Batoula
So much has happened since our arrival in Batoula on Saturday! Yes, I was hoping to post photos and I have some good ones, but I can’t seem to get them to upload. Will keep trying. Anyway, when we arrived Saturday, after a six-hour car drive, the king met us at the palace (a small one-room mud-brick building) with the elders and some women, two of his wives and Maman Martine. Some children also. He was much more talkative than when I saw him three years ago; he was very happy that I returned and when he found out that Linden would go to the village primary school he was extremely happy. He told her she is his daughter since I am one of the queens. There was dancing and he talked to me about building a bigger palace for the kingdom (chefferie). I reminded him that he asked me about a well for the village last time I was here and told him I was in fact working on that. He was pleased, of course. Oncle Jean, whom I had met last time, was also there and was very kind. The village was in mourning for the brother of Maman Martine who had died, so things were pretty subdued.
We are now living in the “grande maison,” the big rose colored home built by a businessman in Douala who is from the village. It has not really been lived in and is still partly under construction. We don’t have much in the way of furniture and there are problems with the water and electrical outlets, but in general things are quite nice, and the furniture that is in storage is supposed to arrive today. It is the only house in the village with running water (cold only), since it has its own well and filter. We are very fortunate, of course. There are two young men living in a small house in the compound (concession) who take care of the yard and outside the house. They are good about playing soccer with Linden!
We have met many people and were invited into a home as we went for a walk; there was a family celebrating a new baby and then served us a coke. We have met many of the Dohos and their extended families. Linden really is attached to Maman Martine, as I am. We drove her to Bafoussam this morning to take her to the bus back to Yaounde, where she lives with Guy (although Guy is staying here until Friday to make sure we are settled). Linden kept touching her shoulder and trying to make sure she was comfortable. I’ll be excited to upload a picture of the two of them! So, as for Linden’s school. She went with us to Bafoussam cause the teacher (Madame Michelle) didn’t show up. We were there at 7:30, when it was supposed to start, and waited until 9, by which time quite a few students had shown up. They all stood a few feet away and just stared and stared at Linden, who in general was quite content, with a few fears. In any event, Guy came at 9 and said we may as well leave. Things will get rolling, they say, next week.
As for me, I am enjoying just sitting and taking it all in. It is cooler here than in Yaounde and except for the late morning and early afternoon, when the sunny is extremely strong, it is quite comfortable. The evenings are cool for sleeping and there are basically no mosquitoes! We do have to be careful of the sun; Linden burned a shoulder and the tops of her ears pretty badly. In the mid to late afternoon we have wonderful rainfall. Everything is orange, red, and brown here from the mud. It’s like living at the beach and having to accept sand in everything. The bottoms of feet here are usually orange, which reminds me that I wanted to mention what the king said about the gifts I brought from Yaounde. He told the group that I brought rice, knowing it was a favorite of the children; that I brought soaps, so that the women can wash their feet when coming in from the fields; and salt, because I know that salt brings life. That was quite nice, I thought. I can see the need for soap to wash feet!
I need to call Charles Dimi, my contact at the University of Dschang, and hopefully meet with him next week. Classes will start in October. I also heard from a Peace Corps volunteer who lives in Dschang and will try to meet him.
Note from Linden:
Hi cats are the best. Especially KITS and TRAPES.
Sighned LINDEN
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