Yaoundé
Greetings, all!
Sorry to have taken so long to add to this blog – it has been a very busy three weeks, and, to be honest, the writing spirit didn’t really strike. And, I must say, I’m enjoying relaxing evenings!
Well, the bank account was finally set up, nearly three weeks ago! You’ll remember that I needed a letter of introduction from the High Commission, a lease, two photographs and a photocopy of my passport in order to open the account. I had asked for the letter of introduction a while back, but the person responsible for this was on vacation, so I had to wait until his return, which was fine by me. I finally reached Mr. Z., and he very kindly informed me that I should contact Ms Y on the matter, so I grinned (I try to smile when my teeth are showing) and went off to contact Ms Y, who, of course, was not in her office. I also discovered that our representatives prefer it if you make appointments to see them, so I made an appointment for the next day. I dutifully showed up, and Ms Y very kindly told me to contact Ms X, the lady who had first directed me to Mr. Z. At this point, although still showing my teeth in what I hoped was a smile, I explained that I was being passed around rather nicely, but that this didn’t help in terms of getting the necessary letter. Ah, said Ms Y, why don’t you write a draft and drop it in, and we’ll set it up properly. I was a bit miffed, to put it mildly, since I can’t imagine that I’m the first person for whom the High Commission has had to do this, but I did as told, and produced a draft. Two days later, I received a call, saying that the letter was ready, and could I come and get it. So, I did…
That was step 1.
Now, for step 2.
I had to get my lease. Although I had a receipt showing that I had paid rent, this did not constitute a lease, and I had been promised the said lease (see previous entry of blog). So I called my contact, Roger, to ask if he had the lease, since I really needed it. You have to understand also that the bank with which I wanted to do business has its offices in the same building as the High Commission, and I didn’t want to rush around too much if it could be helped. Alas and alack, the owner of the property was still in Europe, so the lease couldn’t be signed until his return on the following Saturday (i.e. December 1). As you can imagine, this didn’t sit well with me, but what can one do? So, I went to the bank anyway, and saw a different person. I explained that I wanted to open a bank account, and she smiled and said “Sure.” Holding my breath, I started signing a number of forms, ensuring that the signature was exactly the same on each document, each in duplicate. I provided the two pictures, I provided the passport to be photocopied, I provided the letter of introduction and I provided a copy of my letter of employment (this is because you need to have a verifiable income before you can open an account!). Forms filled, the kind lady proceeded to do things at the computer, checked all her files, and said “Ah, we need to know where you live… can you draw a map of where it is?” Of course, I said, and did so, holding my breath and waiting to be asked for a copy of the lease. Lo and behold, the question wasn’t asked, and, after about 90 minutes, I left the bank with an account. Ho, ho… Obviously, each person at the bank decides what documents are needed! Anyway, it was a great relief!
Having got that matter sorted out, it was now time to worry about furnishing the apartment. You have to understand, of course, that while all this was taking place, I was also expected to do some work, so it took quite a bit of juggling. Basically, one has to accept that one can only accomplish one thing a day (e.g., get a letter, open an account, etc), as it takes a lot of time – one has to wait… and wait … and wait. However, it all works out.
Furnishings are provided by the project, a nice little benefit, I must confess. In this case, my predecessor had left his household of furniture, and the High Commission had stored it on behalf of CIDA. Wednesday (November 28) was the day of the bank, and on Thursday, I was taken to “visit” the furniture, stored in a container at a mover’s place. The object of the visit was to make sure that I would be recognized when the time came to remove the furniture to my new abode. It was agreed that Monday morning would be a good day to do this (oh, hum… one must be patient). Of course, in order to get the furniture, I needed a letter (agh!) of authorization from the High Commission, and I was asked to drop in on the Monday morning, at 8:30, to pick it up. So much for my hopes of moving in quickly… ah, well.
Monday morning came, and to my great surprise, all went smoothly – unbelievable. I was sure it would take all day, but no! Not only was the letter ready and waiting for me, but the movers were on hand, with a truck, and, after signing a few documents, the workers proceeded to remove the furniture from the container into the truck. Fortunately, I had figured out beforehand that there would be too much furniture for the apartment, since I knew that my predecessor had rented a house (which will happen in our case also, but at a later date), so I had made arrangements at my office to have a bit space freed up to store the excess furniture. And the workers removed furniture, they removed furniture, they removed furniture (as well as some boxes). I couldn’t get over how much there was… From one of the documents, I gathered that my predecessor had rented a four-bedroom house, with two living-rooms and a study…
Off we went – truck following my taxi, taxi ably driven by Njikam, and within an hour, the furniture had been off-loaded at the Centre, and the truck returned whence it came. Only 11 o’clock! I had meetings in the afternoon, so unfortunately, didn’t witness the next step, which consisted in moving the furniture that I’d chosen to the apartment around the corner. I gather that one piece of furniture (a huge three-sectional china cabinet, of which I wanted to use one section only) couldn’t fit up the stairwell (the apartment is on the second floor), so a system of pulleys and men dragged it through the neighbour’s courtyard in order to gain access to my balcony, and heaved the said cabinet up that way!
The next couple of days were spent sprucing up the place. Fortunately, as I didn’t have time to do this myself, Judith, our new housekeeper (recommended by another Canadian who had worked with her for a couple of years), arrived and promptly took over. Of course, there was nothing with which to clean, so the first duty was to rush around getting mops, buckets, soap, etc, as well as stuff for the kitchen (pots, pans, plates, cutlery, etc., etc.). Judith had raised her eyebrows at the size of the apartment (“Quite small, isn’t it?”) and was a bit nonplussed by it – I think she felt that she had come down in the world. I explained that this was temporary only, until I found a house that would suit my wife (hem, hem) who would be joining me in a few months. Judith marched me off to various supermarkets to purchase the necessary items – I asked if we shouldn’t buy what we needed in the local shops, since I’m a firm believer in helping the neighbourhood shops, but it was not to be. Judith announced that quality could only be found in the supermarkets, and that’s where we were going – plus, it wouldn’t take as long. Ah, well… and I had hoped to engage in bargaining…
Still, I really can’t complain! Judith comes highly recommended, and has done an impressive amount of work in getting the place set up, cleaned, furniture polished, etc. I have to find a small shelf and a table for the kitchen, as there is no storage space, but that will be done this week – simply a case of ordering it made at the Centre by the students in the Woodworking section. I’m sure that these items will mollify Judith. I did repeat that I didn’t want to spend too much on the apartment, since I’d be moving at some point… I think she found it difficult to accept that I didn’t buy a full set of matching dishware, company utensils, daily utensils, etc, etc. I suspect that I’m not as high class as she hoped I’d be…
So, on December 9, I was finally ensconced in the apartment. The suitcases are empty and stored away. The previous day was spent getting final items, haring around town with Njikam. Such a helpful person – he said that it was a problem being with me, so dropped me off at the hotel, while he went and purchased various items for which he could negotiate a better price without my presence. He came back three hours later with all that was needed, and we off-loaded here. We also had to find a fridge repairman, as the fridge wasn’t working – not surprising, after nearly two years in storage, but it was simply a case of refilling it with whatever gas it requires.
