Hi Everyone,
Here is just a random list of things that I have had to get used to here in Cameroon. I hope you enjoy.
Some stuff to get used to...
riding in crowded buses
bumpy roads
no running water
using a bucket of water to take shower
enjoying cold showers
sweating
going to the bathroom in a hole
taking malaria pills every day
using mosquito nets
eating bread when meals aren't provided
no milk or dairy
more pop than usual
not getting a day off
eating fish
eating plantains
hearing French
speaking French
communicating with guestures--it can work pretty well!!
hearing languages I don't know at all-- Fulani, Biya, etc.
watching TV in French
watching TV in English, with louder French
riding motorcycle taxis
being tired
using CFA--Cameroon's money
not being able to exchange our traveller's checks
--because of the US' poor economy
seeing garbage everywhere
seeing goats everywhere
being exhausted
hot weather
humid weather
dry weather
sun
dust
more dust
purifying water
doing laundry without a machine
feeling helpless because I'm a woman
seeing people throughout Cameroon who Prosper knows
drinking delicious juices
eating really good fruit
being dehydrated
cockroaches
mice
being woken up at 4 or 5 by roosters or other birds
kids staying up as late as their parents
usually having one or more people on the team who is sick
singing in different climates
performing in front of large (1000+) audiences
projecting my voice and guitar outside or for lots of people
singing in different languages
waiting for the translator to talk before continuing
hearing African choirs
slow computers at internet cafés
being flexible
being really flexible
feeling dizzy
having people in Cameroon who know South Dakota
--because it is a partnering synod in the ELCA
being asked about Obama
being in another country while the US got a new president
feeling bad for having a camera
feeling bad for having an I-pod
being stared at because I'm white
being called "white person" in French
waiting
waiting some more
missing my friends and family
Peace,
Tiffany
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
I'm in Africa
Hello Everyone,
Finally, I have the chance to write on my blog. The internet here is really slow and the keyboard is different. So far, my time in Cameroon has been really good. We had a full day of travel to arrive in Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon. We really enjoyed our first program in Cameroon. The audiences here are very interactive, which makes it more fun for us. We stayed at the Catholic missionary house in Douala. We are partnering with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon--related to the ELCA. After several days of humidity in Douala, we took a bus to Yaounde, the captial of Cameroon. From there, we took a 18 hour train ride to N'Gaoundere, where my teammate Prosper is from. The trainride was way too long, but we made it. N'Gaoundere is where the bishop is, so we met him and stayed at the Norwegian missionary house. It was neat because Sonja translate some Norwegian for us. We took an 8 hour bus ride to Maroua--on an extremely packed bus with our luggage on top. It was hot-- in the 90s and we were all tired. We did 2 programs in Maroua, then travelled south again for 3 hours to Baroua. In Baroua, we got to stay with host homes for the first time. It was a very interesting experience as most of us don't speak much French, but we all did fine. Thankfully, my host dad spoke some English.
Overall, I have really enjoyed being in Cameroon. I am glad that I am missing the cold of the midwest. It has been hot 70s and up to 110 here, but most of it has been okay. I got to go on a safari!!! We went to Waza National Park north of Maroua for our day off; it was the day after Adrienne's birthday. We saw giraffes, ostriches, herons, warthogs, and many various antelope -like animals: We saw a lot of beautiful birds. Unfortunately, we didn't see any elephants or hippos that the park is known for because we were there in the dry season. It was a really neat experience to see animals in the wild; I just wish they would have been closer.
It has been very interesting being a white person in the midst of many black people. I have been a minority before and that doesn't bother me, but it is funny to hear people say "white person" in French every time I walk or drive by. Most of our transportation once we get in the cities has been motorcylce taxis, which are quite an adventure with our bags. The kids here seem to really like me in particular for some reason. One girl fell asleep on my lap on the long train ride. Another played with my hair and another jumped rope with me. It has been especially interesting to be an American in Cameroon during the Obama transitition and inauguration. People over here love Obama; they often ask us about Obama or if we voted for him. They also have a lot of hope in Obama. Talking about Obama has got us passed several passport checkpoints (they didn't look at our passports). Thankfully, I did get to watch most of the inauguration, some in French and some in English. It was strange to be here while the US got a new president.
Culture shock hasn't been to bad for me as I have been to place of poverty before. However, the constant travelling on buses is tough. For the most part, Cameroon has been what I expected.
The food here has been really good!! I have enjoyed rice, coocoos, fish, chicken, beef, fried plantains, fruit (mangos, pineapple, banana, etc;), and French fries. The sauces that they put on things are usually really good! I really like a drink that we often have that is similar to grape juice, but made with a fruit I don't know. Surprizingly, I don't mind the fish here (I don't like it at home). I think it makes a huge difference that I am closer to the ocean here.
