The Good Days

Some days, things take place so smoothly much to my surprise; today was one of those days. This morning could have gone like this: I could’ve left my house and not able to find a moto into town and have to walk 30 minutes. Once I reach the Carrefour, I could’ve waited another 30 minutes to find a car to Bandjoun, where I have my French tutoring, and then be completely late for my 10am appointment. After my lesson, I could’ve walked another 20 minutes without finding a moto back to town, and then have to argue with the moto guys or the drivers about getting a ride back to my village. Then, I could’ve gone into my bank in the afternoon and sit there for 3 hours without really meeting anyone and study French words that I likely won’t remember.

Instead, my day went like this: I left my house and there was moto guy coming my way and took me to town. As soon as I reached the carrefour, there was a car taking me to Bandjoun, and I was able to ride most of the way with only 3 people in the back seat! I then got a moto guy right as I got off the car to take me to my teacher’s house. I was there for my lesson by 9:25am. During this smooth process, I was thinking that even though transportation can frustrate me to my bones (see previous entry), I still can get around much better without a car here than I could in a driving city like St. Louis. That’s quite the shame.

After my lessons, I got three packages from Anna, who received packaged from HQ for people in the West. Three flat-rate size boxes full of goodies from the US of A (2 actually from Guam!). I didn’t have a way of carrying them back, so I borrowed a duffle back from Gaston (my French tutor) and unpacked the boxes into the bag. I got a box from my parents and two from Michelle. In the package from my family, I got practical things like seeds for my garden, some clothes, Chinese snacks, Starbucks coffee, delicious Tazo teabags, Season I of Sex & the City and other great movies of mine! And then I get to the boxes from Michelle, and I gotta give it to her for the work she put into them. One box was full of yummy snacks and another full of goodies wrapped in colorful tissues and ribbons. When I got home, it took a good half an hour to unwrap all the items I had received and then it took another half an hour to get over the excitement. I think I was more excited with all of my goodies than I’ve been at Christmas. Kate took pictures to document the utter ridiculous/marvelous pile of things sitting in my living room. It was as if I had just gone to Target and raided the store. I am so absolutely loved and forever grateful!

Other great thing of today includes some progress in community connection. I decided to not go to the bank per usual and instead walk around town and talk to people. I found a furniture guy who will make me things I need after I get some pictures, hopefully printed from Pier One or Crate and Barrel! I then took Kate to this fantastic spot on top of a hill that overlooks the village and its surrounding towns. We sat on the great big rock surrounded by unruly natural grass and took in the breathtaking view. The sky was blue and grey decorated with dramatic fast changing fluffy clouds. Beneath the clouds were rolling green hills for as far as the eye can see mix with reddish brown dirt and brown houses scattered throughout. I have come a long way from bustling city life of childhood to quiet, one and the same of suburbia life, and now, rural, quaint, modest village life.

My trek up to the hill also allowed me to show my face to the part of town that I don’t usually frequent. Also, I found a guy at the bottom of the hill who makes those little wooden stools I’ve been looking for. Before heading home, Kate and I raided the street and bought all kinds of groceries for our dinner party tomorrow. We are hosting a yummy spaghetti dinner for our new French friends tomorrow. Hope it goes well. We’ll be giving Siobhan a call in the morning to ensure I got the correct steps for a perfect sauce! While buying my veggies, I met a guy who was quizzing us on the names of the vegetables for sale. As it turns out, he’s a teacher in a neighbor town’s primary school and speaks English quite well. We began chatting and I said I am looking for some work and would be interested in teaching English at his school since they need a teacher. The teaching would be once or twice a week at most, but a great way to get familiar with the community and see what other work I could carry out. Also, a guy who took me home on a moto today was also a teacher in my village. We chatted a bit; he also spoke English quite well. I expressed interest in finding work and he said he will stop by in the future to discuss opportunities with me.

Things are looking up! My spirits are high even though my French is still struggling. There are lots of works to be done; I simply needed to find an alternative way to get started, and not waiting until my French gets better. The language learning is gradual, but my desire to get things done is immediate. Hopefully these opportunities pan out and I will have more fulfilling days in the near future!

Tu es fou!

These past few days, I’ve been very impatient with tidbits of life here. Most of the frustrations have to do with transportation and big city living. The more I spend time in my quaint village, the more easily I get angry at the big cities. Kate is still staying with me. Things are never as anticipated here, so the hope she’d be settled at her new place felt through yet again this week. We’ve been doing quite a bit of running around between my town and Bafoussam (short for Baf. – the provincial capital).

