My dear family and friends,
Hope all is well. I would first like to say thank you for all of your feedback and responses because it shows that you actually read my e-mails. I am grateful to have such a supportive network.
Work has started to flow faster. I went up to Kumbo two weeks ago with GLOWA staff and a short-term American volunteer to observe awareness talks on child trafficking at schools and HIV/AIDS trainings. Then I got sick and that was the rest of my week (but no worries, I’m fine now!). These past two weeks have been good – I just wrapped up a week-long Strategic Planning session with GLOWA and it went smoothly. This is GLOWA’s first time going through the SP process, so I’m excited to help plan their future for the next three years. I should be doing SP with MICROEDEC next month when the founder returns to Bamenda. I’ll also be traveling next week back up to the North of Cameroon, Ngaoundere, to do Diversity training sessions for the newly-inducted Health and Agroforestry Peace Corps Volunteers’ In-Service Training and their Cameroonian counterparts (mango season is coming soon up there YAY!). I’m telling you, time has just flown by. In three months, I’ll have been in country for one year…can you believe it?! I sure can’t (not that I’m trying to count down or anything, but that means in June I’ll have 15 more months in Cameroon).
I have been meaning to discuss the concept of “African time.” I know many of you are familiar with African time, Indian time, Persian time, C.P. time, etc. (at least my African-American, Indian-American, and Persian-American, friends have told me this) which means essentially the same thing – an event that starts at 1pm doesn’t really begin until…4pm (smile). In the U.S., I would joke about this with my friends – if it’s a social outing, don’t show up to the party until an hour or so later because you’re important and you want to make an entrance. But in Africa it’s real. Seriously, don’t come on time because all you’ll be doing is sitting there and waiting for at least three hours. Bring a book/headphones. To use the popular French phrase “J’arrive” or Pidgin phrase “Am coming” (which actually means, I am leaving you right now and coming back later), you have no idea if they will be “coming” in 10 minutes or hours. Or tomorrow. Funny enough, it’s completely okay to say this. “Am coming” you say, is then followed with nods of approval (I’ve started using this phrase as an excuse to leave). The concept of time and time management is definitely different from ours.
Needless to say, I can sometimes get frustrated with African time. I have already accepted this at cultural ceremonies and festivities (always have a book and bottled water in my purse), but what has been bothering me the most is African time in the work environment. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but things can move s-l-o-w-lllllll-yyyyyy. As Westerners, we are used to the concept of work to be, well, work. You come to the office to do your job, run meetings, complete tasks, and meet deadlines. Here, it seems like people enjoy their time at the office. They work a little, then go on Facebook, then work some more, then have a meeting, then friends come to visit…then hey let’s have a drink…which ends up with drinking the rest of the night. What’s ironic is that people believe in hard work. Office hours are Monday-Saturday, 8-10 hour days. Sunday is the only day of rest. Yet, people enjoy saying “A dey for office.” BUT NOTHING IS GETTING DONE! AHHHHHHHHH!
Disclaimer: This is not every office – there are organizations here that adhere to Western time, like mine.
Yet even as annoyed as I am with this, it’s made me realize that enjoyment of time is a value that Cameroonians hold dear. People don’t understand why Americans are always bouncing from one appointment to another. It’s rude to leave a Cameroonian or refuse a drink when someone invites you to sit down…are you not enjoying your time with them? Westerners are so preoccupied with getting work done and filling in schedules…well, this is why we are the developed world, n’est pas?
This leads me to wonder if we, as Westerners, are really enjoying our lives (thank you, Melissa Wells, for engaging in this topic with me). Which values do we hold the dearest – spending time with loved ones, happiness, conspicuous consumption? Of course I still get impatient when my work here takes forever to begin and/or to accomplish (working on a presidential campaign turned me into a twitchy person), but I’ve begun to deal with it. Especially in a professional setting, I try to reach a happy medium by incorporating American time management and hopefully people will get it. If we have a meeting and the person is late, I’m not going to wait around. If one is really serious about working with me, then one will be on time.
But I will always make time to sit down and hang out, take a drink, and speak some Pidgin. After work. Work hard, play hard.
That’s it for now folks…remind me next time to post about chaos theory, “adventures,” and speaking Pidgin so I don’t forget.
Next time-ohhhhhhhhh!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Reflection Eternal.
Bonjour,
Hope you are all doing well. Life in Cameroon has been moving swimmingly…I am back at post after traveling from the Extreme North for the holidays and have been planning out my projects for my remaining 20 months here. We have just finished training our small business consultants at my primary NGO, Microenterprise Development Consultants (MICROEDEC), and resuming business classes this month. I will be starting a Peace Corps Partnership Program request to create a Counter-Trafficking Resource Center with my second NGO, Global Welfare Association (GLOWA). This is where I will need your help, but details to follow later. My quest for a fair trade project has been slow, but I am hoping to meet and collaborate now with artisans to export their handicrafts to the States (for example, Ten Thousand Villages). Finally, I’d like to plan an NGO fair in Bamenda next year so that we can gather all the NGOs (there are many) together to network and share information and ideas.