Sorry it has been so long since I wrote on here, but internet it hard to come by. I don't know how long it will be until I write again. I miss you! I hope everything is going great for you in US!
Peace,
Tiffany
Finally, I have the chance to write on my blog. The internet here is really slow and the keyboard is different. So far, my time in Cameroon has been really good. We had a full day of travel to arrive in Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon. We really enjoyed our first program in Cameroon. The audiences here are very interactive, which makes it more fun for us. We stayed at the Catholic missionary house in Douala. We are partnering with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon--related to the ELCA. After several days of humidity in Douala, we took a bus to Yaounde, the captial of Cameroon. From there, we took a 18 hour train ride to N'Gaoundere, where my teammate Prosper is from. The trainride was way too long, but we made it. N'Gaoundere is where the bishop is, so we met him and stayed at the Norwegian missionary house. It was neat because Sonja translate some Norwegian for us. We took an 8 hour bus ride to Maroua--on an extremely packed bus with our luggage on top. It was hot-- in the 90s and we were all tired. We did 2 programs in Maroua, then travelled south again for 3 hours to Baroua. In Baroua, we got to stay with host homes for the first time. It was a very interesting experience as most of us don't speak much French, but we all did fine. Thankfully, my host dad spoke some English.
Overall, I have really enjoyed being in Cameroon. I am glad that I am missing the cold of the midwest. It has been hot 70s and up to 110 here, but most of it has been okay. I got to go on a safari!!! We went to Waza National Park north of Maroua for our day off; it was the day after Adrienne's birthday. We saw giraffes, ostriches, herons, warthogs, and many various antelope -like animals: We saw a lot of beautiful birds. Unfortunately, we didn't see any elephants or hippos that the park is known for because we were there in the dry season. It was a really neat experience to see animals in the wild; I just wish they would have been closer.
It has been very interesting being a white person in the midst of many black people. I have been a minority before and that doesn't bother me, but it is funny to hear people say "white person" in French every time I walk or drive by. Most of our transportation once we get in the cities has been motorcylce taxis, which are quite an adventure with our bags. The kids here seem to really like me in particular for some reason. One girl fell asleep on my lap on the long train ride. Another played with my hair and another jumped rope with me. It has been especially interesting to be an American in Cameroon during the Obama transitition and inauguration. People over here love Obama; they often ask us about Obama or if we voted for him. They also have a lot of hope in Obama. Talking about Obama has got us passed several passport checkpoints (they didn't look at our passports). Thankfully, I did get to watch most of the inauguration, some in French and some in English. It was strange to be here while the US got a new president.
Culture shock hasn't been to bad for me as I have been to place of poverty before. However, the constant travelling on buses is tough. For the most part, Cameroon has been what I expected.
The food here has been really good!! I have enjoyed rice, coocoos, fish, chicken, beef, fried plantains, fruit (mangos, pineapple, banana, etc;), and French fries. The sauces that they put on things are usually really good! I really like a drink that we often have that is similar to grape juice, but made with a fruit I don't know. Surprizingly, I don't mind the fish here (I don't like it at home). I think it makes a huge difference that I am closer to the ocean here.
Sorry it has been so long since I wrote on here, but internet it hard to come by. I don't know how long it will be until I write again. I miss you! I hope everything is going great for you in US!
Peace,
Tiffany
Friday, January 2, 2009
Off to Africa
Hello Everyone,
My Christmas break was fun and snow-filled. I really enjoyed being home, but the time went fast. After a week of preparations in Minnesota, the Cross Fire team will be headed to West Africa!! I am really excited about going to Africa. I am glad that I will get to miss most of winter. I am anxious to learn about their cultures and lifestyles. However, I am also nervous about many things: the food, my lack of French, my health, the heat, and the humidity. We start in Cameroon. We fly from Minneapolis to Chicago, to Frankfurt, to Zurich, to Douala.
I don't know how often I will be able to write blogs in Africa, but please check back when you can. Also, if you would like me to call you when I am overseas, please add me (tiffany.janssen) as a contact on Skype.
Please pray for our team as we travel overseas!
Peace,
Tiffany
My Christmas break was fun and snow-filled. I really enjoyed being home, but the time went fast. After a week of preparations in Minnesota, the Cross Fire team will be headed to West Africa!! I am really excited about going to Africa. I am glad that I will get to miss most of winter. I am anxious to learn about their cultures and lifestyles. However, I am also nervous about many things: the food, my lack of French, my health, the heat, and the humidity. We start in Cameroon. We fly from Minneapolis to Chicago, to Frankfurt, to Zurich, to Douala.
I don't know how often I will be able to write blogs in Africa, but please check back when you can. Also, if you would like me to call you when I am overseas, please add me (tiffany.janssen) as a contact on Skype.
Please pray for our team as we travel overseas!
Peace,
Tiffany
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