Hi Everyone! We are doing fine. We have been so busy and haven't had the chance to post any of our messages. Internet is also really slow here, so that has been challenging. Also the internet cafe closes at 6pm. Thanks for all the comments and replies. Miss you!
P.S. Thanks to Bern and Joan for making us laugh out loud and to Annie for keeping us informed all the normal wonderful activities at home. -Kathy
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Greetings from Cameroon. You are welcome. That’s what everybody says here. But sometimes we wonder if that is how our host family feels. We are experiencing some technical difficulties. At first they gave us food then they stopped and told us we had to cook for ourselves. This is after we had given a substantial amount of money for our food and general keep. The Warden (that’s what they really call the Principle at this school) has left on a trip and the woman she left in charge said she left her almost no money for food. She insisted we take all our meals in the house and that she would help us cook, but she was out of all staples. This girl is one of the ones we thought was the Wardens daughter. It turns out no one is really blood related except for a niece who went back to University. Anyway, I suggested that I would buy what the household needed but could we then just eat what she cooked. The food is all fresh and good albeit different. This girl tricked me into buying huge supplies of everything and then she still won’t feed us. We had to buy gas for the range. There is no oven. I bought her a huge bottle of oil. They usually just fill empty bottles they bring to the marketplace. We paid for everything and helped the young girl, Honerine, who they make do all the cleaning carry it home. The older girls don’t have to do that kind of work. Oh, but cleaning is not an accurate term. By cleaning I mean moving dirty rags around and carrying heavy things-and working on the family farm, a small plot somewhere. Anyway we bought it all but whenever we went to add some fruit or fresh vegetables to our starch, it was all gone. Then when we were out they would just run to the market and get just enough fresh stuff for themselves. This girl, Edwan, had given us such a convincing sob story we really thought they weren’t eating. She was practically crying that the Warden did this to her often and they all practically starved. Then one afternoon I see her giving a huge plate of food
to a man who works at the school who has now been at the house everyday since the Mama Cat has been away. Said food was the last of a huge salad we had made the night before that was financed by me. I told her not to be feeding everyone else with our food. “This is Africa,” she said. They have to feed people like that when they came over. It turns out that that is the truth if a man comes over. When Polycarp comes over she makes him a huge plate of food too. Not to mention bringing in a basin for him to dip his hand in. I could go on and on but I’ll wrap it up. I just need to tell you one more thing.
Remember Honerine the young girl (about 16) who I mentioned. Well, Sunday she complained in the morning of a headache. I gave her an Advil. Then she came down with a fever. Edwan took her to a local clinic who described all her symptoms as what we would consider the flu. There was no doctor available so they sent her home. She got worse and worse. This man who works at the same clinic for the poor that Polycarp works at came by with his wife just to say hello to me and Hayley. Well it was a Godsend because Honerine actually had Malaria. This man calls himself a doctor, but he is actually a lab technician. Anyway he went to his clinic and bought back a drip. He took blood but said he would check it in the morning. It turns out she has Typhoid too. She had so much in her bloodstream she needed an extra drip treatment (4 IV’s total). Now she is on pills and doing much better. She had chills so bad, that even in this stifling heat we couldn’t keep her warm. Everyday she gets a little better.
Ok back to my first complaint. Guess who came crying to me to reimburse her for the money to pay for the treatment? You guessed it, my good friend, Edwan. She said she had no money -that she borrowed it from her friend and she needed the money back. So I gave it to her friend. I gave a Cameroonian fortune to these people and again I see her feeding her man friend with food I provided, but mixed in with all fresh ingredients she had mysteriously now had money to purchase at the market. “ That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more”. I finally had it out with her. I just wanted her to know I knew what she was doing. She raised her voice back at me after her usual lies and BS wouldn’t work. But the harshest thing I said to her was to never ask me for money or anything again. So now Hayley and I have wised up’. Hayley saw through people faster than I did. It took me a whole week. Polycarp has been jerking our chains too. But later that day (Tuesday), I told him too. I was just too generous to everybody and some people took advantage. The people here are really friendly but so many try to befriend us just to start asking what we can give them or how we can help them once we go back to the USA. So now we know.
Next time I’ll write about the good stuff again and there is plenty. The kids and the teachers really appreciate us. Remember that teacher who at first didn’t really want me to work with her. Now we get along great. She is a good confidante. She knows how some of the people are. She understands Europeans as she thinks of us and realizes Africans think very differently than Westerners. The teachers actually hit the kids. The men do it with whips. Maybe Hayley will tell you about her experience today in the computer lab. Maribel says they have to because the parents don’t discipline them at home. But she knows it upsets me so she won’t do it when I’m there. Overall though the kids have been pretty good and seem eager to learn. Oh! I made a mistake too when I wrote that mostly everyone spoke French. I was wrong. It’s pigeon English with a French accent…more on that next time. I really miss you all. Thanks to Gooma, Annie, Joan, Evan, and Laura for blogging back. Everybody else better get cracken. We’re sometimes a little lonely here. Just like Gilligan’s Island-as primitive as can be, as primitive as can be.
