Stranded in Cameroon

This marks the third time Ive tried to write this update – slower than slow connection, very well timed electrical outage, and inability to reach that Wesleyan server have held me back. This should go through and I should be content finally.
Its been a while since last I reported from Yaounde. Well, everything goes great with the ISP and family life and all. I understand more and more why past students have said ISP is the best part of the semester. Since last whenever, I’ve had interviews with 4 big party reps, done some internet research stuff, and been handling my business like I need to. Ive also spent some time and money at the artisan shops here. A weakness of mine, though it was through a artisan vender that I made contact with the UDC party.
So I think its good to further explain my project exactly. It’s the ISP, which is the final paper everyone does for the program, on whatever topic, a month of research, about 30 to 40 pages in length. So mine is about multipartyism in Cameroon, which was first introduced in the 92 elections, but really hasn’t developed into full fledged democracy so far. The ruling party has kept majority power by party weaknesses as well as electoral fraud. So I’m out to do an evaluation of the system today. There was an extremely relevant article (“Multipartyism and Democratization in Cameroon”) I found from ‘98 which detailed the system as of then, in a project quite like mine. So I’m taking theory from that about the nature of opposition parties and am going to compare my findings with the authors, who criticizes the opposition parties for the lack of democratic progress. So firstly, I’m interviewing each major party to find out their platform and their interactions with each other. Then I’ll incorporate some analyses of the other factors working to undermine opposition party strength.
The basic analysis is that some parties are usefully radical, but are too regional or weakened by elections and ethnic differences to truly effect change. Then others don’t offer a platform truly different from the govts, and are even incorporated into the ruling structure, thus bringing into question their oppositional status. All parties match up to a distinct ethnic and regional base, but none seems primed to challenge the power structure. Then its about electoral fraud, the politics of ethnic differences and tribalist practices, then foreign intervention, which all hurt democracy here.
So those are my interests and activities. I’ve been strolling into major party buildings in the city and finding someone informed to interview. I hit the UPC Monday, UDC Tuesday, UNDP Thursday, and the CPDM (party of power) today. I need to get back to the SDF to do a formal interview with the same questionnaire. I’m at the half way point timewise, and am thus sitting pretty well. This weekend shall be break, to be detailed further in this entry.
Family life goes well. No one is much around during the week, since both parents get home late, but I too am usually out the whole day too. I cooked last Saturday – all American style meatloaf and mashed potatos. They liked it I think, though ingredients and such can be difficult in Cameroon. The touristy grocery stores in Yaounde helped, and in all it came out decently well. I also gave out the homestay gifts which went well. Its more exciting knowing they haven’t experience the white student homestay before. This weekend, as in early tomorrow, I’m off to the village with the two parents till Sunday. Their from Bana, which is near Bafang, which is in the West province, same as Dschang. Its about 5 hours from here. So that will be a fun cultural experience mehopes.
Personally, I’ve struggled with conjunctivitis of late, though I’m back in contacts for the second time. Hopefully that is all finished. I’ve been sleeping plenty though, given the looser schedule and active at night household. And Ive been eating a lot of eggs, cooking breakfast for myself everyday. There are plenty at the house though, since mama bought 150 last Wednesday, of which about 50 remain. Coffee, canned meat, and mangos have also been on the menu of late.
Taxi taking started out as a huge pain, but I’m getting used to it now. Basically, cabs pass and you say where, perhaps offer a price if its far or your pressed, then they either take you or don’t if they are headed the same direction. Three in back, from time to time, 2 passengers in the passengers seat in front. I miss the ease of New York cabs, where its illegal to refuse fares. But, you cant beat the price here – equiv of 40 cents, 1 buck for the long trips across town.
So everything goes well. I hope to enjoy the village this weekend, and hopefully interviews and research will continue all well.

