Katsup

Katsup time! Get it? Katsup=catch up, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

I do not know where to start. Sorry that I haven't written for awhile, I have just gotten so caught up in my life here. I don't even write in my journal anymore, it just feels like I'm constantly doing something, and some ways it feels likes sitting down and writing it all after it happens is tedious, and somehow takes away from everything I've been doing here.

Anyways, my month of research was really really great. I cannot believe how quickly the time passed, and while I think my final essay sucks, I think my research was good! I can't remember if I explained this but I ended up studying urban agriculture and urban development in Dschang. I looked at why people farm in the city, what they farm and how, what are their biggest obstacles, and how urban agriculture in general changed after the economic crisis of 1986. I also worked with city administration to figure out if there is a plan for urban development (there has NEVER been one, there is only one in the works now, but Dschang is already a city of around 65,000 people), and what they think a developed city should look like, and if agriculture has a place in the city. I could go on forever about this. I still can't really figure out why plants and development interest me so much, but I'll just run with it I guess. If you're interested I'll show y'all my project when I get back, but like I said, the research is much better than the final product. I am still really proud of it though. I just spent a month doing field research (for the first time!) in a culture that I only kind of understand, in a language that I can only really stumble through. Not to mention lots of my informants didn't actually speak much french or english, but yemba (local language) or pidgin. I did 26 formal and informal interviews (I HATE transcribing interviews), 29 surveys, and a lot of participant observation.

I also really loved living in Dschang. I had places where I would always hang out, and friends and family. I love my host family in Yaoundé too, but I would be lieing if I said that I like this city. I just think in general that people in big cities are less friendly, and Yaoundé is ENORMOUS. Also, I don't have my hangout spots here, and my only Cameroonian friends are the students in my program and host siblings of my American friends. I just feel like it's harder to meet people here, because we're stuck in Bastos and Golf and Tsinga, the fancy neighborhoods with the rich foreigners and foreign embassies. If we were next to the University things would probably be different. Dschang is a University town (an agricultural university town at that), and I lived pretty close to the school. I met so many people and made friends who will actually miss me there. Even the guy the owns the boutique next to my house and the people who always hang out there! But Yaoundé is just so big.
I felt very close to my family too. Saying bye was hard. Actually, I kind of hate long drawn out farewells, so it wasn't that hard, but I was sad to leave.

Since I've been back in Yaoundé...first I finished up some things with my 47 page paper, and then all the students presented. I was SO impressed with the work everyone did, although it did suck spending two days listening to all at once. OH my god, I forgot to mention that Yaoundé is disgustingly hot, whereas Dschang is perfect. The city is in the mountains, and I was even cold sometimes when it rained.

I feel like I haven't talked much about the other students in this program, and how much I love them. Somehow, our group just gets along so well. There are not cliques, and I feel like no one is ever left out. I am really sad to leave them aswell, knowing that we're all scattered throughout the country. It's nice though, knowing that I have good friends all of the east coast, and the mid-west.

After we finished presenting, we started drinking, and I know I shouldn't admit this because I think it's mainly my grandparents who read this blog, but I am only being honest! Really though, one night I went out with a couple American friends and their host siblings (who are now my friends!) until 3 am, which is actually early in Cameroonian standards. Then the next night was the big homestay family party, which meant free wine and beer with my parents, and lots of dancing with my 14 year old sister(aka my best friend). Then was the last "student night", a night when the staff members and any student who wants stays at the office where we have classes until 9 or 10 and then get driven home. That was sooooo fun. Everyone stayed for the last one, and I did paper plate awards for everyone. My friend Abi helped a lot, and we both made everyone sit down and presented the awards. I did it with a cup of boxed wine in my hand. We even did awards for all the staff members. I should note that the staff members are also some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. They are all Cameroonian which helps enormously, and they are also all sooooo incredibly nice and fun and comforting and just all around awesome.
Then last night I went out again, and got pickpocketed. Sweet. I only had my phone in my pocket though, all my expensive stuff was in my bag which was closed and carried in front of me at all times. I would like to explain the aggressive beast I have become too. Actually, it is the men who are aggressive beasts, and I am just way past trying to be polite or patient. First, I would say things like, "I have a boyfriend and I love him very much," which obviously did not work. Then I tried things like, "I have a husband and he's huge and jealous" which also did not work. Then I tried, "Leave me alone, I do not want to dance with you," equally as ineffective. I have discovered that the best technique is a swift jab in the ribs or chest with my elbow, a shove, or ever a nice firm slap across the face, combined with screaming obsenities in both french and english. I love dancing, but I HATE that as soon as I start dancing I get swarmed by aggressive men who look at me as either 1. a sack of money (I'm american), or 2. a baby making machine (I'm a woman). I can't believe that I scream and hit people when I go out. I have never done that before. I worry that I'll go back to the US-where men are scared and sensitive-and be just as firm...
The awards for best removal of a gross guy goes to my friend Shireen though. We were at a Law Majors university party in Dschang, and she pushed a guy away who would not leave her alone. When he was falling away he kind of stumbled and turned, and then she kicked him in the butt.

I cannot believe that I leave tomorrow. I am so conflicted. I am soooo so so so sad, but also so excited. All I can really say is that I know someday I will come back.