-Kathy
to a man who works at the school who has now been at the house everyday since the Mama Cat has been away. Said food was the last of a huge salad we had made the night before that was financed by me. I told her not to be feeding everyone else with our food. “This is Africa,” she said. They have to feed people like that when they came over. It turns out that that is the truth if a man comes over. When Polycarp comes over she makes him a huge plate of food too. Not to mention bringing in a basin for him to dip his hand in. I could go on and on but I’ll wrap it up. I just need to tell you one more thing.
Remember Honerine the young girl (about 16) who I mentioned. Well, Sunday she complained in the morning of a headache. I gave her an Advil. Then she came down with a fever. Edwan took her to a local clinic who described all her symptoms as what we would consider the flu. There was no doctor available so they sent her home. She got worse and worse. This man who works at the same clinic for the poor that Polycarp works at came by with his wife just to say hello to me and Hayley. Well it was a Godsend because Honerine actually had Malaria. This man calls himself a doctor, but he is actually a lab technician. Anyway he went to his clinic and bought back a drip. He took blood but said he would check it in the morning. It turns out she has Typhoid too. She had so much in her bloodstream she needed an extra drip treatment (4 IV’s total). Now she is on pills and doing much better. She had chills so bad, that even in this stifling heat we couldn’t keep her warm. Everyday she gets a little better.
Ok back to my first complaint. Guess who came crying to me to reimburse her for the money to pay for the treatment? You guessed it, my good friend, Edwan. She said she had no money -that she borrowed it from her friend and she needed the money back. So I gave it to her friend. I gave a Cameroonian fortune to these people and again I see her feeding her man friend with food I provided, but mixed in with all fresh ingredients she had mysteriously now had money to purchase at the market. “ That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more”. I finally had it out with her. I just wanted her to know I knew what she was doing. She raised her voice back at me after her usual lies and BS wouldn’t work. But the harshest thing I said to her was to never ask me for money or anything again. So now Hayley and I have wised up’. Hayley saw through people faster than I did. It took me a whole week. Polycarp has been jerking our chains too. But later that day (Tuesday), I told him too. I was just too generous to everybody and some people took advantage. The people here are really friendly but so many try to befriend us just to start asking what we can give them or how we can help them once we go back to the USA. So now we know.
Next time I’ll write about the good stuff again and there is plenty. The kids and the teachers really appreciate us. Remember that teacher who at first didn’t really want me to work with her. Now we get along great. She is a good confidante. She knows how some of the people are. She understands Europeans as she thinks of us and realizes Africans think very differently than Westerners. The teachers actually hit the kids. The men do it with whips. Maybe Hayley will tell you about her experience today in the computer lab. Maribel says they have to because the parents don’t discipline them at home. But she knows it upsets me so she won’t do it when I’m there. Overall though the kids have been pretty good and seem eager to learn. Oh! I made a mistake too when I wrote that mostly everyone spoke French. I was wrong. It’s pigeon English with a French accent…more on that next time. I really miss you all. Thanks to Gooma, Annie, Joan, Evan, and Laura for blogging back. Everybody else better get cracken. We’re sometimes a little lonely here. Just like Gilligan’s Island-as primitive as can be, as primitive as can be.
-Kathy
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Hayley already told you about our hurricane like rain storm. So where should I pick up? It’s Thursday already and we’ve been very busy. We haven’t even had time to write at all. We have met so many people. It’s been great though hard to remember and pronounce everyone’s name. Mentioning pronunciation, all the kids keep laughing at us for the way we talk. The Cameroonians we meet keep telling us we’re in the English province of the country or as they say it the “Anglophone” side, but I couldn’t swear to it. Everybody sounds French to me. It’s Madame and Bonjour and many signs are in French. French is definitely the dominate language here but they seem eager to learn English. Hayley is a big hit. Even the teachers want her to instruct them in computers. I’m finally being put to use in the classroom. The teacher whom the principle assigned me to was kind of putting me off. She never wanted me to come to her classroom. She just told me I’d start teaching possessive pronouns next Monday. Finally yesterday I asked to be assigned to the other English teacher and then Mirabel said I could observe her class and that she would work with me. So now I’ll be working with both teachers. I’m looking forward to meeting with the Nursery school teachers tomorrow. Hayley and I are finally going to be giving the kids the toys and art supplies and few books we bought over. Now I wish we had had room to bring even more. The kids have no toys. We have given so many away already. We’re also going to give writing supplies to all the teachers. The school is unlike anything we have ever seen. They need everything. They are doing the best they can, but with almost nothing. And I mean NOTHING! The building is dilapidated and unsafe. There are no decorations of any kind. No fresh paint, no posters, not enough books etc. And still everyone smiles.