The fridge wasn’t the only thing that needed repairing, and it took a couple of days to find someone to fix the stove. One of the rings wasn’t working, and there was a smell of gas around the kitchen – not a good sign! Anyway, that was finally repaired, and other than still needing to get a few things for the kitchen, I’m pretty well set up.
Last week, that is, my first week in the apartment, was quite busy, since the various repairmen were around almost all the time (the fridge required three visits, in the final analysis, but is now working well.). The water heater, newly installed, went on the fritz, and we had to change the switch (an old one had been installed), and then, there were the improvements in the yard (all paved) to increase security.
There is a lot of talk about insecurity in Cameroon, and expatriates are advised to have strong and working security systems in place, and not to go out at night, etc. Not that I plan on going out at night, since I don’t have a vehicle. The security system has been installed, and consists of two guards (do I dare call them sentries?), one for the day and one for the night. Roger, my helpful colleague, found both of them for me. The day guard, named Daréou, lives around the corner and is an affable chap – perhaps too affable! – and quite handy, as he was a mason by trade. He speaks French poorly, so I have a lot of difficulty communicating with him, but we get along all right. There’s not much for him to do, but he seems to survive!
The night guard, Aurel, is a short, powerhouse of a man, well-versed in martial arts, who interviewed me at length before accepting to work for me. Most amusing to be interviewed. Anyway, he comes highly recommended (he has worked for other Canadian projects), and told me what his minimum conditions were in order to accept the job. Other than salary, he wanted more lights installed around the yard (now done), a comfortable chair (reasonable request), more padlocks for the various gates (done), the spot under the stairs where he would take up his vigil needed to be cemented, as it was only dirt (done by Daréou), a radio (purchased), a socket so the radio could be plugged in (done), an electric kettle so that he could boil up water for his three mugs of coffee a night (purchased), the edges of the gates covered by a sheet of tin, so that people can’t peek in and see if he’s there. I considered the latter a peculiar request, although I can see his logic; still, as I said to him, I don’t want to spend too much money on security here, since I’ll just have to start all over again in a few months. Then, of course, other than all these little items (which required my presence to supervise the works and oodles of money to carry out), he also needed the tools of his trade including, a sweater for the cold nights, a thick coat for the colder nights, a tuque and a hat, a flashlight, a club, a machete, and a bow with a couple of arrows. Positively medieval! He has also mentioned at a bird-gun (I assume he means a little shotgun with some type of pellet bullet), at which point I said no. He’s also hoping that I’ll buy him a small TV so he can watch movies while keeping watch; I pointed out that if he were watching movies, he wouldn’t be watching the yard, but I don’t think I persuaded him that my logic held. He’s quite insistent on the TV, as he says the next couple of weeks (Christmas time) is the most insecure time of the year, as people come rolling home at all hours of the night, and all these young hoodlums will be looking for houses to break into. His reasoning is that the noise coming from a TV set will put them off; I asked if the radio wouldn’t do the same thing, but all I got was a pitying look. Hum… I tried to explain to him that I didn’t have a TV at home, and didn’t want to have one around, but I think that that was beyond his understanding. Hee, hee…
Aurel, along with Judith and Roger (not to mention Njikam), are looking for new accommodations for me – I think that they feel that I’m letting the side down by not living in the proper manner. I keep on pointing out to them that I’m here alone for the moment and don’t need more space, but that’s a message that isn’t getting through! Ah well…
All this to say that I’m having a great time and have settled in nicely. The office is just around the corner, so I can come home at lunch and check up on things, and days will no doubt become routine starting this week. Speaking of routines, the morning one is most amusing!
There are two bathrooms in the apartment, one of which is en suite to my bedroom and it’s not very large. You have to understand that the water heater is located in this bathroom, to the right of the toilet, and a bit up the wall. However, when rising from the toilet, one has to shift one’s head slightly to the left, for fear of hitting the heater – and, perhaps, knocking the latter off the wall. There is no bath, but there is a shower head, jutting out of the wall to the left of the toilet. There is no shower curtain, and the shower head aims directly at the toilet seat. So, for the morning shower, first one has to remove everything from the bathroom that could get wet (towels, toilet paper, etc), then one has a shower, quickly, in order to be able to turn off the shower to grab the squeegee on a long handle in order to sweep the water to the drain hole (located under the shower head). Unfortunately, you see, the floor slopes away from the drain, and, as I discovered on the first morning, the water flows nicely into the bedroom. It makes for a very lively beginning in the morning, much better than jogging, I’m sure, although what do I know about jogging?
So far, there have not been many power cuts, but I’m told that they become more frequent during the rainy season, because of thunderstorms. As a consequence, I have stocked up on candles and will probably invest in a couple of gas lamps too. Water shortages are frequent during the dry season, which has just started, and I’m told that I need to invest in a couple of barrels so that I can store water for those occasions. Given the amount of rain that falls in this part of the country, I’m quite surprised that there are water shortages, but such is the case. I’m just hoping that there will be no major cuts (some can last as long as a week, I’ve been told) before January, since, with the approach of Christmas, shopping is becoming a bit difficult – the streets are full of vendors and customers, and shops are experiencing shortages of certain things, including water barrels! As nothing much will get done between December 21 and January 2, I shall have to be patient.
