Mom's Advice

Last week I talked to Carla Clarke, Breaking Ground’s secretary, and she told me something to the extent of “take it easy, it seems you’re really busy.” I laughed and told her I am fine and not to worry. A 30-minute car ride and one business meeting later, I was vomiting. What I rediscovered is that Mom’s right. Although she is not my mom, she is a mom and they have this obnoxious way of always being right even half a world away. I believe I ate some old beans with an omelet that caused what would be my three-day withdrawal from the world. I am now doing much better and will manage my work verses rest time with more diligence.

Saturday I climbed onto a bus and chose a window seat, hoping to leave within the hour. Buses here leave when they are full. There is no given timeline. The bus was almost full when the driver closed the door and drove to the gas station. I was elated, only a 30-minute wait! It was 11am when we drove to the gas station, then circled back to the street where I boarded. We parked and I began to read a book. An hour later I heard some angry comments coming from passengers in the back seat. (Six very unhappy women who had been there since 6am.) The bus appeared full, why are we not leaving? The demands grew angrier and louder. Soon small fights broke out all around the bus. I appeared to be the only calm person. Someone even shouted “why is the white girl so calm?” I had two bags on top of the bus, I had paid my ticket and I really didn’t feel that fighting with anyone was going to help my situation. Plus I don’t like to get involved when I don’t fully understand what is going on. I also don’t like to let others know that I don’t know exactly what is going on. So I often keep my thoughts to myself. Two hours later I learned that the bus driver had gone home to sleep. He returned around 2:30pm. I had already spent 4 hours on the bus and had gone nowhere. I arrived in Yaoundé around 7pm. It was raining, now dark and the bus drops you off in a sketchy quartier, Tongolo. I asked the man next to me to stay with me and my grossly large bags until my ride arrived. Kindly, he did.

Two days before I left Bafoussam I called a Cameroonian businessman named Usumane, whom I met as an SIT student. I knew he didn’t remember me from three years ago, but I asked if he would let me stay in his home for a couple days before I continued my journey. I have now been here four days. I feel that I am in an Oasis in Cameroon. I sleep in and I have meals prepared for me. I have been given tours of the city, visited the new U.S. embassy (that overlooks a golf course!), and, best of all, been welcomed into a family. His four daughters speak English and play soccer. They all tell me that they will attend Harvard, maybe Stanford, without a second thought about the college process. They are Muslim but understand that I eat during the day (it’s Ramadan). At night we sit on the porch and discuss life. It’s amazing how things here turn around. Every moment is a journey and when you feel down there is always someone to pick you up and laugh.

My “marriage story” is becoming more realistic every time I tell it, although I need a gold ring (my tarnishing mood ring does not look so bona fide). During a ten-minute walk through the market yesterday, I was asked at least 15 times if I was married. I shoved arms away from me and held up my left hand, yelling “of course I am.” When people ask to see pictures of my family I have to be prepared to have my stories straight of who is my husband and when I will see him again.

Tomorrow I am taking a private car north. This is not usual. I have always taken the train north to Ngaoundere, but jumped on the opportunity to take a car through the Eastern province. Concerned about road bandits, I went to the embassy and asked their opinion. They told me to go for it! They said the province, although poor, is currently stable. The lady I spoke with said she was jealous and heard it’s a tough but beautiful trip. I am relieved by their confidence and compassion.

I have a huge bag containing a water filter, 40 soccer balls, a mosquito net and books. I hope this bag fits in the trunk. I have my pack containing all dirty clothes that I am pretending are clean, as I haven’t had time to wash and dry them because of my unknown departure time. I feel like a new refreshed Sarah after my couple days in Yaoundé and will listen to any mom advice with more appreciation. Moms, bring it on.

Sarah

Success in Doumbouo!

There are certain moments in my life that I will never forget. Last week I traveled to the village of Doumbouo to check on Lindsay's projects. This day became one of those select days, a defined moment in time. The pictures catalogued on our website show the exact projects I will discuss below.

After a thirty-minute moto ride along a dirt road past a small beautiful lake and lush green forests, I arrived at l'École Publique de Doumbouo. There, teachers, the principal, and different administrators greeted me. I took a tour through the classrooms filled with students eager to see the person "who claims to know the famous Lindsay Clarke". Students sang welcoming songs and clapped after my introduction. One girl around 11 years old stared at me with tears and told the teachers she could not stand the thought of Lindsay being gone. To state that Lindsay is missed in the community is an understatement. Lindsay transformed the lives of these students and teachers; she taught them that if they want change, by working together and setting high goals, it is possible.


This experience struck me in two ways. My first thought was: Wow. I am so proud to represent Breaking Ground and to work for Lindsay. Not only has she been successful in implementing the theories of Breaking Ground's concept of development, she has formed a relationship that will forever be cherished. My second thought was that a high bar has been set and I am excited to work as hard as I can, in my own manner, to be a success as well.


The elementary school was the first stop on my tour. Each classroom had remarkable floors that were clean and well kept. The murals looked beautiful and gave vitality to the classrooms. The principal explained that last year they only had two students fail the exams to enter high school, a remarkable rate considering Cameroon failure rates are typically around 20-30 percent. There were more classrooms with partially cemented walls, which showed further work will be done and that small goals have been set.


The library was the next stop on the tour. I was nervous about the library. Library projects can be risky as there is a lot of upkeep. I entered the library and held back tears of joy. In the first room, a slogan on the wall reads something to the extent of "Be quiet! People are reading!” The room had no less than fifteen students seated at large tables reading.


