Kribi and Infield in Nairobi, Kenya

On the 26th of December we went with the train to Yaoundé, starting the long trip to Kribi in the south of Cameroon. When we arrived in Yaoundé we hopped on a bus that would take us the remaining four hour drive to Kribi where we were staying for the end of the Christmas holidays together with the Bischler family and the Aasen family.

Runar on the train

Team picture in the sunset

The first days went by with hanging on the beautiful beach, while sunbathing, playing cards and eating delicious meals that was on the menu at the restaurant and bar of the hotel Ilomba.
The missionaries that had been there before had talked about a waterfall not too far away from the hotel and recommended us to go and check it out. So because the others were too busy being sick or too lazy, me and Kristian went to check it out, and it was beautiful! We decided that the others had to come and see it for themselves too. Therefore on the next day we went over to the waterfall again and even did as the locals did, bathed in the river!

The waterfall we were bathing in

The gang bathing in the river

The stream was strong and you had to hold on to the rocks in the bottom so you wouldn't go down the waterfall. We even jumped in from some rocks above the river! We had seen the locals do it and decided that we wanted to try it out too. So after asking a local guy to show me where to jump, I was the first out into the water. It went perfectly, but the boys were not as lucky. Kristian had a visitor from Norway that arrived the same day and he managed to jump straight on to a rock that was just under the water. And the day after that Runar managed to do the same mistake. But that did not stop him, he talked with the locals too and jumped from a higher cliff beside the waterfall! We were all lucky and got safely back.

New Year's eve

New years eve was spent together with the one-year-volunteers of NMS while babysitting the children of the missionary families  while they were at a barbeque at the beach.
We ate a really good pizza and played cards in the suite before twelve. At twelve there were maybe two or three fireworks, but unfortunately we did not see them, but I had a very good time with the others at the bar by the beach, eating banasplit and playing cards and enjoying a pineapple cocktail before we went up to the rooms at the catholic hostel we were staying at.

On the second of January we travelled back to Yaoundé where we spent a night before me and Sara-J. went to the airport at five in the morning. The aeroplane was (of course) a bit late so we were the last to arrive at the Mission Station in Nairobi for the Infield course with Hald.
It was really good to see the students and teachers again. All the Hald-students in Africa were there so we were a great bunch of people. The first two days were filled with bible classes, and other lessons.They were mostly about information work and what we had done so far and what we wanted to do the remaining period in the countries we are working in.
On January 5th we went on a field trip to the Matareslum and to a school by the slum where some of the Hald students were working. We were introduced to a program for the youth in the slum and were also invited into the homes of some of the youth that lived there.

The Matareslum in Nairobi

The day after we went on Safari, and saw allot of different animals, I have never been on Safari before so this was exiting for me!
But after mostly seeing antelopes all the time the group were tired and some actually slept! But we drove around looking for the lions, and after about four hours the cats were spotted. Lying underneath a bush in the cold there were three lions. I did not manage to take a good photo of this as my camera lived its own life on this trip, and did not want to be turned on...
Infield was finished on the Sunday but we had one more day to spend in Kenya, so together with the girls that are staying on Madagascar we went shopping in the big malls and went to a cinema and watched Sherlock Holmes 2!
The malls were huge! And we almost got a opposite-culture-shock when we went into some of them!
The cinema was big too, and the film was great, but in the middle we were reminded that we were still in Africa as the power went out and we had to wait until they started the poweragrigator.
After a really nice last evening we went back to the hotel and packed the last of our things and said goodbye to the others that were staying for a few more days.

Safari with Hald

This cheeky bugger got into many cars and stole food!

Waking up at four o'clock to get to the airport on the 10th was hard, and it was even worse when we ended up waiting for the plane for several hours. But after about four hours the airport staff apologised and gave us free beverages at the coffee bar outside of the check in. Sara-Jeanette and I played cards and had a chat with a  guy from South Africa while we were waiting. After approximately 9 hours at the airport we were finally on our way back home to Cameroon!

It was really good being back when we finally got to Ngaoundéré the following day, after being away for two weeks! We had missed the people, the language and the red earth that we have here in Cameroon when we were out travelling.

Johanne Teresie

Christmas in Cameroon

21^st December: We went to Mount Ngaoundéré, it took us as much as maybe fifteen minutes to walk up the small hill and the view was really nice! We took some cool pictures and had a nice time up there with some friends. 

View over Ngaoundéré

Mount Ngaoundéré

 

Slingshots - always handy

Chillin' on the top with the boys

 

Just before we were going down, Sara-Jeanette managed to fall from a big rock and scare a snake which was lurking around our feet without us noticing it! In anticipation to be able to shoot at a snake with the cool slingshots that the boys had brought with them, we hadn’t noticed it before this. But unfortunately the snake had vanished before anybody could get a nice aim at it. But satisfied with the sight and not so satisfied by the hurting hand Sara-Jeanette, me and the others made our way back down safely to the car.

