Rivers and Roads: My Cameroon Experience

I have been sitting here for 10 minutes trying to think of that perfect hook for you wonderful readers. There are so many thoughts and memories flowing throughout my mind it is hard to pin point where to start, therefore I have decided to break my Cameroon experience into different sections: schools, infrastructures, and cultures. I hope you enjoy and again these are my observations and experiences through a teacher, girlfriend, and an American's eyes.

Schools

When I teach Sub-Sahara Africa in my classroom I mention that Cameroon has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa, which is very true. When I was in Cameroon I noticed Cameroonians value and see the importance of receiving an education.

Primary school (elementary school), college (middle school), and high school is the order children go through school. Throughout these stages you take state exams to determine the direction you take during your school career, either you pass the exam and move forward or fail the exam and stay back for another year to eventually re-take the same exam . An education is important but you still see the struggle many African nations have in politics, school funding, etc. The infrastructure of many of the schools I visited and drove by show the lack of financial support, infrastructure, and resources. It was very hard to see the schools in these conditions, especially through the eyes of an educator. These schools lack internet, books, and basic classroom materials. Teachers lack resources as well and chalk boards are still in use in every classroom. It is amazing to think that next year I will be implementing the one to one initiative in my classroom; every student having a laptop and access to the internet. When I look at schools in Cameroon I see what America probably looked like during the one room school house era about 100 years ago.

I attended three schools during my time in Cameroon. The first school I visited was Mbuno's primary school; Mbuno is Gabe's nephew and he was graduating from primary school the first weekend we were in Cameroon. The second school was the primary school Gabe attended when he lived in Cameroon. The last school was an all girls catholic boarding school that Gabe's sister teaches at. Below are a few pictures from these three schools.

If you look closely you will see a basketball court. This is part of the playground area at Mbuno's private primary school.

Classroom rules

The home economics room at the all girls boarding school. They learn how to sew and cook in this classroom.

The boarding room building. The girls live here during the school year.

Mbuno's graduation ceremony

Classroom: what is crazy to think about is 100 students will have to fit in this classroom.

Gabe's primary school

Football (soccer) field Gabe played and coached at when living in Cameroon.

Culture

The culture in America and the culture in Africa are very different indeed, yet people everywhere in the world are the same. We eat, drink, go out, dance, sing, play games, work, etc. Yet how we do these things is what makes cultures different. America is a melting pot of cultures but in my eyes we have used these cultures to make the American culture. We have intertwined these cultures as our own unique culture in how we dress, eat, and the biggest uniqueness we have is speed. As Americans we live in a very fast pace world. We work hard and play hard; many of us freak out when we have two days with nothing to do! I have traveled to Europe and Africa now and have realized these nations take their time and accept a slow pace life. I defiantly had a hard time on some days because all I wanted to do was go go go and see as much as I could, however, that did not happen often with Gabe wanting to stay home and talk to friends and family and the accessibility of places are much harder in Cameroon than in the United States. In the end I learned to slow down a bit and I experienced a culture I have taught about for seven years now. I can add my learning's on this trip to improve my future lessons in my own classroom.

Checkers is called draft and it is not a kids game it is a mans game.
Experienced a goat killing
Traditional food is the staple food in Cameroon. Fast food is very different to fast food here in the United States. Fast food in Cameroon is street vendors selling beef, corn, pork, goat meat, snails, peanuts and chicken. The food is either carried on a child's head to be sold or a grill on the side of the road. The conditions of which these items are sold is unhealthy for foreigners to eat, so I never got a chance to try any of these dishes. Gabe attempted one night and was sick the next five days. I guess his ten years in the United States changed what his stomach can and can not handle.
Every part of the animal is eaten...skin, bone, and intestines are the most loved. Gabe loves intestines.
Football I mean soccer is HUGE...I am not ashamed to say I watched every World Cup game when I was there. Most of the time we watched the game at a local bar or at the house. One night while watching the World Cup at a local bar a Cameroonian said during the USA game that Americans are weak because they are vegetarians. Besides being vegetarian I also learned that we only eat frozen foods because nothing is fresh or grown in the United States. One lady asked if we had corn. It is unique to see the viewpoints of some Cameroonians about the United States. Unfortunately Cameroon kinda of stunk at the World Cup so it was not too exciting, but I did notice that African nations support each other. When Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Algeria played every TV was on.
Drivers in Cameroon are CRAZY, I mean really CRAZY! The roads are not that wide and not in great conditions, but people will go in, out, and around cars and there is no regulation on speed limits. I probably pasted an accident 3-5 times during my stay in Cameroon.
Beer is loved...a result of Cameroon at one time being colonized by the Germans.
People should know you don't see animals around like you think. I was in the jungle not the Savannah or a national park. Most people see animals on Safaris located on national park lands. Most animals moved deep into the forest because of the urban sprawl happening in Cameroon awhile ago.
French and English is spoken in Cameroon, yet most people speak pigeon which is a combination of English, French, and other created languages. People will also speak their own tribal dialect. So lets just say I needed Gabe to translate a lot of conversations for me.
Buckets are very important to a Cameroonian household. Buckets carry water from the water spouts, used to warm water and bath, do laundry, etc. Laundry machines may be around but not common at all. You can walk by a million dollar looking home and there will still be clothes hanging outside to dry. Mbuno's graduation gift was his certificate and a bucket. It was very interesting to me.
Family is number one! Extended family is treated as immediate family in Cameroon. There are some families in the United States that may do the same but most Americans focus on just their immediate family members.