I continued to investigate and walked into the room holding both French and English texts. Not only was the Dewey Decimal system applied to every book, there were cards filled out by students who checked out books, catalogue books showing the order of books, and, to my surprise, a computer. Both librarians were there working. The library is a success! The leaders of Doumbouo kept saying, "she's emotional, look at her, she's so happy!" They all smiled and shook my hand over and over.


The last project I asked about was the water pump. The pump at that moment was locked, but the teachers emphatically stated that it is used every other day. I will do further research on the payment of water and use of the pump, however after a day of such success and joy I was not going to get upset over the pump. I am looking into other methods of water storage that may be applied to the pump in the future.


The last part of my day consisted of sharing beer and eating lunch in celebration with the teachers and local leaders. This was followed by a meeting with a local dignitary. A common thread between expats in Cameroon is that we never really know what will happen during the course of the day. You can have a general plan. Mine was to go to Doumbouo and tour Breaking Ground's projects. Where it lead from there was lunch, a drink, and then meeting local dignitaries. I waited outside a building for thirty minutes and met someone who could be compared to a Congressman in the US. Why? One, because of Lindsay's success and my working with her. Two, because I'm American. This I do not always understand, but it gets you somewhere. I was then invited to multiple homes for dinner, but insisted that I travel back to Bafoussam before nightfall.


I could not ask any more from the people of Doumbouo. I went to check on projects, but left feeling like a welcomed member of the community. I am going back to Dschang today and will check on the well in the quartier of Tsinkop, where Lindsay lived with her host family. Thursday I leave for Yaoundé and, hopefully, by Saturday I will be on the train heading to Ngaoundéré. My journey is about to begin! Hopefully the water will come back on so I can shower before it does.

Cheers,
Sarah

Comments from Bafoussam

The power is out in the town of Bafoussam (map) , where I am currently residing. Not a rarity, and it typically takes 15 minutes for it to come back on. I have been surprisingly impressed with the progress Cameroon has made since 2004. It may sound trivial, but I am finding in markets things that, in 2004, were rare or only available in the capital (Yaoundé)—lettuce/salad stands to acceptable eating standards, milk, cheese, or dependable refrigeration, tampons (although very expensive), Sushi (now in Yaoundé), a city bus system (now in Yaoundé), a private free-market medical school, and Red Sox world series t-shirts. As for commerce, there is a new coffee company bringing competition to the previous monopoly. From a technological standpoint, there are three cell phone companies (up from two), two that offer Internet for a laptop through your cell phone. These programs are expensive, (12 dollars a day or cheaper monthly programs) however, they do show progress. Twice today I saw internet being used in private business.

I have been living at the home of Peace Corps Volunteer Lee Allen (Sewanee Graduate 2005), who has aided in my progress in developing a business curriculum. I have decided to teach a business class focusing on entrepreneurial and management skills for women. Class examples include basic accounting, inventory management, leadership, marketing, and goal setting. The program is structured to have up to 30 students. There will be two classes a week, each for two hours (taught in French, with a Fulfulde translator). I am hopeful that by the end I will have a couple students who excel to the potential that I can collaborate with them to start a business using a loan system facilitated by Breaking Ground. A small fee will be mandatory for the class in order to denote a level of seriousness and pay for copies, the translator, and a membership to the Research Center that Dr. Taguem Fah operates. Another idea is to have an English language class for public school teachers. Both programs will not come to fruition until I perform further research in N'gaoundere. I am also working on an orientation packet for Breaking Ground "Ground Coordinators." I am surveying English teachers, agriculture workers, business personnel, as well as other professions to give outlines of lectures and ideas for future GC's. As I study Cameroon, I learn more about different elements of life where Breaking Ground has the potential to be a successful catalyst for positive change.

I have decided to spend more time in Bafoussam (in the Western province) getting oriented and planning my work because Ramadan began today. In N'gaoundere, a predominantly Muslim city, it is nearly impossible to start new programs when the population is generally tired and hungry for most of the day. It is also the heart of the rainy season. Rain here is like nothing I have ever seen before. When it rains, a bucket can be filled and over-flowing in less than an hour. If you do not have a coat or umbrella, plan to camp in a store, restaurant, or street shack for any inexplicable amount of time. When in doubt, RUN home. This means that the roads become one big mud hole and travel slows down at a rapid pace. I had not experienced Cameroon in a full-on rainy season, and I am very appreciative for it. I think it is fun and adds a new element of excitement.

I have also found my niche in sports. I played basketball with a group of elder Cameroonian men. I took a charge at the top of the key, and later made a three point shot. They asked me to return next week. You earn respect where you can.

Life's good,

Sarah

Safe Arrival

I arrived in Cameroon safely two days ago. The second I stepped off the plane my heart raced with excitement. The smells, the aggressive conversation, the loud music - it all came rushing back and I knew I was right where I was supposed to be. I actually think I had forgotten over the years how much I love it here and the challenge of daily life. I am currently staying in the city of Bafoussam, taking language classes and re-learning the culture. I am very fortunate to have a college friend here who has provided me with a water purifying system and many resources for teaching. I will stay here until I am comfortable being on my own, then I will head to Ngaoundere where I will begin working. As soon as I can, I will post pictures, however the internet has been dodgy lately and I have been told to wait. Thank you all for your support! Let me hear from you!

On est ensemble,
Sarah