Monday, July 13, 2009

Moon Face From Entocort



6 months ... Already the first ¼ of my two years in Cameroon. Time goes by so fast! Two earlier articles I did a little review of my first 3 months. Here I am 6 and I can not see the time passing. The days are fulfilled, the weeks and weekends are linked together without interruption. And at the same time as the days go by the IST-AC, the battery of good resolutions keeps growing: feed the blog, answer emails (I do not speak to write spontaneous!) , write articles for Talent (church paper Talence) or Volunteer in Church (journal of the ACS), write my diary, tourism data store (good plans, prices, ...), etc ... And where are they these famous writings? Well exactly, they are unfortunately often at the planning stage. As time passes, the more the list is expanding and finally, I find myself stressed and under time pressure (which is anyway a peak in Africa!), Not knowing where to go about it. Tonight I finally found the courage to tackle cooperencontres: 3 months of radio silence to fill!

July: the end of the school year approaches, summer arrives. Summer or rather the rainy season! It rains almost every day, fortunately not all day, but when the water falls, woe to him who is outside without an umbrella (5 seconds is enough!). During rain, it's a kind of low hum that fills the city with tin roofs, while the sewer can not swallow the flood, leaving some flooded areas. But the rain did not all bad: the temperature drops and the climate becomes more bearable in Douala. In the west (Dschang and Fontem example), it is even too much: the temperature can reach almost 10 ° C. So we are left with aberrations: Emily (Dschang) simply find the heat of Douala!

A VBI-AC at school or in college, the year ends. In early June, was the last defenses of the year: Project Engineer Pre (≈ EFP or EFT) for each Industrial Mission for others. A week of jury: interesting, but ripping! Next week, editing reports and chasing stragglers. Since the MI is completed, I can devote myself fully to the other two tasks: collecting payments from businesses and of course the search for contracts for September. Of euphoric phase when contacts fall in all phases of stress only when the slopes safe to 95% do not always conclude with a signature, the life of techno-commercial is very emotional!
end of the school year and 6 months to STI-AC: This is the time for evaluation. I finished the first of my 4 cycles (2 * 2-year periods of MI per year) and I became the sole master of industrial missions: Nicolas my contacts are reduced now to inform the progress of my work and very occasionally to ask advice for more complex cases.
Unfortunately, I do not always fully blossom in my work. This is certainly the fault of the commercial side: the unsuccessful calls, appointments which are expected for 2 hours, and interspersed repetitive work. It is also the obligation of result (get contracts for September 10) without control parameters: technical design, skills and work can still achieve his ends, in trade relations, we might be good (which is not my case!) and persevering, the decision is always the client. At the technical level, work is also limited: once the agreements signed, I'm that any further study: it is the students who carry it out. I found this as a foreman at Compiegne, and I find it here: I'm definitely a technician. Management and trade: why not, but enough is enough!
Locked in my office, very much in contact with companies, I sometimes feel disconnected from the life of the school and students to have a little my mission in my corner. Contact with students as part of MI exist, but are looser than those qu'entretient a teacher. In this period, especially with 2 students on my team MI _dont I am particularly proud, given how they have been praised by entreprise_ I have had exchanges. With others, I have often had only minor contacts, "Good evening. How is it? And MI? . And with students from other promotions is even worse (MIs only concern last year) ... On this side the "wrongs" are divided: My position does not always leads me to have extensive contacts, but also to me to force the discussion with the students to remember their names, to try to understand (It should not be too hard: I'm still a student at heart!).
work in privileged background yet I also difficult to live: to make sense of his mission. There is so much easier to work in disadvantaged areas (for me, the orphanage): one feels directly useful, it was an immediate return of the work we do. But an engineer he uses his full powers, is it really useful in a work that is not his? The mission to the IST-CA is perhaps less rewarding, but that's where they expect me mostly is that I can make maximum use of the skills I acquired during my studies. At the orphanage, I give what I can with the little knowledge I have in the field of education. I give a little time, a little joy, a little attention, a little love. And I get a lot: the joy of children dressed the sorrowful heart and persuades it has its place. In the IST-CA is different: it's a bit everyone to have the conviction that his work is useful. But when a student (even if there has been only) thank you for the position you have had in training, it's worth a hundred Smiling children and gives it the conviction that "yes" what we do is useful.
With my 6 months are coming rounds of interviews: with Nicolas (future director of the IST-CA Douala!), With Alain (today) and with Jean-Gabriel (director of the IST-CA Pointe Black and IST-AC overall). It allowed me to highlight some of the reflections mentioned above and then consider small changes for next year. No great revolution not over: I will remain responsible for my IM but I can have some sideline. Organize a showcase for sustainable development, work on a topic technique with a laboratory, or get involved in projects of social commitment (projects with disadvantaged people who are part of the study) are some tracks that I have proposed. Not everything will be doable in my short week and I must choose. For now, my heart leans more towards PES: certainly the perspective of working in the training of engineers inspired by Christian values. But it is true that back a little to the art ... I have the summer to rethink!
the side of the orphanage, the weather is a little relaxation. One time, I essayé de plus structurer mon travail, d’arriver un peu moins « à l’arrache ». Et puis sont arrivés des étudiants de l’IST-AC en PES et qui m’ont un peu perturbé dans mon emploi du temps. Depuis je viens de nouveau sans avoir trop rien préparé et je me laisse porter par les évènements : discuter avec les mamans, les gardiens ou les jeunes de l’atelier de couture, accompagner les enfants à la bibliothèque, proposer un « chef d’orchestre », un « petit bac » ou un « jungle speed ». Mon travail est certainement moins structuré, moins professionnel, mais j’y gagne la liberté de parler avec l’un ou l’autre and know the Cameroon a little deeper.
Last week, I met Dorothy and Agatha, 2 French who are the two months through a combination of education. The discussions we had were really interesting. From their week with the kids, they have more time to know them individually to see their potential and help them realize their projects. From there I returned these guides pedagogy Scout: "Do with him. Believe in him more than him. " Beautiful project! For my part, I had (very casually) started working un peu avec 2 jeunes : Virginie pour la lecture et Stéphane pour les probabilités. Tout seul pour 39 enfants et jeunes et n’étant là que le mercredi, j’aurai du mal à m’intéresser individuellement à chacun, mais j’essaierai d’apporter ma petite touche en me laissant inspirer « Croire en lui plus que lui ». Et puis, en septembre doit arriver une jeune fille qui sera là pour un an à l’orphelinat : le projet de Dorothée et Agathe pourra se continuer.

