Today, I've been hangin' out here at the apartment. Most people do not work on Friday; instead they work on Sundays. I was talking to Jeromie this morning at breakfast and learned that he also teaches sociology/psychology part-time at the college. He said that he would take me to the college one day so that I could observe him teach class.
I tell ya, the peer pressure is on here when it comes to eating time. I eat breakfast, and then 2-3 hours later, it's time for lunch. I hate eating in that little of a time period. Akobe served homemade spaghetti for lunch today, which the sauce consisted of beef, tomatoes, zucchini, etc. It was pretty good, but I couldn't enjoy it much due to the stink of fish coming from the kitchen or the fact that was hot when it's hot outside. I'm assuming we're eating fresh fish tonight...
So I forgot to mention yesterday a few other random things that I've observed around here. For the most part, most people display their items for sale outside of their space/store or on a rolling cart. You can find anything from car parts to toilets, mattresses (not covered at all-yikes!) to coffins, etc., displayed everywhere. Also, I've seen where I guess a stand was a butcher stand because meat was hanging in the open air-yes, rather gross and unsanitary. I was standing outside of Enzo's salon yesterday, and a hen with her chicks randomly walked by. Later, another hen walked by. No idea where they came from or who they belonged to...
Because I'm one of maybe 5 white people here in Doula (ha!), I'm constantly whistled/shouted at by passers' by to get my attention just so that they can speak to me and me respond back. Yesterday, I heard a "God Bless America" from a guy in the downstairs store.
Deanna, who owns Enzo's salon, has invited me over to her house Monday night and asked me to cook for her. I was thinking, "Shouldn't you be cooking for me?" I don't think I'll do very well because I don't have my recipes with me nor does Africa have the same ingredients that we have in the U.S. Not sure what I'm going to make, but I may see if I can find a grocery store and see what exactly Africa does stock. It may be a rather interesting meal...
I have been told that the country is rather beautiful when you leave Doula. I hope they are right, and I look forward to seeing it when I escape for a weekend or two or three... The people here are very nice and hospitable, but I have to admit that the envoronmentalist in me is screaming at what I have seen environmentally here so far: trash everywhere, air pollution from vehicles/mopeds is quite obvious unlike at home (maybe a mix of unclean gas/no emissions standards on vehicles, etc.), all water sources are polluted, etc. I recycle EVERYTHING at home, and do you know how much it kills me that I have to drink water out of plastic bottles because the tap water is not safe to drink? I do understand that the people here do not know any better, and I have to accept this fact.
A man I met last night asked me what I thought of Douala, and I told him that I like it here, but wish it was cleaner. I asked him what it is exactly that the government does for Cameroon. Know what he said? "That's a really good question. I don't know what it does." Cameroon has a democratic government, but it is one of the most corrupt governments in Africa. It doesn't care about the people, and it's quite obvious with the poor living conditions, ruined environment, unemployed/poor citizens, etc. I then asked the man what the point of the government was if it didn't do anything? I told him that the people should rise up and fight/overthrow the government; afterall, there are more citizens than there are government officials! I know I make it sound as if it wouldn't be a big deal to overthrow the government, but it just burns me up that a government is useless to its own citizens!
I do have many ideas in regard to sustainable development here, so maybe one day I might be able to somehow help start the cleaning up of Cameroon and improving living conditions here...
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