I Am Fine

Kids in school are very touchy feely and love hugging and holding hands with the volunteers. They appear fascinated with white skin and laugh at white people's facial features. The greatest source of interest, though, is hair. They are always offering to plat it (one reason why I had to get it chopped), and are simply mesmerised by how soft it feels. I am beginning to feel like a household pet. There have been two or three requests for me to get it shaved entirely, but I think that must just be jealousy.

Buea's finest young minds are often trying to get me to do embarrassing things. They recently demanded that I copy them singing a local song. I finally caved, to unsurprising howls of laughter. "Good!", one of the girls said. "Now dance!" On another occasion, when hearing the lesson was complete, a pupil said: "The lesson is finished! Now do something funny..." Maybe balancing a beachball, or climbing the "Wall of death" might suffice.

Coming back from school today, I meet a peculiar looking man bounding towards me at high speed. He's a runner, fairly mature chap still looking in an incredibly athletic condition. He's covered in sweat, wearing a skin tight vest, eyewateringly tight running shorts, and the thickest pair of gloves you can imagine. We make our introductions, and then he gets to the main part of the meeting: "Tell everyone that Jesus is in Cameroon. Go tell your friends and go to the Ecotourism office. Tell Scotland about it. Tell everybody about the news!!!" A shake of his massively clad hand later, he's cantering up the hill towards Bokova, and possibly salvation itself. I'm just sort of standing there looking at him leave, wondering what's it all about. What is it all about?

Taking the taxi up the road I set a new record for most people outside of a moving taxi- 5. There are two standing in the boot, one relaxing on the roof, and two standing out of the back seat side windows. I wonder if I will beat this one?

I return to witness Mickey running after his 15 year old cousin with a shovel in his hands. I know I'm home when I see such things, and I'm starting to feel alarmingly reassured by such happenings. Otherwise the house is very quiet and a tranquil evening is spent undertaking a little bit of work.

Random local saying or word of today: "Cutlass"

Translation: Another word for a long knife or machete.