Salut du Cameroun!

Now Johanne and me have been in Ngaoundéré for four days, and we have already experience a lot. On Oct. 5th it was really sad saying good bye to my family for six months, and some days earlier saying good bye to my friends at Hald. But since then much good have happened. When Johanne and me arrived at the airport in the capital of Cameroon, Yaoundé, we met our contact person Amos. He's really nice, and speaks Norwegian very well because he has also attended Hald. Together with him we drove to a hotel, where we stayed one night. The next day Amos showed us around in the city of Yaoundé, before we went together by train to Ngaoundéré.

Breakfast in the hotel in Yaoundé. "Nam, nam!"

Youndé, view from the hotel

In the city of Yaoundé. All the yellow cars are taxis ;)

That trip was a really new and special experience for me! I have never had a trip by train like this earlier. One minute after the train started, it stopped. We got to know that there was a problem. Then the train started again, struggling and making a lot of sounds, but still starting. During the 14 hours long journey by train we learnt that this was a regular event, the train stopping, starting and struggling further on, because of technical problems. Still we had a really nice time in the train. We could even by fruits and vegetables through open windows: mangoes, bananas, oranges, mandarins, pineapples, avocados, roots etc. That was very new for me! All the way it was also lightning, without thunder...it was beautiful to watch!

We went further and further away from the city and more and more into the village until we arrived in Ngaoundéré at 9 o'clock on Oct. 7th. Here we got a nice apartment, and a funny, speaking parrot just outside. We also got two really nice Norwegian boys as neighbours. They are "one-year-volunteers", or in Norwegian "ettåringer", for NMS. There are also other Norwegians here, and many Cameroonians here who speak Norwegian. Ten of them have actually attended Hald. The first day here we got to know the place a little bit, and we really got to know that it is still rain season here!! But it is soon finished according to what we have heard...But the rain doesn't stop the Cameroonian boys from playing football. They just take off their t-shirts and continue having fun : )

Our apartment

Our parrot "Aco"

The Cameroonian people are really nice. Every day new people come to greet and welcome us. It's difficult to communicate because I don't speak French very well, but I think it will be easier after a while. Today I actually noticed an improvement from yesterday! Probably the French course I started attending today, helped a little bit. I am not starting to work until two weeks, because in this time I attend the French course, and I think I need that..Yesterday my most exciting experience was definitively to taste "couscous" for the first time. It is the most eaten food here in Cameroon, and people eat it with their hands, so we did too!

"Couscous"

Today I have been to a local store for the second time. There are holes in the roads and motorcycles driving all over, so we have to watch out. But until now Johanne and me have not driven the car, so the "ettåringer" have to do that, and so far, so good ;)

 This evening Johanne and me attended the Gospel Choir in the church here for the first. I have not attended a choir since I was a child, but today I did. We practiced from 18-21 o'clock, without a break, standing all the time. Or maybe it is better to say dancing, because we actually danced more than we sang. Dancing in Cameroonian way while singing songs I do not know in French was really a challenge, and I think it would have been funny to watch myself while doing this! What I also think was really funny, was that there were more boys than girls in the choir. That's different from in Norway, at least from what I know about choirs in Norway.

So far I really enjoy the stay here, I have got so many impressions and I think the Cameroonians are really nice, hospitable, smiling and sharing what they have. I really admire their good attitude! And I'm really looking forward to get to know people better!

À bien tôt!