Filed under: Cameroon, Peace Corps, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Culture, Peace Corps, Travel
The classic patch, representing a tradition of which I'm proud to be a part
COS is like most other things Peace Corps: an acronym (for Close Of Service) and a lengthy and complex process. When we PCVs (another acronym for you) applied to serve, we all had to go through a one- to two-year process involving being nominated, getting medical and legal clearance—which required a lot of waiting and return visits to the doctor for additional paperwork—all before we could be invited to enter into Peace Corps service. Then after staging in Philadelphia and a slew of uncomfortable vaccination shots came the 11 week training that we had to do in Cameroon before taking the oath of a volunteer. A language level had to be reached too before we were allowed to swear in.
Now the COS process—which usually starts in March—has come to a close and all the paperwork and clearance processes that have to be undergone to return home are finished. I have received my RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) pin and DOS (Description Of Service) and I am ready to leave Cameroon.
The last official event that I participated in was the Gonging Out, which is a tradition for Peace Corps Cameroon in which we are given a small word of praise for our accomplishments, our pin, certification for French language, and a certificate of appreciation from the government of Cameroon. Now all I have to do is pack my bags, make my way to the airport and take off to my next destination!
Filed under: Cameroon, Peace Corps, Post, Teacher Training, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Culture, Excursions, ICT, Information Technology, IT, Peace Corps, Post, Teacher Training, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
And just like that, one year is coming to it’s conclusion here in Cameroon. It seems like not long ago that I signed on for a third year of service, but in a few days I’ll be going home. Sunday morning, after my bags were loaded onto a bus in the chaotic but charming manner I am used to at the bustling bus station, I left Bamenda for the last time. I gazed over the rolling hills of the North West Region, and I thought how much I would miss this place. I’m now in Yaoundé and will set about this week finalizing all administrative and medical business before I depart at the end of the week.
Looking back on this year I feel like it went pretty well. I didn’t accomplish every little thing I had hopes of doing, but I actually feel like this was my favorite year spent in Cameroon. Not only did I meet great friends and strengthen existing relationships, but I added a few accomplishments too. In the overall scope of things, I feel my contributions are small to say the least, but I hope I’ve helped people to improve their skills and knowledge in a few areas. Even though I’ve been teaching this whole time, I feel liked I’ve learned so much more. I only hope one day I can return.
Here are the photos taken as I made my way out of Bamenda:
Leaving Bamenda Town, North West Region, Cameroon
View of Bamenda approching Upstation, North West Region, Cameroon
Last view of the hills around Bamenda, North West Region, Cameroon
Filed under: Cameroon, Holidays, Peace Corps, Post, Travel | Tags: 4th of July, Achu, Achu Soup, Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Chop House, Culture, Excursions, Fourth of July, Holidays, Independence Day, Peace Corps, Pidgin English, Post, Travel, US 235th Anniversary, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Landscape of the North West, Cameroon
Happy (belated) 4th from Cameroon! I’m sure everyone back home celebrated at a barbeque, parade or picnic, fireworks lighting up the sky at night and sparklers all around. I didn’t see any fireworks, but I did celebrate nonetheless. I gathered with a few other volunteers and Cameroonian friends in a small town in the hills north of Bamenda and we had chilli, coleslaw and french fries (or is it freedom fries?). A humble celebration, but it was nice to observe it in good company and share the tradition with non-Americans. And it was a beautiful setting in which to be together. This year makes it my fourth year celebrating the 4th of July away from home. But I have to say, I did celebrate a lot this year. After starting Wednesday night at the U.S. Embassy’s formal event, I concluded my stay in Yaoundé by returning to the Embassy Saturday for a good ol’ traditional pool party, complete with grilled hotdogs & cheeseburgers, and live Blues. It was a small slice of the world I’ll be coming back to in August—a stark contrast to say, yesterday, when I had Achu* for lunch in my favorite Chop House**.
*Achu—a traditional food of the North West Region of Cameroon consisting of 1) a paste made of cocoyams & plantains mashed into a bowl-like mound which holds 2) a yellow sauce or soup containing many spices and crushed limestone. You eat it with your index finger and dip the paste into the yellow sauce. Usually served with a cow product such as meat, skin, or towel/tripe (rubbery, inner lining of the stomach) and Njama Njama (fried vegetable greens). It’s an acquired taste but grows on you after a while. Here’s a photo from a great Eating Achu post on Life abroad: As Robert sees it:
Eating Achu: Photo courtesy of http://www.robrasa.com/hisblog
** Chop House—pretty self-explanatory; colloquial term for a small restaurant. Chop means to eat in Pidgin English. I guess you could say it’s Cameroon’s version of a diner. Always includes a jovial “mommy” serving the food and the menu is generally limited to a few specialty dishes.