Okay, I got pictures a-goin with this home computer/internet high life.
It feels sad that I can effectively sum up my trip pictures in just 8 pictures, but I’m sure they’ll serve as mega food for surprise, conversation, and commentary. I’ll come with another word update soon enough.
The pictures will follow after the text I believe, I’ll give captions
before hand.
1. Full group picture with our two older French professors. And yes I am very bien habillé, thank you.
2. Dschang Sisters after church, Ingrid, Huguette, Xaverie, left to right, with young Darlene in front.
3. Dshang Parents at home.
4. Our chat with biggest opposition leader, "the Chairman", Ni John Fru Ndi. 5. Me and Papa Shehou (Ngaoundere), at home, in our best. This is the El Hadji look.
6. Me and Ngdere sister Rachida at home, she’s cooking, I’m just posing. 7. Little Ndgere sister Fadimatou with new baby Abdul-Nassif Nathan.
8. And lastly, top of Mount Ngaoundere with Diana

Sorry its been a while, but all the missing stories will be explained... to follow: leaving Ngaoundere, through Kirbi, to Yaounde, where I now rest, rolling with the Independent Study Project...
Leaving Ngdere wasn’t too sad. My father saw me off, but little else was of interest. After several free days and little to do, I was ready for the next step. Definitely a big one though, since it was ISP time after the short vacation. One girl stayed up in Ngdere, another two stopped in Yaounde and didnt go on to kribi (one to Bamenda after to figure out her project), so sadly, the group all togetherness ended here. But our PACA girls came to see us off at the train station which was really nice.
The train back down to Yaounde wasnt nearly as bad, mainly cuz most of us (including me) were in sleeper cars. Thus I slept in a nice normal bed and the lights actually could be turned off during the night. Coming back to Yaounde for that little time was neat, and we stopped by the mission to drop off people then hit the boulangerie, where i helped myself to sme icecream and a quiche (oh the city...).
Then off to Kribi via bus. We got in thursday night, and had some time to swim and hang out in the warm, but cloudy weather. We were staying in a hotel right on the beach, as in 10 yards of beach, then 20 yards of hotel patio, then around the corner to my room. The beaches are lovely there, though I knew what to expect so it was less exciting. The water was so warm too, which was actually disappointing for cooling off, but I aint complaining. So we had dinner at the hotel restaurant that night, which took forever to come out, so we were all starving. Then Friday I spent with Sarah, Katrina, and Jettie going in town a bit, where we had some awesome grilled mackral, as is the typical meal in Kribi, and visited some artisan shops. The town isnt too big, but seemed to have many restaurants and touristy things. One day didnt suffice to see it. The rest of the day we spent on the beach, drinking out of cocunut shells and relaxing. Can’t say I enjoyed the coconut milk (which is really more like juice or water) sadly. That was a real disappointment in my life, cuz I always expected otherwise. Dinner we had in the group out at “maison africaine.” On the menu? Snake, Antelope, porcupine, full bodied shrimp. Delicious I know. Some other girls ate monkey earlier in the day. For me it was the antelope, which tasted a lot like beef. I enjoyed it. I was coming down with a cold though and thus didnt feel up to trying the other delicacies. Antoher time most certainly. Again though the restaurant took forever – we were there for 3 hours beginning to end. It must be more the laid back africanness with the service round those parts.
So my cold led to a fever and then runny nose and always fatigue. The fever was gone by saturday morning through, but I got me some pink eye by Sunday! Hooray. Twas expected tp happen during this trip though, since I seem to be susceptible in life. Thus I was perpared with meds too. Its about gone now after some medicine days, and hopefully I’ll be back in contact by tomorrow or Friday if I want to play it safe.
But thats all in Yaounde, yes. We travelled back to town on Saturday, where I hung at the mission a bit, then got a bite and grabbed a cab to my quartier, Biyem-Assi (or Biye-Massi, depending on I dont know what). Its a bit out of the center of town but is still in the city very much. And my family is loaded! Mama and Papa both work, papa a doctor of facial illnesses, Mama a nurse for FammCam, an org we visited during SIT’s time here. Then two kids – Cedric, age 16, and Raissa, age 14, who are both doing a highschool type thing. Raissa just got in yesterday from visting family in Douala over Easter break, but we hung today and get along well. Cedric Ive been seeing plenty of, and hes nice but a bit shy. There is also the maid, Sydoney, who works during the day. Everyone is so nice and its been great so far. And I’m the one and only American in the family’s history, which makes things more exciting.
