Settling in

Well, there must be a serious water shortage during the dry season. The water was off again this morning. Since we’d already prepared all the buckets with backup water, there was nothing to worry about.

For some reason, I overslept today. Didn’t get up until like two in the afternoon. I remember waking at nine or so, but for some reason I didn’t get up. When I finally did, we did our bucket baths and took a walk to the market; today is market day in Foumban. If I remember correctly its on Wednesdays and Saturdays here (important dates to remember); unlike Becky’s market days in Batié. They’re every eight days; period.

Bought dinner items for the next few days, and some vanille a levure chimique for cinnamon rolls. We’re gonna make those later in the week. Hope we do them justice.

There’s nothing like participating in the preparation of dinner. Once in a country like Cameroon, you begin to realize how much trash and waste we in the states generate. Here you pretty much get what you want direct from those who have either gone to the field and picked it or grown it themselves. No pesticides, no middleman, and hopefully much healthier.

Considering the lack of Utz brand chips, and Doritos, I believe these few weeks in Africa will be the healthiest I’ve eaten in quite a while. Now that’s a diet anyone would be willing to do. Don’t know how I’ll do when I finally return home though, I’m a snack food junky.

Oh, dinner, my job was to peel the potatoes; and not the large ones we’re used to picking up at the markets. For some reason we got the runt of the litter today. So I’m standing in the kitchen for what must’ve been like an hour and a half, peeling a bunch of potatoes. Once I was done, Akilah stepped in to make her magic. We were served mashed potatoes and ginger string beans. Wow! Probably the best home cooked meal I’ve had since being here. All the rest were nice, but there’s something about a dish that’s got ginger in it. (Personally, I’m a ginger freak, can’t get enough of it.)

Seems as if the day just rolled by and I did nothing constructive. How’d I end tonight? Well, after taking a nap, I awoke to sounds of Akilah washing dishes. Naturally I had to go in and assist. Afterwards, we decided this was as good a time as any to wash some clothes. In case you were wondering, the whirlpool washer and dryer we ordered is on backlog, so we had to do it by hand. One piece at a time. “Step by step, inch by inch, yard by yard. . .” and so on.

If I didn’t think I would have dishpan-type hands before, I will after a few weeks of doing laundry this way. Next time I know, pack some American brand detergent and fabric softener or something of the sort. Tomorrow I may end up ironing all my laundry. That’s right laugh. If you know me, you know my philosophy is “Why iron? It’s gonna get wrinkled anyway.” But apparently there’s some type of insect here that likes to nest in wet items. If you end up putting on the clothes before the three day nesting period is up, the could somehow end up in your skin and give you a very unpleasant feeling.

Now all this is, of course, assuming the insect even makes it into any of your clothing. The one way to be certain you don’t have those issues is to iron your clothes. You better bet this brother is gonna iron all of them, right down to the underpants. Not taking any chances.

My nails are thoroughly clean, not the way a manicurist would’ve done it, but accomplished nonetheless. So that calls for a nice cup of mango apple tea and Carr’s Ginger Lemon cremes, then off to the sack. Must go for a walk tomorrow to see if I can find me a chair that doesn’t hurt my back.