Friday 01 April
Firstly….I forgot to write that we had a chat session with Erik and Janneke, Tuesday in the afternoon. we discussed the problems, methods and planning of the research project. Then we got a crash course, how to use the GPS system. Well how nice was that :)!! They explained the device, but the thing did not work……how strange if there are no batteries in it! So lesson 1; be sure to have some batteries with you. Then we practised just in the surrounding of the CEDC. The first mission was to find the ball pen. Everything was ok, we walked in the good direction, but suddenly on our GPS we saw our destination moving……strange a ball pen which is moving….:). And moving in our direction…..3 children were approaching us at the same time….and the….when they passed us by…..our object on the GPS also passed us by!! Hahahaha, guess what…..we find out the children had the ball pen. What a crazyness….the children looked at us: white people + strange device (GPS) + ball pen…….= confusion :S at threir faces. The second mission was finding the rabbit (what later seemed to be a draw in the sand); and we did succesfully, that was the moment we passed our course GPS.
On Wednesday Marjolein and I did our presentation, about our project. There was not much time to prepare, but the presentation did go quite well….the part with the questions was a pity 🙁 Sometimes people can make it difficult for themselves and then also for other people. That just happened that day….arrggg.
It’s Africa so plans can change…..better they just do change…..and if they don’t, then something is wrong. Wednesday it was clear that our driver was ill and that it would be difficult to depart at Friday. It took some time to arrange everything for the trip to Benoué; first it was necessary to complete the forms for the research permit. That was fine, but we had also to hand in some information for the ‘order de mission’ (document that allows you to go somewhere with the car). The police just love this kind of paperwork, so you better be careful everything in this document is correct. Furthermore the driver had to take care of the documents of the car. But now everything is fine we can leave Saturday. What a relief that we can forget the dortoir for about three weeks.
Thursday was again one of the lazy days. I only went to the bakery and the cyber café. And I improved my French by talking with some local people who I met a several times. It’s nice talking to other people than students from the dortoir :). An advantage is, I got some discount at the cyber café, ‘cause I’m friendly with the proprietress 🙂 Also at the supermarker I got discounts…..that’s awsome…..but also it isn’t…..that’s the prove for being deceived and paying far too much for everything! Maybe that’s why I make friends….with the locals?? 🙂 🙂 🙂
In the evening we ate at Chez Amos……and there was excellent food again! Yeahhh…..also the conversations about poop and the habitual burps…..I hope I’ll get used to it very soon. I don’t think I’ve a choice.
Friday was madness day…..only bying food and a lot of drinks. For 8 persons for 9 days. I’ll explain how it all works. We are going to Benoué for 3 weeks, so you have to take food and drinking supplies for 3 weeks. Given that it’s just impossible to take it all with you; the following invent is being made. Just buy everything for the first 1.5 week and then return to the city, Garoua or Ngaoundere. Here you can do some shopping for the remaining period of 1.5 weeks. If we’re in Garoua or Ngaoundere, we also go to a touristic place. I will tell you about that when I’m back in Maroua.
The shopping list is long…..an impression: 10 kg flour, 20 kg rice, 10 kg carots, heaps of mangos, oranges, mandarines, bananas, pineapples, cookies, tea, coffee, and water. Furthermore a lot of vegetables, sauces and soft drinks. We left at nine from the CEDC and we were back at one o clock. When we werwe buying some fruit, we also took some water melons; and what happened……Paul let drop one of the melons! It spliced and was not appropriate to take it to benoué. So the rest of the day was just resting and……resting.
I’m glad the temperature isn’t that high; it gets also more windy, which is pretty good. Well, these are the announcements for this period. Also the final day with internet. Saturday (toemorrow) we’re going to Benoué. We’ll return after 3 weeks, on 19 April.
I’ll post again after 3 weeks so missing all replies already!! :S
Till the 19th…….greetz, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, adios, doeggggggggg 🙂 🙂 🙂