Saturday I visited my friend in the next town over for their market. I’m very excited that she (and by extension me) has a new friend! Louise, she is a VSO volunteer from England.
Sunday I prepared patates and peanut sauce with Mariam, my neighbor. Patates are pretty similar to potatoes but for whatever reason the potatoes are no longer available and I had been a little hesitant about preparing them… mostly I wasn’t sure if I wanted to incorporate another starch into my diet. But the French family served them to me incorporated into an omelet and turns out, patates are definitely way more delicious than potatoes. They’re sweet, not sweet potatoe sweet, these are still just as bland, but just with the addition of sugar. So, I’ve got another entrée to add into my rotation of couscous/lentils, spaghetti and tomato sauce, peanut butter on Nigerian “coasters” (biscuits) and eggs. It’s getting pretty deluxe over here. Meanwhile my attempt at making Guava juice was an absolute disaster. Putting fruit into boiling water does not transform it into juice… but I’m not ready to give up on that one yet.
Today I rode a donkey down my street. All these kids were chasing after it and I’m still not sure what happened.
The workers have been coming rather consistently and I’m hopeful that my wall will actually get completed…. When my landlord stopped by, I asked him about the arrangements for the door. The wall covers about 95% of the yard, but then the driveway/entrance is just open. He seemed shocked/appalled that I would want a door in addition to the fence. I tried to explain, what is the point of fixing the wall at all, if for example ,the kids can still run up to my house and mess up my electricity. I didn’t mention how the puppy, which is most definitely coming my way, needs a place to run around/poop not in my house but not get lost.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Football
I’m currently sitting at home holding a bottle of pineapple juice to my head since I managed to collide with one of my students during the world cup football extravaganza that ensued this afternoon. How do I get myself into these situations? Today was the opening ceremony of clubs. This involved a parade and a teachers vs. students football match. Of course nobody explained any details to me and there was sketchy weather so everything started a couple hours late.
Anyways, everyone kept asking me if I was going to play in the football game. Turns out it was much more intense then I could have imagined. First of all, there were matching jerseys and shorts with our school logo on them. Apparently no female teachers had ever participated before and there were no girls playing on the student team either. So, just me. They insisted on “starting” me. It was pretty funny to realize that people were cheering for me when I heard “madam, madam” from the sides. Anyways, I was doing okay and kicked the ball a couple of times. I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for being open so much… then I counted the players on the field. They had totally just added me in as an extra person! They figured they’d just let me run around a little bit, lol, and somehow I still manage to get hurt!?!
So afterwards there was a reception. You know how when you chew and it sort of moves your whole head? So that’s when I realized I had quite a bump developing. When I got home I called my friend Liz who was in the middle of talking me through the symptoms of a concussion when my phone ran out of battery and refuses to be charged. So I thought shoot, now Liz thinks that I’ve passed out and I’m lying here so I ventured out to the call box to tell her that I was okay. And then I got some cold pineapple juice… bringing me to my current situation of one handed typing…. Blurgh! But I’m not nauseous or dizzy or have weird pupils so I should be in the clear.
Anyways, everyone kept asking me if I was going to play in the football game. Turns out it was much more intense then I could have imagined. First of all, there were matching jerseys and shorts with our school logo on them. Apparently no female teachers had ever participated before and there were no girls playing on the student team either. So, just me. They insisted on “starting” me. It was pretty funny to realize that people were cheering for me when I heard “madam, madam” from the sides. Anyways, I was doing okay and kicked the ball a couple of times. I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for being open so much… then I counted the players on the field. They had totally just added me in as an extra person! They figured they’d just let me run around a little bit, lol, and somehow I still manage to get hurt!?!
So afterwards there was a reception. You know how when you chew and it sort of moves your whole head? So that’s when I realized I had quite a bump developing. When I got home I called my friend Liz who was in the middle of talking me through the symptoms of a concussion when my phone ran out of battery and refuses to be charged. So I thought shoot, now Liz thinks that I’ve passed out and I’m lying here so I ventured out to the call box to tell her that I was okay. And then I got some cold pineapple juice… bringing me to my current situation of one handed typing…. Blurgh! But I’m not nauseous or dizzy or have weird pupils so I should be in the clear.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Great Success
Today I found avocados, apples, limes and bananas at the market, here in my village, I am beyond jazzed!!! Unfortunatly, I think I have heat rash. Its definitely been over 100 degrees these last couple of days.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Teacher's Day
We celebrated Teacher's Day in Mora, the regional capital, so I got to meet up with Liz and Rose there! 