 

22^nd December: The day started with spending some time at the pool and in the afternoon we went to the Norwegian School to join a Christmas porridge dinner together with all the workers at the Station. There we got traditional Norwegian rice porridge with cinnamon sugar and butter. It was really good! The Bischler boys performed a little song for us and Erik had a speech before he said that all of the workers would get ¼ of a goat each for Christmas! So right about then someone brought ten goats with ribbons and names of the owners around their neck, over to the school and tied them in the trees. Erik instructed that the goats were to be slaughtered before the 24^th so that it would be ready for the feast on the 25^th for all the households. All the workers were really exited to see them and they couldn’t stop rejoicing and thanking God for the gift.

23^rd December: We were invited to lunch at the Norwegian School where we were gathered together with the other Norwegians who had come to spend Christmas here some days before. We got allot of good Norwegian food and cakes, and we enjoyed the company with the others very much. The Music club had a concert for us outside and collected money for the work in the Sunday Schools in the church. A very nice performance!

The red bowl was overflowing with money!

After the lunch we went together with the boys to the market for some last minute Christmas shopping. Which included Kristian buying two chickens which were very much alive (!) to one of our friends here for Christmas. This then led to some screaming and laughing in the car on the way back home.
Sara-Jeanette and I had decided to make some marzipan for Christmas and as it was the evening before Christmas Eve we had to make it then if we were going to make it before the big day. Runar also joined in for a bit as mental support and with Christmas songs on the loudspeakers we had a really nice evening! In other words the evening lived up to the traditions with my family in Norway. 

Moise with the two chicks

Me and our mental support = Runar

The Marzipan, yum,yum!

24^th December: The big day started with watching “Tre nøtter til Askepott” together with Runar and Kristian with lots of sweets and sodas. Later we helped out with arranging chairs out at the back of the Norwegian School for the sermon which was held by one of the Norwegians that were here at the station for Christmas. With really nice weather, Norwegian songs and a nice sermon made it all remind of how the first Christmas might have been.
After the sermon we were invited to the Bischler house together with the one-year-volunteers, the Aasen family, Jan Martin and Oda Hurum. We had a really nice Christmas dinner with “pinnekjøtt” which made us all feel the Christmas spirit even a bit more than what we had earlier.
The evening passed with eager kids who wanted to open presents, nice conversations and a really enjoyable company of people.
I also had a short conversation with the family back in Vanse too before they all went to sleep.

The four of us, f.l. Runar, Sara-Jeanette, me and Kristian

 












A bit strange not being home for Christmas this year, but I can honestly say with a hand on my heart that I wouldn’t have it any other way this year. There will be many other Christmases at home, but never another Christmas here in Ngaoundéré as a Hald student so I enjoyed it while I could!

 Merry Christmas!
Johanne Teresie

December in all its glory! Without snow this year... but with a great birthday!

So it’s been a while since my last post because so much has been going on. And as I said in the end last time, I had an essay to write for Hald. I managed to finish it on time for Saturday the 10^th and celebrated it by having a performance on the Christmas show at College Protestant the same evening.

The Christmas Show at College

It was so great! We performed the drama piece for the song Everything by Lifehouse, and it went really great! And I loved being on stage again. I really miss my lessons from last year now, and I’m definitely not giving up on acting. So I wonder what I'm going to do next year when I'm back in Norway...!

 I have otherwise been occupied by work at the orphanage and at Centre Socio Ménager. I have had vocabulary tests and read A Christmas Carol and afterwords sang some Christmas songs with the kids at Rainbow orphanage. The kids there are really joyful and always come running towards the car when we come and when we are leaving, it's fun to work there!

My favourite film!

For those of you who do not know it, my birthday is in December, and as I turned 20 this year it could not go by unnoticed. Or at least I didn't want it to. So last weekend was fabulous! It started great at Friday evening when we had a second movie night, with sweet and salty popcorn, makkala and lots of soda. And for once Kristian managed to make a successful and good tasting chocolate pudding! Yummy!
You see usually it's not so puddingy and more cocoaish and not stiff at all, so some things went more right than wrong this weekend!


That was not the only thing that went alright when it comes to cooking, Sara-Jeanette and I made taco for supper which we were sharing together with Sandra, Helene and Delphine. We had a wonderful evening with good talks about so many interesting things, we watched my favourite film, "The Holiday" on big screen in our little, cold, but cosy living room with good sound and a really good cake that our housekeeper made for me! It was a really brilliant evening! 


