Workshoppin'

Apologies that I have clearly failed on my goal of weekly blog posts… BUT, it hasn’t been entirely my fault. Firstly, the computer I was given to use after my computer broke, has stopped working on me twice now. Apparently, computers in Cameroon hate me. True story.

Secondly, I spent the past couple weeks out in the field workshoppin’! Hollar! (cue Macklemore – Thrift shop music).

The journey began with a trip to Campo, a community south of Kribi located just a stone’s throw across the river from Equatorial Guinea (and that’s not an exaggeration, see photo below for evidence).

Above: Equatorial Guinea on the left, Cameroon on the right (view from the boat). 

Above: The main drag in Akom2...
Happening place!

In the usual fashion, we set the start time for 9am, and actually managed to have enough participants to start the workshop by 11:30. Us volunteers for the CAMAMF team (the Campo Ma’an Model Forest) completed our “ligne de temps” exercises on our various agricultural products to map out the value chain from production to commercialization (e.g. from farm to fork!). We then repeated this process twice more in the communities of Akom2, and Mann. 

Some of the highlights from the trip included: 

•  Border Boatin’: In Campo, we were lucky enough to take ride down the river separating Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. The river borders two national parks, which can be problematic as the river offers an access point for poachers in the park. While we weren’t lucky enough to glimpse any animals, we were more than content to see the beautiful mangrove forests. Also, how cool are mangrove trees? They are basically trees on stilts!! Awesome.
• Spaghetti Omelettes: My vegetarian diet was more of a challenge than usual in the rural communities of Cameroon, so my choices were generally as follows: rice with meat/meaty sauce, manioc baton, fulong (a spinach dish), pasta with tomato sauce (which I brought and paid people to cook for me haha), or spaghetti omelettes. Spaghetti omelettes are exactly as they sound… an omelette with spaghetti in it (yep- just plain ol’ noodles). But, there are one of the classic Cameroonian cuisine choices that is vegetarian friendly…. So I ate a whoooole lot ‘em! Possibly in the double digits. 
• Electrically challenged: lmagine you have to pick between having electricity, running water, phone network, or internet. What would you choose? For our trip, our luck was ever changing. For example, Campo had electricity and phone network, but no running water and internet. In Akom2 we had incredibly slow internet, but nothing else, while in Mann, we just had electricity. So after a few weeks in the field, I was SUPER excited for a shower back in Kribi. Unfortunately for me, there was no running water or electricity upon my return. However, after a couple hours the water returned, while weirdly enough, electricity came back on for all my neighbours, but not for me (rude!!/je ne comprend pas??). Three days and one visit from the electrician later… I was a happy camper again.  
• French facilitation: At the beginning of the trip, I was co-facilitating my timeline exercise to help the fact that I speak often grammatically incorrect French with my Anglophone accent. So, it was a HUGE accomplishment for me when I led was able to lead the exercise in the community of Mann, all by myself! I will admit that I had help on how to spell some of the words I was trying to write… but, minor details…  

Anyway, time for some photos!:

  

               Left: Our noble steed, the faithful pirogue; Center: Happy boaters!; Right: Super, wicked,awesome mangrove trees! 

 

Above: All the participants of the workshop in Akom2. This was the workshop I was in charge of the budget for.

Above: All smiles after succesfully leading the ligne de temps exercise on my own! :)

Next up for me… Synthesis and report writing! Which actually works out okay given that rainy season has commenced and I am hiding out inside anyway….
Hope you are all staying dry in Canada, folks!

À la prochain! Much love!

- C

Conversations with moto-taxi drivers

Introductory note: Blog comments are now fixed. Ya'll have no excuse not to let me know you're reading my rambling now.... Thanks!

A couple weeks ago, I travelled to Yaounde to attend a meeting. After another interesting and slightly ridiculous meeting (euphemisms), I headed to marche central for a bit of fabric retail therapy (I am high contributor to the local tailoring economy). While walking in the market, someone yelled “La Visa” at me. This is best story I have to summarize what it is like to be a white, solo female in Cameroon.

You see, “La Visa” wasn’t meant in a visa/mastercard way, but in a Visa-to-another-country way. Those of us “blanches” are viewed as a ticket out of the country (FYI it is crazy expensive to fly in or out of Cameroon). There are also other assumptions made about us “blanches” thanks to Hollywood movies and popular culture…. But, that is another story.

