A classic Cameroonian commercial, promoting spice/bouillon cubes, has a woman discussing all of the different cubes and what they are used for. The best line? She says that women should use the Maggi cubes in their cooking because it will keep men from cheating on them. I was flabbergasted...no words.

From a survey in a local teen magazine:

Should girls do more domestic work than boys?

18 year old girl
“Girls are of the weaker sex and need to be at home doing more domestic work. Boys should be out of the house doing the harder jobs that bring in income. In addition, this will give them the opportunity to become responsible men who can take care of their family in the future. As far as our African culture is concerned, if a man stays in the house doing domestic work, no woman will come to marry him. But a woman doing more domestic work is sure to find a husband at any time. We need to understand this fact and live with it.”

18 year old girl
“Girls should do more domestic work than boys because it prepares them to face the future better. They are to be mothers or better still, housewives. So if they don’t start practicing how to run a home now, they will never make good homes. Most guys will prefer girls who can take good care of the house by doing the domestic work and preparing delicious meals at every time. So it is better for girls to be at home and learn by doing before it becomes too late.”

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For over a month now, the cyber cafe that is just across the (large) street has been closed for some kind of problem. My second choice for internet cafes has been closed since I got back in June. So I have been going to the one that is a bit farther away, but still under a 10 minute walk. No matter how hard I have tried to me friendly with the people that I pass, I still get a RIDICULOUS amount of comments and taunting. I am used to this kind of thing, obviously, because it happens all the time. However, in the area I live, most people know me and I usually get very little of that. It’s something I expect and deal with more when I am downtown. At first it meant that I just severely cut down on the amount I went to the cyber cafe. Finally, I just started taking a taxi because it got really bad. I had way too many men following me and harassing me. So, the first time I took a taxi instead of walking, what happened? I got in, and the taxi driver started harassing me! He was made because I only offered to pay 100 francs (20 cents). The official tariff for regular distance is 200 francs, but for short distances, you can negotiate a bit, which is what I did. I was irritated—he’s not obligated to accept, but once he says he will take me at the proposed rate, there is no reason for him to be like that.

Last Sunday, Ben made plans to go to Mount Febe with Isabel and her kids to walk around the path there, so I joined them. Afterwards, we stopped by the house of one of her friends who is also in the association for women married to Cameroonian men. I had the best time—there were kids running all over the place, and I sat and discussed with everyone and just had so much fun. It made me really sad though to be meeting people right before I have to leave.

I am 90% certain that I will leave Cameroon on November 11, so I will be stateside on the 12th. I have been starting preparations and letting people know that I will be going. It’s heartbreaking...I have a good cry about it everyday, but I know that ultimately it is for the best. Things here are really starting to get to me. Things that I used to find funny and quirky no longer seem so. I think it is because I feel like I am here with no purpose. I wouldn’t mind not having running water if I actually had a reason to be here, but I don’t, and I am just tired of it. So that’s the big news. I have no idea what I will do when I get back. I am looking at moving to DC, but it is so expensive. So we’ll see what happens.


Shocking statistic of the week: 67% of Ugandan adolescents are parents, compared to 7% of French adolescents.