我的专栏

我将在南洋商报有自己的游记专栏！

全体同仁请注意：自下星期二起，《自游非洲》每逢星期二南洋商报教育版见报！

嘻嘻

The life as a white

Dated: 22nd May

‘La blanche!’ It means The White. This is perhaps the most popular phrase I receive when I am on the streets. The extremely friendly Cameroonians simply shout at you as you pass by. In their eyes, I am a white. Belinda, the MC Project Director said, ‘There are only two colours: black and white.’ I happened to be whiter than I am black.

Everytime I tell people that ‘Je suis noire (I am black)’, they will laugh and say, ‘Ce n’est pas possible (This is not possible).’

The appearance of a person with alternative skin tone is a huge new thing to many locals. I am stared by almost everyone everywhere I go. Some people will shout at me with various greetings, ‘La blanche’, ‘La chinoise (The Chinese)’, ‘ça va? (How is it going?), ‘Ni hao’. Some people will whistle at me. Some people keep doing it to catch my attention. Some people will try to touch me. For most of the greetings, I can’t be sure of the amount of sincerity and harassment in them, and I will never go beyond responding ‘ça va (It’s good)’, and I only responded when I was in the University of Yaoundé, when I feel that the people are at least slightly less dangerous. For the people who try to touch me, I sweep them off violently. Nowadays, I devised a strategy to clench my fists everytime I am among the crowd. Somehow psychologically I feel that it makes people less dare to disturb me, because it probably makes people think that I know kungfu.

So far, the best response I have heard is from Tim, the Dutch intern. Someone called him ‘You are a white!’ off the street, and he responded ‘You are a black!’. And they shook hands. That scene was hilarious.

Jana the German intern told me, being a white also means that you will be grossly overcharged everywhere you go. For short distance, the Africans get to board the taxi at 100F (SGD0.30), while the taxis will not pick her up if she offers the same price. Being a white also means that some people will ask things from you. Jana’s housegirl told her to get her a handphone. And the same housegirl, upon seeing my MP3, asked me to give it to her. When Tim, Jana and I were watching National Day Parade on 20th May, a guy suddenly came up to Tim and demanded for his camera. Tim’s friend took the camera and ran away from the guy, who then asked Tim to give him 1000F. Tim ignored him, and he suddenly shouted at me ‘Chinoise!’ I didn’t dare to look at him, and kept staring into the street. He is a guy of the size of almost a gorilla, and Jana said he is mentally unstable. I was very much afraid then, wondering if he will assault me. Jana quietly moved between me and him, and we continued freezing for a few tense minutes. The guy eventually walked away. *Phew*

Being a white excites many people. One day, I was at Ubrine’s house, and Vincent the Belgian intern was there too, together with a few other Yaoundé AIESECers. Elviche was plaiting African braids for me. The door was opened, and suddenly a lot of kids appeared on the outside, shouting that they want to see the whites. We invited them in, and they kept staring and giggling at us. I asked one girl if she wants to marry a white. She said yes. So I asked if she wants to marry Vincent when she grows up, she said no, because she said that Vincent will not wait for her. It was truly cute of them.

It still amuses me how people can insist that I am a white, when I am one of the darkest person back at home! I am still trying to live with this notion as being a white. Up till now, it still amuses me, as much as it is bringing me some fear and intimidation.

My two-sense worth for adaptation

Dated: 21st May

The old saying for cultural sensitivity used to be like this – Assume different until proven. From this experience, I would like to propose – Assume the same until told. At the beginning, I was really conscious when I was proposing ideas, repeatedly using words like ‘in my country’, ‘back in Malaysia/Singapore’, ‘I am not sure how it works here’. And I found others saying the same things as me too, when they are sharing ideas. In the end, we found that most of the things we said are the same in both societies! We share the same expectation for the same role, the same problems in AIESEC, and find many many more similarities!

The moment you decide to adapt, you suddenly take things so much easily. Taking cold shower no longer haunts me, and I am grateful when there is running water, be it in the form of shower or bucket (Bucket bath is when you use your hands to scoop water from the bucket to splash it unto your body). I am grateful that there is electricity, I have lights and fans. My workplace does not have fans, not to mention air-conditioning. I’ve spoken to my boss, it doesn’t seem financially possible to get one till we get the next revenue. However, I am surprised that I am not even complaining too much about it. I am getting to terms with food with little hygiene, using plates that are cleaned with just water and wiped with a less-than-clean cloth, putting my sandy feet on the bed, toilet bowl without the seat plastic and the cover and without a flushing system, a room with no rubbish bin, and being at ease when I am soaking in sweat. I am amazed by myself, on how easily I can take these things, considering I used to live with so much comfort and hygiene.

Though, though, I am still counting down to the days for me to go home. I am ashamed by this thought, but I will not control it. I am letting it stay, and let’s see if my mentality will let it go one day.

To chair is to adapt

Dated: 18th May

I am truly grateful for the rare opportunity to chair the national conference before the start of my internship. It was perhaps the best positive pressure for me to adapt.