The result of this is a ridiculous amount of marriage proposals from complete strangers. All the time. Because I am stealthy and sneaky-like, I wear a ring on my wedding finger and just reply “je suis marie” to whomever is asking. However, many of the best of these conversations occur when I am on the back of a moto-taxi by myself, and I personally, find them rather entertaining. Here are some excerpts:

Driver: You are married?

Me: Yes.

Driver: This is bad news for me. Very, bad news.

Me: Not for me! [awkward laughter]

----

Driver: I want a white girl friend. Tell me how do I get a white girl friend?

Me: Find one that’s not taken already. [laughs]

Driver: [laughs]

Me: And maybe one that actually lives in Cameroon…. That might help your case.

Driver: [more laughter]

----
 

Driver: I want to go to Canada, but it’s very expensive. How do I go to Canada?

Me: Better start saving!

----

Driver: You are from Canada? Like Celine Dion?

Me: Yes.

Driver: Celine Dion is amazing. We love her music. Very very much.
Me: ....

Driver: Marry me?
Me: ....

----

Driver: You are married?

Me: Yes, but my husband is in Canada.

Driver: I am in Cameroon.

Me: ….

----

Driver: You be my woman?

Me: Sorry. I don’t understand. My French is not good. Bye!

----

I choose to handle most advances with humour, or default to my “je ne comprend pas”, which with my Anglophone accent usually does the trick (This was also my response when someone asked me for my shoes at a workshop once… But what am I supposed to wear then??? ).  

But, on a more serious note, being a solo, young, female, let alone a foreign female in Cameroon is difficult. Bloody, friggin, difficult. Especially in the workplace..... Fingers crossed for my sanity, people.

A la prochain!

Much love.

- C

Technical Difficulties

Just a quick note that Carley's computer is broken again, and currently in a million pieces in an attempt to fix it. 

Weekly blog posts are unfortunately on hold until further notice. 

- C

Life's a beach!

Firstly, I want to acknowledge that this blog post is late, and offer my apologies. However, it isn't entirely my fault... I was lacking inspiration, and then there was also that time my laptop broke. Turns out my 30% working lights estimate was way high and only applies to the bathroom and hallway). 

A couple anniversaries happened since I last posted:

1.     Firstly, the 24th anniversary of my addition to the Canadian census (wait- do we even still do censuses? I'm looking at you, Harper...), which for those of you that didn't catch that... I had a birthday! I was lucky enough to be spoiled by those around me, with presents of wine*, food and specifically beignets (they know me so well already!). Beignets are essentially sugary donuts, which are widely available thanks to the many delicious boulangeries everywhere- one of the references to the history of French colonialism. These sugary delights have become my latest addiction, and I might have even gotten a beignet-tower instead of a birthday cake.....

*Also, a note the most popular wine in Cameroon is comprised of the following four ingredients: selected grape extract, water, ethyl alcohol, sugar. For reals. (see photographic evidence below).

2.     The second anniversary was my 1 Month in Cameroon! This means I am already 1/6th of the way through my internship already.... crazy!

Above: Photographic evidence of the "most popular" wine in Cameroon.

I've been getting more accustomed to life in Kribi, and I think Cameroonians here are also getting more used to me. For example, I actually had a moto-taxi driver the other day who remembered me and didn't try to rip me off!! Eureka! I was also invited over to my neighbour's place for some  traditional Cameroonian cuisine. Despite that I mentioned being vegetarian, I was served a dish of fufu and fish sauce. (I had an inkling this might happen, as vegetarian here still means you eat chicken, and fish, and shrimp, and pork etc. etc. I can't even imagine if I were vegan....). I tried to eat as much as possible so as to not offend, while still avoiding the chunky bits of fish. It didn't help that fufu (or foufou, or sometime even called cous cous) is essentially just straight gluten and makes my gag reflex kick in. In the words of other VSO volunteer Chelsea: "bonne chance, stomach, bonne chance!".

I've also been loving weekends in Kribi, which I have spent exploring the many beaches in my new neighbourhood, including Grand Batanga and Bwamba pictured below (left and right respectively).

 
And in between these two fantastic beaches, there happens to be some fabulous waterfalls! It's a tough life I lead, but somebody's got to do it.. right? I'm already dreading rainy season, which if the weather this morning is any indication, appears to be coming sooner than expected....

Half of the Lobe waterfalls.

But it's not all-play-and-no-work (I can dream, right?). The past couple weeks have been filled with meetings, and lucky for me... another two day workshop! This time on participatory mapping hosted by WWF- pretty cool!

