National Day
Okay, it wasn't Independence Day, but National Day. May 20, 1973 is when the Anglophone and Francophone parts of the "Cameroons" decided to solidify their fates as the Republic of Cameroon. Although there is a secessionist movement in the Anglophone part, the country has held together since then. So, there was of course a parade and lots of speeches and awards for the cleanest school and all, and then partying all night. In fact, it is now Sunday and the parties continue. The RDPC Party House is rocking. We cannot get away from P-Square (but why would we want to--it's a great Nigerian band). No One Be Like You, that's my favorite song. I've frankly had enough of "Roll It." Which reminds me, I think that everyone in the Anglophone world should be required to learn some type of Pidgin and why not Cameroonian Pidgin, which is similar in some ways to Nigerian Pidgin? I di be talk Pidgin, no wan talk French. Ha. No One Be Like You, don't forget, and those pickins (from Portuguese, meaning "children") are "stubborn." Everyone in Cameroon says stubborn (tetus) to describe children. Anyway, I had lovely photos of the village and Maman Martine and Maman Julie and Linden in her parade-wear (purple and white with a bow-tie! and she carried the Cameroonian flag!) but I messed up downloading them and LOST them! Can anyone tell me how to retrieve photos? Oh, my.
Our time here is ending and as in all endings things are accelerating. Geraldine is gone for the moment, unfortunately her biological father died, but hopefully she will be back soon because I can chop but I can't cook! We spend lots of time at Restaurant Te Claire, where we know the workers and where they let Linden do stuff in the kitchen. They have great soup and we can watch TV! They give us the telecommande! Lately we are hooked on Beverly Hills 90210 dubbed in French and a British detective show about Inspector Barnaby also dubbed in French.
Amazing news! My students are preparing for class and are participating, at least a few of them! I had a great time teaching last week, The Bluest Eye in one class and Their Eyes Were Watching God in the other. There are a few students I really adore now. Finally! I don't think anyone required them to read novels before!
Here are some wonderful things about Cameroon: the music, the people (SO friendly!), the fabric and women's clothing, that you can go outside and walk down the street and buy whatever you need from an outdoor vendor (flip-flops? No problem! String? no problem? bread? no problem? manicure set? no problem!), that you can speak French without trying to sound elegant and you FIT IN!
In two weeks we will be at Seme Beach, in Limbe, the black sand beach, with Maman Martine, Guy, Gorgine, Vanessa, Tracey, Elvis, Geraldine, Scott, me and Linden. Yep, I decided to take everyone on a four-day vacation. Gorgine has never seen the ocean! I think three rooms will cover it if we hold our breath. I can't wait!
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