Election Galore

Happy Belated Election!!!!It has been a while since I’ve had a substantial blog post, mainly due to the lack of internet in Ngaoundere (my closest town). When internet is around, it is so slow that oftentimes I feel my life wasting away while starring at the blank computer screen in the cyber cafes. Needless to say, this can be a frustrating experience—sometimes technology can just be a headache.
Now I’m in Yaounde for a HIV/Gender Youth Development meeting. Two nights ago was a very exciting time here, for about 30 fellow peace corps volunteers and myself stayed up all night with our eyes glued to CNN international for the projections. It was an odd sensation to be up at 6:30 am with the sun shining while watching Obama’s Victory speech in the pitch dark of Chicago. Cameroonians have showed nothing but utterly zeal and passion for this election. Although I have not experienced many presidential elections in my lifetime, nor any others outside of the US, I can vouch to say that this year’s election will be hard to beat in terms of its African appeal. Even in my tiny village, most all news-following citizens were very in tuned to the election and stayed up as well to watch the outcome—as evidence by the dozens of text victory messages and updates I received throughout the evening. In sum, the US election and the Cameroonian interest in it, reiterated how small the world is and how events can touch even small villages thousands of miles away from the US.
Outside of the election, life in village has been great. I have been kept rather busy between my teaching, helping with vaccinations at the health center, and organizing/meeting with women’s groups. In addition to community work, is the everyday monotonous activities of cleaning the house, cooking (sometimes) and dealing with the neighborhood kids. I find myself rarely having time to read or rest. Privacy and alone time are not very valued in my village. After I eat my dinner at my “families” house they usually try to convince me to stay up and talk with them rather than me go home and relax. If I’m relaxing chez moi during the day, I am relaxing to the sounds of people knocking on my door to try to visit me. Resting thus entails having to bar my front door, if not, it is impossible.
Lately I have felt like a women’s day consultant. It is quite exciting to work with people that act like you are extremely valued. Usually when I go visit women’s groups the amount of applause and fanfare I get is sublime. The groups make me feel like I am a celebrity—a good confidence booster. Sometimes I question if the work I’m doing is helpful and sustainable, but I guess whatever the outcomes are at least the groups know there is some foreign influence that cares about them and wants to try to help them. Some of the work I do includes: reorganizing the structure of already existing groups, starting action plans, doing budgets, time-lines, health presentations, helping the groups form bank accounts, forming non-existent groups in new communities and neighborhoods, and helping them become legalized.
Life outside of work is going well. My village is as friendly as ever, I’m running every morning with the sunrise, the weather is now sunny and dry and I finally bought a short-wave radio so I can keep in-touch with international news. Hope this blog finds everyone happy and in bonne forme. Much peace and happiness, Ali