This is me with Monique and Beatrice, the two other female teachers at my school. Monique is actually from the South while Beatrice is from the extreme north but not from my village originally. You could choose between orange and green for the Teacher's Day pagne!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Happy Columbus Day America
Friday it hailed. The kids like to chew on the ice particles. I don’t understand temperature wise how it can go from burning hot to ice falling from the sky?
Sunday I got sick, the lightbulb in my bedroom burned out and my cell phone died and refused to charge. I’m starting to get used to over-sharing my health issues with my boss.
Columbus Day was not celebrated here. I’m unclear about whether that was just a holiday at Georgetown or if that counts in the real world too. But then this morning the principal took what I assume was a student’s confiscated cell phone, and split it open with a hammer in front of all the students during the weekly flag ceremony. It was pretty awesome, I stopped feeling sorry for myself about Columbus Day and kept trying to picture Mr. Achey doing something like this.
Additionally, I feel better now and my neighbor lent me her extra cell phone battery so I’m back in business. Another volunteer is popping by tomorrow afternoon for the market and I’m giving my first English Exams.
Sunday I got sick, the lightbulb in my bedroom burned out and my cell phone died and refused to charge. I’m starting to get used to over-sharing my health issues with my boss.
Columbus Day was not celebrated here. I’m unclear about whether that was just a holiday at Georgetown or if that counts in the real world too. But then this morning the principal took what I assume was a student’s confiscated cell phone, and split it open with a hammer in front of all the students during the weekly flag ceremony. It was pretty awesome, I stopped feeling sorry for myself about Columbus Day and kept trying to picture Mr. Achey doing something like this.
Additionally, I feel better now and my neighbor lent me her extra cell phone battery so I’m back in business. Another volunteer is popping by tomorrow afternoon for the market and I’m giving my first English Exams.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Teacher's Day!
The power was in fact out for most of last week after a big storm we had. So when my lights went out Sunday for no apparent reason I was pretty annoyed but not really surprised. I lit some candles and went to bed ridiculously early. But when I brought this up at school on Monday, the other teachers looked at me quizzically, turns out nobody else had their power cut. So then I thought maybe this was because I haven’t paid any electricity bills yet. I found my neighbor Mamoudou to ask about how one locates/pays their bill. He walked over, clicked the switch in front of my house from off to on. Apparently the kids had been playing with it and just flicked off my power.
Needless to say, I am looking forward to this wall getting built around my house. My landlord brought over the guys who will be building it. And they’ve been a couple times ridiculously early in the morning, but it’s not like they’re waking me up. My yard is actually a pretty happening place because Mamoudou has taken on the project of building a “donkey” in my yard as well. This is the Fulfulde word for four tree branches shoved into the ground with a roof. So, you can sit outside and have a little shade. He suggested it because I can also put some mats/stick furniture etc. out there and then it can turn into a place where you can have people visit but don’t necessarily have to invite every single person into your house.
I have secured a giant tub of peanut butter! There are tons of peanuts here, and you can find what’s called pate d’arachides in the market. But, it comes in these little tiny plastic bags. I have no idea how they get it in there but I’m sure you can imagine the sticky mess that ensues as you try to actually use it. Or at least when I try. Usually the Cameroonians use this to make their traditional booya drink. For that, it ends up getting heated. I however had been using it to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Which I would always eat with a little apprehension, wondering if there might be cholera in the peanut butter but then not really caring enough to not enjoy the peanut butter. Anyways the market wasn’t really underway by the time I needed to head out on Tuesday so Mamoudou offered to pick up the rest of the things I needed. He had the whole idea about just buying a ton of peanuts and then getting them ground because then I’d know that they were clean. My little neighbor Fati turned up at my house later with a huge pot full of it and I’m very pleased!