Mais la coopé, ce n’est pas seulement la mission elle-même. Ce sont aussi tous les liens créés avec les camerounais. Tout doucement, tout doucement : là aussi ça prend son time. Yet it may be easier to have a pair of "friends" in a few days, but those are interested friends. Real links take more time. At work the atmosphere is good, but the relationships do not come out yet the workplace. Yet I get along with some colleagues, it will come. Outside of school, it is Ingrid who works at Novartis and Louis-Bernard PhD in Geography. But it is also friends with several Nadège generation of DCC, Cathy and our cleaning lady whose house we were invited for lunch, the taxi driver Ibrahim, Nadège the saleswoman eggs.
The newcomer is Deido. Deido is a former football player who played in England until his injury. It was there that he became a Christian Messianic Jew (that is to say that he recognizes Jesus as the son of God and the savior of the Jewish people were expecting). He returned to the country to give birth to a community in Cameroon. Deido approached me one evening when I came home from work. It was several times that I noticed in the neighborhood and it has therefore initiated the conversation. Later we crossed several times exchanging a few words. And with the football match Morocco / Cameroon, he was indispensable de l’avoir comme commentateur. Nous l’avons donc invité à voir l’évènement dans un bar et à ma grande surprise il a rompu avec la tradition africaine en payant les consommations (en principe, celui qui propose paie sa tournée). Depuis nous nous croisons de temps en temps dans le quartier. A part le samedi où on le reconnaît facilement avec ses habits de sabbat, c’est généralement lui qui m’interpelle d’un joyeux « Benoît ! ». Nous parlons un peu, partageons des brochettes ou des plantains braisés. Les liens se tissent simplement, sans arrière pensée, juste pour le plaisir d’échanger.
Habitué à me constituer quickly a good group of friends, including using existing cathos (chaplaincy students, Scout groups), I find myself somewhat frustrated by the slowness with which established ties with Cameroon at my coop. And in the same way a little disappointed not to always get in depth and interact with them on substantive issues. Thus, during the controversy of the reintegration of fundamentalist bishops, and I found myself isolated, finding little Emmanuelle Nicolas and to discuss the subject. But finally my wishes are not they irrelevant? We are so different: culture, education, standard of living and especially state of mind. Before I left, my project generally aroused the envy or admiration. Here it may give rise to misunderstanding. Talking to a Cameroonian in a taxi, I had a hard time explaining (and even then did he believe it?) That I was not there to raise money but to fulfill a personal project in a church. But in this country where many people are still struggling to survive and dream of France, can we understand we can only give comfort and salary they would have been? And then the volunteers more advanced in their cooperation experiencing the same difficulty. Max (as we must quote him) quite rightly point out that we do not have the same language and that Cameroon will not have a discussion with anyone about football, just as We only exchange not with any French friend of our deepest convictions, religious or political. Enjoying these simple relationships, be patient.
But in Cameroon we are also fortunate to have a network and therefore DCC, paved roads helping, it is easier to visit one or the other. Meetings between Volunteers are always good times to break where you can forget a little work and discuss the problems people encounter. And this exchange is required to take: Is not it reassuring that others face and we face the same barriers? Thus
of May 20 to 24 is not a weekend, but almost a week DCC held in Pouma with Max and Julie. Relaxing weekend with matches in football or volleyball, cooking and between cooking meals and preparing bobolos or miondos (cassava sticks). But also weekend with a time of reflection on the exchange co and a meditation weekend with a time of prayer and sharing in memory of Anne-France, our project officer DCC who died in March. The period of anniversaries
was also a highlight. A card, a call, SMS, e-mail, a birthday: it was nice to feel the presence of each Cameroonian, French, friends, family for the first anniversary in Cameroon. And then there are those who come for 50 years (26 + 24) of the roommate's birthday at the weekend of June 13 Dschang of Fontem of Pouma, Douala, Cameroon and French friends: a beautiful evening "in Bonantone among We then street of joy (equivalent of Victory, Solferino, the Bouffay, etc. ..).
But the anniversary was not the only opportunity to welcome people home. Douala has so regularly criticized for frequently visited by one or the other came for some friends at the airport, running errands in town, or simply visit Cameroon. With major French holidays, now is the period of humanitarian projects and we see students spend engineers ICAM or ESTP and of course the compass and the JEM (older Scouts and Guides of France). It makes the animation, it boosts morale and it certainly raises congossas (rumors) near all that traffic come white? ...

