Sometimes, as you’ve most likely noticed, I like to make light of things. When life tries to give you a haymaker to the chops you just have to laugh (as long as you can still breath). There are times, however, that it is difficult to muster anything humorous. This is one of those times.

Half of the main Kumba market burned down Monday night and was still burning the next morning. The government estimates that 1 billion CFA (approx. $1.8 million) will be necessary to rebuild. In a country already overwhelmed by money issues this will be an impossible sum to raise. Luckily, the fire occurred overnight, so there were no casualties, but, while lives were not lost, livelihoods were. One of the problems with businesses in Cameroon is that, when they acquire cash, they spend it on excess inventory. So, instead of having any sort of savings to fall back on, the shopkeepers depend upon their stock. Those looking for early Christmas gifts subsequently looted most inventories spared by the fire.

In the United States we’d “simply” file a claim with our insurance company and rebuild. In Cameroon, insurance is virtually non-existent, as are fire departments, which is why the fire did so much damage.

I am unsure what the shopkeepers will do. Some of my friends are among them, and they will probably start all over, or move back to their villages where they can receive support from relatives. For those individuals who are worse off this Christmas season will not be one of celebration. The wife of the Government Delegate (head of the City Council) is my landlady, and I’m a friend to her daughter and son-in-law, so I’ve offered my services to the Council. Time will, though, what the government’s response will be. I’ll withhold judgment for now, but they must understand that the people of Kumba are crying.

The dry season cometh…

If Monday was any indication of things to come I’ll be good and melted in the next few weeks. The unusually prolonged rainy season appears to be coming to an end, and it has given way to one heck of a dry season. The temperature, I’d estimate, is in the mid-90s with almost 100% humidity. Where as earlier I’d been voicing my opinion about the constantly muddy roads due to torrential rains, I now know the alternative. Is there no middle ground?! I’ve been told that the unrelenting heat will continue to rise until it reaches its zenith in January. It’s strange knowing that soon the snow will begin to fall back home while I smolder away. The timing of the year is almost surreal. November has begun, you say? Hmmm, I never would have imagined. So, as you are all cozy in front of the blazing fire in the coming months I will be sharing in a similar experience. Similar in the aspect of unrelenting heat, and cozy in that the constant sweat my body permeates will keep me nice and enveloped. Relief, though, comes in the form of the fan. Since AC is extremely rare I must depend upon this antiquated device for cool. But due to the occasional brownout that last much of the day, and have increased in frequency, the spell of that airy goodness is short and rarely lived. Of course, I can always seek out the cold shower at day’s end. Who would have thought something I would have complained about back home has so many advantages?

Here, adventure is a way of life. One can attempt to establish some type of routine only to find that the attempt is in vein. It is important to be ready for anything because that is exactly what this profession entails. A brief (Ha!) update of my recent activities:

Thursday, October 27, 2005

This was the day of the seven and a half hour board meeting at Self Reliance Credit Union. If you think I’m exaggerating about the length of the meeting, sadly, it was probably longer. I have to say, though, that this day was the most productive and rewarding working day I’ve had yet. I was the only representative from CamCCUL present at the meeting, and we covered everything from their activities building a new home for the credit union to loan approvals for four young men. The latter was the most unique. In Cameroon, customer relationships are vital, and each of our board members knew something about one of the young men. After discussing the loans, giving advice where I could, they called in the men one by one. They’d applied for the loan the day before, and here the board of directors was interviewing them! I can’t say this is the norm, but, still, talk about customer service. Each of the young men had proven repayment ability in the past, and we had solid collateral, so each of their loans was approved, augmenting the loan portfolio greatly.

Sure I didn’t get lunch. Sure I was tired. But leaving I felt a sense of accomplishment and finally being able to help lend (Hmmm, strange word choice) some experience to a situation.

Friday, October 28, 2005

After going into the office in the morning, I was off with my friend, David, for a weekend to Buea. David has a friend, Rose, who is a student at the university there, and she has wanted to cook dinner for us for sometime now. I have a couple of PCV friends there, Nan and Ryan, who I haven’t seen in a little while, so we decided to make a weekend out of the excursion.

