Me doy cuenta de que...

Hello to all again.
As 2010 is coming to a close, so is the novelty of being in Cameroon. As service progresses, I’ve acclimated to Belel’s lifestyle; i.e. no running water, electricity from 6pm to 10pm when the corrupt mayor is town to see one of his four wives, and adapting my food diet couscous and Maggi (MSG in a cube). Teaching has become a routine in my daily village life and I can finally say I’m comfortable.


There is so much to say, how do I organize?

At my IST (In-Service Training) we had week-long conference learning about funding and reporting on projects we undertake. Also, we had meetings with our Cameroonian counter-parts; how to work together more efficiently. I noticed while sitting there observing, not to sound pessimistic; I thought, “No wonder nothing is accomplished in a timely manner…” I’ve noticed when Cameroonians talk, they tend to tell stories to get their point across and, then, add another one to emphasize or give multiple examples. Moreover, they do not consider keeping meetings within the given time frame.

An anecdote: As a Cameroonian counterpart was talking; he took his pen cap to clean out ear…

Having mentioned that; I will continue with more habits:

My neighbor’s aunt cut his toe nails. They shoot snot-rockets. While traveling, a little 3 year old whipped his hose out and peed in front of a store. They think wearing glasses is a “maladie” (an illness...) More to come…

For 2011: Aspirations:

The troubling reality about developing schools encompasses insufficient textbooks, dictionaries, or books for students or simply a non-existent library. When I first arrived at post, I was discouraged. In the teacher’s room I yelled in French/English, “How can you teach?! That is the problem; there are no books, nothing!” I hit a bump in the road, felt held back and uncertain of where to turn. Eventually the principal (my counterpart) gave me some resources of the old Spanish teacher to help me, guide me, to prepare lessons for classes.

I would like to look into getting text books for the schools; necessary books for students to utilize. I even talked to each of my senior students (dropped that class… it was too much teaching five different levels) and asked what they really needed and wanted. I listed to their concerns. They want documents to practice. Everything is theory, there is no application.

However, having dialogued with fellow PCV’s, it would be a huge project. I’m first going to assess and talk to Cameroonians. It is necessary. This would be my biggest project and frustration challenging me. I will decide whether I want to undertake it…

On a smaller scale; I want to work with girls in my community. I believe there is a need to focus on them. Why? Well, because for one, there is a problem of girls sleeping with male teachers at my school. Where is the self-respect? What is the reality? Most likely, these girls need money or in order to go to next level at school. I hope to be a positive influence, more humbly, give some perspective. I asked my neighbor, who I consider my second family, what she believes about being a female in a Muslim community. She is single-mother. “Self-respect.” she exalted. The family is an exception and pretty progressive, all circumstances considered.

Frustrations:

1. Pretty much everywhere I go people ask me for money and ask me I bought them something while going out of town. They see white and think rich.

2. Students deranging the hell out of me in class… Especially the 7th grade class. I had my vice principal yell at them. Now my tactic will employ taking points off for disruption.

3. Having the courage to say what I feel and not worrying about what people think.

4. Bargaining. I choose my battles if I feel like haggling for a cheaper price.

5. Heat! I’m blessed to be posted in a village 3,000 km above sea level!

6. Language barrier.

7. Being asked if I’m married. “Are you married? Do you have children? Why not?”

8. The reality of development work… is it sustainable?

9. Corruption existing before me. As time unravels, I see more clearly and can identify corruption. At first, I was blind.

10. Students and teachers treat education as a joke. For example, teachers don’t show up until October. The daughter of the mayor flirting with the vice principal while I’m sitting in the other room. (Oh how I wanted to go in there, grab the girl by the ear, and gritar: “Tu fait quoi? Quel est ton problem?”

Realizations:

1. You can’t force people to change, they have to do it by themselves and yearn to.

2. Development and behavior change are very slow processes.

3. Colonization fucks up people. A student thinks so.  (Excuse my abrasive language).

4. Missionary workers fuck up peoples’ mentalities. They have this dependency on receiving and expecting others to solve their problems. My student asked me “Madame I have a problem. I was wondering…” Before he could finish; I blurted “I’m NOT going to buy you a ball.”

5. I think money is evil. More to come.

I will post more up-beat adventures!

Hasta luego!