Yesterday, Polycarp took us to a fishing village. It was like stepping back in time. Again, the people were nice. We saw how they smoke the fish, the canoe-like long boats they use, and the stable-like houses they live in. They are migrant fisherman. We also visit Polycarp’s clinic everyday. We met two woman who work here as volunteers for a social justice organization. They are both really nice and are roommates. Gene is from Alabama and Yanna is from Germany. We are going to go to the beach with them on a weekend and they said they’ll take us to a place we’re we can get a cappuccino. I can’t wait. I’ve been in Africa for 4 days (a huge coffee exporter) and haven’t found a place that sells coffee yet.
-Kathy
Yesterday, Polycarp took us to a fishing village. It was like stepping back in time. Again, the people were nice. We saw how they smoke the fish, the canoe-like long boats they use, and the stable-like houses they live in. They are migrant fisherman. We also visit Polycarp’s clinic everyday. We met two woman who work here as volunteers for a social justice organization. They are both really nice and are roommates. Gene is from Alabama and Yanna is from Germany. We are going to go to the beach with them on a weekend and they said they’ll take us to a place we’re we can get a cappuccino. I can’t wait. I’ve been in Africa for 4 days (a huge coffee exporter) and haven’t found a place that sells coffee yet.
-Kathy
Rainy Season
Last night we were awoken by a load crack and then the sounds of the most intense down pour I have ever witnessed. The doors leading to the outside of the house started banging from the wind. At first it was a little frightening but when I felt the cool breeze trough the window I welcomed the rain. I only wish we hadn't left out clothes to dry outside on the line overnight. When we checked them in the morning them were luckily still there, but they were more soaked then when we washed them. This is what they call the beginning of rainy season in Cameroon. As a result of last night today is much cooler. I would be happy if it rained every night. I should be careful for what I wish for though because apparently there is a period where it rains for 10 days straight... day and night.
-Hayley
-Hayley
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
We have arrived! It is so hot here! Almost unbearable. We have come to terms with the fact that we are just going to sweat constantly for 10 straight weeks. Polycarp and Rosemary picked us up at the airport in Douala yesterday and then we drove down to Limbe. Rosemary is the principal of the school where we will be teaching. We are staying in here house with her family which is on the school property. We were greeted this morning by all the students. The day starts very early here…. sunrise when the roosters crow outside our window, literally. The children are so sweet. The little ones in preschool run right up and hug you. Polycarp runs the health clinic and he took us to see his operations after we were done meeting all the students. We had a meeting with him and his colleagues, Wilson and Dr. John, to discuss what we will be doing over our two and a half month stay and what we are looking to accomplish. Polycarp has been so helpful. He has set up internet for us with a little office/café right next door to the school. He also escorted us all around town today running errands, exchanging money, etc. We are really being taken care of. When we saw Polycarps clinic and lab today we really started to understand how much the C.U.R.E. kit is going to help (a box of medical supplies we brought with us). He is so excited about receiving it that he once we started telling him what was in it he decided he was going to move the meeting that was going to be Monday to tomorrow or the next day. The supplies are being donated on behalf of the Rotary Club so that the Rotary club of Limbe and NY can partner. We are under very specific direction to only present Polycarp’s clinic with the supplies at the Rotary meeting so we may document with pictures!
Rosemary has three daughters ages 26, 20, 15. They are so much fun and so sweet. We went to market with Edwan and her friend Pascaline. All the food is bought in a big open market. We bought oranges, plantains, corn, sweet potatoes, some kind of seeds, and ginger. Edwan and her sisters are going to teach us how to cook. They are excellent cooks. Also Edwan has a friend who can make us some African dresses, so on Friday its back to market to pick out some material and have them made for us!
-Hayley
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Hi everyone it’s the other one. Well’ we’re here. We’re alive. And we’re well. At least I am. Hayley threw up once. But she’s better now. Everyone here is so nice to us. They truly could not be kinder. So we’re in good hands. But the first feeling when we got off that plane in Douala and we felt that heat, then we saw an airport so different from any we’d ever seen-not knowing really which way to go, exhausted and jet lagged, it felt strange. I felt like a stranger in a strange land. Polycarp, his friend Enist, and Rosemary were there waiting for us with a sign. Hayley saw them first I had been directed to a different line by a man I assumed worked there, but he was just trying to shake me down for money. After we got thru customs, he kept asking me if I changed my money and insisted he would take us there. Finally I caught on. I tried to get rid of him with a euro. But he only wanted Cameroon money. Anyway, it was funny. Then a bunch of boys tried to carry our bags even though all of us had the bags so they just put their hands on it and still asked for money. We had a 45 minute drive to Limbe. People were just every where, walking all along the road. Drivers just do what they want. There seem to be no rules or laws for vehicles. It got dark pretty quick- though not quite as fast as I had heard. It took about a half hour but by 7:00pm it was dark. BLAH BLAH BLAH… more later. We must go to market. It is market day.
-Kathy
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