After traveling two and a half hours on a horrible road (even though it is one of the busiest in the country due to cocoa exports it has been badly neglected. I point no fingers, but I do raise the fact), we arrived at my friend Ryan’s and promptly went over to Rose’s for some grub. Mmm, mmm, good. Rose, who loves to cook, but hates to eat, had cooked Fish DG (Fish with a pepe and tomato sauce with green beans and carrots), jamajama (greens with crayfish), plantain chips, foofoo (play doughy made from coco yams), and fruit juice and wine. As you might be able to guess, my tastes have developed rapidly. More out of necessity than anything, but actually, I’m beginning to enjoy many of the traditional dishes here. And Rose is a freakin’ amazing cook, so that didn’t hurt things.

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Sometimes you just gotta have some fun, and that is exactly what Saturday was all about. We got a big group together and headed to the black sand beaches of Limbe. David, Rose, Ryan, Nan, Jerry (a PCV), Jean Yves (Jerry’s friend), and I had a much-needed day of rest and relaxation. It was the first time David and Rose had even seen the ocean let alone gone in the water. It took some convincing, but as soon as David saw a 3 year old, at the beach with his family, run into the waves he knew that he had nothing to fear. He loved it! In fact it was very difficult to get him out of the water at the end of the day. Rose was much more cautious, but did spend about 20 minutes in the small waves.

Cultural Note: Many Cameroonians are afraid of water due to what is traditionally known as “Mommy Wata”. Essentially, they believe that the water is haunted by spirits, and that we disturb them by going into their domain. Thus, for the individual who dares tread on this sacred area, death is the penalty. David and Rose, being well read and relatively fearless had little problem overcoming this superstition.

As we were packing up to leave we saw a large entourage arriving with a couple of video cameras and a large radio. Upon further observation, we discovered that a “pop/hip-hop” artist from Douala was shooting his music video on the beach. Jerry, Jean Yves, and I were standing back watching the goings on when I commented that we should find a way to get in the video. No more than a minute later the director came up to us and asked if we’d like to do just that. Aw yeah! So, needless to say, I shook what my mama gave me. Thanks Mom! The director promised she’d send a copy to us when the final edit is done. While it may not make it to MTV we may be featured on local and European music channels. The seeds have been planted for my next career, music video dancer. I know what you’re saying, “Eric, don’t quit your day job.”

That night, before heading back to Buea, we all took a beverage at “Hot Spot”, a restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean while the sunset. It was a perfect ending to a very interesting day.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Not much to report. Traveled back home with David, slept, and caught up on some reading. It was a great weekend, but traveling here is not easy. The roads take a toll on you, and it is often difficult to get to where you want to go. Still, you won’t hear me complaining, or was that what I just did in the previous sentence?

Monday and Tuesday, October 31-November 1, 2005

Because cocoa is the driving cash crop in my community, and because it is the height of the cocoa harvest I wanted to learn more about this activity. Luckily, I have a great neighbor and friend, Greg, who owns a cocoa store in Kumba. Essentially, he sends buyers out to “the bush”, buys cocoa, ships it to Douala, and sells it to another person who ships it to Europe.

Monday, I spent the day shadowing Greg to learn his business and provide assistance when requested. Tuesday was spent going with one of the buyers, the only female on Greg’s roster, to one of the villages to buy cocoa. I think I was more of a hindrance than a help, however. As soon as they saw a white man the price went up. Eventually, she was able to explain that, in essence, I was simply an international observer sent to make sure the cocoa deals are fair for everyone involved. I was able to help them reach a compromise on the weight of a couple of the bags, so I suppose her explanation wasn’t too far off.

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

Yesterday, I worked alongside one of our field auditors, Mr. Tache Henry, at the Kumba Central Credit Union. He worked on a balance sheet discrepancy (that I may soon assist in) while I verified membership cards and loan applications. Tache is a great guy, and throughout the day we formed a close bond. At day’s end, after a trip to the Internet café, he revealed to me that his computer skills were slightly lacking. “Tache, skills transfer is my life,” I said as the sun made the teeth of my smile sparkle like a toothpaste commercial.

Today, November 3, 2005

Being that it is the end of Ramadan, today is a government-sanctioned holiday, and most facilities are closed. Even though the region I live in is predominantly Christian, the north of the country is mostly Muslim, so everyone reaps the benefits. I feel kinda guilty (must be that Catholic ancestry); I should have been fasting the last month to get some reward from it. Oh well, I’m over it. So, today has been spent blogging and then I’ll read about the new IMF loan recently given to Cameroon. Tonight, after over two months, I should be getting my living room furniture. Don’t ask, it’s a long story, and I’ve already talked your ear off a bit too much. Thanks to everyone for coming out! See you next time! And remember: Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for those stars.