Monday, January 16, 2012

“Oh, oh, oh – Is there anybody home? / Who will believe me, won’t deceive me, who’ll try to teach me? / … / Stuck in the middle”


I started December on top of the world.  Okay, not on top of the world, but at least with a reasonable view.  I took advantage of the opportunity to climb Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Western Africa, with 6 fellow Peace Corps Volunteers.  It was the perfect group of women to go with - various hiking backgrounds and physical abilities, but incredibly supportive, encouraging, and non-competitive.  Day 1 started bright and early and, although the path was narrower than I had imagined, we were all in good spirits and amazed as every half-hour seemed to reveal an even more beautiful terrain. By the time we reached the hut where we would spend the night, we were already well above the cloud-line.  Although I’m used to cooler temperatures since my village is mountainous, it was quite chilly at base camp so we all bundled up and huddled together.  One of our guides prepared an amazing dinner of white beans and rice with fried plantains. (Made even better in light of the fact that a Cameroonian man cooking is typically unheard of!)  The rest of the evening was spent cozily listening to music before turning in early snuggled up in our warm sleeping bags. 






 
On the second day, we reached the cold and windy summit with only enough time to take a few pictures since we still had a full day of walking ahead of us.  We arrived at camp just before nightfall and enjoyed another meal by the fire.  A couple of us even stayed up and had lively discussions with the guides/porters about Cameroonian politics and the Anglophone/Francophone divide.  By the time I went to bed, I was toasty warm and sufficiently tired.  I crawled into the tent and was asleep before my head hit the ground.









The last day we encountered even more diverse geographies, including plains, remnants of the volcanoes most recent lava flow, and dense, lush rainforest.  At times, we had to outrun the armies of soldier ants who have been known to take down large animals when they swarm.  Collectively, we were battered and bruised, but we all finished together and gave a cheer at the finish.
    


 
It was a no-brainer that we’d head to Limbe Beach next for some R&R.  Being near the waterfront was the perfect way to end the hike and we spent the next day alternating between swimming and laying out under the trees catching up on good books.  The water was warm and fairly calm - and our achy muscles thanked us for the therapeutic dip.  






Back in village, I had arranged for a beekeeping demonstration with a local expert (an incredible older gentleman who is a vegetarian and knows yoga – what?).  As always, the logistics got a little jumbled with people arriving late, some disagreement about what points to actually talk about, as well as some confusion about who the facilitator actually was.  Overall though, it was a good seminar and I was enthused by the fact that most of the participants were really into it.  The first day was on the theory of beekeeping (apiculture) and the next day we put our skills to use with a practical session building two hives (ruches).  




  
Sadly, December was also the month that we said goodbye to a number of the Health/Agro volunteers who were the resident “veterans” in-country.  It was bittersweet to see them leave, as they’ve been great mentors, colleagues, and friends.  Because they were an integral part of my Peace Corps experience, I requested a few personal days to see three of the ladies off at their gonging out ceremony in Yaounde.  After “formally” honoring their impressive work during service, it was time to let our hair down in the big city.  We visited a cultural center to see traditional dancing, and then worked our magic to get into a nightclub and do some dancing of our own.   



 
The next day, we parted ways and I’ll admit, I’m a little jealous since they are embarking on a several-month backpacking trip across Africa.  Time marches on though, and now that my training group has officially been at our posts for a year, we’re considered the older volunteers.  While I don’t feel like I have sage advice to pass along to the newbies, it has been fun meeting the new/replacement volunteers in our region, thinking about future collaboration efforts.     
  
Just in time for the holidays, I also got my hair braided (tressé).  I had been warned that it’s a long and painful process but, although it took several hours, it was actually quite fun.  We turned it into a day for cultural exchange at my house, listening to music and baking banana bread.  When the power cut off in the evening, we were forced to finish over candlelight.  Although it felt strange at first, I was quite pleased with the results and loved the low-maintenance upkeep required everyday (i.e. just put a headscarf over it and go). 

 
As most kitchens do during the holiday season, I felt like I was cranking out a fair amount of sweets, including a few gifts of banana bread.  For myself, I also experimented with breakfast foods, like crepes and cinnamon oatmeal pancakes.  Thanks to a blender I inherited from another volunteer, I was also able to do gnocchi and pesto…though when the power became unpredictable I had to settle for a basil “sauce” instead.

I continue to go to the Health Center once a week for Prenatal Consultation Days (les journées de consultation prénatale) and though I’m rarely able to make strides in this arena, I had a few breakthroughs last month.  A woman was waiting for me at the clinic when it opened one morning, immediately saying that she was interested in family planning.  With seven children already, she knew another one would be dangerous to her health as well as the overall well-being of the family.  Of course, she had to do this secretively, as her husband would not approve.  I was so impressed by the candor and proactive nature of this woman – definitely a rarity in my village – as she asked very insightful questions.  We had a great chat but it only reaffirmed how much I take for granted the fact that I am a woman who has autonomy over my body and reproductive health.  Thinking the day was already too good to be true, a student came in after her with questions about Rh factor in the blood, and the genetic process of transmission.  The following week, a couple who were visiting village for the holidays stopped by because they voluntarily decided to get HIV tested – again, a rarity in Bapa.  They too seemed really interested in having a legitimate discussion about Cameroon versus America (including gender relations) as well as sexual health.  I’m hoping my second year of service brings more opportunities to work in these areas, as there is so much misunderstanding/confusion/mythbusting to do.     

I spent Christmas Eve with 25-30 other PCVs and we enjoyed a low-key Mexican feast.  Christmas morning we enjoyed tofu scramble for breakfast and I lazily made my way back to village for the evening.  I was able to Skype with my family and the kids in my compound came over to show me their new outfits and toys. 


 
By the time the 31st rolled around, I wasn’t really in the mood for a group celebration, so I stayed in chez-moi.  January 1st is a big deal here in Cameroon, but being with another crowd just didn’t appeal to me.  Fortunately, my neighbor Monique brought over koki (one of my favorites - a spicy mashed bean curd wrapped in a banana leaf), which I thought was a perfect way to ring in the New Year.