Since I was on the Atlantic coast fish was seen in many dishes. Especially roasted fish. The head might creep some people out but I will say this was my favorite dish on our trip. I also ate a lot of fries.

Gabe loves this dish...probably because there is cow intestines in it and I think some cow skin was thrown in there as well. (don't know how the dish is spelled but is sounds like the word related to when you sneeze..achoo)

The killing of the goat

Eru: a very liked dish in Cameroon

Infrastructure

When you compare the infrastructure of America to Cameroon there are similarities and differences. Most Cameroonians living in some urban areas have electricity, cable, and water in their homes like Americans. Yet the quality of these items may differ. Water and electricity shuts off on a regular basis. (Cameroon is above some African nations because their water is processed and portable in these urban areas). Water for showers are usually cold. TV channels are very limited compared to the hundreds of channels in the United States. Most rural areas in Cameroon still lack those above basic resources.

Recently the Chinese have come in and helped set up roads connecting cities throughout Cameroon but these roads are limited to just this. Many roads in the neighborhoods are still gravel and dirt. That is why I was limited where I could travel because the rain season began during our stay in Cameroon. The main type of transportation's are taxi, buses and motorbikes. Many times stuffing these vehicles to the maximum with people.

Internet is way behind. There are internet cafes on every block but the connection is very very slow. It would take me 15 minutes to log onto my email or Facebook therefore I pretty much just gave up. I think if you took a group of American teenagers into one of these cafes I bet one person will pick up the computer and throw it against the wall with frustration. During the three weeks I was there I checked Facebook three times; it would have been just two but one day we stayed at a really nice hotel which had WiFi. I felt like a kid at a candy store! Sadly the thrill ended when my phone died with too much use.

Like I tell most of my students, Africa has money through their resources. That is one huge reason why Europeans came to colonize the region. Cameroon is like many African nations that struggle to expand their resources and money to its people and infrastructure because of the deep corruption within its government. During my travels throughout Cameroon I saw oil refineries, tea plantations, rubber plantations, palm oil, timber, banana plantations, and coco plantations. But many could look around and ask themselves Where does the money go? Sadly, based on my observations, through governmental corruption the money is not spent on the people or the infrastructures of the nation.

Douala: the biggest city in Cameroon. Called the economic capital of Cameroon. View from our hotel room.

Fish boats: fisherman take these boats out everyday to catch fresh fish. If you look behind them you will see the oil plant in the Atlantic Ocean.

The room we stayed in. This was Gabe's room growing up!

Taxi

auto shop

Family's compound

The walkway to our room.

A Car Wash! Love it!

Local bar

Road to a market

My Firsts

I have to be honest the first week in Cameroon was a little hard. I had to adapt to a new world and my surroundings; therefore, it was hard for me at times to navigate around things. I have been told numerous times by Gabe how I love to be in control :). On this trip I totally needed to rely on him. In time I become accustomed to these changes and the last week I felt like I was at home. I was blessed to take this trip with Gabe. I saw his life before America. He was able to take me down memory lane. I saw where he lived, his family farms, played soccer, went to school, and where he did mischief's. I was able to meet the rest of his family, his two sisters, whom were amazing and took great care of me. I had the privilege to spend three straight weeks with Gabe, get to know more about his life stories, understand him a bit more, and love him more. I will leave this blog with some of my firsts on this amazing trip.

Riding a motorbike
Visiting a rainforest
Working on a farm...I planted plantains and harvested pineapple. I also attempted to pull down lemons off a lemon tree. Sadly I was only able to pull down one; it is harder than you think. We did not have metal tools our tool was a branch from the farm.

For your entertainment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrmh8RMJaEI&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJAURDBbXL4

Using a machete

Visiting Brussels

Seeing a goat get killed and prepared for a meal. Giving a goat to a family member is a great honor and tradition in parts of Cameroon.

Having a child come touch me to see if the white person was real and then heading back to his friends singing in french white girl white girl with the long nose, Gabe reassured me later that my nose is not long...ha-ha. I told my mom this story while over there and she agreed with Gabe but also said remember you do have that Lebanese blood.

Watching Nigerian soap operas (I have to say they have the same dramatic feel as soap operas here and maybe even a little bit better...I was hooked)

Being called Gabe's wife probably 30 times or more...slow down people stop making him sweat

Eating a lot a lot of roasted fish with their heads still on

Seeing someone climb a coconut tree

Exploring the Jungle

Trying and eating smoked dried fish, unfortunately not my favorite

Walking through a Cameroon market and having people shout out White Man come look at my stuff...me wanting to respond I am a White Woman not Man.

Watching Gabe negotiate prices for our souvenirs because seeing me, as a white person people assumed I had money, and prices sky rocketed. Gabe showed them when he started talking their language...I got the hook ups!

Almost missing our flight in Brussels because of good beer and the time change not transitioning on our phones. Thank goodness for the airport worker walking through the bar shouting anyone on the Washington D.C. flight.
Eating a Belgium waffle in Belgium...pretty awesome!
Watching six movies in one day on my two flights
Spending 24/7 for three weeks with my boo
Braiding my hair
Watching Gabe dance to old school Cameroon music for 3-4 hours and loving every minute of it. Cabarets are common places to listen to music, drink, and dance. I have noticed during my travels that men dance more than women in most parts of the world besides the United States. Men just sit back and watch creepily in the United States...go and dance!