Hello all!!
So it is the end of June, have been in Cameroon for over a week and I feel it is about time to write down some of the things I've been up to. I know I got lazy and didn't even finish my blogs for last summers travels hahaha I doubt lll finish this years, but I think it's a start at least!!
So. I'm staying in a town called Kumbo, in the northwest district of Cameroon, at a volunteer house belonging to SeReP, Self Reliance Promoters a not for profit organisation which run a school and women's groups among other things. But I'll start from the start!!
I got on bright and early a plane to Istanbul, Turkey, after a hectic 24 hours finishing exams and packing up my uni room as well as packing for here, heading home, for 4 hours haha until the plane. I then got onto a plane to Douala, the international airport in Cameroon, arriving late at night- in the same time zone as England. After two of the same gluten free meals from Turkish airlines, haha, and 2 lucky flights where I had empty seats next to me I was happy to arrive! It was actually okay, I watched the book thief a film from a book I read years ago, and angus thongs and perfect snogging just for the sights of Eastbourne- obvs I was so excited for Africa, but still missing home as I flew away from it, hahah!!
But arriving in Douala was a bit of a shock. I didn't have particularly high expectations of he airport or the city, I knew it wasn't very safe for a young white girl on her own but it was still, like, wow. There were kind of constructions everywhere, it was a little like an abandoned shopping mall that people had just started landing planes in .. Through security and everything was fine, ofc, even though most people were speaking French. The official languages of Cameroon are English and French, so I wasn't phased, kind of wish (and still do now) I understood more French, though!!
I waited among unfinished construction for my luggage, politely refusing every offer I had for help and taxi and bag carrying. I had a few vague instructions about the person picking me up, so I carefully followed the route everyone was taking out of the airport where a whole new wave of people offering their services came upon- I just powered through, I had quite a lot of luggage haha, and saw the steps I had been told about and a young girl standing at the bottom, right before the entourage of people waiting, holding a piece of paper with 'ELIZABETH RUTH FITZPATRICK' on haha. Yay! It wasn't that I was really worried or anything, it was just a relief to have found the person I was supposed to:)
The girls name was maceline, she was nice and we waited for a while in the slightly overgrown car park of the airport. I'd be warned about changing money, but it was still funny and felt so unofficial as we sat in the back of a car of a guy we just met with 2 boys we had just met as maceline got the cfa. I was just sat there hoping maceline knew her business!!
We then got taken to the hotel, which was far from, well, even the holiday inn. Thoroughly reminded me of a place in Newport I'd been to... Hahaha so funny. It was about 1am when we arrived, and we were leaving at 6am, and feeling the way I did I simply laid down on the bed fully clothed and put my jumper on top of me. I was annoyed as I had zero service whatsoever on my phone, which I wasn't expecting, and obvs there wasn't any internet so I couldn't contact anyone. Regardless, it was soon the morning, and I was ready to leave( unshowered, ofc there was no water) unsure of how much rest I had got!
We arrived at the bus stop bright and early and I just took in the surroundings. My first experience of Africa! There were people selling all goods from trays and baskets on their heads, from fruit and veg to shoes and toothbrushes. This continued the entire journey, whenever we stopped, when we finally got going a few hours later. Compared to later bus experiences, that ten hour journey was definitely comfortable! After the mini bus and a small car (completely packed to the brim) we finally arrived in Kumbo!! Even though I'd only eaten a small amount, some African plantain with these roasted fruits/nuts/seeds? And an energy bar, when we arrived I was feeling travellly so couldn't finish the rice and chicken we received when we got to the office. Anyway, I met Fred, the director, handed over some of the equipment I had bought with me (which he was absolutely thrilled with) and managed to get onto a computer to quickly let bryn and my fam know I was there and safe. Well, after I'd remember my security question answer ahaha, for Facebook, which admittedly took a while. Then Emmanuel took me on the 2 minute walk to the volunteer house where I would be staying. We had to wait 2 minutes for Jwan, my roommate and fellow volunteer who had arrived a few days earlier to come and let us in!! I got given the short tour and found our room to be definitely cosy. Jwan and I had been in contact over Facebook for a few months, and it was so nice to meet her! She is from Sweden:) really couldn't of asked for a better person to be here at the same time. We also have charlotte, a German girl who has been here for 10 months, living with us, and it has been so nice having someone around who knows exactly what they are doing and how everything works!!
Okay this is all for now. Hope you have enjoyed reading this, if you've made it to the end, lots and lots of love!!!
Xoxoxox
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