Posting and Model School

Training is moving along and is keeping us very busy.  We have learned quite a bit about Cameroon, its cultures, religions, politics, products, education systems (there are 2, a British and a French system). Most of our training is done at Bafia’s Lycée Bilingue. The students have been very curious about our presence at their school, as you can see above, especially if one of us is using a computer to take notes. Regular school ended at the end of June.

Since I last wrote, I was told that I will be posted in Bambili, about 20 minutes from the regional capital Bamenda, in the North West region of Cameroun. Bamenda is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains (as you see on the right). The weather is quite pleasant there, luckily for me, it is not too hot or too cold. We were sent on site visit and that was the first time that we really had to fend for ourselves. The way up was still somewhat protected since we travelled with counterparts (persons that are our first contacts at our new sites --- unfortunately I do not have one yet). We took a local bus company, a bus that looked like 2x the size of a 1960’s VW bus; we were 30 persons that sat into 5 rows – you got the picture. The bus picked its momentum going down hills (no brakes applied) to insure the climb up the hills. The trip was 5 hours to Bafoussam and then suddenly we were told to leave the bus that the driver was going no further. All luggages on top of the roof was taken down, we had no choice. We finally understood that we were being switched to another bus that this time was really the size of VW 1960’s bus. Thank God 10 of us had been dropped off along the way (irony!!! ;-)) But, though another 2 ½ hours passed, I arrived at Bamenda with cramps and aches where I did not think one could get them, but  safe and sound. Once there, I had to find my own way to a volunteer stationed. She had the key to the apartment that I was to stay at. It took a little patience and orientation to finally connect with the person and to arrive at the apartment that I was to occupy for a week. While in Bamenda, I opened a bank account where my monthly living allowance will be deposited, I went to the markets, ate street food, haggled with bush taxi drivers over taxi fares, met other volunteers within and outside of the Peace Corps, found out where everyone meets on Friday afternoons to blow off some steam and visited l’ école normale supèrieure at Bambili where I will be teaching and observing young to be biology and chemistry teachers. I also met school inspectors that are going to need help going to the different schools in the region to see how science teaching is faring. So, the week was rewarding and productive. The way back to Bafia was done totally on my own, even standing in line at 0645 to buy a bus ticket that would guarantee me a window seat on the bus to Yaoundé that would leave at 0900 (there were only 3 seats left) The bus departed at 1030. All in all, no major events occurred and the trip was a smooth one.

Back in Bafia, Model School was inaugurated with the presence of high officials from Bafia. Model School is where all education volunteers will practice teaching the Cameroonian syllabus to summer students that want to get a head start into the coming school year or need some support to understand what they missed in the last school year.  During the week, after inauguration, we spent time observing our Cameroonian colleagues or other volunteers (that have been in country 1 year) teach and now this week we are teaching. We also have staff meetings, we are responsible for extracurricular activities after school, giving final exams, grading, parent meeting, and all à la Camarounaise.; sometimes our view from our classroom windows can be distracting, as seen above. We teach until 5 days before our departure to post in August. This first teaching week has been extremely busy but rewarding.

That’s it for now, until the next time