Christmas & A New Term

I had a nice change of scenery over the holidays in Njinikom with the Hakes (MDA couple). Terry and I compared notes on teaching and they took me on rounds with them a couple times. On Christmas day, we took candy to all the children (and adults) in the hospital. It was nice to see the big smiles on their faces.

We took a taxi (very crowded) between Kumbo and Bamenda both ways. On the way back was the worst.  Just imagine what it's like to sit in a small Toyota Corolla with 7 other adults, 3 children, and 2 small boxes full of baby chicks driving on dirt roads for over 2 hours.

Anyways, second term has started. It's shorter than first term, and we also have more things that interrupt the schedule. So I don't know how much we'll actually accomplish in the classes.

I was picked to help edit the school magazine. Several students typed up the articles and then I spent the past few days putting them together and formatting the finished product. The school secretary took the USB stick down to the printer in Bamenda yesterday. I think they're hoping to get the printed magazines before the end of the month. The PTA meeting is coming up soon, so they want it done before then.

We've had more and more dry days (no water in the taps). On those days, we have to get our water from the well. At least that's on the school grounds, but it does mean lugging the full containers back home. It's really an issue with the toilet, I have to keep water on hand to fill the tank in order to flush.

And that's all the news for now.

End of Term

The dry season began in Mid-November. I have now experienced a few days without any water in the pipes. I have been keeping extra water in my water filter and in bottles around the house, but the big problem is with the toilet (can't flush without water in the tank). So far it hasn't been too bad, but I'm not looking forward to later in the season when it'll probably get worse. With the current weather, St. Pius is starting to remind me of Rancho Alegro (the Boy Scout camp a little north of Santa Barbara) - including the dust, the hills, the cold mornings and hot days, and kids. But at least it's missing the flies.

The last month has been pretty busy at school. The secondary school had exams Nov. 28 to Dec. 2, then a final week of classes and closing week in which there were no regular classes, but other activities before the holidays. The TTC had a week of teaching practice at the local nursery and primary schools the same week as the exams in the secondary school. I found out that Monday morning that the TTC faculty (including me) have to go out and observe the student teachers in action. The first school I went to was just on the other side of the market in Tatum. On that Wednesday, I had to go to the Islamic school which was a little further away and then on Friday had to go to Memfu. The school I was going to that day was about an hour's walk away. Have I mentioned that this part of Cameroon is very hilly? It is. Between Tatum and Memfu are some pretty steep hills. Luckily I had help getting directions that avoided the worst of the hills, but is less direct. I was told that the direct route involves at least one very steep hill.

The closing week for the secondary school was the week of exams for the TTC. Many of the teachers were unavailable to "invigilate" (supervise) their own exams for various reasons, so I ended up invigilating many exams besides my own for the missing teachers since I was on campus. I also ended up marking the exam for the religious studies teacher who is also the school bursar (treasurer/accountant) because he was transferred to a new school as of the end of this month and didn't have time to mark the papers himself.

I've only made it down to Kumbo a few times in the past month, and half the time I wasn't able to get on the Internet for one reason or another while I was there. One of the trips down was Dec. 3 for the wedding of Vitalis - who is one of the workers at the Bishop's house. It was a beautiful wedding (my first one in Cameroon) with the bishop presiding. Frank was there also, but we didn't get a chance to talk. He was with the choir and looked like he was having a lot of fun.

The same day as the wedding, a group of teachers from another school (Br. Ivo's former post) came to visit St. Pius. I got back into Tatum in time for the evening social. I think all social events in this part of Cameroon require beer and fufu corn. The next day was the Parish Harvest Thanksgiving, which is like a parish fair. They had games (put on by the TTC students), food booths, and a raffle. The first prize in the raffle was a TV - which one of the Form 5 students won. The other top prizes included a mattress, a cooler, and a nanny goat. I actually got one of the runner-up prizes: two cubes of savon (soap).

The week before all that, I went to Memfu (the village that Br. Ivo is from which is very close to Tatum) for mass and celebration of the 25th anniversary of ordination for a priest whom I had met the day before. Right now I can't even remember his name. I had a great time there, but at the beginning of the mass one of the people organizing it made me sit at the front of the church instead of half-way back where I was sitting with the school secretary (Lidwina - who's father is from Memfu). Apparently it was because I was the only white person in the place.

I can't recall if I've mentioned by next door neighbor, Sister Louise Marie, who is the school infirmarian (school nurse). She's a former sister, but everyone calls her "Sister" even the other religious sisters and brothers. She has been a great help to me. She is Cameroonian, but spent a few years studying in Rome so has some understanding of what issues/differences a "westerner" might encounter in Cameroon. She invited me to go with her to Njinikom for the holidays. That's where her family is. It is also where Jim & Terry Hake (who are Mission Doctors) are currently. When I told them I'd be in Njinikom, they invited me to stay with them, so that's where I am right now.

Classes are scheduled to start again on Jan 3 (Tuesday) and all the boarders are supposed to be back the day before that. The current plan is for Sister and I to head back leave Njinikom on Dec. 28. That will get us back to Tatum a few days before New Year's and give us time to prepare for classes restarting.

For those wondering, I didn't do anything special for Thankgiving this year. It sort of snuck up on me, maybe next year I'll plan a small feast. For my birthday, I treated myself to some chocolate and some cheap wine (more like alcoholic grape juice). Turns out Br. Ivo is 10 years and only a few days older than me. Maybe next year we'll have a joint party.