Archives for the Month of October 2008 on Marie Lathers's Cameroon Journal
Take me out to the ballgame
I’ve been much too lazy about writing in here and now have too many stories to tell! So, I’ll start with the most recent. Yesterday (Thursday) Linden came home at the first recess and told me that Madame Michelle had not come to school and the kids were just sitting there (there is no such thing as substitute teachers here). I called her and she said she was in Douala and wouldn’t be back until Monday. So I took the plunge and decided to go teach a bit, since the university still hasn’t called.
I had already taught the kids “Take Me Out To the Ballgame,” inspired by the two Indian games Linden and I went to last summer, so I decided to continue the baseball theme. No one had ever heard of baseball, although they know a few things about basketball (and nothing at all about American football). First, we learned in the classroom about strikes, outs, bases, the pitcher and the batter. Then, we played a circumscribed game in the room, with me as pitcher. And what did we use for a bat and a ball? Yes, just as you have guessed—sugar cane for the bat; an onion that I brought from home for the ball. The kids were quite good at hitting the onion, although there were a lot of strikes, with us all shouting “STR . . . I . . . KE!!!” The kids ran down the aisle to first base, often forgetting what to do, producing some comical situations.
After a while it was time to proceed to the real thing, so we went out in the courtyard and set up some bases with big rocks, actually big chunks of mud. Well, with 58 kids in the class, some choices had to be made. We had 6 kids on the Yankees team, and 6 on the Indians. The onion quickly dissolved and someone found a small plastic ball that was cracked and on its way to dissolving. The kids ran the wrong way, carried the bat with them, forgot to get the ball, but had a blast. I think the score was two to three, but who knows. The other 46 kids pretended to be spectators on the sidelines but really just goofed around. Jealous little ones leaned out of their classroom windows and gave their teachers a break. Linden and I screamed out cheers for the teams, but no one caught on and joined us. The sugar cane bat began to disappear as kids pulled off pieces to chew on. A good time was had by all.
Today, Linden wore her Indians shirt and ball cap and we did it all again, with another 12 kids. We also played “Simon Says.” Then I had to take a three-hour nap.
Entrance to Bafounda, Grassfields Chiefdom
Linden with the King of Bafounda
Doho Scholarship Awards, Bafounda
Linden in CM2 (5th grade)
School Days continued
I’ve downloaded a photo of Linden at school. There are 56 student in the class! Linden is sitting next to Delphine, who has become a pal, and two rows behind is Fofou, her other friend. Guy and Vastis are also in the first row and are very friendly; in fact everyone is friendly! While we waited for the teacher (Madame Michelle) the other day, I taught them “Take me out to the ballgame,” a song that got them going! Some of them are up to 15 years old, since they may have started school late or missed some years. The enrolment fee is about $5, which can be a lot for parents with several children, especially. The classroom gives onto the courtyard, which is why goats can stroll on in. There is a blackboard and teacher’s desk at the front. The benches are typical. The floor is cement, but as you can see, everything is rather orange from the dirt. There’s no getting around it, there is orange/brown dirt everywhere. Our feet are permanently colored, for example, although we wear socks and shoes always (cause of chiggers and worms).
Things are progressing well here. I should start teaching in a week but don’t know my schedule yet. I finished The Poisonwood Bible, a fabulous book to read anywhere, especially in French Africa. I’m rereading Their Eyes Were Watching God since I will most likely be teaching it. We almost had a swarm of termites again last night, but not many showed up. Rainy season is coming to an end. Geraldine and Elvis are very well. The call me “Mum” and G. calls Elvis “Elvis-co.” We call the Land Rover the “Elvis-mobile.” Seydou, one of the guardians at the house, went away for two days for Ramadan since he is Muslim. Mostly there are Christians or traditionalists here, but many Muslims in the north of Cameroon.
We’ve learned quite a bit from Geraldine and Elvis lately. Geraldine, although she is Christian (Jehovah’sWitness) is afraid of the witches in this village. She says it is a wicked village! She has an owl that shows up at night; owls are witch animals here. Very interesting!