They say you learn a lot about yourself when serving abroad, and my experiences are no exception. I have been doing a lot of reflection about being an American, and then being a Chinese-American. As a child of immigrants who moved to the States, I grew up learning two different cultures. Living the village life in Cameroon with my host family was not too different from village life of my family in southern China – washing clothes in buckets, carrying water (Africans on heads, Chinese balancing with bamboo sticks), cooking with intermittent electricity, etc. There is a sense of community that family live together and near each other. Elders are respected and taken care. Corporeal punishment is enforced when students/children misbehave (common Cameroonian saying, “I will beat you!”). Polygamy is accepted, as men take in their third or fourth wives. People taking great pride in clean clothes and clean shoes (I was still getting yelled at in the States for wearing flip-flops 24/7). These are things I notice that I sometimes do not relate with a “white” American…for example, I remember discussing polygamy during training and trainees shocked at its existence here…this is also practiced in other countries.
At the same time, I consider myself a strong-willed, independent female (even though I have learned I’m also girly). I don’t like men talking down to me, expecting me to be domestic (although I’ve starting cooking and don’t mind doing the dishes if someone else is cooking…this is a goody; thanks Cameroon!). I am perfectly fine explaining that I’m 26, not married, and career-driven. I am a defender of human rights and cannot stand to hear of houses being burned down due to border disputes, drivers forced to give gendarmes money in order to pass the road, people being arrested for not having their papers, etc. These are American, democratic values of independence, self-reliance, and freedom. They are values that I struggled with balancing as a Chinese-American in the States…but I have gained a better understanding of this being in a developing country.
I recently joined the Diversity Committee with Peace Corps so that we can discuss our background and experiences with other Volunteers and support one another. It’s also great hanging with other PCVs and exuding Goal 2 to Cameroonians that our nation consists of people from all walks of life. I hope that my tenure here will end with me not only learning about myself, but also Cameroonians and Americans learning from each other in true cross-cultural exchange.
Bon…c’est tout pour maintenant. Merci pour votre temps, tout le monde! A la prochaine!
Hope you are all doing well. Life in Cameroon has been moving swimmingly…I am back at post after traveling from the Extreme North for the holidays and have been planning out my projects for my remaining 20 months here. We have just finished training our small business consultants at my primary NGO, Microenterprise Development Consultants (MICROEDEC), and resuming business classes this month. I will be starting a Peace Corps Partnership Program request to create a Counter-Trafficking Resource Center with my second NGO, Global Welfare Association (GLOWA). This is where I will need your help, but details to follow later. My quest for a fair trade project has been slow, but I am hoping to meet and collaborate now with artisans to export their handicrafts to the States (for example, Ten Thousand Villages). Finally, I’d like to plan an NGO fair in Bamenda next year so that we can gather all the NGOs (there are many) together to network and share information and ideas.
They say you learn a lot about yourself when serving abroad, and my experiences are no exception. I have been doing a lot of reflection about being an American, and then being a Chinese-American. As a child of immigrants who moved to the States, I grew up learning two different cultures. Living the village life in Cameroon with my host family was not too different from village life of my family in southern China – washing clothes in buckets, carrying water (Africans on heads, Chinese balancing with bamboo sticks), cooking with intermittent electricity, etc. There is a sense of community that family live together and near each other. Elders are respected and taken care. Corporeal punishment is enforced when students/children misbehave (common Cameroonian saying, “I will beat you!”). Polygamy is accepted, as men take in their third or fourth wives. People taking great pride in clean clothes and clean shoes (I was still getting yelled at in the States for wearing flip-flops 24/7). These are things I notice that I sometimes do not relate with a “white” American…for example, I remember discussing polygamy during training and trainees shocked at its existence here…this is also practiced in other countries.
At the same time, I consider myself a strong-willed, independent female (even though I have learned I’m also girly). I don’t like men talking down to me, expecting me to be domestic (although I’ve starting cooking and don’t mind doing the dishes if someone else is cooking…this is a goody; thanks Cameroon!). I am perfectly fine explaining that I’m 26, not married, and career-driven. I am a defender of human rights and cannot stand to hear of houses being burned down due to border disputes, drivers forced to give gendarmes money in order to pass the road, people being arrested for not having their papers, etc. These are American, democratic values of independence, self-reliance, and freedom. They are values that I struggled with balancing as a Chinese-American in the States…but I have gained a better understanding of this being in a developing country.
I recently joined the Diversity Committee with Peace Corps so that we can discuss our background and experiences with other Volunteers and support one another. It’s also great hanging with other PCVs and exuding Goal 2 to Cameroonians that our nation consists of people from all walks of life. I hope that my tenure here will end with me not only learning about myself, but also Cameroonians and Americans learning from each other in true cross-cultural exchange.
