Apr 2007

Ca va here in ngaoundere. We’ve been working (but not too busily) on our PACA project from last Tuesday through Saturday, with the final report due in just a half hour, no problem. The work here in general is not too challenging. For example, we have our second part of the final CDS exam tomorrow, for which we have to write an essay of our choice, which we prepare before hand but write there; its not analytical, but mainly facts, about whatever we want. So I’m not too worried about that. Meanwhile life has been slow at home. I wake up every morning with no one there, spend the excessive free time doing some ISP reading or travel planning, then meander my way into town for whatever reason, recently PACA related. I did go see the new baby Saturday afternoon, and he is doing well. My sisters and brothers are over there too, and they were all glad to see me for a bit, I hope. The walk there and back took a while though, since it’s really a nearby village. I broke out my new tunic and matching hat Saturday too, and instead of calling me Nasara (white person in fulfulde) people used El-Hadji, meaning one who has finished the pilgrimage to mecca; quite amusing. Friday morning I hiked up Mont Ngaoundere with Diana, which was fun. It took about an hour and a half to go up, just 30 to get down and back. It aint too high, and is all rocky. The mountains here are all just stacks of rocks, and often look unnatural. It’s definitely interesting. Mt: Ngdere for instance, has a distinguishing big round rock on top. I took pictures of it all, but that’s for once I get back.
So I realize I haven’t given much description of food here since I came. Definitely worth mentioning. As was said to be the case, most meals involve a sauce with a few pieces of meat in it, accompanied by a starch. In Dschang I most often ate rice with fish in tomato sauce, as was the preferred meal for my Papa there. Also ate peanut sauce or legumes (like spinach, ish?), most often with fish, but beef once or twice too. Starches there were generally rice, but also plantains from time to time (home food there was not that diverse and interesting, honestly) For lunch in town I had similar stuff though, chicken from time to time, beef maybe, but also yogurt and bread from the bakery once in a while, plus some fruit from time to time (as it is everywhere here. I’m surprised I haven’t eaten more) – including bananas, pineapple, papayas, oranges, mangos, and maybe others. Many girls are all over the fruit more than me, but it also often leads to sickness due to non hygienic-ness. For breakfast in Dschang it was always bread and Nescafe, sometimes with avocados. Up North, the food of choice is cous-cous mais, aka foufou in English. It’s a ball of gooey corn starch eaten by hand. Ive had that with a variety of strange sauces, made from gumbo (a pepperish vegetable), peanuts, and other things I don’t know. Beef is the meat here, no question. The fish Ive had have been bad, and I haven’t tasted chicken since I got here. All over there are also dishes like rice or pasta (mainly spaghetti) mixed with tomato sauce, usually without meat. And you can also find basic grilled meats or meat based sauces, and also eggs. Hard to explain and encompass all, but I generally am pleased by the food in this land. The only dish I haven’t liked is Ndole, which is this bitter legume… bleh. But interestingly enough I ordered literally liver and onions yesterday for lunch (with macaroni), which was actually really good.
So the PACA thing was alright, but I don’t think we helped the community much, and they were already pretty much decided on a project of bringing in potable water. We’re not the ones to provide the means though, so it ended kinda openly and uselessly. That’s finished now, leaving us with the essay exam tomorrow, then for me a party with the men for the baby on Wednesday, then a depart for Kribi via yaounde on the train, then bus, fro Wednesday to Thursday. A few days on the beach, then off to ISP land.