Filed under: Cameroon, Holidays, Peace Corps, Travel | Tags: 3D Graphics, 4th of July, Africa, Associate Creative Director, Cameroon, Cameroun, Design, Fourth of July, Gabe Albin, Gabriel Albin, Holidays, ICT, Illustration, Independence Day, Information Technology, IT, Peace Corps, Peace Corps 50th Anniversary, Teacher Training, Travel, U.S. 235th Anniversary, US 235th Anniversary, US Ambassador to Cameroon, US Embassy, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Yaounde, Cameroon
Hello! People from Cameroon would say the following after not hearing from me in a long time: “ça fait longtemps!” or “you have been missing!” (in both francophone and anglophone, respectively. And I do deserve it… it’s been a while. I’ve been preparing to come home, but also continuing to work here. So I’ve been quite busy. Sometimes the work feels like a lot, and I even feel discouraged from time to time. But when someone, a Cameroonian or American, thanks me for the volunteer work I’m doing it feels really good.
So I was overwhelmed with surprise and joy when a very important American–the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon–thanked me personally during his remarks at an event in Yaoundé on Wednesday. The U.S. Embassy hosted a celebration in honor of Independence Day and Peace Corps’ 50th Anniversary. In order for us to be well represented, 50 Peace Corps volunteers including myself were invited to attend. The event was very nice and it was great to see my fellow volunteers from around country as well as various officials from the US and Cameroon. Standing alongside other PCVs felt really good as we were given praise. I’d like to thank Ambassador Jackson for his kind words in support of Peace Corps volunteers. You can check out the Ambassador’s Remarks to read what he said in full.
This trip to Yaoundé will be my second to last, seeing as the next time I’ll be here will be to COS or “Close of Service”–Peace Corps loves it’s acronyms.
Filed under: Cameroon, Peace Corps, Teacher Training, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Education, Excursions, ICT, Information Technology, IT, Peace Corps, Post, Seminar, Teacher Training, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Delivering ICT Seminar in WUM, Northwest Region, Cameroon
A busy time it is, indeed. Just when I felt my responsibilities were waning slightly and I might begin to focus some of my time on preparing to return to the United States, I was given the opportunity to embark on a seminar tour to teacher training colleges in the Northwest. I had designed a program of ICT seminars a while back, and had done a few pilot programs, but had no way to fund the travel and expenses to take it outside of Bamenda. Recently however, my counterpart, the Inspector Coordinator of the Regional Inspectorate of ICT, a very dynamic woman, arranged for the seminar tour including all of the logistics. I was very happy to take the program on the road, and all in all, it’s been going very well.
So far, we have visited the towns of Ndop, Mbengwi, Foundong, Wum, and have more to go, delivering seminars on topics including Researching though ICT and Learning Through ICT. In short, I’m working with the student teachers to improve their ability to utilize Information and Communication Technology in the classroom to enhance the learning of pupils, as well as give techniques for internet research to improve the teaching process.
I’ve enjoyed traveling, as grueling as traveling can be in Cameroon, and have been taking in the new scenery, meeting new people and colleagues, and have been doing good work—so far I’ve reached over 1,000 student teachers!
Presenting to student teachers in Wum, Northwest Region, Cameroon
Filed under: Cameroon, Holidays, Peace Corps, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Culture, Excursions, Holidays, New Year, Peace Corps, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Pirogues on the beach, Kribi, Cameroon
And what a seafood feast it was! Recently in Kribi (which is in French-speaking Cameroon) where I was assisting with a training, I had the opportunity to organize a bountiful meal with some volunteer and Cameroonian friends. It all started when I was taking some time by myself drawing pirogues on the beach (they have a great shape), and different beach-goers were coming by to talk to me. This one fellow, a nice young Cameroonian man, wanted to try his hand at drawing. So I gave him a short lesson and we were friends after that. The next day I had the idea to buy a bunch of fresh seafood and cook it up—so my friend and I, along with his friend who is a cook, went to the market and bought crab, crayfish, and an assortment of other fish including a huge 2.5 Kg “carp” (at least that’s what they called it). And then volunteers and Cameroonians alike all congregated at his house that evening to eat. It was one of the best seafood feasts I’ve ever had. Crab both grilled and boiled, grilled fish and grilled crayfish kebabs. Délicieux!
The evening itself started in a fun way, as nine of us PCVs all took one small hatchback taxi to get to the house! It was like a clown car when we exited the vehicle. After all helping cook over the fire at the outdoor kitchen and eating the delicious meal, some of us went with our Cameroonian hosts to a cultural event called La Fois. A lot of music and dancing took place and our small group of volunteers—or Les Blancs—got on stage and danced for the whole crowd. It was quite The Time.
Crabs galore!
"Carp" on the grill
Crayfish delices!