Bon…c’est tout pour maintenant. Merci pour votre temps, tout le monde! A la prochaine!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
“When We are Together, We are One” – GHAPE
Salut-oh,
It’s been a while since I’ve blogged here so I should say what’s up to the world. Things here are going well. I’m still in my three months of observing as a Peace Corps Volunteer and will be attending In-Service training (IST) next month (at the beach at the beach at the beach at the beach! Also near the volcano!), where we gather all of the people from our training group and talk about our experiences so far. For now, I’ve been busy with my primary NGO as we’ve launched an intensive training course for four Small Business Consultants. Business consulting is lacking in Cameroon, especially compared to its neighbors Nigeria, Ghana, etc. There seems to be a need since small businesses constitute the majority of the job sector here in Bamenda, as it is the third largest business sector to Douala (the financial capital) and Yaounde (the political capital). People consistently demonstrate an interest in taking business courses as well – especially in an oral culture where records are not kept, it is important to teach people to manage their inventory, cash book, credit, separating business accounts from personal accounts, etc. I’m pretty excited about these trainees – they’ve completed their university studies recently and seem eager to learn. It’s great to be surrounded in an environment where people are genuine and passionate about what they do.
Another NGO I have also begun working with is Global Welfare Association (GLOWA), which specializes in anti-child trafficking. Here in the Northwest region, families living in poverty are pursued by traffickers promising their children money for education if they come into the big city to work for them in their homes. Because these poor, rural families cannot afford tuition, book fees, and food for their kids, they allow for them to leave. What they don’t realize is that the traffickers place them to do various activities, such as manual labor, selling items on the streets, prostitution, etc. The families may never see their child again, or if they’ve found out their children’s jobs or if their children have contracted HIV/AIDS, they are shamed from returning or simply do not have the means to bring them home. Since Bamenda is the regional capital of the Northwest and this region constitutes the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in Cameroon, we recognize that child trafficking contributes to the disease. And obviously, exploitation of children is deplorable and GLOWA is fighting to combat this through awareness at all levels. I think I can really assist this organization in bringing resources through international channels, because this is not only a Northwest Cameroon problem – it’s a global human rights issue. They also have a documentary, (insert link), which I will be marketing to the U.S. and European countries, and trying to figure out some income-generating activities with it. This NGO, like many, has a worthy cause but is struggling financially.
A third NGO I am starting to pursue here is called GHAPE. It’s a microfinance NGO that is modeled after one of my hero’s (Muhammad Yunus) organization Grameen Bank. The idea is that banks in third world countries, even microfinance banks now, do not approve loans for those who want to start small businesses because they have no credit history or substantial collateral. So this population of the extremely poor are further marginalized and Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh created the idea of group loans & savings. You can read more on the history of Grameen Bank: (insert website). Here in Bamenda, GHAPE works to bring (mostly) womens’ groups together to request for loans and create savings accounts. Women (there are men’s groups as well but women are more trustworthy, and yes there are studies proving this) from their own cartiers/village/town/city group themselves as five individuals. Each center office has eight groups of the five, which equals forty. GHAPE works with a microfinance bank to provide and approve loans with low interest. So if a woman wants to borrow start-up capital to begin a beignet (fried dough) stand, she discusses first with her four other group members and they approve to ensure it’s not too large of an investment. Once approved, they submit her request to a GHAPE loan officer. Every two weeks, the woman pays back the loan/interest rate to the loan officer. If the woman’s business fails, she will refund the principal amount requested but GHAPE does not charge interest.
I joined Peace Corps with the intention to learn more and work with microfinance orgs like GHAPE. I finally attended one of their group meetings yesterday at their office. Talk about poverty alleviation at work. These eight groups met and the rule is to pay all the money owed for the two weeks to your group leader. The group leader gives the money and passbooks to the center leader (elected by the forty borrowers), who places each groups’ money onto the desk of the GHAPE loan officer. The loan officers will not count the money and start the meeting until all eight groups have paid in full. Also, if you’re late to a meeting you are fined 25 francs and if you miss a meeting you must give your money to one of your group members. The issue yesterday was that there was one woman who owed a great sum of money but had an emergency and could not attend the meeting. Now, the loan officer does not care so long as the money is paid. So either her group members pay on her behalf, the money is taken from her savings account, or the center group of forty women have to chip together to pay. The biggest element here is trust. These women trust each other enough in groups of five and support one another. But they are also involved with the other seven groups – if one member struggles, the rest of the center helps. I really agree that this model works because it adapts to the local culture of community and trust (which makes me hippie-ish when I say that this model works all across the globe in other countries in Africa, South America, Asia, etc. and that we are all together). Anyway, I can go on and an on about how awesome the Grameen model is, as manifested through GHAPE (also funded by www.kiva.org – check them out), but I am just happy to have finally observed a meeting. I used to intern at Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA International) in DC, but it was too administrative and it’s great to watch microfinance in action. One more note: it’s great also that GHAPE teaches business classes to these women to manage their money as well as encourage savings because that’s just as important as earning money. You must prioritize your savings, like your children’s school fees, and not squander it on things like alcohol and cigarettes (that’s another conversation for another time).
So that’s my life right now. I’m still hungry to begin a fair trade project and I am assisting with our Peace Corps regional project on HIV/AIDS, so I am keeping myself busy with my time here. Thanksgiving is coming up and I’m super excited to celebrate, but the President is coming to visit on the 29th so I’m cautious of all the security measures (like curfews) that are taking place this month. Could be very interesting.
Next time-oh…
P.S. Some food for thought. I heard this yesterday in a lecture: “What does ‘poor’ stand for? Passing Over Opportunities Repeatedly.”
