us if we needed help and proceeded to walk with us for an hour around Yaounde showing us places and telling us how beautiful we were. It was explained in orientation that the men here are very aggressive and they will often ask you out repeatedly but it’s normal and we should just say no. Eventually we told him that we had to explore on our own for a while and meet other people but wow it was hard to get rid of him and he insisted on giving us his number. We wandered completely directionless for a while when we eventually arrived at a huge marketplace and we asked some guys who approached us for help and they walked around with us asking tons of questions and asking if we could take them to the United States with us. It was nearing the end of the day but we wanted to find one last place so we asked a security guard if we were going the right way and he left, got changed, and walked us all the way there. People are absurdly friendly and helpful here. Finally we took a car (for 20 cents USD!) back up to our monastery. Such a cool experience and so reassuring to realize how great the people are here!! 

Walking through the mountains 

View of Yaounde through the trees

Alive and Well in Cameroon (September 5)

What a crazy couple of days it has been. Finally arrived last night and met as a group of 12. We took a crazy hour long drive weaving in and out of other cars, motorcycles and people to our orientation site at a monastery above the capital city of Yaounde. On Friday we will move to our first home stay in the city but until then we are having orientation and learning all about Cameroon culture and finally trying Cameroonian food! A bientot!

View from the balcony of my room.. the capital city of Yaounde is in the distance.