Life in Tourningal

I’m about to embark on my fourth journey to Yaoundé via train, in less than 2 months…that maybe a peace corps record. Yet, all of my trips to Yaoundé have been warranted; IST in Kribi, parents visit, parents return to Yaoundé (and another trip to the beach) and this time around, HIV/Gender Youth and Development meeting. I figured since nearly all my work will revolve around HIV/GYD activities it would be very worthwhile to join the committee—hopefully it will be just that.
Life in Tourningal after having been away for nearly a month and a half, for the most part is great. My parents visit went rather smoothly; Kudos to them for being able to bear the conditions with little to no complaints. They also did not become ill, which is quite a feat in Africa. They were met with much hurrah. In a village of 1,000 people, when any newcomer, yet alone a white person comes to visit, it makes headlines. Upon disembarking from the car, we were immediately invited to a wedding 15 minutes later and had a streamline of visitors chez moi for the next 2 days. The very traditional wedding, and very typical, was quite the culture shock for the rentals. The 18 year old girl, having never met the 55 + El Hadj of my village, moved into Tourningal….she is his fourth wife.
So then the parents left and life for me has been normal since; i.e. teaching at college, women’s group visits, planning projects, etc. etc. About a day into the village, I became bored, but now thanks to the new ipod have at least 3 hours of music every few weeks or so to look forward to! Somewhere along the line I figured organizing a summer camp would be a great idea since I was fortunate enough to grow up in summer camps and work at them. The week long summer camp at Tourningal, called Njamu Jam or “Good Health” in fufulde, is not based on a traditional American theme, rather reproductive health and life skills, i.e. leadership, planning, sex ed etc. In addition, the cost of this camp is probably a tiny fraction of any American camp, we are basically only paying for lunch for the kids. SO, enshallah all will go well and at least 25 kids will for one week break the monotony of their agricultural-raising cattle based summers and do something different for a change.
In addition, to the camp, have been trying to bring in resources to the village, i.e. magazines, journals, books etc. I have started brining in an adolescent- 17ish magazine that is strewn with health messages to village which has gone rather well. Since the kids have not grown up with books of any kind, their reading level is pretty low; thus many kids even in seventh grade level cannot read 4th grade level material. Perhaps in the months to come a library of some type will be formed, enshallah.
Well, socially life in village is about the same. With no restaurants, cafes, bars, etc. etc. honestly it is not too jam packed. Highlights socially are probably going over to my fufulde mother’s house each night and after eating a heeping plate of food (literally she refuses to let me go hungry, and consequently I fall into a food coma each night) I sit around a lantern listening about people’s days/problems etc, all in fufulde. Occasionally we might drink coffee or tea. Perhaps we might watch a film. Normally the films are all religious based. If they are at Muslims houses they usually will talk about Islam. If the film is at a Christian’s house they have to do with the New Testament or Christain-Islamic debates; probably not the type of films that I would be watching in America. Some of my best friends in village are 8-15 year olds. I seem to be a hit with this age group, attracting on average 20 or so kids an afternoon to my house. They come to “read” English magazines. They come to play cards. They come to simply sit and watch me do whatever I may be doing; brushing my teeth, sweeping, drinking coffee. They will literally wait for me to come home, run down the street and then follow me into my house. It is fine, except when the kids start to touch/play/ask and destroy things….then I shoo them out. It’s quite a routine. I’m sure the mothers of Tourningal appreciate my presence for I have turned into a quasi day care center in the afternoons. Perhaps I should start a community center?
Well, that’s about it…..life is progressing, rain is a falling and I’m dreading this long upcoming voyage. On va faire comment? Hope all is well! Come visit. If Betsy and Jim can, you can too. Les gens de Tourningal vous saluent. Ummatoore pat haa Tourningal hoofnoo mon. Everyone in Tourningal says hello! Peace