Christmas is fast approaching and Yaoundé is gearing up for the festivities. It’s rather incongruous hearing “Frosty, the Snowman”, bellowing over speakers downtown (and in all the shops), not to mention inflatable (very white!) Santa Clauses in most of the supermarkets. I shall no doubt decorate the apartment a little bit in time for the festive season.
That just about sums it up, my friends, for the moment. Not exciting news, perhaps, and not so many amusing incidents (but then, one gets used to them, so they become normal!), but all is going well, and I’m enjoying myself immensely. Work has had to be placed a bit on the back burner over the last few days, but next week should be more “normal”, although there are still a few little formalities to go through – getting my residence permit, and, no doubt, a few more things to make life a bit easier in the apartment, without going too wild! I’ve found two libraries, which provide me with reading matter. The big question is whether I’ll be able to find a turkey for Christmas…other than me, of course!
I don’t have an Internet connection at the apartment, though this will come. Already, a technician from the provider has been around to see what type of set-up is needed, and I’m waiting for the estimate to install it – no doubt another series of amusing incidents to come – but probably not until after Christmas, since the whole city shuts down for about ten days, including my office. This means that I will not have Internet access between December 21 and January 2, unless I decide to be brave and use the local Internet café. But can forced relaxation be so bad?
I’ve been kept informed about the weather in Canada, and you may be sure that I don’t miss it!
Cheers!
David
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
More to come...
Greetings, all!
The writing Muse didn't come calling today, sorry to say! I did try to write something, but it was so dry that I deleted it. More to come in a few days' time...
Cheers!
David
The writing Muse didn't come calling today, sorry to say! I did try to write something, but it was so dry that I deleted it. More to come in a few days' time...
Cheers!
David
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Yaoundé
Greetings, all!
I’m not sure if I ever explained the nature of the job that I’ve undertaken – so, at the risk of boring some of you, I’ll take a couple of lines here to do so.
The Centre de formation professionnelle de Mimboman is a training school run by the Salesian order. It is situated in a suburb of Yaoundé, about twenty minutes away by car (on a good day!), and offers training in furniture-making, metal-work, sewing and information/communication technology. The latter subject area is the focus of the education-based project that is funded by CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) and for which I am the person responsible on site. I hear sounds of laughter at the idea that I should be “responsible” for a technology project! Tut, tut… my duties are mostly administrative, that is, making sure that the various activities that are planned are carried out in a timely fashion and within budget, but I’m also expected to provide some teacher support (basic pedagogy, classroom management) in order to improve the training. The teachers are all well-versed in the technical aspects of things (thank goodness!) and have received some pedagogical training already, provided by the New Brunswick Community College in Dieppe, which is one of the two administering bodies for this project (the other being LearnSphere, based in Fredericton).
One of Cameroon’s goals, within the context of a ten-year economic plan, is to facilitate the integration of non working youth into the employment market, by offering them training in new areas, or improved training in “old areas”. Thus, within this particular project, courses in secretarial duties (basic secretary skills, secretary-bookkeeper, bilingual secretary), and technology (graphics, networking, troubleshooting) are offered. The centre is now the proud owner of a number of the latest version of computer terminals, with the latest gadgets (and, of course, Internet connections), and has very motivated teachers. The main problem, from what I’ve been told, is that the training will take place on computers that are more “high-tech” than the ones to be found in the workplace, at least in offices where there are computers… ah well, our students will be ahead of their time!
The last week has gone well. There are, of course, a number of things one needs to get used to – even if expected, strange things happen! For example, the other day, I needed a stapler. Not your regular stapler, but one of those industrial-sized ones for documents that contain between forty and a hundred pages. The section where I work doesn’t possess one (it will soon, though!), so I went off to the Director’s office, where, I was assured, there was indeed a large stapler of the type I needed. Once there, the Director’s charming secretary, Laurentine, started hunting for it. “There is one here,” she said, “I saw it the other day.” After a few minutes search, she admitted that it must “have taken a walk”, but she’d find it, and come to my office with it. So, back I went to my office (a pleasant spot, actually, about three times the size of my former office), and carried on going through the documents that needed stapling (and immediate commentary!), trying to make sure that I didn’t mix the pages of the various documents. Finally, about three hours later, Laurentine showed up with the said stapler, which, alas, was not strong enough to do the job, even though she tried, helpfully, to staple the documents. Very sad… And, of course, there were no big clips, no elastic bands, etc. with which to keep the documents in one piece. That afternoon, when I got back to the hotel, I went to the business centre, and asked if they had such a stapler. “Hmm,” said the two young ladies, “yes, somewhere…” Again, a fruitless search, but a phone call to another office provided hope. There was such a stapler in the Accounting Department, and would I please wait? So, I dutifully sat down and waited – and, lo and behold, fifteen minutes later, there appeared the most beautiful stapler in the world! Yee ha! Victory!
From mini problems to a slightly larger one – the finding of housing. I’m pleased to report that the problem of the lease has now been resolved, and, therefore, the opening of the bank account should take place (without fanfare, but great relief!) during the coming days – unless some other unexpected hurdle appears! Yes, I found a place to stay!
The search for housing continued during the week, and, finally, I decided to take a little apartment not far from the Centre. Actually, it’s almost in its backyard. This is not the apartment that I mentioned last week, but a different one, unfurnished. It’s a bit small, but given that I shall be single for a little while, it will meet my needs for the first few months. It has two bedrooms, one full bathroom (shower only), one guest toilet, a kitchen and a largish living-room opening out to a small balcony (yes, it’s on the second floor). Given its price (very reasonable, thank you very much), and the fact that it was found by one of my colleagues (so I felt I should take it!) and also that I will be car-less for a while, I decided that it would do. I asked that the living-room and the hall be re-painted – firstly, because they needed it, and secondly because of the colour, a rather gloomy dark yellow. I asked for white, and white I got – as I type, they are in the midst of doing the job (I went to check!), and the hot-water heater is to be installed tomorrow.
You may wonder why a hot-water heater is necessary – the water coming out of the taps is exceedingly cold, and on cool mornings (ie, when the temperature has dropped to 20 C), it is difficult (well, for my old bones, anyway) to take a cold shower! Speaking of cold mornings, Friday was such a one, as it dawned grey (sheets of rain) and cool (20 C). For the locals, this was the equivalent of one of our January mornings – not only were umbrellas out, but hats and coats also. On a quick visit to the director’s office to tidy up some work, I felt sorry for poor Laurentine, bundled up against the cold. Poor wee thing! She wore mittens, the ones where your fingers can come out, a thick woolen hat, two scarves, and two sweaters under her winter jacket. I almost suggested that I should order long-johns, but didn’t think that that would be appropriate! She looked so cold, and got me to touch her fingers with which she was having trouble typing, and I have to admit that they were freezing!
