Cameroon Quirks

There are many things that could be said and written about these first days in Cameroon, the land of my childhood and the land of my heart in many ways. There are deeper matters of the heart, matters of the soul, and matters of just plain life. 

However, at some point during this week, I started compiling pictures and ideas that had started to come into my mind for this first blog post. These things that I started to ponder are those that are unique to Cameroon vs. Canada (some of the oddities that jumped out to me having come from North America very recently), and some things that just spark remembrance and familiarity in the life of living in Cameroon, Africa.

Most of these pictures were taken around the house and compound of a missionary's house in Yaounde, the capital city. 

1. Beans and Rice: This simple meal just contains the taste of African food for me. Perhaps it is only created by the high content of grease/oil, but this and another meal that was made for us by a lady cooking for the household just contained the taste. I ended up going around and proclaiming this in my ecstasy to those who would hear.

 2. Milk Powder: Oh the ever present milk substitute. No more real milk for the year! To be honest, I haven't noticed it when I have milk on something, or in something, but it doesn't taste the same to drink by itself...

3.  CBC labelled four-wheelers: The familiar car of many missionaries

4.Greatly varying plants and trees, plus the appearance of many species of palm trees

Now onto some things in the house/realities of living in the city:

5. Owning a guard dog: Oh the good and faithful German Shepherds- ours in the village was a German Shepherd as well.

6. Glass topped walls and gates: this usually includes a mixture of spikes, barbed wire, and broken glass on top of compound walls, attempting to make them less appealing for a thief's eye.

7. Screen and Bar windows: rain or shine, but no snow? No need for glass! So just slip in some screen to keep the critters away, pound on some bars to keep the criminals away, and there you have it!

8. Wooden chairs with colorfully decorated cushions...the staple of almost every missionary home in Cameroon - even the one I am sitting in right now.

9. Water Filters: Without them, our poor stomachs not used to Cameroonian germs would not do so well - all water coming through taps is usually taken from a stream or river someplace, containing all sorts of germs. For that reason, the filters come to the rescue - of course ingeniously created out of whatever happens to be on hand! This does not seem like such a leap from "normality" in North America, but just think about having to rinse your toothbrush from a cup filled at the filter before you came to the bathroom, or poured out of a recycled pop bottle standing by the sink. If there is no water filtered, you'll just have to wait!

10. On the note of creativity - the general idea that anything can be put to work as something else! Don't need that old oil drum...well we have a use for that! Homemade BBQ coming right up!

11. Gazebos Galore: ranging from small and useful (such as this one) to grand and glorious, these showcase a different kind of style that is quite unique and interesting. (Note the second guard dog sitting on the side). Also, what you cannot see on the right side of the picture is the beginnings of the clothesline, generally used as the only dryer available.

12. To leave off with a splash of culture... this is the view out of the backyard of one street of Yaounde. About the splash of culture, you see that hotel on the right? That was the source of a half-sleepless night for some of our household. You see, when there happens to be a wedding or some other source of celebration, especially if those who are hosting it happen to have a lot of money, the main object of the said celebration sometimes seems to be to try to spread their merriment and fun as far as the sound may go. As it happens. that night the merriment seemed to be quite generously funded, there being endless music and voices broadcasted through numerous loud speakers until 4:00 in the morning.

Such is the little taste of Cameroon that I can give you at the moment. There are many more things that could go on that list, including: pink toilet paper (quite common), checking to make sure there are amenities before using the toilet (including toilet paper, soap, and water - the last caused us some problems these last few days) and practicing French numbers by reading license plates. 

Adieu for now my friends!