Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Steak!!!!!!!

So today was a great day. We went to Bamenda today and bought paint for the office and my stove (AAAAAAAAAAAAAleluliah!!!!!!) and gas. So just have to buy my pots and pans and I’m good to go for the creation of all kinds of culinary treats. Oh and must actually get the keys to my new home!!! But apparently the keys were here today, while I was not, so it looks promising that in this case tomorrow may actually mean tomorrow!!! Woohoo! Saw it for the first time yesterday, and it’s HUGE!!!!!! It’s completely bare so I’m going to get shelves made and I think maybe two of the beds from my room will be put in there. Plus there’s an alcove for my kitchenette. (I’m 29 years old and I’m effectively renting a bed-sit!!! Nice!) I’m finally going to be able to get my mozzie net up too as it’s a pure awkward thing to do so haven’t gotten it put up in my room here. So far only have a few bites around my ankles but I’m really not sure if that’s mosquitos or bed bugs because I’m pretty good for putting on my DEET in the evenings. ‘Tis a glamorous life I lead!!
Early this morning, I took a few profiles of three children one of whom was probably the brightest little thing I’ve seen here. I spent about twenty minutes in his company and he’s really intelligent, and he looks after his dad who’s blind, so all round just a good egg, so hopefully his extended profile will work, as his family can’t afford textbooks. He’s going to go to ABC which is the school I’ll be teaching in so I can definitely see me being really fond of him as his English is brilliant and he’s got plenty of personality. I’ve decided that if school starts and he’s without a sponsor I’ll purchase at least some of his books for him. So that was a great start to the day.
Oh and today myself and Christina and another on line volunteer have clubbed together to put up the money for Janet to do evening classes so that she can get up to the standard she’ll need if she’s going to be able to become a nurse. She’s one of the orphans who learns computers here and I’m mad about her. She’s in some of the photos because she helps me out a bit. She’s a great vivacious character who always has a smile on her face and I was contemplating sponsoring her myself, but this might make more sense so I was delighted when the e-mail came through from Christina. She’d make a fantastic nurse so hopefully this will help her become one!
Then off into Bamenda, and we set a new record for number of people travelling together in one car. (Well probably not, but it was a new one for me!) Today for an hour’s journey in a mid 1980’s Toyota Corolla (At least I think that’s about right. It was the same model as the blue one Steve’s mum had when we were kids) there were nine of us in the car. Yup you read that right! NINE!!! And how do you do that I hear you ask. Simples (As Aleksander, everyone’s favourite meerkat would say!) You put four in the front and five in the back! I was in the front in the middle, and surprisingly comfortable! The driver shares a seat too which is a little odd for me but not for people here. Quite the experience. I’ll take a picture of one of these cabs and post it. But I think I know where Betsy might end up eventually!!!! At least I’ll know that possibly thousands of people will get as much enjoyment out of her as I did. The golfs here are (rather unsurprisingly) the old heavy boxy ones I like and I’m sure they’re nice and cheap so I wonder what a drive across Africa and Europe would be like!!!! Airplanes might be over-rated! (Only joking mum and dad!! And I’d be willing to bet that Mairead McKenna rolled her eyes at that too!!!!)
So squished into a more compact shape (If the food-or lack of nice stuff-doesn’t make me drop all those Macari’s the taxis will do the job!) we arrived in Bamenda and bought lots of goodies. I now have most of my schoolbooks in my possession, which we bought from a guy who had set up a cart Moore St.-style on the side of the road with them all piled up on top. Got plenty of reading material too, and then left it to the Rev and Max to get a good price. Then off to various financial establishments and then the best part of the whole day. LUNCH!!!!!!!! In a restaurant that served some Western food. It was my treat and Max had chips for the first time ever. I had steak in pepper sauce and chips and it was mm-mm good!!! A steak dinner, two chicken and chips, and a traditional vegetable and fufu dish plus two Smirnoff Ice, two bottles of minerals and a big bottle of water and the whole lot came to just over 14 euro!!! DEAL!!!!!!! (I had a coke in case anyone thinks I’ve deserted all of my good taste and abandoned beer for Smirnoff Ice!!)
Then off to buy all of the bits. It seems to be a source of much hilarity to both the rev and Max that I will be painting this week. Every time I mention it they both collapse into fits of giggles (and I’ve spoken about the Rev’s giggle before!) and so I have determined that I will take a photo and blow it up to stick up on one of my noticeboards in the office. I love a bit of painting so quite looking forward to it! And then bought my stove and gas. I spent a good bit of money today for Cameroonian standards but I got lots for it, and I can finally start rustling up good food from the delicious ingredients I’ve been eyeing at the market for the past few weeks. But I definitely got the unmistakable rush that can only come from a good spot of retail therapy!! Even if it’s for essentials it just feels so damn GOOD!!! And the best thing is tomorrow I have to buy my pots and plates and things, so I’ve the heady feeling to look forward to again. YAY!!!
Tomorrow’s shopping will be done after we go to the hospital though. We’re bringing Rosine, a completely adorable sponsorship girl with her mum to check out she’s getting the right meds and stuff and generally help her mum out. And the Pastor says he wants us to bring another girl too who’s quite sickly so we’ll have to organise tests for her I think. And it means I can pick up the rest of my Lariam which no doubt will result in me being disgusted about how expensive the ones I bought at home were!! Then shopping, dinner and the writing of proposals. I’ve never really had to do that for any job I’ve had so I hope I’m doing it right, as I currently have a list of three that I’m trying to put together for various things here, plus the programme for the I.T. Skills School we run here which will be very closely modelled on a St. Mary’s TYP, since I happen to have the Dev Ed one I wrote earlier this year on my USB. But sure it has all of the ingredients and if we can submit it to some area of the UN or similar for funding won’t that be great!! And therein lies the crux of the internal conflict I’m experiencing here. Surely someone here should be putting together those proposals because how are the people here ever going to learn to be self-sufficient on a grand scale if they don’t roll up their sleeves and get stuck in and stop Westerners from doing a lot of that kind of thing which is the situation here at the moment. But then if I don’t write those proposals the chance of them actually getting written is between slim and none and funding can best be secured if there’s a coherent, organised strategy in place. Most of the time I’m too busy to think about it, but every so often the thought strikes me. I just don’t know what the best thing to do is. I keep thinking that if at least one person’s situation and prospects are improved my me taking a year out to do this then surely it’s been worth it, but then am I just fostering more long-term dependence on outsiders rather than allowing the community to become self sufficient. It goes round and round in circles, and I’ve already had the discussion with Simon, one of the other volunteers, in the first of what I can imagine will be an oft-repeated conversation. I guess that in everything I do I just have to make sure to train in locals to do so that the transition is nice and smooth in a year’s time. Ok I’ll stop now, as I think that’s the start of another circuit!
Right, got a big day tomorrow and I’m exhausted from the shopping!! Or maybe it’s being full from the steak dinner!! (Both brilliant complaints to have!) Anyway I’m off to Bedfordshire. Thanks for reading and the messages everyone!! It’s great to hear from you all, and it’s brilliant to have the support. I’m sure it’ll prove invaluable at various times here so thanks a mil!!!! Hi Mark, hope you’re keeping well. You make sure to look after yourself now y’hear?!
Just a quick addition to this post before I put it up. I woke up at about half one this morning to the sound of my pipes gurgling and sputtering as the water came back on!! So this morning I have had a shower. Hence I feel amazing and cleaner than I have for a while. (Don’t worry though sis, I kept my mouth closed the whole time.) Electricity and water at the same time. If I actually get to move into my house today I might keel over.