One of the peculiarities has been keeping names straight – most people use Western type names (John, Philip, Mary, etc), so that hasn’t been too difficult – except that meeting so many new persons can get quite confusing. Still, at least I know who my immediate colleagues are, including three secretaries (in various parts of the building) who, to my chagrin, have very similar names. There is Laurentine (mentioned above), Laurence and Laurentienne. I’m sure they did it on purpose! Fortunately, they all get a kick out of my mistakes, and I’ve told them that I’ll call them all Laurie for short…
Global warming (in spite of the cold Friday morning!) is also a concern here, I found out from my favourite taximan, Njikam. I’ve been using his services when needed, and on one of our journeys, on one particularly hot day (I think it went up to 32 C that day, although I’m not sure; it was a day for two shirts, though), he told me that he was getting quite concerned. He moved to Yaoundé a number of years ago to get away from the heat to be found at the coast, where temperatures regularly rise to the mid-forties, with high humidity. He was thinking now that he might have to move further north, and higher up the mountains, because it was getting too hot here in Yaoundé. However, he did say that it would be difficult to make a living driving a taxi in a smaller centre. He tried to make me believe that the temperatures up north were equivalent to ours in Canada, although he found it hard to believe that it could be colder than a freezer in my country. Perhaps that’s a bit too cold, he said.
As I don’t have a car, I have to use a taxi to get to work from the hotel. There are taxis attached to the hotel, but they are very expensive (although it’s rather nice to zoom around in a Mercedes!), so I have been using the regular taxis, all painted a bright yellow. These function as mini buses, and pick up passengers as they toodle along. One stands at the side of the road yelling out one’s destination, and if the taxi driver hears you, and has space, he stops (they are all men, as far as I’ve been able to see) and picks you up. Travelling this way is quite the adventure, although very inexpensive (from 50 cents to $1.50 one way), but there is no guarantee of reaching your destination within a certain time. The alternative, which is the one I use, is to hire a taxi for yourself only. That way I don’t have to yell out my destination, I just flag down an empty taxi. Please note that I don’t flag down just any taxi – it has to look like it will be able to survive the journey – there are some amazing sights on the road! Before getting in the taxi, you announce how much you’re going to pay for the journey (I was given the prices by my colleagues, fortunately), a total of about $4.00, and get a grunt in reply. Then the fun starts…
Given that it’s rush hour when I head off to work, the roads are grid-locked – not as bad as the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto, but nonetheless, pretty bad! And when it’s not grid-lock, it’s chaos! First, you have to understand that to drive here, you have to decide where you’re going, and go straight there, no matter who or what is in your way – whether it be other cars, taxis stopping for clients (in the middle of the road, on the side of the road, wherever), pedestrians trying to cross the street (so they can catch a taxi going in the right direction), vendors setting up their stalls, other vendors pushing their carts, and the odd mo-ped (motorized bicycles, for those who may not be aware that such things exist). Gritting your teeth (at least, I do, and I’m the passenger!), you twist and turn, overtaking as you can (sometimes two cars at once, while the Toyota Land Cruiser opposite seems to heading for your windscreen), avoiding the potholes (sometimes not) and generally having a good time. Of course, traffic can come to a standstill near a market, where there are too many taxis, cars, pedestrians, hawkers, etc, at which point the horns start blaring, and imprecations start being thrown about, especially at passengers opening the doors of their taxis (in order to get out) and narrowly missing scratching our taxi (trying to squeeze by)… what fun!
Anyway, having found one taxi driver who isn’t too much of a menace, the aforementioned Njikam, getting around hasn’t been too bad. He’s always happy to come and get me, and I just have to call and announce that I’m ready to go. Now that I am the proud possessor of a cellular phone (expensive phone calls, though, 60 cents a minute!), I can call people including taximen, who all possess a phone. I’m still working out the various features of the phone, but have managed to work out how to place calls, how to answer them and how to terminate them. The essentials, basically. No doubt I’ll work out the rest later!
Of course, as Njikam could be anywhere in the city when I call, it can take a while for him to show up. “I’ll be there in fifteen or twenty minutes”, I’m told – this translates into at least forty-five minutes, just as “I’ll be right there” means “in fifteen or twenty minutes”. Still, it’s worth the wait, because his car is in pretty good shape (it still has springs!), and he takes pleasure in taking different ways back to the hotel, so that I can get a sense of the city. Another advantage of hiring a taxi for personal use is that one can ask him where one gets “such and such”, and he’ll take you to one of his friends who just happens to deal in this. The other advantage (apart from the feeling of relative security) is that he’ll stop and let me do errands, and there is no extra charge, it’s all part of the “personal hire”.
So, yesterday, I hired Njikam to take me around parts of the city that I haven’t seen. We had a pleasant drive around the administrative centre (where most of the government offices are located) and where, unfortunately, it is forbidden to take pictures (and developers are supposed to denounce you to the police if they find that you have taken forbidden pictures). It is a pleasant part of the city, lots of green spaces, and some buildings dating back to the German colonization of the late nineteenth century. While some of the buildings are quite stunning, there is not as much grandiose architecture here as there seemed to be in Lomé (Togo), when we were there. All fairly low-key. There is a pretty lake, in the middle of this part of town, where one can go and rent a sort of canoe (with its pilot) – very nice, I’m sure, although the water looked pretty slimy. The French embassy is in the area – a veritable fortress within which lives 90% of the ambassadorial staff. Njikam told me that they removed a whole neighbourhood in order to build this place – he didn’t sound impressed, to put it mildly. The American Embassy is another fortress, built near the airport shortly after the September 2001 events in New York. Our High Commission (Cameroon is part of the Commonwealth), however, is right downtown in a “normal” building, although you do have to go a very thorough security screening before being allowed in.
