Mar 2007

got back yesterday from my stay at the Keleng village chefferie. the village is very close to town ("en ville," in fact according to the chief), and is ironically closer to my homestay house in dschang than is the SIT office. thus, it wasn't so much of a rural stay, but it was interesting seeing a different style of life round these parts.
The chef/chief has two of his own wives, but inherited many others from his father (but i do not believe they are on the same level of intimacy as the two). I went along with Rachel, who was kept close because she is getting over typhoid fever. the chef is actually the coordinator for all the chefferie stays for us students. many children of all ages amongst us, but we each got our own room. the houses of the chef and wives were quite nice and we were allowed to use the chef's bathroom, which was tidy and had a toilette, but no running water. electricity was a yes as well.
got in thursday, but had nothing to do until dinner. we did chat with the chef a bit and did our introductions. each of the two wives cooks for him and their children, in two separate outdoors-ish kitchens. we ate heartily during the entire stay there. i also slept aplenty.
friday morning we went out to do some work in the fields with the chef, clearing old banana trees and debris to allow for new cultivation. i got to use the machete a bit, which was cool. not too much work friday, as we came in early to accept a visit from christianne (our academic director), who brought along the US SIT study abroad application coordinator for west africa, who was getting introduced to the program components in person. after they left, some nap time and down time. i did plenty of reading throughout the weekend. i played with the kids a bit too, and got to chat with the older ones.
saturday we spent in the fields a bit further from home, along with the daughters of one wife. they cultivated the whole thing - which is a process of bend over or on the knees chopping dirt forever. quite painful and tidious. i couldn't handle much of it myself, but rachel was active for most of the day, quite impressive. blisters on us both, however. after the work we came back to repose aka nap and sit around. dinner again came fairly late but was again filling and tasty.
sunday morning we leisured around a bit. i tried to help fix two separate computers - one of the chef's sons', which seemed hopeless and some mechanism issue, and the other of the neighbor of the chef, who also happens to be assistant director for SIT here, who had just got used computer from the US, but couldnt get it to operate in french. i was unsuccessful helping with each. the latter really made me think about the whole process of second hand stuff to africa - our old junk becomes their livelihood - which is also quite visible in clothing and cars. rachel said it well with the idea that there is no such consumer goods produced with the intent to sell to cameroonians, or for people of most developing nations for that matter.
we headed out late sunday morning, after which i spent the day at home in dschang with the family or chilling alone. the whole chef visit was great, being in a huge family, seeing kids playing and all and getting to know more people round our age. the wives and chef were really hospitable and open, so it was a great experience.
headed out to yaounde on wednesday morning to stay in a mission for a week and a half. ISP is around the corner, in the beginning of april, and i seem to be headed towards studying the idea of democracy in cameroon, as a foreign or naturally indigenous institution. i still gotta iron out details and my plan, and my subject may still change as i learn about different new things.
ive also been considering extending my stay as was planned. many students are heading out early, some others doing different things. the group most fitted to what i want to do is staying till the 31st, so that might be my plan. i need to get in touch with lyon travel today or tomorrow and settle it.
so all goes well. i'm missing american things or all varities, but hope that i will find more interesting stuff in yaounde, which has a totally different culture and is a huge city top explore.
just two more days