For Real Leaving Ngdere

Wasting time my last day in ngaoundere. This morning was the little party amongst men for the baby, but it wasn’t interesting. They just assembled, were each given a plastic gift bag filled with kola nuts and candy, then said a five minute prayer in Arabic. Was in all a bit awkward for me… but the name of the kid I have now: Abdul-Nassif Nathan. There may be another name added to the end there, but I’m in it! So that’s exciting.
Its been annoying me that i forgot to mention the potato like foods we very often also eat up round here : you got your basic potatos, then your patates, which are sweeter tasting, then your ignams, which are almost bitter tasting, and are the yams that are so commonly mentioned along with west Africa. Then there is also macabo, which is another, but I’m not sure ive eaten it. Also, manyock is a rock thing from somewhere, but is ground up to make a rubbery starch dish or is made into couscous manyock. Thus the root starches. I wanted to also mention the drinks here. Ive been drinking my fair share of soda – “jus” according to them. They got coke, and sprite, and orange fanta. Then they also have 4ish fruit flavors of this drink called top, of which I’m a big fan. Kola nuts, mentioned above, big traditional thing about respect and friendship. Chiefs get a ton. but i could never be chief i decided today, because i think they taste nasty.
Leaving on the train for yaounde then to kribi in 2 and a half hours. We get sleeping cars this time though, so I’m looking forward to that, if it works out. Ngaoundere has been interesting but also boring (opposites, kinda, but not really in this context). ISP is literally around the corner, so I’m anxious about that, but think it should go down pretty well. I nee d to arrange my housing, advisor and get some interview lined up in the next few days though. The computer I’m using has Word 2007, which is really bizarre for me using here…