The other day, I was leaving Baf. to come back, and had a broom in my hand. Yes, buying a broom with a handle is a big task here. Finally, I found a broom, but had to carry it around as I walk through the city to find a car home. It’s common to have people “sssss-ing” at me (hissing without the h) as I walk, calling me La Blanche or Chinoise, or better yet, making random sounds “hee-haw” and the like that suppose to resemble Chinese. Most days, I find all that attention amusing and hilarious since I don’t get it everyday at my village, only when I am in bigger towns. However, on this particular day, I was tired, it had been raining, so I was trekking mud and dirt all over my legs, and these people are yelling at Kate and me per usual. As I walk, I got angrier, and I think having a broom in my hand made it that much worse because I had urges to either whack my broom across their faces or shove it up their you-know-where.

When taking cars here, the drivers like to pack it as full of people as humanly (or even inhumanly) possible. The four-people-in-the-back-seat rule applies regardless if it’s 4-120lbs girls or 3-180lbs mamas plus me. Also, cars work kind of like busses here, kind of in a very exaggerated sense. The part where people get off where they need to and the driver picks up people along the way is the resemblance. Naturally, without the pre-designated stops or the button you push for a stop. Some drivers are greedier than others and will stop every time there is one “empty” spot in the car and he (always a he, I’ve yet seen a woman driver) sees a person walking idly on the side of the road. Some drivers won’t stop every time he has an open seat if he started with a full car and will make decent money getting the rest of the people to their destinations.
The other day, we had a particularly annoying driver who stopped constantly to ensure his vehicle is packed full of 8 people at all times. There was a lady who got so fed up and just left the car. Now, you know it’s bad even the Cameroonians won’t put up with it. These annoying drivers are also the kinds that the gendarmes like to give the most trouble, therefore slowing down the journey even more because we get held at every gendarme checkpoint. These drivers are like those rowdy troublemaker kids in middle school, and if you are unlucky and has to sit next to them, your life suffers.

Today continues our streak of bad car rides. We somehow got into this car where the entire trunk was full of stuff already, and we had to squeeze our bags and moto helments in the back seats. I thought, surely he is not going to squeeze two more people back here with us. I also made it darn clear that I am paying one person’s fair only, thinking, “it’s not my fault you have a trunkful of crap.” Of course, my logic fails once again. Using a logical approach to daily lives here is generally a bad idea. The driver proceeds to shove one more guy into the back seat, and so I started yelling at him saying there is no way he can fit another person back here. My French flows when I am pissed. My one-line comeback “Tu es fou!” got quite the laughter from other people in the car. Except it didn’t work, he shoved the fourth person in the backseat regardless.

On the topic of yelling at Cameroonians, I was at the Chinese couple’s store the other day when they had a frustrating Anglophone customer that came in. The couple sells farm equipments and this guy was looking for replacement parts. I was informed that this guy is an old customer, and every time he comes in, he haggles unreasonably for the prices. The total of his items was 51,000 CFA and the couple was willing to sell it for 45,000CFA. But, this guy apparently always likes to go a little further, and he argued forever about paying only 43,000CFA. I was watching the exchange happen and the Chinese couple doesn’t speak English that fluently. Finally, I got frustrated and stepped in. I said, among other things, “You’ve been given a discount. They are helping you out already. Pay 45,000CFA or go somewhere else.” He then replied, “There isn’t anywhere else to go. I can only buy these here.” I said, “Exactly, you need these parts for your machines. You can’t go anywhere else. Pay up or leave. This isn’t buying cabbage on the street.” After a few more exchanges, he paid up.

I realized how important it is for me to teach economics here. This guy obviously didn’t understand supply and demand, or even monopoly power. This incident brought up stories of my superb bargaining skills. I think it’s in the blood, because I used to see my mom haggle in the markets in Taiwan and think she’s ridiculous. Now I am just as good. The trick is: You tell them what price you’ll pay, within reason, of course. Take it or leave it. Literally, they say no, I say oh well, walk away. 30 seconds to 3 minutes later, they come crawling back and budge. I have to be even tougher since when they see me, they jack up the prices to begin with. No such luck. I’m known for scaring many mamas in the markets of Bangangté who tried to rip me off. Don’t even think about it. It’s not the money; it’s the principle.

On a happier and less angry note, I recently received an email from a blog reader who isn’t a member of my friends or family. She wanted to let me know how my blog had successfully painted for her a picture of my ife here in Cameroon and that she would’ve lost her job if she wasn’t working for her husband because she spent all day reading my blog. Emails and comments as such validate the purpose of keeping a blog and what a great tool it serves to achieve goal three of Peace Corps – helping Americans learn about lives of the people abroad.

Peace Corps China?