It’s been a while since I’ve blogged here so I should say what’s up to the world. Things here are going well. I’m still in my three months of observing as a Peace Corps Volunteer and will be attending In-Service training (IST) next month (at the beach at the beach at the beach at the beach! Also near the volcano!), where we gather all of the people from our training group and talk about our experiences so far. For now, I’ve been busy with my primary NGO as we’ve launched an intensive training course for four Small Business Consultants. Business consulting is lacking in Cameroon, especially compared to its neighbors Nigeria, Ghana, etc. There seems to be a need since small businesses constitute the majority of the job sector here in Bamenda, as it is the third largest business sector to Douala (the financial capital) and Yaounde (the political capital). People consistently demonstrate an interest in taking business courses as well – especially in an oral culture where records are not kept, it is important to teach people to manage their inventory, cash book, credit, separating business accounts from personal accounts, etc. I’m pretty excited about these trainees – they’ve completed their university studies recently and seem eager to learn. It’s great to be surrounded in an environment where people are genuine and passionate about what they do.
Another NGO I have also begun working with is Global Welfare Association (GLOWA), which specializes in anti-child trafficking. Here in the Northwest region, families living in poverty are pursued by traffickers promising their children money for education if they come into the big city to work for them in their homes. Because these poor, rural families cannot afford tuition, book fees, and food for their kids, they allow for them to leave. What they don’t realize is that the traffickers place them to do various activities, such as manual labor, selling items on the streets, prostitution, etc. The families may never see their child again, or if they’ve found out their children’s jobs or if their children have contracted HIV/AIDS, they are shamed from returning or simply do not have the means to bring them home. Since Bamenda is the regional capital of the Northwest and this region constitutes the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in Cameroon, we recognize that child trafficking contributes to the disease. And obviously, exploitation of children is deplorable and GLOWA is fighting to combat this through awareness at all levels. I think I can really assist this organization in bringing resources through international channels, because this is not only a Northwest Cameroon problem – it’s a global human rights issue. They also have a documentary, (insert link), which I will be marketing to the U.S. and European countries, and trying to figure out some income-generating activities with it. This NGO, like many, has a worthy cause but is struggling financially.
A third NGO I am starting to pursue here is called GHAPE. It’s a microfinance NGO that is modeled after one of my hero’s (Muhammad Yunus) organization Grameen Bank. The idea is that banks in third world countries, even microfinance banks now, do not approve loans for those who want to start small businesses because they have no credit history or substantial collateral. So this population of the extremely poor are further marginalized and Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh created the idea of group loans & savings. You can read more on the history of Grameen Bank: (insert website). Here in Bamenda, GHAPE works to bring (mostly) womens’ groups together to request for loans and create savings accounts. Women (there are men’s groups as well but women are more trustworthy, and yes there are studies proving this) from their own cartiers/village/town/city group themselves as five individuals. Each center office has eight groups of the five, which equals forty. GHAPE works with a microfinance bank to provide and approve loans with low interest. So if a woman wants to borrow start-up capital to begin a beignet (fried dough) stand, she discusses first with her four other group members and they approve to ensure it’s not too large of an investment. Once approved, they submit her request to a GHAPE loan officer. Every two weeks, the woman pays back the loan/interest rate to the loan officer. If the woman’s business fails, she will refund the principal amount requested but GHAPE does not charge interest.
I joined Peace Corps with the intention to learn more and work with microfinance orgs like GHAPE. I finally attended one of their group meetings yesterday at their office. Talk about poverty alleviation at work. These eight groups met and the rule is to pay all the money owed for the two weeks to your group leader. The group leader gives the money and passbooks to the center leader (elected by the forty borrowers), who places each groups’ money onto the desk of the GHAPE loan officer. The loan officers will not count the money and start the meeting until all eight groups have paid in full. Also, if you’re late to a meeting you are fined 25 francs and if you miss a meeting you must give your money to one of your group members. The issue yesterday was that there was one woman who owed a great sum of money but had an emergency and could not attend the meeting. Now, the loan officer does not care so long as the money is paid. So either her group members pay on her behalf, the money is taken from her savings account, or the center group of forty women have to chip together to pay. The biggest element here is trust. These women trust each other enough in groups of five and support one another. But they are also involved with the other seven groups – if one member struggles, the rest of the center helps. I really agree that this model works because it adapts to the local culture of community and trust (which makes me hippie-ish when I say that this model works all across the globe in other countries in Africa, South America, Asia, etc. and that we are all together). Anyway, I can go on and an on about how awesome the Grameen model is, as manifested through GHAPE (also funded by www.kiva.org – check them out), but I am just happy to have finally observed a meeting. I used to intern at Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA International) in DC, but it was too administrative and it’s great to watch microfinance in action. One more note: it’s great also that GHAPE teaches business classes to these women to manage their money as well as encourage savings because that’s just as important as earning money. You must prioritize your savings, like your children’s school fees, and not squander it on things like alcohol and cigarettes (that’s another conversation for another time).
So that’s my life right now. I’m still hungry to begin a fair trade project and I am assisting with our Peace Corps regional project on HIV/AIDS, so I am keeping myself busy with my time here. Thanksgiving is coming up and I’m super excited to celebrate, but the President is coming to visit on the 29th so I’m cautious of all the security measures (like curfews) that are taking place this month. Could be very interesting.
