The Best Entertainment in Cameroon!

If you’ve ever been to Africa, you will have witnessed some of the best shop and restaurant names, most interesting billboards and definitely the most amusing signage you have ever seen.  Cameroon is no different.  From the blatant trademark infringement (such as painting global corporate slogans or mascots onto the front of shacks) to the hysterical mis-use of token phrases, to the freaky biblical bumper stickers plastered all over taxis, a tour of Bamenda is sure to entertain.  

Here are my top 10 favourite signs in Bamenda:

10.  I wonder what the Michelin Man and Colonel Sanders would say…?

 

9.  Huh?  Taxi "decor" is the biggest industry in Cameroon... 

 

8.  Fo' sho' the baddest doc in Bamenda!

7. Typical Cameroonian male ego...notice how there's no sign for "other men"?  I guess I'd have to enter at the far right...

 

6.  I’m not a genius on American history/politics, but I’m pretty sure the World Trade Centre was gone before Obama became Pres…?

 

5.   For a gambling company, this is kinda common sense…not the strongest promotion ever

4.  As if driving in Bamenda isn’t scary enough, I have to think about being covered in blood while driving on the wrong side of the street at 140 km/h over winding mountain roads

3.  I love these comments written all over buses! Be sure not to vomit – because if you have to, you can’t "send your head outside" to do it!  I say aim for the driver…he’s usually the reason one feels the need to vomit

2.  Forget about “being square” – you BETTER show up to this one!

1.  My absolute favourite!  If you saw the public toilet situation in Cameroon (IF it consists of a field, it’s the cleanest you’ll find), I’d say 2,000 francs is a pretty good deal!

Due North

I decided to take a couple weeks holiday in August to head to the North and Far North Regions of Cameroon. 

They are mainly desert, unbearably hot and Muslim-dominated French regions.  Actually, it seems I went at the best time because it was the perfect temperature every day.  The only problem is that it was rainy season and everything was beautifully-green, which means I’ll somehow have to return during dry season so I can say I’ve been to the desert in sub-Saharan Africa! 

My first impressions:

• The French in the North to seem much more friendly and welcoming than those in the south
• There was a lot more food than I anticipated, after hearing many a story about surviving on mangos for months on end
• Couscous is better than fufu
• Crab’s don’t make very good fortune-tellers
• I am completely incapable of sitting still long enough for henna to dry
• Rhumsiki makes for the best honeymoon in the Far North
• Northern bus drivers can change a tire faster than I can pee

In summary, here are the highlights from my trip:

Yaounde (Central Region): Went to an amazing traditional drumming session at a local hot spot in the South East end of Yaounde; the dancing was even more impressive than the drumming (and the dancers were simply audience members who couldn`t sit still!) I really should step-up my djembe lessons...

Garoua (North Region): Spent an entire evening getting henna-ed up whilst the entire youth population of the neighbourhood piled into the living room, eventually getting bored by us and ending up glued to the TV watching Ethiopian and Indian music videos all night – and they somehow knew all the words!  It`s too bad we missed Ramadan by a few days.

45-mins of sitting still for Henna application - torture!

The French Association in Garoua

 

 

Trekking in Garoua

Moutourwa (Far North Region): Spent some gorgeous days trekking rocky mountains that jut from the ground like they were thrown down by the gods…followed by a proper local night of dancing to celebrate a football win at a village bar.

Trekking in the village

A sacred natural "monument"

Villagers in Moutourwa

Cleaning goat "mess"

Rhumsiki (Far North Region): What`s not to love?! We spent the weekend trekking through the most beautiful landscape you`ve ever seen, visiting crab sorcerers, touring the village, eating the best organic chop in Cameroon at KIRDI Restaurant, horse-back riding at sunset…and I also learnt a lot about Animism – it’s one of the world`s oldest religious beliefs in which spirits exist in animals, rocks, mountains and rivers. People worship an animal of their choice, which represents their spiritual ruler (usually a goat or sheep, bird or rat).  The chosen animal is sometimes seen to be the spirit of dead family members, and lives in the house with the family, not on the farm with the other animals. It actually seems closely-related to Native American beliefs.

Rhumsiki landscape

Organic breakfast at KIRDI

Sight-seeing

Sunset ride

Maroua (Far North Region): Shopping at Maroua market!  I bought pretty much everything in the market, and managed to spend two full days bargaining in French…I either drastically improved my French skills or spent way too much money – or both! Oh and the pizza at Porte Mayo is amazing!

Our wake-up call each morning

The End of an Era....

...and the beginning of a new one.

So I’ve moved out of the village…and into a cushy life in the “big city” – the regional capital, Bamenda.  I guess I should officially change the name of my blog.

So.....

No more waking up to this:

Now I wake up to this:

No more going to sleep to this:
 


















Now I go to sleep to this:
 

Which is better?  Not too sure… I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about leaving Belo and the smiling faces of the beautiful people in the village and the simple life (though I won’t miss the absence of running water).  It’s nice when everyone knows you, but equally nice to be invisible sometimes (not that invisibility is possible when you’re white in Africa!).  

But now I have hot water and high-speed internet! Doesn’t really feel so Cameroonian...

My new home is VSO’s North West regional program office.  One challenge – waking up and walking 10 steps to work (to the living room) in my pajamas!  It’s definitely a pro and a con at the same time.  A very big positive is living with two amazing roomies – Mags and Mandy.  We have already had a few “gatherings” at the new house, and many more are planned – all themed parties, of course!

With the move comes a new role.  Saying goodbye to my BERUDA family, I am now working with a cluster of volunteers, all with specialized skills in different areas, to identify needs and create development projects with partners across the North West Region.  

Reflecting back on my time in Kom, here are some everyday moments in Belo:

Baby goats frolicking on my front porch (but not cleaning up after them!)

Collecting rain-water (if I wanted to shower or do dishes...)

My BERUDA family, along with the Mayor (centre) and Divisional 
Officer (to my left), at our Send-Off Party

Breakfasts by the waterfall

Lunches with other volunteers

Watching events from BERUDA balcony

Hanging out at Palace Bar

Now my new diggs are in GRA (Government Residential Area), Up Station.  Yes, it's where all the rich government people live...but its peaceful and clean and pretty safe (we have a night guard now).  My roomies and I spend a lot of time eating out, shopping at the market (getting almost everything we need - a nice change from the village) and meeting other volunteers for drinks.  So it's not too shabby.

Everyday moments in Bamenda include:

Morning strolls in Up Station

Hanging out with the neighbours (Doris and Raphaela)

Henry giving free djembe lessons

Shopping at Bamenda Market (on a tranquil day)

Trekking with my roomies!

Fancy-dress parties (Erica & Elphie's Prohibition Leaving-Do)

More fancy-dress (Queen's Jubilee)

Nights out dancing

Crevettes at The International Hotel

Beautiful views and amazing chicken at Handicraft Centre