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! I spent the day with my people celebrating the holiday. I am now officially more Chinese here in Cameroon than I ever was in the U.S. I don't remember the last time I celebrated this holiday. When it comes to celebrating, the Chinese loves to incorporate eating. The food (食) and drink (酒) cultures are deeply ingrained. Kate can vouch for that since her stomache has been benefited a great deal recently due to the culture exchanges. True to form, we had another feast. This time, the center of the meal is hot pot and the main ingredient is lamb. Now, not just some chunks of lamb that you get from the supermarhe, but a whole lamb - head and feet and all. The animal has been skinned and gutted, but it definitely stayed in its original lamb shape. I then see Mr. Z skillfully chopping it into pieces. If this didn't turn me into a vegetarian, I don't think anything else will. Feasting chez chinoise is always a multi-hour event. Today was even more so. We ate, we break, we drank and repeat. At around 1pm, the Chinese TV was broadcasting the celebration in China, but the power was out. Go figures. Thankfully, the power came back for us to catch the last hour of the programming. I became rather nostalgic watching this and the feeling worsened when the celebration beamed to Taipei and I saw scenes of old familiarity.

To prove that I am in the Peace Corps and exchanging cultures, this morning, I made French toast for the Chinese. They've never had it and loved it! Now they want to learn to make more "American food", so next time, I am teaching them spaghetti and pizza (very American, I know). Throughout the day, we had conversations about life in China, life in the U.S. and every now and then I throw the comparison with Taiwan in for kicks. Ah, to top it off, I attempted Chinese calligraphy for the first time in a decade. The first few tries were disasterous, but then it started coming back! Never thought I'd find my Chinese roots in Cameroon! I am learning a ton all the time! In this regard, I am more in Peace Corps China than I am in Peace Corps Cameroon.

Back to Peace Corps Cameroon, I am loving my town more and more with each passing day. This week, Billy, a 12-year old kid who stinks less than the others, has been showing up at my house a lot. His dad is a Peace Corps Driver, and also the chief of our cartier. He's really talkative and loves to fetch water for me! He's a breath of fresh air from the other kids who have been deranging a lot. Other than the kids, my house had a new improvement when I got a guy that came to reroute electricty. It's now twice as bright in my living room and I've officially transformed the house out of a brown dungeon!

The carrefour of my village

Where I spend most of my time at home

My "Kitchen"

My "Bathroom"

The other day, when I was waiting for someone at the carrefour, I chatted with the gendarms. They were all really nice and seem to have a good grasp of the Peace Corps. I should start hanging out at the omelet shack more. Lots happen there! On the topic of people, I discovered two French people who live in my village! The other day when I was walking to walk, I saw a white person. I got really excited and went up to her to see if she spoke English! And she did! She's French and is here with another guy working with the fish farm. They are staying with families, much like my homestay experience. I offered my house for western getaway! I think next week I'll invite them over for some yummy goodness. Hopefully, I can learn some proper Frenchy French from them. Other work related update: I am going to visit members of a GIC this week with my counterpart. He needs to check on their income generating activities before granting loans. I'm quite excited to see some real work in action. Sitting at the bank only gets me so far with limited French.

You run into herds of cows more frequently than white people.

Kate found an apartment! So I think this week some time, I will have to spend my first night alone. It's about time. We've been at post for nearly a month now! It's time for me to get some real work done and not sit around making food with Kate all day and watching the same episodes of Grey's Anatomy repeatedly. Okay, more updates to come! Stay tuned!

Volunteers for Volunteers

Happy Birthday to moi! Last year yesterday, I submitted my application for the Peace Corps, and a year later, here I am. First birthday in Africa, but completely Chinese style. Thanks to my wonderful Chinese friends and Kate, my would've-been-lonely-birthday this year turned out to be quite fun! The morning began with Kate buying a variety of goodies from the boulangerie. Follow by lunch where we had homemade noodle! It's the first time I've ever seen noodles made completely from scratch. I must say, it's quite impressive.



The festivity continued with a great feast of food. Pictures worth a thousand words, so I'll let them do the talking.

Me making dumplings!

Kate is becoming quite the chopsticks expert!

Look! how pretty!

My Birthday Feast
everything made from scratch!

My Chinese family in Cameroon

I am really lucky! The first day that I met these great people, Mr. Zhang told us that he admires our work here and while he can't serve Cameroonians like we do, he will be a "volunteer for volunteers". Right now, he wins the "Volunteer of the Year" award for volunteers. What a blessing! These next two years would've been very different! Low expectations yield high satisfaction. That is going to be my motto for life. I had no expectation for my birthday, or even this Peace Corps thing in general, and now, I can't be more satisfied.