After this, we explored another section of town, called Mokolov (I think!), where there is another huge market, surrounded by a multitude of businesses and stores. Then a quick tour of one of the University campuses (I believe there are three in Yaoundé), the main one, and the “student city”, a crowded area, lots of little eateries and mini boutiques. Finally, we took a four-lane highway – where we hit a dizzying speed! – and went up to Mont Fébé, one of the hills on the outskirts of town, driving by the presidential palace (quite the building). There is a hotel mid-way up the hill, called the Hôtel Mont Fébé, coincidentally, from which you get a stupendous view of the city. I’ve taken some pictures (from this you will have gathered that I purchased one of those throw-away cameras), but I’m not sure how they will turn out, as, due to the heat, it was quite hazy. Also, to be honest, I’m not sure of the quality of the camera – it may have been sitting in the shop for years, for all I know. Still, I do what I can.
Today, Sunday, has been quiet, and spent composing this! I’m looking forward to opening my bank account, getting some furniture and other household goods – no doubt more adventures to recount soon – and getting settled in my new place by next weekend. I’ll then have to see about having Internet installed at home – I’ve been told it’s easy, but of course, I’m not sure of the costs involved, nor the delay in actually having the work done – no matter how easy it is! Still, it will happen!
Cheers!
David
Greetings, all!
I’m not sure if I ever explained the nature of the job that I’ve undertaken – so, at the risk of boring some of you, I’ll take a couple of lines here to do so.
The Centre de formation professionnelle de Mimboman is a training school run by the Salesian order. It is situated in a suburb of Yaoundé, about twenty minutes away by car (on a good day!), and offers training in furniture-making, metal-work, sewing and information/communication technology. The latter subject area is the focus of the education-based project that is funded by CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) and for which I am the person responsible on site. I hear sounds of laughter at the idea that I should be “responsible” for a technology project! Tut, tut… my duties are mostly administrative, that is, making sure that the various activities that are planned are carried out in a timely fashion and within budget, but I’m also expected to provide some teacher support (basic pedagogy, classroom management) in order to improve the training. The teachers are all well-versed in the technical aspects of things (thank goodness!) and have received some pedagogical training already, provided by the New Brunswick Community College in Dieppe, which is one of the two administering bodies for this project (the other being LearnSphere, based in Fredericton).
One of Cameroon’s goals, within the context of a ten-year economic plan, is to facilitate the integration of non working youth into the employment market, by offering them training in new areas, or improved training in “old areas”. Thus, within this particular project, courses in secretarial duties (basic secretary skills, secretary-bookkeeper, bilingual secretary), and technology (graphics, networking, troubleshooting) are offered. The centre is now the proud owner of a number of the latest version of computer terminals, with the latest gadgets (and, of course, Internet connections), and has very motivated teachers. The main problem, from what I’ve been told, is that the training will take place on computers that are more “high-tech” than the ones to be found in the workplace, at least in offices where there are computers… ah well, our students will be ahead of their time!
The last week has gone well. There are, of course, a number of things one needs to get used to – even if expected, strange things happen! For example, the other day, I needed a stapler. Not your regular stapler, but one of those industrial-sized ones for documents that contain between forty and a hundred pages. The section where I work doesn’t possess one (it will soon, though!), so I went off to the Director’s office, where, I was assured, there was indeed a large stapler of the type I needed. Once there, the Director’s charming secretary, Laurentine, started hunting for it. “There is one here,” she said, “I saw it the other day.” After a few minutes search, she admitted that it must “have taken a walk”, but she’d find it, and come to my office with it. So, back I went to my office (a pleasant spot, actually, about three times the size of my former office), and carried on going through the documents that needed stapling (and immediate commentary!), trying to make sure that I didn’t mix the pages of the various documents. Finally, about three hours later, Laurentine showed up with the said stapler, which, alas, was not strong enough to do the job, even though she tried, helpfully, to staple the documents. Very sad… And, of course, there were no big clips, no elastic bands, etc. with which to keep the documents in one piece. That afternoon, when I got back to the hotel, I went to the business centre, and asked if they had such a stapler. “Hmm,” said the two young ladies, “yes, somewhere…” Again, a fruitless search, but a phone call to another office provided hope. There was such a stapler in the Accounting Department, and would I please wait? So, I dutifully sat down and waited – and, lo and behold, fifteen minutes later, there appeared the most beautiful stapler in the world! Yee ha! Victory!
From mini problems to a slightly larger one – the finding of housing. I’m pleased to report that the problem of the lease has now been resolved, and, therefore, the opening of the bank account should take place (without fanfare, but great relief!) during the coming days – unless some other unexpected hurdle appears! Yes, I found a place to stay!
The search for housing continued during the week, and, finally, I decided to take a little apartment not far from the Centre. Actually, it’s almost in its backyard. This is not the apartment that I mentioned last week, but a different one, unfurnished. It’s a bit small, but given that I shall be single for a little while, it will meet my needs for the first few months. It has two bedrooms, one full bathroom (shower only), one guest toilet, a kitchen and a largish living-room opening out to a small balcony (yes, it’s on the second floor). Given its price (very reasonable, thank you very much), and the fact that it was found by one of my colleagues (so I felt I should take it!) and also that I will be car-less for a while, I decided that it would do. I asked that the living-room and the hall be re-painted – firstly, because they needed it, and secondly because of the colour, a rather gloomy dark yellow. I asked for white, and white I got – as I type, they are in the midst of doing the job (I went to check!), and the hot-water heater is to be installed tomorrow.
You may wonder why a hot-water heater is necessary – the water coming out of the taps is exceedingly cold, and on cool mornings (ie, when the temperature has dropped to 20 C), it is difficult (well, for my old bones, anyway) to take a cold shower! Speaking of cold mornings, Friday was such a one, as it dawned grey (sheets of rain) and cool (20 C). For the locals, this was the equivalent of one of our January mornings – not only were umbrellas out, but hats and coats also. On a quick visit to the director’s office to tidy up some work, I felt sorry for poor Laurentine, bundled up against the cold. Poor wee thing! She wore mittens, the ones where your fingers can come out, a thick woolen hat, two scarves, and two sweaters under her winter jacket. I almost suggested that I should order long-johns, but didn’t think that that would be appropriate! She looked so cold, and got me to touch her fingers with which she was having trouble typing, and I have to admit that they were freezing!
