Jess does da ‘Roon

Forgive the pun, but every Christmas in Africa’s a white one for me… just without snow. 

I just walked into the internet joint and next door they’re playing fantastic hits such as “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” and “I saw mommy kissing santa claus”.  I’m shocked. Lately my neighbor’s been playing this famous Nigerian gospel singer and talking back to this CD she’s heard a gazillion times.  The singer talks on the track, ranting about how people are “enemies of progress” and are jealous, and there’s some long spiel about her getting a pregnancy test… I don’t know. But anyway, my neighbor is sitting there sewing on her foot-pedal machine, just preaching back at the CD, “Hmm-mmm that’s right. Jealous fools. That jealousy will hold you down! Amen!” I’m glad that peaceful Christmas music might be replacing it soon…

Today’s sunny for the first time in a few days and I’m wearing an above-the-knee dress, which makes me feel like one of those women in the shampoo commercials who walk around with their silky hair, long legs, and high heels (I’ve got nappy hair, unshaved legs, and sandals… but the feeling is still there).

I’ve had the opportunity recently to host visitors in Buea, some of which hadn’t been to Cameroon before or hadn’t seen much of the southern part of the country.  This means that I got to see Buea for the first time, again. I hope that everyone gets to have their home refreshed like this; I forgot how exciting it is to see the mountain when it’s been cloudy for days, I forgot how crazy it is to buy meet off the side of the highway from a guy with scars on his face and chat with him in French, I forgot the beauty of the technique of bucket bathing. It’s amazing and sometimes I take it for granted.  I remember earlier in 2008, I was walking with a Cameroonian friend when I saw one of the huge lizards here. Now, I love lizards, and that’s just me. But they’re cool, in spite of that. They’re big and brightly colored.  When I commented on it, my friend said, “We’re used to them here.” And I answered with determination, “Yes but just because you’ve got something beautiful around you all the time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t notice it!” How easy it is to do though.

I’m trying to figure out how I’ve changed since I’ve come to Cameroon.  Partly because I’m at the halfway point (I’ll quit saying that really soon, I promise) and also because my mom’s coming and hasn’t seen me in over a year. I think in a lot more of my pictures I look “severe” (as mom describes it… one might also say “badass”) … but this is also because a lot of times I’m taking pictures to convey my sense of displeasure at walking in monsoon rains or breaking glass vials on my hands.  I’m not sure if my body’s changed, thanks to the relief of body image pressure here. I’m certainly not any tanner, thank the high heavens. But am I more skeptical? Mean? I think so. I react like a Cameroonian when children are playing with the gate to my porch. I holler out, “Weh! Na who di play wit dat gate?” with a deep and angry voice – picture me doing it in my crazy PJ pants with my mussed up dreads and it’s really frightening. I’m more guarded, especially with men. But my laugh is more “me” now – I laugh loud and full.

My supervisor just got back from the States.  Now, she’s a quick lady.  She’s very perceptive and sort of handles a room like a bull in a china cabinet. I think the States floored her a bit.  Her first reaction to DC was, “White people are crazy!” – I think because everyone was running around and moving so fast all the time. She seems to understand why Americans don’t ever appear respectful in Cameroon – since it’s respectful at times for us to just call people by their first names to create equality between people. She said San Fran was beautiful, and I’m hoping to go someday.  The point of her tour was to share policy ideas on the US Embassy’s approach to HIV/AIDS in Africa. I’m glad she’s back, but I’m waiting for her to come back to the office for the storm of work to rain down. The office doesn’t function very well without her, much to her disappointment. While the cat’s away…