Next time-oh…
P.S. Some food for thought. I heard this yesterday in a lecture: “What does ‘poor’ stand for? Passing Over Opportunities Repeatedly.”
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Worky Work
Hey everyone,
Sorry for not blogging sooner. I’ve been spending the past month or so settling into my city Bamenda. Things have been going well…just getting to know my way around town. I am finally settled into my apartment for the most part (just need to put up decorations on my walls). So far, I have decided not to invest in a TV and fridge…I already stay home too much because of my internet key. Who knows if I’ll change my mind.
I have also hit the ground running with work. I am an NGO consultant with a nonprofit called Microenterprise Development Consultants (MICROEDEC), which is my host institution I am paired to work with. It serves as a business resource center for current and aspiring entrepreneurs. My main role is to provide organizational development to ensure operations and programs run smoothly. We have just finished teaching business classes to 11 students, who are managers, workers, teachers in the agriculture, electronics, technology, education fields. Our next set of classes will begin in two weeks and we’re currently working on hiring and training business consultants to add to the staff here. Talk about putting my MPA to use. =)
I also participated as a guest speaker last week on a radio show (my very first time on the air), called “100% Jeune,” devoted to promoting life skills to Cameroonian youth to prevent and raise awareness on the spread of HIV/AIDS. My topic that night was on general etiquette…totally fun and nerve-wracking. I grew up wanting to be a journalist, so this was a pretty cool experience.
There are a slew of NGOs in town that I would also like to greet and potentially consult, and I am spending these first few months getting to know everyone and assimilating. I’m thinking about projects related to agrobusiness, fair trade, ecotourism, environmental education, etc. but that’s just me being all over the place.
I must note that this was probably not the Peace Corps experience I had imagined. As a Small Enterprise Development volunteer, I did not think I would constantly lack electricity and be placed in a completely rural village – but I have been surprised at my amenities and opportunity to network with volunteers from around the world (VSOs). I really do believe this is the best place to live and work in Cameroon and I’m not saying this with a biased viewpoint. Oh, and the nightlife here is pretty awesome.
Countdown to my 26th birthday in Africa…in two weeks!
Sorry for not blogging sooner. I’ve been spending the past month or so settling into my city Bamenda. Things have been going well…just getting to know my way around town. I am finally settled into my apartment for the most part (just need to put up decorations on my walls). So far, I have decided not to invest in a TV and fridge…I already stay home too much because of my internet key. Who knows if I’ll change my mind.
I have also hit the ground running with work. I am an NGO consultant with a nonprofit called Microenterprise Development Consultants (MICROEDEC), which is my host institution I am paired to work with. It serves as a business resource center for current and aspiring entrepreneurs. My main role is to provide organizational development to ensure operations and programs run smoothly. We have just finished teaching business classes to 11 students, who are managers, workers, teachers in the agriculture, electronics, technology, education fields. Our next set of classes will begin in two weeks and we’re currently working on hiring and training business consultants to add to the staff here. Talk about putting my MPA to use. =)
I also participated as a guest speaker last week on a radio show (my very first time on the air), called “100% Jeune,” devoted to promoting life skills to Cameroonian youth to prevent and raise awareness on the spread of HIV/AIDS. My topic that night was on general etiquette…totally fun and nerve-wracking. I grew up wanting to be a journalist, so this was a pretty cool experience.
There are a slew of NGOs in town that I would also like to greet and potentially consult, and I am spending these first few months getting to know everyone and assimilating. I’m thinking about projects related to agrobusiness, fair trade, ecotourism, environmental education, etc. but that’s just me being all over the place.
I must note that this was probably not the Peace Corps experience I had imagined. As a Small Enterprise Development volunteer, I did not think I would constantly lack electricity and be placed in a completely rural village – but I have been surprised at my amenities and opportunity to network with volunteers from around the world (VSOs). I really do believe this is the best place to live and work in Cameroon and I’m not saying this with a biased viewpoint. Oh, and the nightlife here is pretty awesome.
Countdown to my 26th birthday in Africa…in two weeks!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Post!
Hi all,
Sorry it has taken a while for me to blog. So many things have happened here, particularly my arrival at post in Bamenda, the regional capital of the Northwest. We as trainees finished our stage in the town of Bafia and swore in on August 18, 2010 to become U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers. It was an amazing feeling to be done with three months of French, Pidgin English, business, and health classes every day. Now we are on our own and can finally begin working. I will not go into it, but let’s just say that my three months in Bafia were extremely rough and I am glad to be able to finally decompress here. I am still amazed at how modern my apartment is here – running water, electricity, tiles, shower, balcony (with a waterfall in view), etc. Even though the water and current goes out every now and again, I am definitely not complaining. Just weird because this was not the Peace Corps experience I imagined. In fact, as modern as my host family’s house was, it is a drastic change comparing life in a large village to a city like Bamenda.