Filed under: Cameroon, Peace Corps, Post, Teacher Training | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Education, ICT, Information Technology, IT, Peace Corps, Post, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Last year around this time, I was heading back to the Government Teacher Training College (GTTC) in Bamenda, where I was working with the other ICT teachers there to give practical lessons to the student teachers (that is, teaching on actual computers rather than the blackboard). My help was needed in designing lessons that could accommodate all of the students in each class (50) using only 5 computers. I also participated in some seminars with active primary school teachers in the area, which I am continuing currently along with the newly appointed Regional Inspectorate of ICT.
The initial setup for the improvised “computer lab” was quite challenging (as the pictures show), but in the end, we had a functional learning space. At the time, we had to have the students carry all of the computer equipment from the library to a larger hall up the hill, which took a lot of time. Now however, the computers are in a permanent space—much easier. It’s amazing how many challenging situations I find myself engaged in here and think nothing of it. I’ve learned that one can overcome a lot if put to the challenge.
Extension cords coming from the library
Cords coming into the lab space
Student-teachers learning on the computers
Presenting at an ICT seminar for teachers
Filed under: Cameroon, Holidays, Peace Corps, Post, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Christmas, Family, Hanuka, Holidays, Peace Corps, Post, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel, Xmas
As we are immersed in the holiday season, and people at home are bustling about and shopping and gathering to celebrate, family is in the forefront of most people’s minds. I can’t say that I’m bustling about as much as I am being tussled about by others’ bustling when I go out here in Cameroon, but I am thinking a lot about my family. And I think I can speak for most volunteers when I say that family is in the forefront of our minds.
“No matter what you’ve done for yourself or for humanity, if you can’t look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?”
—Elbert Hubbard
I want to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful family for all the support, encouragement, and understanding they have given me over the years. I may be far away at the moment, but you are always close to my heart and in my thoughts. Miss you all very much. Happy Holidays!
Your son, brother, nephew, cousin, grandson,
Gabriel
Filed under: Cameroon, Holidays, Peace Corps, Travel | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Christmas, Hanuka, Holidays, New Year, Peace Corps, Post, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel, Xmas
Happy Holidays from Cameroon
Here’s wishing everyone at home a happy holiday season from Cameroon. Things are very festive here in Bamenda, where I’ll be celebrating this year, with decorations and Christmas carols everywhere. Can’t say the same for the recently passed Hanuka though, but some of us volunteers celebrated together. May all your wishes come true and may the New Year start festively, productively, and with the utmost happiness!
Filed under: Cameroon, Peace Corps, Post | Tags: Africa, Cameroon, Cameroun, Culture, Peace Corps, Politics, Post, Travel, Volunteer, West Africa, World Travel
Paul Biya, President of Cameroon (image courtesy of cameroononline.org)
Last week, Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon, visited the English-speaking Northwest Region for the first time in 22 years. He stayed three days in Bamenda before returning to the capital of Yaoundé—and what an occasion to witness! Surreal, festive, scary; these are just some of the words that describe the event. The president’s visit came during the celebration of the 5oth anniversary of Cameroon’s armed forces. So the military presence was immense. Truck after overloaded truck came into Bamenda carrying military personnel and equipment. Helicopters and fighter jets circled the city in the weeks leading up to the visit. There was even a curfew in effect to reduce night gatherings. On the day the president came, crowds of festive onlookers lined the route the presidential caravan was to come through. No one was rowdy however—soldiers lined the road standing in front of the crowd every several meters keeping things conspicuously quiet. Though that did not stop certain groups, clad in festive traditional clothing, from dancing and making music. There were even Jujus (sacred palace guards) who came out to dance, dressed in traditional wear including carved wooden animal masks. When the presidential motorcade passed by, everyone cheered, sang and played drums and music.
John Fru Ndi, leader of SDF party (image courtesy of cameroun-online.com)
The presidential visit was surrounded by a lot of anticipation and some concern, seeing as Bamenda is the seat of the opposition party SDF (Social Democratic Front) and the hometown of John Fru Ndi, the party’s leader. Relations have often been tense between SDF and CPDM (Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement), Biya’s party, and elections throughout the years have always been disputed. But this time in Bamenda, a place where there have often been riots, things went very peacefully—as far as I know. Biya even stayed an extra day and had dinner with Fru Ndi. During Biya’s speech he made many promises including building a Bamenda University, pursuing hydro-electric and a new large hospital, and completing the Ring Road, a circular route that connects many towns in the Northwest north of Bamenda. The Ring Road has always been infamous for its terrible condition and has been a source of aggravation for Northwesterners who often feel abandoned by the current administration based in the French-speaking side of Cameroon. We’ll see what happens as the presidential elections approach. One can definitely feel the tension in the air, but I think people have some hope after this visit. On va voire…
Year 3 - Volunteering in Cameroon 