One of the peculiarities has been keeping names straight – most people use Western type names (John, Philip, Mary, etc), so that hasn’t been too difficult – except that meeting so many new persons can get quite confusing. Still, at least I know who my immediate colleagues are, including three secretaries (in various parts of the building) who, to my chagrin, have very similar names. There is Laurentine (mentioned above), Laurence and Laurentienne. I’m sure they did it on purpose! Fortunately, they all get a kick out of my mistakes, and I’ve told them that I’ll call them all Laurie for short…
Global warming (in spite of the cold Friday morning!) is also a concern here, I found out from my favourite taximan, Njikam. I’ve been using his services when needed, and on one of our journeys, on one particularly hot day (I think it went up to 32 C that day, although I’m not sure; it was a day for two shirts, though), he told me that he was getting quite concerned. He moved to Yaoundé a number of years ago to get away from the heat to be found at the coast, where temperatures regularly rise to the mid-forties, with high humidity. He was thinking now that he might have to move further north, and higher up the mountains, because it was getting too hot here in Yaoundé. However, he did say that it would be difficult to make a living driving a taxi in a smaller centre. He tried to make me believe that the temperatures up north were equivalent to ours in Canada, although he found it hard to believe that it could be colder than a freezer in my country. Perhaps that’s a bit too cold, he said.
As I don’t have a car, I have to use a taxi to get to work from the hotel. There are taxis attached to the hotel, but they are very expensive (although it’s rather nice to zoom around in a Mercedes!), so I have been using the regular taxis, all painted a bright yellow. These function as mini buses, and pick up passengers as they toodle along. One stands at the side of the road yelling out one’s destination, and if the taxi driver hears you, and has space, he stops (they are all men, as far as I’ve been able to see) and picks you up. Travelling this way is quite the adventure, although very inexpensive (from 50 cents to $1.50 one way), but there is no guarantee of reaching your destination within a certain time. The alternative, which is the one I use, is to hire a taxi for yourself only. That way I don’t have to yell out my destination, I just flag down an empty taxi. Please note that I don’t flag down just any taxi – it has to look like it will be able to survive the journey – there are some amazing sights on the road! Before getting in the taxi, you announce how much you’re going to pay for the journey (I was given the prices by my colleagues, fortunately), a total of about $4.00, and get a grunt in reply. Then the fun starts…
Given that it’s rush hour when I head off to work, the roads are grid-locked – not as bad as the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto, but nonetheless, pretty bad! And when it’s not grid-lock, it’s chaos! First, you have to understand that to drive here, you have to decide where you’re going, and go straight there, no matter who or what is in your way – whether it be other cars, taxis stopping for clients (in the middle of the road, on the side of the road, wherever), pedestrians trying to cross the street (so they can catch a taxi going in the right direction), vendors setting up their stalls, other vendors pushing their carts, and the odd mo-ped (motorized bicycles, for those who may not be aware that such things exist). Gritting your teeth (at least, I do, and I’m the passenger!), you twist and turn, overtaking as you can (sometimes two cars at once, while the Toyota Land Cruiser opposite seems to heading for your windscreen), avoiding the potholes (sometimes not) and generally having a good time. Of course, traffic can come to a standstill near a market, where there are too many taxis, cars, pedestrians, hawkers, etc, at which point the horns start blaring, and imprecations start being thrown about, especially at passengers opening the doors of their taxis (in order to get out) and narrowly missing scratching our taxi (trying to squeeze by)… what fun!
Anyway, having found one taxi driver who isn’t too much of a menace, the aforementioned Njikam, getting around hasn’t been too bad. He’s always happy to come and get me, and I just have to call and announce that I’m ready to go. Now that I am the proud possessor of a cellular phone (expensive phone calls, though, 60 cents a minute!), I can call people including taximen, who all possess a phone. I’m still working out the various features of the phone, but have managed to work out how to place calls, how to answer them and how to terminate them. The essentials, basically. No doubt I’ll work out the rest later!
Of course, as Njikam could be anywhere in the city when I call, it can take a while for him to show up. “I’ll be there in fifteen or twenty minutes”, I’m told – this translates into at least forty-five minutes, just as “I’ll be right there” means “in fifteen or twenty minutes”. Still, it’s worth the wait, because his car is in pretty good shape (it still has springs!), and he takes pleasure in taking different ways back to the hotel, so that I can get a sense of the city. Another advantage of hiring a taxi for personal use is that one can ask him where one gets “such and such”, and he’ll take you to one of his friends who just happens to deal in this. The other advantage (apart from the feeling of relative security) is that he’ll stop and let me do errands, and there is no extra charge, it’s all part of the “personal hire”.
So, yesterday, I hired Njikam to take me around parts of the city that I haven’t seen. We had a pleasant drive around the administrative centre (where most of the government offices are located) and where, unfortunately, it is forbidden to take pictures (and developers are supposed to denounce you to the police if they find that you have taken forbidden pictures). It is a pleasant part of the city, lots of green spaces, and some buildings dating back to the German colonization of the late nineteenth century. While some of the buildings are quite stunning, there is not as much grandiose architecture here as there seemed to be in Lomé (Togo), when we were there. All fairly low-key. There is a pretty lake, in the middle of this part of town, where one can go and rent a sort of canoe (with its pilot) – very nice, I’m sure, although the water looked pretty slimy. The French embassy is in the area – a veritable fortress within which lives 90% of the ambassadorial staff. Njikam told me that they removed a whole neighbourhood in order to build this place – he didn’t sound impressed, to put it mildly. The American Embassy is another fortress, built near the airport shortly after the September 2001 events in New York. Our High Commission (Cameroon is part of the Commonwealth), however, is right downtown in a “normal” building, although you do have to go a very thorough security screening before being allowed in.
After this, we explored another section of town, called Mokolov (I think!), where there is another huge market, surrounded by a multitude of businesses and stores. Then a quick tour of one of the University campuses (I believe there are three in Yaoundé), the main one, and the “student city”, a crowded area, lots of little eateries and mini boutiques. Finally, we took a four-lane highway – where we hit a dizzying speed! – and went up to Mont Fébé, one of the hills on the outskirts of town, driving by the presidential palace (quite the building). There is a hotel mid-way up the hill, called the Hôtel Mont Fébé, coincidentally, from which you get a stupendous view of the city. I’ve taken some pictures (from this you will have gathered that I purchased one of those throw-away cameras), but I’m not sure how they will turn out, as, due to the heat, it was quite hazy. Also, to be honest, I’m not sure of the quality of the camera – it may have been sitting in the shop for years, for all I know. Still, I do what I can.