At least it’s one more thing that does not require its own separate plastic bag. I usually bring my own market bag with me but nobody understands the concept when I say that I don’t want a plastic bag. They are all such poor quality with holes and stuff so they break and they get thrown on the ground and there’s no recycling! For example, the other day Mamoudo brought me a sac of petit poids. I’m not sure what they are exactly. At first I was worried that they were cola nuts which the Camerounians all love but I’ve heard from everyone are gross. I was told to wash them and then boil them for 30min or 1hr for bien cuiller. Then I take off the shells, to eat the nut that it is inside. I think he said something about eating them with tomatoes? Tbd. Anyways, of course all these petits poids were jammed into this paper thin plastic bag. And I walk about 5 steps down the street, and the bag breaks and its petit poids everywhere, right in the middle of the street. It was pretty classic. Of course all the little kids who tend to just follow me around anyways were right there to help clean it up and everything was ca va in no time but it was a little embarrassing.
So, Teacher’s Day was Tuesday. I guess having this day off sort of made up for classes starting on Labor Day? First of all, everybody was shocked and appalled that Teacher’s Day was not similarly celebrated in the U.S. They were like, but its International Teacher’s Day. I must say it would be a pretty entertaining thing to bring back. All the teachers from a couple towns gathered in Mora (in our matching Teacher’s Day pagne…pictures soon) and marched in a parade. I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a parade before. I realized halfway through that everyone was trying to match their steps to mine as we were supposed to be synchronized and I was just cruising. There was an interesting reception afterwards where they shuffled Liz, Rose and I around very awkwardly. At first someone decided that we were important enough to sit in the special room with the “grands,” the government officials, principals, etc. Then just when we were about to get food we got pulled out of line and sent back to the ordinary teachers. Nobody knows.
Later that night, back in my village, all the teachers went to a bar for a more local celebration. I was pretty excited as it was one of two times I’ve been out after dark here. There were some teachers there from the neighboring smaller villages and the Catholic mission school so that was cool. I was horrified to discover that we were supposed to eat again as I had been eating all day. But they had chicken and these French fries things that were delicious! The French fries actually weren’t potatoes, they were patates. I’m not exactly sure what a patate is. I don’t think we have them in America. But they have pomme de terres which are in fact potatoes here, and I think that the patates might be slightly more of a special thing, unclear. Bottom line, just another white startch that I’m eating like it’s my job and actually starting to enjoy (eek!)
Needless to say, I am looking forward to this wall getting built around my house. My landlord brought over the guys who will be building it. And they’ve been a couple times ridiculously early in the morning, but it’s not like they’re waking me up. My yard is actually a pretty happening place because Mamoudou has taken on the project of building a “donkey” in my yard as well. This is the Fulfulde word for four tree branches shoved into the ground with a roof. So, you can sit outside and have a little shade. He suggested it because I can also put some mats/stick furniture etc. out there and then it can turn into a place where you can have people visit but don’t necessarily have to invite every single person into your house.
I have secured a giant tub of peanut butter! There are tons of peanuts here, and you can find what’s called pate d’arachides in the market. But, it comes in these little tiny plastic bags. I have no idea how they get it in there but I’m sure you can imagine the sticky mess that ensues as you try to actually use it. Or at least when I try. Usually the Cameroonians use this to make their traditional booya drink. For that, it ends up getting heated. I however had been using it to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Which I would always eat with a little apprehension, wondering if there might be cholera in the peanut butter but then not really caring enough to not enjoy the peanut butter. Anyways the market wasn’t really underway by the time I needed to head out on Tuesday so Mamoudou offered to pick up the rest of the things I needed. He had the whole idea about just buying a ton of peanuts and then getting them ground because then I’d know that they were clean. My little neighbor Fati turned up at my house later with a huge pot full of it and I’m very pleased!
At least it’s one more thing that does not require its own separate plastic bag. I usually bring my own market bag with me but nobody understands the concept when I say that I don’t want a plastic bag. They are all such poor quality with holes and stuff so they break and they get thrown on the ground and there’s no recycling! For example, the other day Mamoudo brought me a sac of petit poids. I’m not sure what they are exactly. At first I was worried that they were cola nuts which the Camerounians all love but I’ve heard from everyone are gross. I was told to wash them and then boil them for 30min or 1hr for bien cuiller. Then I take off the shells, to eat the nut that it is inside. I think he said something about eating them with tomatoes? Tbd. Anyways, of course all these petits poids were jammed into this paper thin plastic bag. And I walk about 5 steps down the street, and the bag breaks and its petit poids everywhere, right in the middle of the street. It was pretty classic. Of course all the little kids who tend to just follow me around anyways were right there to help clean it up and everything was ca va in no time but it was a little embarrassing.