I can not conclude this article without mentioning the travel section. Travel is the first discovery of Douala. After 6 months they have their habits and they just think everything about the economic capital. Here is the error and even though it is certainly not the most pleasant corner of Cameroon, it is worth it to go on an adventure to discover the different faces of this city in constant evolution. Tour guides lead us right to the historic district Bonanjo where you can find old buildings from the colonial era, the royal palace Bell and the monument to General Leclerc (did you know that Cameroon was the first colony to join the FFL?). By walking a bit found in major markets: the Central Market for food, the market for fabrics Congo. Douala becomes more popular. But this is only accompanied by Cameroon that we can discover the "Village" district from expanding the rural exodus. Bonantone will have seemed to some people, Bilongué has nothing to do. In this sub-district Village lanes can be called both tracks are rutted by trucks of sand, only passable for pedestrians. HYSACAM (the company responsible for waste collection) does not pass in this remote place and garbage piling up in landfills s'épandent wild in the streets during heavy rains. Life is difficult in large African cities, and even if I do not have my house Bonapriso, my 4 * 4 and my 2 million CFA francs monthly salary, I realize my condition privileged European voluntary.
When I'm not in Douala, I continue to discover this beautiful country called Cameroon. After a stint in the inevitable Kribi (white sand beaches, boats, coconut trees, the Lobe Falls) in April, May and June were the opportunity to make a few trips to the west. Two days between small and MELONG Bafang first time, the Dschang last weekend. I have found Alice and Emilie Fontem (Dschang!) For a good time disorientation, away from the excitement and heat of Douala. Relative to these two weekends, it seems that wizards are attacking transport me from my famous experiment to Limbe, I enjoyed the 5 hours of waiting before starting to MELONG (the time that the bus or loaded) or on arrival at 2.30am in Dschang after we lost in the district of Bonaberi, having waited until the end of the load at the bus station, be passed through the caps of Douala and have tested the full breakdown bush.
My article concludes with future prospects. Far, far, IST-AC, far, far, the orphanage next Friday I leave for vacation for 3 weeks. A wedding in Yaounde, then leaving for the North Cameroon, where we will find Morgan, Nancy and Anne Chad and finally return to the West: Dschang Fontem more if not tired! 3 weeks in a well-deserved tout cas : il était temps !!

Merci pour votre soutien, merci pour vos nouvelles,
On est ensemble !

Benoît

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