Today, Sunday, has been quiet, and spent composing this! I’m looking forward to opening my bank account, getting some furniture and other household goods – no doubt more adventures to recount soon – and getting settled in my new place by next weekend. I’ll then have to see about having Internet installed at home – I’ve been told it’s easy, but of course, I’m not sure of the costs involved, nor the delay in actually having the work done – no matter how easy it is! Still, it will happen!
Cheers!
David
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
First Week in Yaoundé
What you will read below is simply the e-mail that I sent earlier this week - additions to this blog will be made from time to time! Happy reading!
***
Yaoundé
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Well, it has been a week since I arrived in Yaoundé, and I thought I should send at least a brief report. The blog still hasn’t been started (tut, tut), mostly due to my status as a novice in that area, but it will get done, never fear. I must admit that I’ve also spent most evenings just sitting on the balcony, here at the hotel, and relaxing – an amazing feeling!
The trip over went well – it was a bit exhausting flying directly from Toronto to Yaoundé, but I did manage to sleep on the flight from Paris to destination – at one point waking myself up with snoring, and probably disturbing neighbours all around! Poor things… I slept well the first night (I’m sure that you’re really interested in all the small details!), and spent the Sunday doing nothing much. I did walk around a bit, found a supermarket, where I bought bottled water (details, details), but generally did nothing much except revel in the temperature!
I started work on Monday and met my new colleagues, who all seem like fun, and then spent the next couple of days doing administrative stuff, like registering at the Canadian High Commission, trying to open a bank account etc. You have to love this stuff! For example, in order to open a bank account, one needs to have a letter of accreditation from the High Commission, basically confirming that one will be working in Cameroon (to come), two photos (not a problem), a photocopy of the passport (not a problem) and a copy of a lease agreement (problem). I pointed out that it would be difficult to get a lease agreement, since I need to have a bank account to which funds can be sent in order to be able to pay the three months advance required by most landlords before I could get a lease. Ah, they said… We left it at that for the moment, but I shall return early next week and see what has percolated! There is no doubt a solution!
I have walked around the downtown a bit to see what there is on offer. Only during the day, mind – as in any big city, it’s probably not a good idea to walk around in the dark, especially as street lighting (if there is any) is not up to par to ours, and having to avoid pot-holes and other dangers is quite a chore. Lots of shops, of course, selling everything one needs, some at quite a price! It’s hard not to gasp at prices that say 395 000 francs for a fridge – although that translates into nearly $1000, which is about the same price as at home! Yaoundé is built on seven hills (yes, honest), and my hotel is at the base of the main hill, as it were, which houses a lot of the administrative buildings as well as the shops.
So far, I haven’t had any bad experiences – warnings had been given prior to departure and also here at the High Commission about being constantly harassed when out walking (always use the car, I was told) by street-hawkers, beggars and anyone out for a quick con. Well, so far, such harassment has not been my experience – street-hawkers there are, advertising their wares, but accept a refusal, provided that the latter is offered with a smile. I haven’t seen many beggars, and haven’t been conned yet (well, I don’t think so!). I’ve found the Centre culturel français, no doubt one of many such centres, which has a library, so will become a member there sometime this week – it will also be a place to meet people, no doubt!
I visited the Central Market yesterday (Saturday) to get a sense of what was on offer there. It is housed in a coliseum-shaped building, with numerous stalls around the various levels, as well as stalls in the centre, and, of course, outside. Again, no harassment, just funny looks at the lone white man wandering round. I made sure that everyone knew that I wasn’t buying, just getting a sense of where things are, etc, and will probably return every so often to ensure that my reputation is not forgotten! Haggling, of course, is a way of life, even in the shops (not in the supermarkets), so shopping is a full-time activity…
Obviously, foreigners (of the white kind!) don’t walk around much – I saw a total of four others on my wanderings yesterday – definitely a visible minority!
The weather? No complaints on that score either! This is the end of the short rainy season, so it’s quite dry (so I’m told!), although it has rained every day since I’ve been here. However, the rain has come down at night only, so days have been fine. Since Yaoundé is in the mountains, the rain flows down the hills, so there are not as many puddles and sink-holes as I expected. Again, because of the height at which the city is located (700 metres above sea-level), it doesn’t get overly hot – maximum mean temperature is 31 C, with the lowest (in March) dropping to 14 C (I trust at night!!!). Marion, of course, will be delighted, since that range of temperatures will suit her, with perhaps, the exception of the 31-degree days!
A phenomenon that has surprised me is the lack of mosquitoes. I came armed with about two dozen bottles of Deep Woods, but haven’t had to use any yet! It was explained to me that, as it’s the dry season, there is nowhere for mosquitoes to develop – this in spite of the nightly rain! So that’s all to the good, as it means that one can spend evenings on the balcony and not worry. I’m sure that there is a mosquito season later on, in March, when the heavy rainy season starts. And, so far, no signs of major insects or other animals of a creepy-crawly nature – obviously, I’ll have to get out of town to see some of those!
On Tuesday, I thought I had found a place to stay – I visited an apartment, not far from where I’ll be working – a furnished place, with all mod cons, and available immediately. The rent (calculated on a daily basis) was reasonable, since it included electricity, water and both day and night-time security (essential). So, I was all pleased, and ready to move in over this weekend and made arrangements to meet with the landlord yesterday (Saturday), and try to persuade him to give me a lease agreement for three months (this would help for the bank, see above!). However, when I met with him yesterday, he insisted that the lease would have to be for a minimum of one year, which I was not prepared to sign. The apartment would be fine for the short term, but definitely not for the long term. We discussed for a bit, and he finally relented and said that he’d be ok for a three-month lease, but with an increase in the daily rate. This was unacceptable (I mean, it’s not that luxurious!), so I said that I deeply regretted but that this would not be possible. In the meantime, my colleagues, including the boss person, a Salesian priest, have sent out the call that a house is needed in the area, so I trust that something will come up soon.