Au Village

Second week at post is coming to an end, and I am starting to feel more like a member of this community. My house is coming along nicely. The walls are painted baby blue and I've added a few personal touches to make it mine. As Kate puts it, I've turned the place into Pottery Barn (as much as possible for being in Africa). If I were in the States, this would be even more ridiculous. The other night, I had a dream that all of us went to IKEA to buy things we needed for the house. What I would do for a trip to Target/IKEA right now!

I still have yet spent a night alone since Kate is still chez moi! I am enjoying the company though. Throughout college, I've only really lived in a studio-esque space alone. Suddenly, I have this gigantic house all to myself. It can feel a little scary at night. The first few days at my house, I was extremely paranoid and quadruple-locking everything. The paranoia can partly be attributed to the malaria drugs; it's better now. Except, the paranoid feelings have turned into vivid dreams about going to IKEA and the like.

In other exciting news, last week, Kate and I hung out with the Chinese consulates. They were in the West province visiting government officials, and fellow Chinese people. By association, Kate and I were invited to the gathering. I have never been happier to be Chinese than I was last week! I talked Chinese with the consulates and they were impressed that I spoke as well as I did having only elementary level Chinese education. Besides the great food, I also tasted the best Chinese alcohol, one the Chinese government use to treat foreign governmental officials. On the bottle, it stated the alcohol came straight from the manufacture and is used for Chinese foreign diplomatic purposes only. So, diplomatic purpose it was, we talked Cameroon, USA, and Taiwan. First week of my volunteer career, and I was fulfilling goal II & III, exchanging cultures, like nobody's business!

Since getting to my village, life has slowed down a lot. I have a lot more free time than I ever did in my short 21 (almost 22) years of life. The other day, Kate and I were watching episodes of Grey's Anatomy and one of the character said, "I feel like I am on a train going 200 miles and hour, and I wish it would just stop at a platform." I said, "Join the Peace Corps." That is precisely how I feel. 3 months ago, back in May, when I was studying for exams, making financial models for StudioSTL, running reports for rich people in St. Louis, preparing for life in Africa and trying to spend time with family and friends all at once, I felt like I was on that train going far too fast. Suddenly, the train stopped and now I am not quite sure what to do with myself.

The pace of life is slow here, far slower than what I am used to. Getting accustomed to this lifestyle is an adjustment in and of itself. I still can't get away from my list-making habits, so everyday I write things on my list just to feel accomplished. Yesterday, my list consisted of the following, "go for a run, go buy food in town, wash floor, organize my room, nail artworks on wall, make lunch, shower, make dinner and get water." Surprisingly, those things took a while and nearly filled up my day.

My house is a 25 minute scenic walk from the "center of town", which is one road with some shops. If I am lucky, I can find essential food that I need. Yesterday, I wasn't so lucky. All I could find in town were bread, eggs, tomatoes, garlic and onion. I’ve wanted some potatoes to make fries and I couldn't find them for the life of me. Thankfully, Kate brought some back for us from Bafoussam. I cook a lot now. Before May, I was pretty much the worst cook you've ever met. Now, I think I do quite well. Cooking takes up a good chunk of my time; I often joke that I joined the Peace Corps to become a good wife. This past week, I made: pancakes, raisin scones, fried rice, cream of corn soup, crêpes, oatmeal raisin cookies, fries, rice soup, and of course, ramen (old habits die hard). Tonight, Kate and I will have a go at lentil taco!

Not sure if I've mentioned, but my house is without running water. I spend a good hour of my days "organizing" my water source. I have 20 water bottles and a few buckets that store water. Luckily, it's still the rainy season, so I can simply put the bucket out and catch water. Otherwise, the neighborhood kids like to visit me all day long and ask if I want water. These kids are funny and stinky. They like to come to my house and stand at the door just watch me do whatever I am doing. I would let them hang out more if they didn't stink up my house. Maybe next week I will start handing out bars of soap for them to shower before coming in!

People in this town are really kind and I don't get déranged much. People are getting pretty used to me and they are incredibly friendly. The guy in town that sells tools is really nice, after I showed him that he couldn't rip me off. He tried to sell a water jug to me for 2,000CFA, and I bought it for 1,000CFA. I've become pretty darn good at bargaining. It's a way of life here. I've been going to the bank (MC2, the microfinance institution in town) a few hours a day just observing and showing my face to the community. It's pretty interesting. This week, I made my first contribution by redesigning their sign for school loans. Changes start with the little things.

Phew! This entry turned long. I will try to be better about posting shorter entries and more frequently! I miss all of you and modern life in general. But things are well here, and I am very happy!