Jane in Cameroon:
Dr. Achu came and chilled at our apartment this morning. He talked about setting up the Mezam Polyclinique and COPAAP. Because he was the first to name his clinic Mezam, nobody else is allowed to use it for another hospital, which is cool because Mezam refers to a region of the Northwest Region. Then after being frustrated seeing so many patients suffer and die from AIDS and the urban government not doing enough, he set up COPAAP to at least empower the rural communities of Mezam fight AIDS though mobilization, sensitization, and development of income-generating activities (IGAs). Much of the work is done through each village's Culture and Development Associations (CUDAs), made of representatives from each village.
Adam and I ate at a roadside shack. It made us pretty nervous when our food came out of half sealed plastic jars with flies buzzing around them. We had spicy white beans with ripe plantains (looks like a peeled banana but tastes like a baked sweet potato). No stomach problems for both of us, *whew*! I guess if you can't expect much for lunch for two at 300F (less than $1).
On the way to Bafut, we finally got to speak with Dr. Melissa about her TB research. Apparently the Northwest Region has the highest AIDS rate (around 8%) in the country. Many of these patients have TB or multi drug resistant TB (MDR TB). Most TB patients (around 70%) have AIDS. She explained to us the old Acid Fast stain that is used to diagnose TB but that is only 50% effective. And how it takes several weeks to culture TB samples in their high tech TB lab at the Mezam Polyclinique. Talk about a dream job, wow!
At Bafut, we visited Dr. Achu's son at boarding school. He was preparing for mock APs so seemed kinda stressed out. Left there after a few minutes and visited Savanna Botanical Gardens (SABOGA). Some Cameroonian botanist set up this gorgeous place that has some really cool things like a giant map of Cameroon set into a lawn, and lots of protect-the-environment exhibits. Unfortunately after his death, the place has fallen into disrepair. Probably because the entry fees aren't enforced. We had dinner there: chicken, potato wedges, and njama njama (cooked spinach leaves).
Slight shower incident at the apartment. Fed up with cold showers, I tried again to fiddle with the shower knobs and finally got warm water! When I wanted to turn off the water, I found out I couldn't get anything but scalding hot water spraying out full force. I thought the apartment might flood (the water was already about the run out of the bathroom), I panicked and screamed for help. Adam at least figured out how to slow it to a tickle by pressing down really hard on the handles. But of course he couldn't stand there all night so I ran out looking like a crazy lady with my wet hair all tangled looking for help. After a huge fiasco with the night guardsman and nurses, Dr. Achu drove back to the clinic and saved the day. Ok so still no hot showers (except by cup from the sink), but at least the flat isn't flooded :D
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Day 2: "Something for someone I have not met"
Breakfast at Oasis again - I think Ancestus is buddies with the restaurant owner. We had omelets and baguette slices with tea. Although I appreciate their efforts to cater to our tastes, I would really rather have breakfast at the local street corner eating rice, beans, and spaghetti. Exchanged some money at a kind of "drive-thru" exchange where men run up to the car and you trade currencies through the car window. Very shady but we got a 1:500 exchange rate, which seems pretty good since the internet says officially it's about 1 USD : 460 CFA francs. Oh I also exchanged money at the Paris airport and we learned that Traveler's Cheques get better rates converting USD to Euro than cash does.
At the bus area, we were a little intimidated because mobs of men ran up to the car waving us over to their bus and banging on the car doors for attention. Both Adam and I were nervous but trusted Ancestus because he obviously knew the ins and outs of the city and did everything possible to make the transition smooth for us. He even protected us when we got pulled over by the night patrol (dudes in uniform, sitting on the road waving flashlights. Hope we get to see him during his visits to Bamenda! Like in India, the buses wait to be filled with passengers before heading out so there's not really a "bus schedule" like we have in the U.S. The advantage of arriving early is that you get good seats and see all the vendors trying to sell you whiskey-in-a-bag. Disadvantage is that you feel like you're in a sauna since the bus isn't moving and there's no AC.
