Day 1: Oui Oui, Merci!

Thank you French 102! Adam and I ran into a slight delay at the Paris airport (CDG) because the plane had some hydraulics leak. The gate hostesses were talking about the delay in French so I could kind of make out about how long we'd be waiting since the flat screens weren't updated very quickly. On the plane to Douala, I was surrounded by conversations in French. Although I couldn't understand most of it because they spoke very quickly. I think Adam suffered from all the crying babies in our cabin. I was running out of hope as they served meal after meal with no cheese but with the very last meal ..... CAMEMBERT! Yes, VICTORY! Adam has a picture of me overly excited with the camembert.

Dr. Sabine warned us about the "helpers" at the airport who demand tips. At the first customs gate, where we get yellow fever certificates checks, some guy was physically tugging at our certificates saying that he would help us. Finally I decided to be rude and just yank it back, give him a very unladylike glare, and start ignoring him. It worked ... until he started back up with Adam. hahaha. Then at luggage pickup, "official airport security" guys wearing official vests worked in groups to trap us while they went and got our luggage and demanded tips for their drinking habits (the guy tried to explain by saying the money was for beer). It all worked out with a little bit of Adam's muscling our way through the crowd.

Finally we met Ancestus Takwi, a very chill guy. Ancestus took us to Oasis restaurant for a quick dinner where we finally got to really talk with someone after such a long plane ride. He told us that people use pepe (pronouced "peh-pay", a.k.a. pepper) not only to spice up their cooking but also for the smoke, which suffocates the female mosquito that causes malaria. There was CRTV playing in the background (Cameroon Radio Television?) which is like our MTV in America but the music videos are mostly girls working out at a gym. Note to self: Do not work out at the local gym in short skirts. Ancestus' favorite topic was obviously Guinness beers. As I would soon come to learn, all Cameroonian men love their beers and supposedly so do the women but not as openly.

After dinner we visited Dr. Achu's younger architect brother. We saw plans he made for an upscale housing development in Limbe. The architecture design was very modern in style but with modified classical elements (slender columns). Also, very small lawns - sorry Dad! Mandiba hotel, where we spent the night, was just around the block from the office. Adam and I got separate rooms, both were very nice. AC made a huge difference because Douala is very hot and humid (while Bamenda, our main location, is high in elevation and very cool).

Heading out this morning at 7:30 for a long bus ride to Bamenda.

Wall gecko sightings: 2

Packing

Above: Picture of Mezam Polyclinique taken from their "Living with HIV & AIDS manual". Linked supplied by Dad.

Hope all goes smoothly! Even though some last minute changes about arrival in Douala, Sabine Fonderson, our ASHIA contact, and Dr. Paul Ngang Achu MD, who is the director of the clinic, have been very good hosts preparing the details for our accommodations in Cameroon.

Who knew I had so much stuff to pack?! I've been gradually cramming stuff into a giant suitcase - and a half - since yesterday afternoon .... still not done. Wish I had a pair of hiking boots. I'm sure Adam and I will have a very interesting time trying to set up our anti-mosquito sleeping tents.

Leaving tonight at 9:30 p.m. Please Air France, let there be camembert cheese :D
Above: Yummy Camembert. Image taken from Wikipedia entry on Camembert (cheese).

-Jane