Well, that about wraps it up for this week – work is fine, life is fine and I’m enjoying myself tremendously! I’ll try to set up the blog soon (yeah, right!). In the meantime, I’ll try to write fairly regularly (no promises with respect to timelines, though) to keep you up to date. There is no pressure to reply, by the way! I’m having a good time on the balcony in the evenings…
Cheers!
David
***
Yaoundé
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Well, it has been a week since I arrived in Yaoundé, and I thought I should send at least a brief report. The blog still hasn’t been started (tut, tut), mostly due to my status as a novice in that area, but it will get done, never fear. I must admit that I’ve also spent most evenings just sitting on the balcony, here at the hotel, and relaxing – an amazing feeling!
The trip over went well – it was a bit exhausting flying directly from Toronto to Yaoundé, but I did manage to sleep on the flight from Paris to destination – at one point waking myself up with snoring, and probably disturbing neighbours all around! Poor things… I slept well the first night (I’m sure that you’re really interested in all the small details!), and spent the Sunday doing nothing much. I did walk around a bit, found a supermarket, where I bought bottled water (details, details), but generally did nothing much except revel in the temperature!
I started work on Monday and met my new colleagues, who all seem like fun, and then spent the next couple of days doing administrative stuff, like registering at the Canadian High Commission, trying to open a bank account etc. You have to love this stuff! For example, in order to open a bank account, one needs to have a letter of accreditation from the High Commission, basically confirming that one will be working in Cameroon (to come), two photos (not a problem), a photocopy of the passport (not a problem) and a copy of a lease agreement (problem). I pointed out that it would be difficult to get a lease agreement, since I need to have a bank account to which funds can be sent in order to be able to pay the three months advance required by most landlords before I could get a lease. Ah, they said… We left it at that for the moment, but I shall return early next week and see what has percolated! There is no doubt a solution!
I have walked around the downtown a bit to see what there is on offer. Only during the day, mind – as in any big city, it’s probably not a good idea to walk around in the dark, especially as street lighting (if there is any) is not up to par to ours, and having to avoid pot-holes and other dangers is quite a chore. Lots of shops, of course, selling everything one needs, some at quite a price! It’s hard not to gasp at prices that say 395 000 francs for a fridge – although that translates into nearly $1000, which is about the same price as at home! Yaoundé is built on seven hills (yes, honest), and my hotel is at the base of the main hill, as it were, which houses a lot of the administrative buildings as well as the shops.
So far, I haven’t had any bad experiences – warnings had been given prior to departure and also here at the High Commission about being constantly harassed when out walking (always use the car, I was told) by street-hawkers, beggars and anyone out for a quick con. Well, so far, such harassment has not been my experience – street-hawkers there are, advertising their wares, but accept a refusal, provided that the latter is offered with a smile. I haven’t seen many beggars, and haven’t been conned yet (well, I don’t think so!). I’ve found the Centre culturel français, no doubt one of many such centres, which has a library, so will become a member there sometime this week – it will also be a place to meet people, no doubt!
I visited the Central Market yesterday (Saturday) to get a sense of what was on offer there. It is housed in a coliseum-shaped building, with numerous stalls around the various levels, as well as stalls in the centre, and, of course, outside. Again, no harassment, just funny looks at the lone white man wandering round. I made sure that everyone knew that I wasn’t buying, just getting a sense of where things are, etc, and will probably return every so often to ensure that my reputation is not forgotten! Haggling, of course, is a way of life, even in the shops (not in the supermarkets), so shopping is a full-time activity…
Obviously, foreigners (of the white kind!) don’t walk around much – I saw a total of four others on my wanderings yesterday – definitely a visible minority!
The weather? No complaints on that score either! This is the end of the short rainy season, so it’s quite dry (so I’m told!), although it has rained every day since I’ve been here. However, the rain has come down at night only, so days have been fine. Since Yaoundé is in the mountains, the rain flows down the hills, so there are not as many puddles and sink-holes as I expected. Again, because of the height at which the city is located (700 metres above sea-level), it doesn’t get overly hot – maximum mean temperature is 31 C, with the lowest (in March) dropping to 14 C (I trust at night!!!). Marion, of course, will be delighted, since that range of temperatures will suit her, with perhaps, the exception of the 31-degree days!
A phenomenon that has surprised me is the lack of mosquitoes. I came armed with about two dozen bottles of Deep Woods, but haven’t had to use any yet! It was explained to me that, as it’s the dry season, there is nowhere for mosquitoes to develop – this in spite of the nightly rain! So that’s all to the good, as it means that one can spend evenings on the balcony and not worry. I’m sure that there is a mosquito season later on, in March, when the heavy rainy season starts. And, so far, no signs of major insects or other animals of a creepy-crawly nature – obviously, I’ll have to get out of town to see some of those!
On Tuesday, I thought I had found a place to stay – I visited an apartment, not far from where I’ll be working – a furnished place, with all mod cons, and available immediately. The rent (calculated on a daily basis) was reasonable, since it included electricity, water and both day and night-time security (essential). So, I was all pleased, and ready to move in over this weekend and made arrangements to meet with the landlord yesterday (Saturday), and try to persuade him to give me a lease agreement for three months (this would help for the bank, see above!). However, when I met with him yesterday, he insisted that the lease would have to be for a minimum of one year, which I was not prepared to sign. The apartment would be fine for the short term, but definitely not for the long term. We discussed for a bit, and he finally relented and said that he’d be ok for a three-month lease, but with an increase in the daily rate. This was unacceptable (I mean, it’s not that luxurious!), so I said that I deeply regretted but that this would not be possible. In the meantime, my colleagues, including the boss person, a Salesian priest, have sent out the call that a house is needed in the area, so I trust that something will come up soon.
Well, that about wraps it up for this week – work is fine, life is fine and I’m enjoying myself tremendously! I’ll try to set up the blog soon (yeah, right!). In the meantime, I’ll try to write fairly regularly (no promises with respect to timelines, though) to keep you up to date. There is no pressure to reply, by the way! I’m having a good time on the balcony in the evenings…
Cheers!
David
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Opening Statement
This blog was started on September 25, to record our adventures (should there be any!) in Cameroon. I shall be starting a new job there in mid-October.
Details leading up to this new venture will be posted shortly.
David
Details leading up to this new venture will be posted shortly.
David
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