We met this very talkative fellow named Marcel while on the bus. He talked about pretty much everything! Overall a very interesting guy, but it got kinda of creepy when Adam nodded off and Marcel kept talking about dating and how "it's okay to be distracted by men." According to Marcel, women are easily distracted by men, but men are more easily distracted by women. We also chatted about traditional Chinese medicine compared to Cameroonian traditional medicine. I love when I get to learn about my project without having to prod it out of someone. He also mentioned that when we go to the villages, we should bring "something for someone you have not yet met" as a gift. Oops. In hindsight, some duty-free gifts might have been a good idea if we were going to meet with a Fon.
Sylvester, a COPAAP administrator, picked us up from the Amour Bamenda Express bus station and took us to Alizane restaurant to have dinner with Dr. Paul Achu, Dr. Melissa, and Dr. Achu (yet another Achu brother). Both Adam and I were very tired so we probably weren't very chatty. We finally got settled into our apartment, which is attached to Mezam Polyclinic itself. It got really cold at night, surprisingly! During the day it can get as hot as Ann Arbor during Top of the Park.
-Jane
At the bus area, we were a little intimidated because mobs of men ran up to the car waving us over to their bus and banging on the car doors for attention. Both Adam and I were nervous but trusted Ancestus because he obviously knew the ins and outs of the city and did everything possible to make the transition smooth for us. He even protected us when we got pulled over by the night patrol (dudes in uniform, sitting on the road waving flashlights. Hope we get to see him during his visits to Bamenda! Like in India, the buses wait to be filled with passengers before heading out so there's not really a "bus schedule" like we have in the U.S. The advantage of arriving early is that you get good seats and see all the vendors trying to sell you whiskey-in-a-bag. Disadvantage is that you feel like you're in a sauna since the bus isn't moving and there's no AC.
We met this very talkative fellow named Marcel while on the bus. He talked about pretty much everything! Overall a very interesting guy, but it got kinda of creepy when Adam nodded off and Marcel kept talking about dating and how "it's okay to be distracted by men." According to Marcel, women are easily distracted by men, but men are more easily distracted by women. We also chatted about traditional Chinese medicine compared to Cameroonian traditional medicine. I love when I get to learn about my project without having to prod it out of someone. He also mentioned that when we go to the villages, we should bring "something for someone you have not yet met" as a gift. Oops. In hindsight, some duty-free gifts might have been a good idea if we were going to meet with a Fon.
Sylvester, a COPAAP administrator, picked us up from the Amour Bamenda Express bus station and took us to Alizane restaurant to have dinner with Dr. Paul Achu, Dr. Melissa, and Dr. Achu (yet another Achu brother). Both Adam and I were very tired so we probably weren't very chatty. We finally got settled into our apartment, which is attached to Mezam Polyclinic itself. It got really cold at night, surprisingly! During the day it can get as hot as Ann Arbor during Top of the Park.
-Jane
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
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
Thursday, May 7, 2009
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
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Greetings!
Hello all! This is Jane Xiao, starting up our first Crossing Borders blog! Please feel free to pass along this blog to anyone you think might be interested in reading about our trip.
In two weeks, Adam VanDeusen and I will be traveling to Bamenda, Cameroon (May 7 - June 9, 2009). We'll be working with the staff at the Mezam Polyclinic learning about HIV/AIDS in the Bamenda community and nearby villages. Once we start traveling, I'll try to update once every few days from the local internet cafe.
please, Please, PLEASE: post comments! You have no idea how excited we get when we hear from friends & family from back home while we're out in the field.
In two weeks, Adam VanDeusen and I will be traveling to Bamenda, Cameroon (May 7 - June 9, 2009). We'll be working with the staff at the Mezam Polyclinic learning about HIV/AIDS in the Bamenda community and nearby villages. Once we start traveling, I'll try to update once every few days from the local internet cafe.
please, Please, PLEASE: post comments! You have no idea how excited we get when we hear from friends & family from back home while we're out in the field.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)