On the actual day of my 20th birthday (the 18th of December) we were going to sing with Gospel Singers at a Christmas concert for the orphans in Ngaoundéré. And I had been given the task to sing a duet together with one of the African boys to a Norwegian Christmas song. It was so much fun! And we had arranged it so that all the members in the choir had brought a little gift which was given to the small orphans who were there and listened to us "singing the Christmas time in" as we sang "En stjerne skinner i natt" - "... nå ringes julen inn." Which also is my favourite Christmas song!

Singing "En stjerne skinner i natt" with Gospel Singers

So why on earth would we sing a Norwegian Christmas song in an African choir you may be sitting there and asking your self. Well I will tell you. In this particular choir there is a tradition that consists of the members teaching each other songs in their native languages, and then performing them on the different concerts they have. This is natural as there is around 220 languages here in Cameroon! So last year the Norwegians who were here teached then "Englene" as they call the song as that is the first word in the refrain.

After the concert we were supposed to have a Christmas party with the choir, but everyone were too tired so it was postponed to the following evening instead.
We had little to do that day too so most of the morning was spent either in bed or on a sunbed by the pool together with a good book or some music in the ear. When the clock was close to turning 18 o'clock we got ready to go over to Erik Sandvik, or "Grandpère" as they call him here, where the party was being held.

"Grandpère" giving a speech at the Christmas party with G.S.

Thinking we were a bit late (18:15) we felt a bit bad, but as we turned the corner of his house and looked into his garden there wasn't a soul to be seen. Just a bunch of empty chairs and a bit annoyed choir leader frantically trying to call the members who did not show up on time.
We sat there and waited for half an hour. But still no one was there but us Norwegians and the leader. So therefore SJ and I went back to our house to warm up the pizza we were bringing to the shared meal later. When we returned it was almost eight o'clock and most of the seats were taken now, but there was still coming new arrivals for at least an hour after us. 
The members in the choir are really a good example of the "classic" "African-time phenomenon"! And the leaders point it out on every single practise we have, but still no change.
The evening went by with a lot of singing, dancing, eating and some words from the Bible too. After some time outside in the cold, we went inside and we watched the film called "Facing The Giants". A really good and inspirational Christian film. While everyone payed attention to the film some of the leaders went around and collected and handed out gifts to everyone. We had brought one gift each which was given to an other member in the choir, a really nice tradition they have each Christmas. I have no idea who got my gift or who gave me the one I got. But I was really glad when I opened mine and it had a nice ring inside which actually fitted my small fingers. So nice to see how a small gesture like this can make so many smile a bit more.


Thank you all for a really wonderful birthday weekend, and for making it a memorable one too! Now I'm ready for the Christmas spirit and joy to fill me!


Johanne Teresie

Sunny days, cold nights and bonfires with friends

The new Cameroonian dress

Some weeks ago we finally got our Cameroonian dresses back from the tailor. It was fun and we had to try them on right away! My dress fitted pretty much perfectly, it had some minor faults here and there, but it still looks great and I am able to wear it so I am not complaining. :)

I wore it to work at Centre Socio and got a comment from one of the other teachers that I was actually wearing a dress (because of the fabric) that they had as formal uniforms for the grads some years back! That was quite fun to hear, and they showed me some pictures of them too and they were all in different shapes and sizes so I would have fitted right in to the pictures together with them.

I also bought a pair of trousers at Petit Marché and they are awesome :)

The choir dress

Last Sunday we went to a church some km outside of town with the Gospel Singers and I sang together with them. They handed out some African clothes that we had to wear so that we could have some similar uniforms for the performance. They celebrated Thanksgiving there too that day so the service lasted for several more hours than usual so after five hours we were finally finished. It was great fun though!
After the sermon the whole choir was invited to eat at a nearby house.
Us Norwegians got a plate with some food and a fork to eat it with, while the others ate together from big serving plates, some with their hands and some with spoons and forks.
Nice to talk and hang out with them a bit more than just singing.

Kristian and Erling in their choir outfit

Wednesday last week we went grilling down by the pool together with all the other Norwegians here and the Ethiopian missionaries. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and enjoyed each others company. After eating we moved over to sit around the fire in the hearth in the corner of the brick wall around the pool area.
The Bischler boys played Tick,Tack,Toe in the dark, I sat and watched them play and Aron came and sat in my lap. They are really sweet and funny boys. Later on we sang songs and talked for a while.

Sleepyheads..

On Friday we had Taco for supper. It was so good! I had brought some taco spices from Norway, and I am really glad I did, because we had a great time making it! And of course eating it too! The boys were really impatient so no pics from this but we had a great evening. We ate and watched two films afterwords, or at least Runar and me watched the films while the other two slept in their chairs...