If I could describe Bamenda in one word, it would be: lively. Oh, and scenic. The savannah and hills are gorgeous. In fact, if I am only looking at the scenery from a distance the view reminds me of Costa Rica. Most roads are paved but there are still dirt roads in the neighborhoods and small shops. The main streets, such as Commercial Avenue, are filled with shop after shop after shop after shop. Think Chinatown. With that, there are also bars after bars after bars. Cameroonians, especially in the Northwest, are very social people. There are “white man” stores which sell a gamut of items I thought I had left behind in the States: Snickers bars, ice cream, cranberry juice, yogurt, soy products, whole wheat bread, maple syrup, etc. For transportation, people get around by taking bikes/motos and taxis.
Let me elaborate on transportation. When taking a taxi, first you need to show with your fingers how many people in his taxi. You tell him where you want to go and if he agrees, he honks once. Then you make sure you negotiate the price before you get in. Because I’m “white,” sometimes the driver doubles the price so you just need to tell him directly. Another note is that you do not always have a seat to yourself. The driver will seat as many people as he can into the taxi, which can be between 8-9 people. Sometimes in the front, you sit in the middle between the driver and the passenger, and sometimes you sit on the left side of the driver – that’s when you’re called the “petite chauffeur.” Because I’m small, I do this. At first it was overwhelming and sometimes you get elbowed in the thigh when the driver shifts to first gear...like today (yeah, bruises for days). But c’est la vie – as long as you get from Point A to Point B, I suppose.
Next: Motos. Short for motorcycles. You hop on and hop off. You can seat 2-3 customers and their children, who sit in front/on the driver. Normally, people don’t wear helmets but because there are instances of moto crashes, but Peace Corps Volunteers are required to wear PC-issued helmets. I'm too scared to ride them in Bamenda.
Let me write about two other points, which I have found to be quite interesting. I have mentioned before the split between Anglophones and Francophones (see previous post). I noticed this when meeting with local officials in Bamenda. When I sat down with the governor of the Northwest region to introduce myself as a PCV, he was very cordial and spoke English. We also did not wait very long for this meeting. However, I noticed a very different attitude towards us when meeting with the police and gendarmes. We had to wait much longer and they were not as respectful. They also only spoke French, even though we are in an Anglophone region. Because Anglophones are the minority in a Francophone-dominated country, the police and gendarmes represent the national government.
The last point I’ll discuss today is my experiences here as a Chinese-American. There is no doubt that people already stare at me and other “whites” whether we’re in a town like Bafia or a big city like Bamenda. I have lived in different places like Richmond, VA and Omaha, NE, and even the DC metropolitan area where diversity is not at the same level as in LA or New York. But being here is a whole other ballgame. People stare at me and wonder aloud if I’m Chinese or Japanese. Kids greet me with "hee haw" (which annoys me)or some of those more aware say "Ni hao" (still wrong but no biggie). When I tell them I’m an American, many times they will not believe me. Now, this would not normally bother me as much because I have dealt with this in the past. However, we know that Chinese contractors work in many African countries, Cameroon being one of them. There are also many Chinese products sold - on the street as well as in a few Chinese owned stores. Yet many products are cheap and of bad quality. Many items will break after only a few uses. Because these products are driving out competition from Cameroonian stores, some locals are anti-Chinese. Thus, when I’m walking down the shops and stores, a few people have made rude/ignorant comments to me. I can understand their frustrations, but I don't appreciate them thinking that I'm here to exploit anyone.
But I'll end this post on a good note. I see Obama-gear everywhere...t-shirts, notebooks, wallets, stickers on taxis, names of restaurant/bars, etc. I am currently in search of an Obama market bag. How interesting it would have been to be in Africa on Election Day '08.
Waka fine!
Sorry it has taken a while for me to blog. So many things have happened here, particularly my arrival at post in Bamenda, the regional capital of the Northwest. We as trainees finished our stage in the town of Bafia and swore in on August 18, 2010 to become U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers. It was an amazing feeling to be done with three months of French, Pidgin English, business, and health classes every day. Now we are on our own and can finally begin working. I will not go into it, but let’s just say that my three months in Bafia were extremely rough and I am glad to be able to finally decompress here. I am still amazed at how modern my apartment is here – running water, electricity, tiles, shower, balcony (with a waterfall in view), etc. Even though the water and current goes out every now and again, I am definitely not complaining. Just weird because this was not the Peace Corps experience I imagined. In fact, as modern as my host family’s house was, it is a drastic change comparing life in a large village to a city like Bamenda.
If I could describe Bamenda in one word, it would be: lively. Oh, and scenic. The savannah and hills are gorgeous. In fact, if I am only looking at the scenery from a distance the view reminds me of Costa Rica. Most roads are paved but there are still dirt roads in the neighborhoods and small shops. The main streets, such as Commercial Avenue, are filled with shop after shop after shop after shop. Think Chinatown. With that, there are also bars after bars after bars. Cameroonians, especially in the Northwest, are very social people. There are “white man” stores which sell a gamut of items I thought I had left behind in the States: Snickers bars, ice cream, cranberry juice, yogurt, soy products, whole wheat bread, maple syrup, etc. For transportation, people get around by taking bikes/motos and taxis.