I arrived in Douala on 9^th May 1120pm. Conference pre-meeting started on 10^th May 9am, which was supposed to be hosted by the chair. Diana helped me to do the first session. That moment onwards, I knew I have to get out of my protective shell, and get out faster than normal people because I have a role to play. So from lunch onwards, I started proactively making conversations with people, learning more about people, the society and AIESEC Cameroon. The facilitators were really helpful for preparing me. The moment when I feel truly integrated was perhaps during the AIESEC dance time at night. Dancing in unison always makes one feel a part of the community. From that moment onwards, I am really feeling like I am the chair of the conference!

Being a chair was an interesting experience. I have to manage different groups of people without really knowing what the situation is like, and even better, without really knowing if what you are saying is right. People expect a lot from the chair to take the lead. Thus, after finding out from everyone that we more or less share the same expectation, I started assuming more that it is somewhat like a conference in Singapore. I am glad these assumptions held true.

There is always this very big task for the chair apart from all the formal responsibilities – to manage the time. It was an ever bigger challenge for me here, because Cameroonians do not have too much concept about time. When people said ‘I am coming’, it means 20 more minutes. When they said 15 minutes more, it means an hour more. I had to fight against all these to ensure that the conference run according to the agenda. So the OC and faci heard a lot from me asking ‘How much exact time will you take to come?’, ‘What do you mean by “I’m coming”?’.After the first day, everyone would giggle if someone else dare to say ‘I am coming’. Haha.

Everyone had a conception that Asians are very reserved people. Belinda described Asians as ‘talk and die’. So when they saw me hosting the opening plenary speaking a lot and fluently, they were very surprised. The fact that I am speaking already made my performance surpassed their expectation. Having people viewing you positively makes a lot of things easier. And somehow my way of speaking, my intonation, my pronounciation, my ‘cool?’ gesture, the way I run around, the way I dance intrigued them a lot too, perhaps it was all because it was different from their preconception.

The delegates were really nice, friendly and mature. They would pay full attention to me when I was speaking, responding to me in unison every time I asked ‘Cool?’, coming to me just to say ‘bon apetite’ when I am having my meals, and even cooperating with me to keep quiet after I told them my throat is sore. They love photo-taking. Everyday, every break, as long as I walked about in the plenary, I would be caught to take pictures with them. And one request would usually lead to 10 other requests. The delegates would grab me, hold my hands, hold my shoulders, or attempt to hug or kiss me. But they had respect for the chair. So after one delegate stunned me by kissing on my cheeks to bid good night, and another delegate found out that I am not alright with these French culture, the next day onwards, no one dares to do so again.

Because the people I was interacting with were AIESECers, it means that they are a lot more open to sharing, and I could ask interesting questions that I would not dare to ask otherwise, for example, "Are all Cameroonians sexually active?", "Why do you guys not use fans?", "How is the HIV/AIDS situation here?", "What do you think is the root of problems here in Africa?" etc. Of course, all due respect is given. I enquired for this information for intellectual curiosity. =P

The delegates have also surprised me with their vision. And they surprised me more with the determination in them to achieve their vision. Many of them want to improve various aspect of Africa. Berlin wanted to solve the food shortage problem, Arnaud wanted to be the richest young man so that he could inspire the others, another wanted to set up many enterprises, another wanted to manage Africa properly. It is truly noble of them to have realised these problems, and remained determined to stay and improve the situation, instead of going away in search of a better land. And the speech from CEO of Standard Chartered Bank has helped nailed in their vision. He said, ‘Many people, when they face problems, abandon the problems and go to a better place. The great people like Nelson Mandela and Lee Kuan Yew (he mentioned him because I was there) stayed with the problems and perfect them.’ I really wish that these youths can stay with their vision, and work on them for a better Africa. And I really wish that we from the better world can work with them to make things come true. Watch out for my next posts on possible collaboration!

Apart from the people that are so refreshing, the conference organisation was an eye opener too. Air-conditioning is not at all common here, so we had our plenary in a little hall in a hotel with fans. And the hotel is nothing to compare with any hotel in Singapore. During the opening plenary on the first night, the electricity went off when the delegates were setting their goals. No one complained. We stayed with the dark until the managers started their generators. Such power cut situation was plentiful for the rest of the days. The delegates made do without fans, the facilitators made do without powerpoint presentations. Budget problem was a huge problem for the OC this year. On the second day of the conference, the facilitators had to move out from our apartment to another hotel because it saved them some money. The OC didn’t have money to print handouts, and the MCP eventually took out his own money for the printing. We cut down on flipcharts, and even replaced lunch with coffee break. No one complained, even though that was not normal even here. The maturity level is amazing. Think about bringing this spirit back to Singapore.