The hilltop we went to

Saturday we went on a hike up to a nearby hilltop, or for some it might be a mountain.. We were invited by two friends to join them on this hike for their birthday. So we walked for about an hour to get to the top and were there for several hours. We spent the day with singing, playing cards, taking pictures of the amazing view and us, so we had a really good time up there! The view was fantastic! And I felt like I have finally seen a bit more of Africa. As we usually don't see much more than the town and the station here. So I will definitely try to go on more hikes like that when I'm here.

The beautiful view from the top

This last week I have been a bit sick, so I wasn't at work on Monday, and hadn't got the chance to start properly on my essay for Hald yet, but the flu is not that bad anymore so I am going to start interviewing people for the paper soon so that I can get it finished for the 10th of December.


Johanne Teresie

Thanksgiving in the Church and Gospel Singers

On the 29th of October the choir Gospel Singers had a concert in one of the churches in town. They are so good! Erling, Kristian, Sara-Jeanette and I were assigned to be cameramen or just to be there as audience. (There is a tradition that just some of the youths joining the choir sing at the different concerts they have.)

Gospel Singers at the concert at the Bethlehem Church

Next Sunday we are going to sing together with them in another church, and I am really excited!
A friend from the choir came to teach Sara-Jeanette and me to sing the songs correctly, and to dance the dances they have for the different songs. I am looking forward to sing with them. I'm not sure how well the dancing will turn out to be, but it's going to be fun, even though I will look totally ridiculous beside the Cameroonians!

Synchronised dancing and singing

And here.. I am doomed do be terrible at this..

Last Sunday was a special day at the Millennium Church here in Ngaoundéré. We had a Thanksgiving sermon (Høsttakkefest). This is a big and important event in the churches here in Cameroon. And more than half of the annual income in the church is collected during this event! 

Different groups enter the church while dancing and presenting the amount of money they have collected for several weeks.
Many Cameroonians save half of their salary for months and give this to the church! That is an enormous amount of money for someone who already has so little to get by on. Think about how it would be to have six or ten children who you have to provide for; with food, medicines and school and even then give away as much as half of what you earn for months!
The fact that we have so much and give so little in Norway (and other places in the western part of the world) is astonishing. We really have something to learn from the generous and joyful people here in Cameroon!

The children giving their thanks

Fammes Pour Christ, the women organisation in the church here, is the group which gives the highest amount of money to the church at these events. Other groups are for example the College Protestant and other schools that are connected to EELC (the Evangelical-Lutheran Church here in Cameroon). 
The gifts were given to the pastor, on nice plates with flower decorations on them in all kinds of colours. The children from the schools also came in bringing flowers that they handed to the pastor. This was a really fun experience and everybody was so joyful, singing and clapping!

The missionaries are in a group for themselves at the Thanksgiving event, and the other Norwegians at the station were included in this group. And because we were in a group, we were as well obliged to enter the church while dancing (!). This was much to the amusement for the Cameroonians I would expect... as none of us are as good as they are at dancing to the rhythm. But we tried at least! 

Gospel Singers entering the church

Gospel Singers were also a group that joined in with giving thanks to God for all the good he has done. And we got a chance to sing with them too! It was fun and we danced in like all the other groups. 
Runar filmed and took some nice pictures with my camera :) Thank you Runar :)




"When we can thank God for the food we have gotten, we need to think of those who do not have it as good as we do. When we receive Gods gifts we also receive the responsibility for other people's lives."

Johanne Teresie

Our first day at Centre Socio Ménager

Friday was our first day at Centre Socio Ménager. It was fun, but very difficult as we did not know how to say everything we wanted to say in French. 

A classroom in College Protestant

The first year students did not know how to speak English and we had difficulties with speaking French so it took some time before we made ourselves understood. We tried to see if they could present themselves in English and in French. Some did it perfectly others were struggling a bit more. I felt like I was in the same situation as them, just vice versa.

But after some time when all the twenty students had presented themselves we said that we wanted to play some games. We moved all the chairs and tables away and stood in a circle (at least for a little while...). We tried to play a name game where we have to make a movement together with our name and repeat it for every person who was before us in the circle. This was almost impossible as they did not understand what we wanted to do and they did not know each others names! They had been in the same class for one and a half month and they knew maybe two or three names tops. So we moved on to some other name game after starting from scratch several times.

After the games we sang “Head and shoulders, knees and toes” with them. That was quite fun! Sara-Jeanette told them to try to “Oublier” (which means to forget) what we had done that day, when she meant to say that they had to try to “Rappeler” (remember), we had a good laugh about that when we finaly were finished! I probably had more faults when I tried to speak French...anyway it was fun!

But for our first time in the class teaching English in French, I would say it went all right! It will be fun to return and get to know the second and third year students too on Wednesday!


Johanne Teresie