Let me elaborate on transportation. When taking a taxi, first you need to show with your fingers how many people in his taxi. You tell him where you want to go and if he agrees, he honks once. Then you make sure you negotiate the price before you get in. Because I’m “white,” sometimes the driver doubles the price so you just need to tell him directly. Another note is that you do not always have a seat to yourself. The driver will seat as many people as he can into the taxi, which can be between 8-9 people. Sometimes in the front, you sit in the middle between the driver and the passenger, and sometimes you sit on the left side of the driver – that’s when you’re called the “petite chauffeur.” Because I’m small, I do this. At first it was overwhelming and sometimes you get elbowed in the thigh when the driver shifts to first gear...like today (yeah, bruises for days). But c’est la vie – as long as you get from Point A to Point B, I suppose.
Next: Motos. Short for motorcycles. You hop on and hop off. You can seat 2-3 customers and their children, who sit in front/on the driver. Normally, people don’t wear helmets but because there are instances of moto crashes, but Peace Corps Volunteers are required to wear PC-issued helmets. I'm too scared to ride them in Bamenda.
Let me write about two other points, which I have found to be quite interesting. I have mentioned before the split between Anglophones and Francophones (see previous post). I noticed this when meeting with local officials in Bamenda. When I sat down with the governor of the Northwest region to introduce myself as a PCV, he was very cordial and spoke English. We also did not wait very long for this meeting. However, I noticed a very different attitude towards us when meeting with the police and gendarmes. We had to wait much longer and they were not as respectful. They also only spoke French, even though we are in an Anglophone region. Because Anglophones are the minority in a Francophone-dominated country, the police and gendarmes represent the national government.
The last point I’ll discuss today is my experiences here as a Chinese-American. There is no doubt that people already stare at me and other “whites” whether we’re in a town like Bafia or a big city like Bamenda. I have lived in different places like Richmond, VA and Omaha, NE, and even the DC metropolitan area where diversity is not at the same level as in LA or New York. But being here is a whole other ballgame. People stare at me and wonder aloud if I’m Chinese or Japanese. Kids greet me with "hee haw" (which annoys me)or some of those more aware say "Ni hao" (still wrong but no biggie). When I tell them I’m an American, many times they will not believe me. Now, this would not normally bother me as much because I have dealt with this in the past. However, we know that Chinese contractors work in many African countries, Cameroon being one of them. There are also many Chinese products sold - on the street as well as in a few Chinese owned stores. Yet many products are cheap and of bad quality. Many items will break after only a few uses. Because these products are driving out competition from Cameroonian stores, some locals are anti-Chinese. Thus, when I’m walking down the shops and stores, a few people have made rude/ignorant comments to me. I can understand their frustrations, but I don't appreciate them thinking that I'm here to exploit anyone.
But I'll end this post on a good note. I see Obama-gear everywhere...t-shirts, notebooks, wallets, stickers on taxis, names of restaurant/bars, etc. I am currently in search of an Obama market bag. How interesting it would have been to be in Africa on Election Day '08.
Waka fine!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Diseased.
I have typhoid. TYPHOID. Think Oregon Trail diseases: cholera, dysentery...and TYPHOID. Think preventable disease. It's disgusting and ridiculously funny at the same time. I'll blog more about this later...but I'm retching in pain right now (no, not really. Just laugh).
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Halfway Mark
Friends, I promise I will post pictures soon on Facebook. I have not taken many pictures yet because I have been cautious not to flash my electronics around. But I will make sure you get to see the life I am living as a trainee. We are halfway through with training and will finish August 18. Only one more month and we swear in as official volunteers!
Last week we went on our site visits to see our posts and to get a glimpse of my life over the next two years. Bamenda is wonderful. It’s the regional capital of the Northwest Province and the largest Anglophone city in Cameroon with a population of 235,000. According to my tour book, this province is what you would consider “African” with secret societies, traditional chiefdoms (called fons), carved masks, etc. The road from Yaounde (and Bafia) to Bamenda is a direct, paved road (you Americans had better appreciate the ease and efficiency of paved roads…I’ll go into detail about the Ring Road later, which is the path from Bamenda to the town Kumbo) and is about 5-6 hours away. The weather is dry and slightly cooler than Los Angeles…60s to upper 70s with sun that kisses your skin but does not make you perspire. No more humidity for me! The lush is savannah and abundant eucalyptus trees…AND I can see a petite waterfall from my apartment balcony.
The city is definitely bustling with activity with stores, markets, internet cafes – you name it and Bamenda has it (relative to towns in third world nations, of course). Oh, it even has beautiful hotels (international quality) with swimming pools! You can even find gourmet pizza, cheeseburgers, and Dr. Pepper. I definitely did not expect this when I signed up for the Peace Corps, but obviously the world has changed in today’s ubiquitous world of technology and globalization. Did I mention I’ll also be getting wifi? Once I arrive at post, I’ll be able to Skype and gchat with you guys.