For myself, I feel really fortunate to have such loving people to be the delegates for the first conference that I chaired. Their positive response kept me motivated throughout, even when I had 1 hour sleep or when I eventually fell sick. I didn’t need to resort to recall previous conferences to boost my energy. I have also opened my eyes to more things that can happen in a conference, some of which may not be pleasant, but definitely eye-opening. After the facilitators were downgraded to another hotel, that hotel has no shower head. Instead, there is a bucket of water, and I had to scoop water out using my palms to pour that little water on my body to clean it. The first time I saw that bucket, I was totally clueless. I thought this was bad enough. The third evening before the official dinner, there was power cut when I was taking that bucket bath! I was caught in absolute darkness, still having soap on my body, and I couldn’t see a thing. The other facilitators were completely at ease, but I was totally driven mad. I struggled to find my towel, put on my dress and 4-inch heels, walked on them on a pitch dark uneven mud road filled with rocks and stones, cursing and swearing in my heart. I couldn’t put on any make-up, and I considered that as totally unacceptable! It maddened me more when I saw all other facilitators still staying calm and happy. Seeing others like that made me know that I had to ease myself. I started comforting myself that it is alright to not make up, it is alright to not look too good, it is just a cultural experience. I got better when I reached the official dinner place, because I borrowed a delegate’s room to do some final touch up. Haha.

That’s all for some of the plentiful conference experience I have had from my very first chairing experience of AIESEC Cameroon NLDS. Seen a lot, learnt a lot, and, adapted more into the community through making a lot of friends.

C'est ma vie!

Finally got some pictures up!!! Enjoy! I am speaking French a lot here, but still not still not enough! Will try to put up my offline blog posts soon. My friend's lappie can't read docx files. And I am using a German keyboard now.

Mt Cameroon from University of Buea.

A room of Jana's friend. Jana is a German intern (in the picture) who is really taking care of me, as much as the other AIESECers here. I feel truly loved, apart from the other weird advances. Hahaha...

Logging is pretty bad here.

A bit of AIESEC now. This is the van carrying AIESECers from LC Douala to NLDS!

Picture taking is the love of delegates here. They can simply take thousands of pictures using other people's cameras. Spot the less-than-dark people.

Is it so much easier to spot me here?

The only picture of me at the Official Dinner with Diana from Lithuania, the MCVPTM here, before my batteries went dead.

The legendary way of them transporting things from town to town. By the way, this van (which they call bus) sits 16 people, regardless of size, excluding the driver. :S

The best moving thing in Cameroon! Door-less, backseatless, boot cover-less, but still moving. And it transported all 100 chairs and 5 tables and 2 tents in one go.

Roadside vaccination for yellow fever. So cute!!

An unusual street scene. I am not sure how usual is it here. I guess ma3 lu4 really makes sense here. Here the cows share the same roads as the cars, travelling at the same time.

Attempting African braids with only my real hair. By a really sweet LC girl who came all the way to visit me.

The first time I attempted washing clothes with buckets and yellowish water.

The MC house has a water filter which filters the yellow water into drinking water with less smell. This saves you 500F (SGD1.7) per 1.5 litre you drink.

My favourite food here - poisson brussiere. With nice chilli pepper paste and cooked bananas.

Bananas is one of the most common carbohydrate here. And chicken is most expensive here. Fish is most common. Interesting.

Yaounde, the city I am living in, finally reaching here after travelling to another 2 cities for 8 days. It is a beautiful city with a lot of slopes. This makes it more foreign than ever.

People say that internship is life-changing. For now, I say that it is changing life. For I feel like I am living someone else's life more than ever. Sleeping differently, bathing differently, eating differently, speaking a different language, etc etc. More will come soon!

Dear MCs, I will try to post on MC blog once I go to cybercafe on my own! For now, I am always using other people's connection, so I can't use for too long, and my blog takes precedence! Haha.

我想去非洲

我想去非洲！

我知道非洲和这里很不同，文化、语言、天气、风俗都不是我所习惯的。可能会很苦，可能会很难适应。但不知道为什么，我还是很想去非洲。

我一连两个晚上翻看了两次《世界自然景观》的图画书。里面有不同洲的图片和介绍，我却对非洲的目不转睛。老实说，我并没有对它情有独钟。澳洲和南极洲的其实也很引人入胜。对于非洲，我甚至还有很多的畏惧，很多的恐慌。但不知为什么，我看着非洲的图片，就立即想象着自己在图片里的情景。好兴奋哦！我现在就想过去。看着那里的动物、地形、植物、生活，应该会很好玩吧！

我当然还有很多的不安。我不知道自己真的能不能适应。那里也许不能打电话回家，我会不会因为孤独而哭？很辛苦的话要怎么办？现在突然有一个想法。我若真的去，我要先向大家收集只言片语。万一真的想家，至少有这些只言片语为慰藉。啊连想到可能发生的伤心的事我都可以变得超兴奋！自己应该是真的很想去吧。

到时候，我以确定了去期，我就要一家人和朋友为我写信条。每天一点点信条，让我可以带去看！

哈哈六点了的我还可以那么兴奋，功劳非非洲不可！

我要我要我要去非洲！