Week One

Those of you who know me will be shocked! Shocked I tell you.  I have been awake by 7 every morning  (to the sounds of many roosters) and in bed by 9 p.m., when I can keep awake that long.  Who'd thunk!  Getting used to African Time.

My first week at work was a success.  I really like the people I am working with.  There are 5 of us total:  Mirabelle, the president, her husband Sam who does administration, Stephanie who is the Programme manager and Berry who does everything else.  There is a counsellor who comes in occasionally.

Sam and Mirabelle picked me up Monday morning - they wanted to make sure I found my way to the office.  We start Mondays with a planning meeting, reviewing the operational plan and planning the week ahead, a lot of which had to do with showing me how they work and introducing me to everyone you could think of.  In the afternoon was great fun as they took me shopping for household necessities (a fan for instance, sheets), and gave me a demonstration of effective bargainning.  That is a must have skill in Cameroon.

I was first in the office Tuesday.   Others ambled in shortly after (African time).  I spend the morning on the internet, on my dongle as there is no access in the office.  In the afternoon, we went just out of town to meet a widow who has just come to Hope for Widows and Orphans Ministry (HWOM)'s attention.  She lives on a small plot of land which she farms but which is not sufficient to feed her and her 4 boys and one girl. They are all obviously mal-nourished. When her husband died, her in-laws sold most of her land to a stranger.  Now and then, she can work on other farms and make a bit of money but on this day, she did not know where her evening meal was coming from. 

This widow lives in a big house!  A mission decided she needed a house - a white man's house as Mirabelle puts it.  It has three large bedrooms and one big sitting room.  There are two bathrooms, one a big on-suite - not much use as they have no running water.  The inside is not finished and there is no furniture to speak of. Left over building materials and just stuff are in every corner. Two of the bedrooms have cemented floors, the rest have mud floors around which her half naked baby crawls.   She uses her old two room house as a kitchen (read three big stones under which she has a wood fire)  It is filthy everywhere - even in the yard where the baby crawls - sticks, stones, old shoes, old tires, glass - you name it.  I cannot imagine living like that!

Wednesday I make my own way to work, sharing a cab with 4 other people and the driver (a little Toyota!) and again arrive first at the office.  Others ambled in shortly after (African time).   The outing for Wednesday was to the radio station where HWOM have a .5 hour show every week, discussing the plight of widows.  I was the star - being introduced to all.  "What are your plans for HWOM", Stepahnie asks.  Well,  third day in - I am not really sure.  "I will listen and learn for now and tell you next time I come on the program", I say.

Thursday -OH my God, what happened Thursday?  It is already a blurrr....    Mostly reading, questionning, internet.

Friday the whole day - African time - was devoted to meeting the town's officials.  I want you to know that I have been introduced to the Lord Mayor of Bamenda District III, The Commissional of Police and the Divisional Officer and yes, had my picture taken, several times over with each of them.  I am sure they have already forgotten who I am.  Friday night we celebrated a first successful week with a VSO (and other) volunteer tradition - beer and dinner at the international hotel.  YUM!

Saturday, Dave and I went shopping for odds and sods for the house, practicing our  bargainning skills with dubious success.  Sunday, we cleaned and cleaned and cleaned, then went for a great lunch at a new Western style hotel which serves great western style food (only pizza in town!)  Good African time!   A new tradition being intiatied cause for sure we will be back there next Sunday and the Sunday after.

Oh... is it that time already!  Almost past my African bedtime!