When I talk about richness, I’m talking a house just like orus back home, except with a maid even. They got 2 cars, a gated house (same as in dschang though), 2 fridges, a microwave (!), satellite TV in the parents room, computers, and even internet in the house, though I’ve still yet to use it. Then of course electricity and running water, which are both seldom cut. So its a nice digs, especially for my project, since I can both write and do interenet research at home, into any hour of the night. Food has also been good so far, and I4m cooking Saturday whcih should work out alright...
So moved in and got to know them saturday. Sunday morning was easter, so I headed to their church in my finest. Many people here sport all white, and there were many baptisms that went on. The service in all was 3+ hours, including communion, which I took after hearing from my father how lutheranism developed into the eglise evangelique du cameroun from German colonial roots. In all the service was nothing too special, despite it being easter. The church is I believe under construction, so we were in a “hangar” – wooden building with a dirt floor and a metal roof.
Sunday afternoon there was a tontin reunion at my house. That refers to a Bamileke custom of sharing money in the family. Basically people give money to the pot each month, however much they want. Then a select few, based on rotation, collect the equivelant money that they gave in a lump sum. It basically functions as an informal savings and loan system, and lets people save up to make large purchases or have money for needs. The system has been in the family for very long time.
So monday I started actually working on my project. I spent the day at the US embassy library, way out in Bastos (40 minutes, 1 dollar cab ride, which is expensive here). Found some good articles, but was still feeling a bit ill so I came back and napped, then just hung around.
Tuesday I walked to the university and then called an SDF contact I had, who had me come straight to the national assembly. I arrived, was greeted by his secretary who wondered if theyd let me in wearing jeans and a t-shirt, officially not allowed i the assembly office building. They did, ayb just cuw i was white, and I made my way up, then chatted with my contact guy for about an hour in his office. Turns out he is the parliamentary group leader of the SDF, meaning he is the highest ranking elected public official of the largest opposition party in cameroon. Nice right? So I wasnt even really prepared for the interview, having not expected it to go down so suddenly, and in having not yet talked with my advisor. But i suppose it went okay, though I’ll need to go back and speak with him or someone else on other specific topics I didnt get to.
Later tuesday was my first advisor meeting. I failed to arrive where he said in a cab, but i think he gave me bad directions. Anyways, I eventually was told to wait for him at a gas station near his office place. Then I waited and waited for over an hour till he finally came in car. By then it was past my official curfew given by SIT, but i was at least glad that he came at all. He was really preoccupied I found out and busy, but he agreed to be the advisor and we chatted a bit about the project. Thursday is our first real meeting, which I should be able to get to on my own. I headed home after 8 and crashed last night.
Then Wednesday I spent with freshly-arrived, still-on-break sister Raissa. We walked around the quartier some and visited papa at work down the road. Then we tagged along with him on an errand to the minister of health, which happened to be right near the Minister for Terratorial Administration, which is the current branch that organizes elections in Cameroon. So i stopped in a got myself a contact for later this week. I wasnt planning on doing any work after hectic yesterday, but this worked out nicely.
So I’m playing it as I go with the project so far, without many set contacts. More advisor help and contact guidance is needed, but Ive been quite busy the past few, still at least know what I’m doing tomorrow. Its a total of 27 days in Yaounde, which at the same time seems long and short. Hopefully I can really get underway with the project, and of course am hoping it comes out well. But I also have loads to do online, since ive been putting everything off, and also gotta get shopping in town again at some point.
So, until next time, likley from chez moi...
....This entry was written and saved yesterday just before an electrical outage. Thus, submittal thursday morning is what had to happen. Oh l’afrique...

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…

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.