Lastly, IMPORTANT question- I thought I had fixed the ability to comment on my blog, but apparently not... Is there anyone out there more tech-savvy than I to shed some light? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

À la prochain! Much love!

- C 

Kicking it in Kribi

Another week has flown by, and I am finally in Kribi, South Cameroon! We arrived late on the first night to our incredibly large (is a 2 bedroom apartment really necessary for each volunteer?), and in my case, already populated apartments. After battling with the previous tenants (a family of spiders, a couple cockroaches, and my new “pet” gecko since I can’t manage to catch the speedster), I have begun to settle in. I’m lucky to have running water and electricity that works roughly 30% of the time (the first time I plugged my fridge in, my lights went out). A few pictures of my new digs are attached below! (not pictured: second bedroom, bathroom and main living area)
   

Since arriving, I have spent the past few days indoors for another B-ADAPT workshop, this time with CAMAMF (Campo-Ma’an Model Forest, as opposed to FOMOD in Lomie last week). During these past two weeks, I noticed a few things about workshop etiquette in Cameroon.

·        Cell phone usage: It is perfectly acceptable to answer your phone in the middle of a workshop in Cameroon. In fact, I have even seen people who are facilitating a session, stop, answer their phone, and then proceed to talk for 10 minutes while everyone else waits. Everyone also has their phone ring on the loudest setting possible, and about 80% of Cameroonians have the same cellphone ringtone. Fantastic.

·        Siestas: It is not unusual to see someone doze off during a session. I’m not sure whether this might still be perceived as rude… but, no one seems too concerned as far as I can tell…

·        “Start” times: If you set a 9am start time for your workshop, expect participants to arrive for 10/10:30. Although you can count on everyone else to be late, it’s still necessary for facilitators to arrive on time. It’s always good to bring a book for the wait… sometimes two….

·        Hanger (hunger + anger): By far the hardest adjustment for me during the workshops, was the food! And by food, I really mean how long you have to wait before you are fed. I found the 11am coffee break and 3pm LUNCH difficult in Lomie, but Kribi was far more challenging. Our average food schedule was as follows: coffee break around 11/12, and again at 3pm, then finally a MEAL at 7PM! (I say meal since I’m not sure I consider it “lunch” at 7pm). The amount of hanger I experienced over the past few days is not even funny. 
 

Above: Using the "Socratic Wheel" exercise to evaluate products grown in the "grande saison" (the first growing season lasting from jan-june(ish). The "petite (and second) saison" will begin in August).  

Our workshop took place at the Palm Beach Hotel- pictured above. It was hard to be indoors with this landscape just steps away.....

After three days indoors, we headed out to the field to visit some nearby Moringa nurseries. Moringa is a type of tree which originated in India, and is harvested for a variety of purposes including medicine, and consumption. You can even apparently get moringa yogurt! (I say apparently because I am never 100% if I am hearing things correctly in French haha).

 

Above: teeny, tiny Moringa trees!

 

Above: Fellow CUSO volunteer, Abwe, explains some of the local uses for Moringa.

 

 Above: One happy tree hugger!

 

 

Left to RIght: Fellow CUSO volunteer, Luc, checking out the Moringa roots and tuber; Preparing Moringa trees in the Nusery; and the Bageyli village we visited to see one of the nurseries. Bageyli is minority tribe in the area, while Bantu is the dominant.

Looking forward to my first weekend exploring Kribi!
- Peace, plants and much love!

To the end of the world and back: Lomie, Cameroon and why I'm in West Africa.

There are so many things I could write about from the past week that it was difficult to determine exactly what I should focus this blog post on. I mean, I could write about my new found appreciation for running water (let alone warm water), clean bed sheets, internet, and paved roads…. But, I’m sure a lot of you out there are wondering what exactly it is I’m doing in Cameroon!? So first and foremost, I will attempt to answer this question.

 

In my first post on this blog, I discussed how I am working with the Campo Ma’an Model Forest (which again, is not an actual “thing”, but more a decision making approach… just to confuse you all more!), but am working on a project called B-ADAPT: Eco-Agricultural Business for Adaptation to Changes in Climate. This is a 14 month project, financed by the Canadian International Development Agency (rest in peace, CIDA!). The first phase of the project worked with agricultural producers to increase production through improved seeds and natural bio fertilisers. It also changed planting techniques through growing specific plant species (for example, corn and peanuts) together.  