So, Teacher’s Day was Tuesday. I guess having this day off sort of made up for classes starting on Labor Day? First of all, everybody was shocked and appalled that Teacher’s Day was not similarly celebrated in the U.S. They were like, but its International Teacher’s Day. I must say it would be a pretty entertaining thing to bring back. All the teachers from a couple towns gathered in Mora (in our matching Teacher’s Day pagne…pictures soon) and marched in a parade. I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a parade before. I realized halfway through that everyone was trying to match their steps to mine as we were supposed to be synchronized and I was just cruising. There was an interesting reception afterwards where they shuffled Liz, Rose and I around very awkwardly. At first someone decided that we were important enough to sit in the special room with the “grands,” the government officials, principals, etc. Then just when we were about to get food we got pulled out of line and sent back to the ordinary teachers. Nobody knows.
Later that night, back in my village, all the teachers went to a bar for a more local celebration. I was pretty excited as it was one of two times I’ve been out after dark here. There were some teachers there from the neighboring smaller villages and the Catholic mission school so that was cool. I was horrified to discover that we were supposed to eat again as I had been eating all day. But they had chicken and these French fries things that were delicious! The French fries actually weren’t potatoes, they were patates. I’m not exactly sure what a patate is. I don’t think we have them in America. But they have pomme de terres which are in fact potatoes here, and I think that the patates might be slightly more of a special thing, unclear. Bottom line, just another white startch that I’m eating like it’s my job and actually starting to enjoy (eek!)
Friday, October 1, 2010
We had a huge rainstorm last Saturday and the power went out and stayed that way through Thursday!
I came into Maroua for a meeting with the CDC about the Cholera Epidemic in the Extreme North. Last year there were about 700 cases, but this year there's already been over 7000. Over 200 of those cases have been in my town- but not in the towncenter where I live. They count all the surrounding smaller villages around my town together with the center. We're going to work with the local medical officers to distribute oral rehydration salts in our communities.
There's another volunteer who's dog is about to have puppies any day now! Two have already been promised but if she has 3 puppies than I'll get one!!! I'm so excited.
The library at my school is finally open and I'm in charge of it! So, I'll be spending some more time at the school doing that and hopefully I'll be able to do some extra English help there.
The rainy season is coming to a close. This is very good news for me. Basically, no work gets done in the rainy season because everyone is working on their farms and the roads become impassable. But, my landlord has promised that once it stops raining he'll clean out my water tank so I can get it filled up and have quasi-running water. Also he'll start building the fence around my house.
I've officially started the Fulfulde lessons! I told my neighbor/moto driver this on the way into Maroua and he decided he was going to teach me Fulfulde during the 1 and 1/2 hour ride into town. I have a difficult enough time understanding him when he's speaking in French, on the moto, not facing me, me having my ears obstructed in the helmet. So I didn't really grasp a ton of the Fulfulde that he was saying... but he was pretty impressed by the words that I already had learned...
It was so nice to hear from all you gtowners during Homecoming
I came into Maroua for a meeting with the CDC about the Cholera Epidemic in the Extreme North. Last year there were about 700 cases, but this year there's already been over 7000. Over 200 of those cases have been in my town- but not in the towncenter where I live. They count all the surrounding smaller villages around my town together with the center. We're going to work with the local medical officers to distribute oral rehydration salts in our communities.
There's another volunteer who's dog is about to have puppies any day now! Two have already been promised but if she has 3 puppies than I'll get one!!! I'm so excited.
The library at my school is finally open and I'm in charge of it! So, I'll be spending some more time at the school doing that and hopefully I'll be able to do some extra English help there.
The rainy season is coming to a close. This is very good news for me. Basically, no work gets done in the rainy season because everyone is working on their farms and the roads become impassable. But, my landlord has promised that once it stops raining he'll clean out my water tank so I can get it filled up and have quasi-running water. Also he'll start building the fence around my house.
I've officially started the Fulfulde lessons! I told my neighbor/moto driver this on the way into Maroua and he decided he was going to teach me Fulfulde during the 1 and 1/2 hour ride into town. I have a difficult enough time understanding him when he's speaking in French, on the moto, not facing me, me having my ears obstructed in the helmet. So I didn't really grasp a ton of the Fulfulde that he was saying... but he was pretty impressed by the words that I already had learned...
It was so nice to hear from all you gtowners during Homecoming
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