It is also a very interesting time to live in Bamenda. Let me first provide a (very) brief background of Cameroon. The country is divided into ten provinces: The Extreme North (desert, Muslim/Christian/animist), North (Muslim-ish), South (rainforest), East (rainforest), Centre (the capital Yaounde and Bafia are here), Littoral (the country’s largest and economic city Douala is here), West, Southwest (the beach and volcano are here), and Northwest (Bamenda). After Germany gave up Cameroon after WWI, France and England divided up land. Cameroon gained independence in 1960 with a democratic form of government. Today, the majority of Cameroon is Francophone with Anglophones as the minority in the Northwest and Southwest provinces. There exists a divide between the Francophones and Anglophones, as the latter feel marginalized and do not believe the president represents their best interests. This sentiment is very strong to the point where the Anglophones want independence from Francophone. When President Paul Biya, who has been ruling since 1982, was forced to legalize opposition parties in 1991, the Social Democratic Front (SDF) formed in Bamenda. The 1992 election renewed Biya’s presidency, denying the SDF an Anglophone president amid claims of voter rigging and intimidation. In conversing with Anglophones in Bamenda and my Francophone host family here in Bafia, it seems both sides are passionate about their politics. We will see how these sentiments will pan out in next year’s elections, with Biya running for another seven-year presidential term. I hope for peaceful results, especially in a hotbed city like Bamenda.
To provide you with a sense of Cameroon’s standard of living, the currency here is the Central African franc (CFA). While the exchange rates vary daily, 500 CFA is approximately $1. A cup of coffee costs between 150-200 CFA, three bananas cost 50 CFA, a meal costs 500-1,000 CFA, and a beer costs 500-600 CFA (the size of drinks here are about half a liter, which is double the size of the beer in the United States). While these prices are more expensive in larger cities, everything is pretty affordable to say the least. I hope this helpsh put things into perspective.
Even though I have only been living in Cameroon for a short period of time, I already see the potential this country has to provide its people with an enjoyable standard of living. However, corruption is real and blatant in Africa. I believe that problems can only be solved with good leadership and good governance – starting from the very top, n’est pas?
Last week we went on our site visits to see our posts and to get a glimpse of my life over the next two years. Bamenda is wonderful. It’s the regional capital of the Northwest Province and the largest Anglophone city in Cameroon with a population of 235,000. According to my tour book, this province is what you would consider “African” with secret societies, traditional chiefdoms (called fons), carved masks, etc. The road from Yaounde (and Bafia) to Bamenda is a direct, paved road (you Americans had better appreciate the ease and efficiency of paved roads…I’ll go into detail about the Ring Road later, which is the path from Bamenda to the town Kumbo) and is about 5-6 hours away. The weather is dry and slightly cooler than Los Angeles…60s to upper 70s with sun that kisses your skin but does not make you perspire. No more humidity for me! The lush is savannah and abundant eucalyptus trees…AND I can see a petite waterfall from my apartment balcony.
The city is definitely bustling with activity with stores, markets, internet cafes – you name it and Bamenda has it (relative to towns in third world nations, of course). Oh, it even has beautiful hotels (international quality) with swimming pools! You can even find gourmet pizza, cheeseburgers, and Dr. Pepper. I definitely did not expect this when I signed up for the Peace Corps, but obviously the world has changed in today’s ubiquitous world of technology and globalization. Did I mention I’ll also be getting wifi? Once I arrive at post, I’ll be able to Skype and gchat with you guys.
It is also a very interesting time to live in Bamenda. Let me first provide a (very) brief background of Cameroon. The country is divided into ten provinces: The Extreme North (desert, Muslim/Christian/animist), North (Muslim-ish), South (rainforest), East (rainforest), Centre (the capital Yaounde and Bafia are here), Littoral (the country’s largest and economic city Douala is here), West, Southwest (the beach and volcano are here), and Northwest (Bamenda). After Germany gave up Cameroon after WWI, France and England divided up land. Cameroon gained independence in 1960 with a democratic form of government. Today, the majority of Cameroon is Francophone with Anglophones as the minority in the Northwest and Southwest provinces. There exists a divide between the Francophones and Anglophones, as the latter feel marginalized and do not believe the president represents their best interests. This sentiment is very strong to the point where the Anglophones want independence from Francophone. When President Paul Biya, who has been ruling since 1982, was forced to legalize opposition parties in 1991, the Social Democratic Front (SDF) formed in Bamenda. The 1992 election renewed Biya’s presidency, denying the SDF an Anglophone president amid claims of voter rigging and intimidation. In conversing with Anglophones in Bamenda and my Francophone host family here in Bafia, it seems both sides are passionate about their politics. We will see how these sentiments will pan out in next year’s elections, with Biya running for another seven-year presidential term. I hope for peaceful results, especially in a hotbed city like Bamenda.
To provide you with a sense of Cameroon’s standard of living, the currency here is the Central African franc (CFA). While the exchange rates vary daily, 500 CFA is approximately $1. A cup of coffee costs between 150-200 CFA, three bananas cost 50 CFA, a meal costs 500-1,000 CFA, and a beer costs 500-600 CFA (the size of drinks here are about half a liter, which is double the size of the beer in the United States). While these prices are more expensive in larger cities, everything is pretty affordable to say the least. I hope this helpsh put things into perspective.
Even though I have only been living in Cameroon for a short period of time, I already see the potential this country has to provide its people with an enjoyable standard of living. However, corruption is real and blatant in Africa. I believe that problems can only be solved with good leadership and good governance – starting from the very top, n’est pas?
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