 

The second phase of the product is looking to create profits from the increased crop production to finance the project long-term (as the seeds and bio fertilisers are not cheap), beyond the end of the CIDA funding. This is where I come in (cue theme music)! As a Market Study and Value Chain Advisor, I will be looking at the various products, transportation chains, demands, linkages etc. and making recommendations. This work will involve me visiting and consulting with local communities, comparing product prices at different markets, conducting interviews etc. all in my broken French…. Bring on the field work!

 

Tomorrow, I at long-last (provided things don’t change, which it seems around here they do often!) head to Kribi where I will be living for the next 5.5 months. Stay tuned for photos from my new neighbourhood!

 

But, for now… here are some photos from the past week, which I spent in Lomie for a 5 day workshop for the B-Adapt project:



Enroute to Lomie, we stopped at the production site for the natural bio fertilisers. Above, millet is being planted in the prepared soil, sand, and mycelium mixture.

Above: Views in Lomie.

Above: Aysha and Luc on one of many strolls through the "neighbourhood".  

 

The bulk of my time in Lomie was spent inside for a five day workshop. Timeline mapping is pictured above; an activity which gave me flash backing to EAO LEAN training (eep!).  



Note: the title for this blog post comes from Suzanne's quote last week: "Going to Lomie, it's like going to the end of the world". This was said in reference to the roughly maybe ~150km from Abong Abong (where the paved road ends) to Lomie, which takes an average 5-8 hours to drive. Expect this number to increase dramatically during rainy season, as the road is basically just muddy pot holes. This results in a very isolated, but also beautiful town.

Much love!
- C

Welcome to Week 1!

It’s been one week since I left Canada, which means I am due for a blog post! My goal is to write one post a week, so welcome to blog number 1 of the potential 26 or so that I will write in Cameroon.

             In just one week there have already been many adjustments, and I am not just referring to the 8 hour time difference. It’s hard to write too much about the country itself at this point, as I’ve yet to see much beyond our apartment and the VSO office. Since arriving this past weekend, us new arrivals have been attending In Country Orientation in the capital, Yaounde. From here, I will head to Kribi for my placement and further project specific training.

 Above: Views in Bastos, Yaoundé

 

So in my very short time in country, I would like to share a few of my observations thus far:    

1. Street side shopping: Picture this, you are sitting on a patio enjoying your drink and you have a craving for peanuts…. and voila, a peanut vendor comes by. Then the fruit vendor. The cellphone vendor. The shoe salesman, and so on… Whatever it is you need, you can buy it on the street without even moving from your place! Oh, and did I mention, it is likely the vendor you purchase these items from, is carrying them on their head!?  The sheer amount of business and industry happening a cote de la rue est très impressive!
2. Firsthand flexibility: During my Skills for Working in Development Training in Ottawa, it was stressed time and time again to be prepared for the inevitable. You’re doing a presentation? Bring flip chart paper to accompany your laptop and a spare USB. We were given a firsthand experience in the need for flexibility when our office lost power Tuesday, and the back-up generator never kicked in. Don’t take your electricity for granted, people.
3. Share taxis: Prior to arriving in Cameroon, I had heard lots about “share taxis”. Since arriving, I have been lucky enough to experience their often, hilariousness, for myself. How they work: Essentially taxis drive by and honk constantly. If you acknowledge one, it means you want a ride. You say a destination to the driver, and a price. If they honk, they accept. You then hop into the taxi. The drivers then proceeds in the general direction of your destination, BUT continues to pick people up on the way. The end result is a ridiculous, but also remarkable number of people, babies, pets, groceries, etc. in one taxi. Today we had seulement 7 of us in a vehicle meant for 4..
4. “I’m a celebrity- get me out of here!”: As a young, white female in Africa, I know I am a minority and therefore “stick out”. As such, I take precautions with attire, the time of day I am in public etc., but it is likely I will still always be noticeable. This is something I am aware of and have experienced before. It is a first for me though, to have to go everywhere accompanied by a male. As a usually independent female, I am finding this challenging. I do, however, understand I am in a large capital city, but hope for a bit more freedom come Kribi. I am very lucky though, since I have a very supportive group of people around me… which brings me to my last point…..
5. Family: Wherever you go, it’s always important to surround yourself with good people. I already gained one new “CUSO family” after attending training in Ottawa, and have been lucky enough to inherit another here in Yaounde. Makes thanks to these fine folks for keeping me sane and safe during this period of transition.

Above: The "family" at a viewpoint, overlooking Yaoundé.

 

Much love!

- C