our man in cameroon

The phrase “coping strategies” is a VSO staple.

I’ve heard it a lot over the last couple of weeks. From the volunteer who is trying to deal with a house that is falling down around him, another struggling and isolated out in the sticks, another whose NGO is disintegrating just as she arrived, another whose house is so far out of town that she can’t stay out much later than early evening and visitors are unlikely.

To put it another way “coping strategies” means “what’s going to cheer me up?” or “What do I need to make this work?”

To some it’s investing more of their VSO allowance in phone calls home. For others it’s a night out, a new hobby or whatever.

For me, well I am fixating on that new house.

To recap, we’re staying at the Clinic “guest house” which isn’t half bad. Truth be told we’re better off than the aforementioned.

It’s okay. But, my fellow COPAAP volunteer and I saw those new houses that we’re due to move into and they’re great. Huge too.

Now the guest house was going to be for just a couple of days. That stretched to a week. Then one more week. Then one more week. Then one more week.

You get the idea.

We started to bristle a bit and I raised it in our weekly meeting. The guesthouse is fine but could they give us some kind of timetable for the new places?

The problem is the electrics which are still not connected. In response to my promptings I was dragged around the contractors and the electric company. The contractors shifted the blame. The (US-owned) electric company said they didn’t have the parts to give to the contractors.

Strangely, American-owned they may be, but business was done in French. Living in Anglophone Cameroon you soon associate officialdom with French. Cue lots of big gestures, shrugging and eyes to heaven.

The upshot – they can start as soon as the parts arrive. When will they arrive? They don’t really know.

Also I now realise, rather shamefully,  that the people here at COPAAP are doing all they can to sort this. They want us to be settled just as much as we do.

To get back to coping strategies.  That’s what I see my house as.

Because we’re blessed with space and spare bedrooms I want to make it a hangout.

Those isolated people can visit town and stay. Those who can’t find taxis at night can crash too. Those foam mattresses that are for sale here – I’ll get a stack of them. Push them up against the wall and they can be my sofas too.

Get some suitably African material to throw over the top and it might even look quite cool. Student chic with a Cameroonian twist.

Ha.  Look at me – I’m interior decorating.

I am here for two years so I am going to invest in what I need. Top of the list is a decent bed and cable TV so I can watch English football.

And I have already ordered a hot shower for those cold mornings.

Then the list gets a bit a silly.  An oven?  So we can make pizza?  Well, maybe.

And just fixing up the place will be enough to keep me occupied physically and mentally.

While Hanoi was love at first site, Bamenda is different although I am starting to relax. I think this has been my best and happiest weekend.

The things that cheered me up?  A new DVD shop in town with DVDs that actually work.  A new internet provider at work that enables you to download podcasts and music.  I found shoes.  New sheets for my bed.  I even found what I believe to be Bamenda’s best breakfast. (Pancakes (only slightly ruined by a vague fishy taste), honey, fresh pineapple, proper coffee).

Little things really do mean a lot.

I’m told that three or four months is the point where it all starts to become easier.

In the meantime, just one more week and I’m in my new house.

Possibly.

* Update Just been told – two more weeks at least before we move in.

* Pic is another Photoshop Elements panoramic effort – this time of the view from the Clinic guest house. The new houses are just about in the middle of that green directly ahead.  You want it 5,000 pixel large, don’t you?  Go on, fill yer boots. Here you go.