Kribi Week One

My Kribi Bedroom (2 whole beds to myself!)

Monday morning, I was woken up around 6 am. After getting up, I experienced that awkward uncertainty that often comes with spending a first day in a home stay. I got dressed and headed out to find the rest of the family. My host mom showed me how to make omelets. Once we had finished making the eggs, I was sent to the bathroom to bathe. My mom explained that the idea was that, after potentially breaking a sweat making breakfast, I would wash off and then eat. My host sisters, Marie (15) and Ange (11) left for school just before me. My host mom walked me to the Hotel Ni D’Or (“Golden Net“) that acted as our classroom for the next two weeks. Although we walked very slowly, I arrived at school hot and sweaty and remained so for the rest of the day.

Marie and Ange play with my computer.

For lunch, several of us ended up a restaurant not far from the hotel. The food was expensive but good. While there, we came across our first up-close experience with the infamous Kribi prostitute population. One of the other patrons was an old overweight white man accompanied by a young and very beautiful Cameroonian women. She was very clearly a prostitute by the way they interacted and spoke with each other. Prostitution in Kribi is very prominent although there are several kinds. There are prostitutes who are very public about their profession and will solicit customers in public places. There are also young women, very frequently students, who will not admit to being a prostitute but, out of a need of money, will sleep with tourists. 

I walked home with Danny and Elias, and Elias’s host brother, who live very close to me. Although I had a mountain of homework, I absolutely had to take a nap when I got back to the house. Just after 6:30, after some homework and dinner, my host mom brought me to the textile store where I purchased two different fabrics. On the way home, we ran errands and stopped at Papa’s boutique, kind of like a general store, which is right next to the textile store. The streets were incredibly full and lively on the walk to and from the textile store. Food vendors had popped up on the corner by our house. There was also a lot of music along the walk and motorcycles everywhere. In Kribi, “motos” are the main form of transportation. There are no taxis, only motos and most families own a moto rather than a car. Unfortunately, SIT rules prohibit us from ever taking a moto for safety’s sake so when in Kribi, we had to walk absolutely everywhere. 

Out the back of the house: the door and window into the kitchen are just to
my left. The door on the far right is the bathroom. The barrels along the
 wall are all filled with water that is used for cooking, bathing, cleaning, and
just about everything but drinking. The spout on the far wall directs
rain water into the pink tub. During the rainy season this is where all of their
water comes from

As soon as we got home, Mama took my measurements and sketched a general design for my clothes. I gave her pretty free reign in designing them, telling her that she was the professional. Out of the 6yrds worth of fabric I bought, she made me a skirt, a shirt, and a dress. I spent the rest of the night doing homework, taking a break for an hour to watch the same soap opera I watch with Gael and my host mom in Yaoundé. 

Tuesday played out much like Monday had. In the morning, my host mom told me that from now on, I should get up earlier to help my host sisters with the dishes which I was more than willing to agree to. I met Elias and Danny at 7:30 to walk to school. This time, for lunch, most of the group followed Christelle an long way to a Mama who was selling food, kind of like in Yaounde. However, I didn’t make it to the Mama’s  stand because on the way, we passed my family’s boutique so I stopped in to say “hi” and buy some snacks. On the way back to the hotel, I also picked up some apples at a vendor and some peanuts, PEANUT BUTTER, and a small baby swiss cheese. 

Our focus while in Kribi is the Bagyeli, a marginalized minority population, one of many that fall under the broader category of “pygmy.” We had out first class involving the Bagyeli Tuesday afternoon. 

As per my mom’s wish, I invited Danny and Elias in when we got to my house. I showed them around and we hung out for a little bit before being served a small meal. I spent the rest of the evening doing homework and watching my mom’s clients come and go. 

Mama cleans and guts SO much fish!

Wednesday I was woken up at 5:15am to help with the dishes, not what I pictured when my host mom said that I should get up “a little bit” earlier to help out. We also had no power so the cleaning had to be done by flashlight. I’m not sure how helpful I was, but I rinsed and put away the dishes that Marie cleaned. The first morning however, I had no idea where anything went so my work passed very slowly. My host mom must have noticed how tired I was and, once we finished, told me I could go back to bed for a little bit and she’d wake me up at 6:30.

The rainiest day yet, we had French class in the morning and then a second lecture on the Bagyeli. There was so much rain that we elected to walk home the long-way in order to avoid walking on a dirt (a.k.a. mud) road. In the evening I watched music videos with my host sisters. They had several DVDs of American music, especially Miley  Cyrus, and knew almost every word to the songs, even if they had no idea what the words were. I also spent some time chatting with my host mom. During my time there, we covered a wide variety of topics, from segregation in America to mud season in Vermont. 

Instead of heading to the hotel Thursday, we met the rest of the group at a boulangerie/super market to purchase lunch. From there we hopped on a bus for about an hour and a half and drove out to visit a Bagyeli (pygmy) camp. The first camp we visited was next to a massive development construction project. The Cameroonian government has contracted a Chinese company to build a massive deep sea port (this is one of three along the Cameroonian coast). The Bagyeli community originally lived where the port project is and the government moved them, building them small shacks to live in temporarily. When they were moved to their currently location 2 years ago the government promised that they would soon be relocated a full-sized village intended for all populations dislocated by the project. 

Computer photo session with Marie (center) and Ange (right)

When we arrived, they danced as a traditional sign of welcome and we each gave a little bit of money as a customary thank you. While we were there, we got to ask the villagers questions via Mr. Watu, our lecturer on the Bagyeli, translating. They talked about their issues relating to food, water, education, and integration. After a little while, we left and headed to another Bagyeli camp. The second camp had been built by the Bagyeli themselves in 2005 just off the main road to the port. This time, during the welcome dance, we were invited to join in. 

When we got to the hotel after a very hot day, I took a quick nap and then headed to the market with Ariene, Marianna, Morgan and Elise. While there, I bargained for and bought two skirts which definitely made the heat and humidity of Kribi more manageable. We spent a while wandering around. On our way out, Marianna was stopped by a vendor who asked her if I would be down to marry him. Egged on by Marianna, he then asked me if I would marry him. To which I said, “no, sorry.” However, Marianna thought it was hilarious and continued to encourage him. The conversation ended with him giving me his number and Marianna promising that I would call him. I never did call him but Morgan was in the market several days late and he caught up with her asking why I hadn’t called him yet. He gave her his number to give to me again. When I told my host mom about him she demanded to know why I hadn’t called him.  

Friday morning instead of our normal French class, we all went to visit a local chief. On the drive over we had to pick up a “notable” who, according to protocol, had to accompany us to meet the chief. We got to talk to him about is traditional role, how that role fits into modern Cameroon, and Kribi’s history. It was a very interesting conversation. The rest of the day passed uneventfully. 

     In the evening, Khalilah and her host family stopped by to visit. Our host moms are sisters. Her host siblings are all young and have lots of energy. Once they left, Marie sat down to braid my hair (check out these pictures!) My host parents left late in the evening to spend the weekend in their village for a funeral so the Friday and Saturday night was just me and my host sisters.