Monday, July 6, 2009
July 4-5
I had a lot of fun this weekend. Asher, Laura, Aya, and I were invited to Helen’s birthday party which took place yesterday on the fourth of July. I got the invite in an email before I even met Helen in person. I think as of yet that event has been the most emblematic of Cameroonian hospitality. Helen has been in the country for 7 weeks and has 7 more to go, she’s a Dutch 22 year-old working for Design Systems, an NGO which is focusing on bringing internet to Cameroon. I think basically the NGO is poised to become and internet café, and I am not sure if that’s a legit non-profit, but whatever, they threw a good party. That’s right, Heleen’s co-workers took it upon themselves to throw her a phenomenal Cameroonian-style birthday party. I think she ma y have given them money but they cooked all the food, organized music, games, bought her presents, and organized. They designated one of the biggest personalities in the business to MC. We were all in one main room, which has already been filled with desks and computers (donated from the US or Europe, and then purchased at Cameroonian prices), lined up against the walls, each of us seated in plastic lawn chairs. The first portion of the party was to have Helen stand outside and wait as we all counted to 21. On twenty-two she was told to enter the party and proclaim her age and everyone clapped. It was really sweet and she started crying as fifty people (her Cameroonian co-workers, Cameroonian AIESECers, and Cameroonian women’s basketball teammates) all sang happy birthday to her. We progressed through various speeches and introductions of new segments of the party. There was a very formal giving of gifts, in which we all lined up and gave them to her, then a game in which we asked Helen pre-written questions (I think the boss wrote them). One question was sort of awkward; it was “what do most Americans and Europeans think of Africans?” Then we ate fantastic food, I may or may not have taken pictures, I can’t remember. Finally the night ended with AIESEC dances (see above), only two of which I knew and 1 was Cotton-Eye Joe- the completely African version.
Today was also very nice because we went to our co-worker, Helen’s house to watch what I believe is her favorite movie- Twighlight. I had actually never seen it and it was good, especially because she filled in all the gaps at the end. She’s a remarkable person in that she reads everything that she can get her hands on, which I think (not to generalize, but just based on observations) is unusual in this culture. She wants to be a writer, and she majored in journalism at the University of Buea, right next to our NGO, but she is torn. She has a place to stay with her sister in the US and she wants to go, but if she goes she realizes that she may not be able to get a job in journalism because of her thick accent. Her sister has advised her to go into either pharmacy or nursing, but I hope she writes a novel or story someday because she told us the story of Twighlight: Part Two and she made it very captivating.
Before Sheila and Pamela, other co-workers picked us up on the way to Helen’s house, we had tried to prepare lunch. It went really badly. I am proud to say that I didn’t mess anything up. Laura (and this easily could have been me) tried to fry onion to add to an omelet, but the silver of the pan we were using somehow melted off into the hot oil that she was heating. I am not sure what that pan is made of, but its Bill’s, our boss, and I bet he doesn’t cook very often, so he couldn’t have warned us. Then Laura dropped about half of a container of palm oil on the kitchen tiled floor and we had to leave it to get to Helen’s. Forgetting that it was there, when I came home an hour ago I wiped out. Aya and I spent a lot of time on our knees just rubbing the floor with a bar of soap. Water is off right now, we have no towels, paper towels don’t exist, and so we have a very soapy floor now, but it is less slippery than the straight-up oil. We were challenged yet again with meal prep and because Bill’s water boiler thing also broke today, we can’t heat water and thus can’t eat. Well, I take that back, I just had my Malarone pill and a forkful of Nutella-like chocolate paste, (probably my favorite Cameroonian food product). Better planning tomorrow.
I have decided that overall I am a very happy person. There’s the self-discovery my readers were waiting for! Aren’t you glad you’re still reading this blog? No really though, I was thinking as I laid in bed with three other girls last night, with a rumbling gut and a mosquito buzzing in my ear, that this is a great place, I am surrounded by amazing people, and I am SO enjoying my time here. If it was any easier I would have been very disappointed.
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Kate,
ReplyDeleteThis all sounds so wonderful and perfect for you! I'm glad you're keeping this blog as I can learn a tiny bit about Cameroon (a place I would otherwise have never heard of) through you! Keep the posting up and I can't wait until the fall to hear about it from you in person!
Justine
Kate-
ReplyDeleteYour blog is awesome. Highlyl entertaining, and I love that I can actually hear your voice through my monitor. Keep up the frequent updates.
Best,
Mel
This is wonderful and I thoroughly enjoy reading it. Remember when I was the one telling you stories? Now the role had been reversed!! Keep up the amazing work, I am so happy for you and very proud to know you.
ReplyDeleteYou've got an amazing character, girl. I have to agree that you are one of the happiest people I know.
ReplyDeleteAgain, thanks for writing :)
coool pictures
ReplyDelete