I'm safe and sound, back in Milwaukee WI.
Apologies for leaving everyone hanging after my last post. After I got sick, I decided to cut the trip a little short and returned to America at the tail end of April. A travel "hiccup" involving the Icelandic Volcano left me stranded in Douala for a week, but of course, the Sisters of St. Francis kept me clean and well-fed. Upon my return, I headed straight to the doctor, who told me I'm going to be just fine. After a month, I feel healthy and energetic again.
I'm so thankful to everyone in Cameroon who welcomed me and made sure my trip was as positive as possible. Sr. Theodosia will be here in July, so the adventures will begin again soon!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
New Man's Tax
So I didn't go to Kumbo. From what I hear, I really missed out, too. Jujus from Kumbo palace were out in full force, terrorizing the population and performing their traditional dance. Food and festivities were plenty. But really, I wouldn't have enjoyed the Cultural Week Celebration anyways. Why?
BECAUSE I HAVE TYPHOID.
I knew before I came to Cameroon that I would face many challenges and possibly illness, but nothing can really prepare you for having a serious illness in a third world country. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for them, Typhoid is a very common illness in Cameroon and doctors generally know how to recognize and treat it. Most people have had it at least once in their life, and so in order to experience every facet of life here in Cameroon, I needed to pay "new man tax" and fall sick, too. I also want to note that I could not have been more careful: before I came, I took the oral Typhoid vaccine. I drink bottled water, I only eat fruits with a thick peel, and I wash everything carefully in bottled water. I'm careful to the point where I get made fun of for being too careful. So basically, as with STI's, abstinence is the only 100% way to prevent Typhoid. And I'm not going to abstain from food. I love food.
Saturday night we had Easter Vigil at the mission, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Apart from being in the church for four hours, I was being tortured by serious muscle and joint aches. When mass was over I popped some ibuprofen and went straight to bed, but I struggled to fall asleep. I had a very strange feeling and was still in pain. Sunday morning I woke up feeling fine. Then, during church, the aches came back and I began feeling week. I told Sr. Theodosia immediately after mass that I was feeling weak and I needed to rest for some time before we got in the car. She told me I could rest in the car or when we got to Ndop, where we'd have lunch, and I practically screamed that I needed to get into bed NOW. The way I felt, I knew that there would be little rest and lots of pain for me as we traveled on Cameroon's "dancing roads", i.e. uneven dirt tracks full of massive potholes, rocks, and other various barriers to smooth rides. So I went to bed, hoping I'd wake up rested and ready.
I never really woke up. At two p.m., worried about me and impatient we hadn't started our long journey, Sr. Theodosia woke me up. I wasn't having it. I felt very hot- the fever was setting in. She sent the driver to fetch a nurse, who dropped his Easter Sunday celebrations to come up to school and check me out. I had a high fever and my throat was even more sore than when I had strep. He told me I had malaria and needed to be on an I.V. So I packed up and moved to the convent next to the Mambu hospital. I'd like to interject a special "Thank you Jesus" here for not having to stay at the hospital, which is a loud, dirty, bad place to be a white lady and have to recover from bacterial infection. Anyways, the nurse drew blood, hooked me up to the I.V., and the drugs began to flow. I saw the doctor (there are two doctors working in the hospital, but one was sick himself), who suspected right away that I didn't just have malaria. He put me on antibiotics for Typhoid, too, but didn't really tell me lest I freak out, rip the I.V. out of my arm, and run to Douala airport.
The lab results came in Monday morning after a fitful night at the convent, where Sr. Theodosia slept next to me on a cot, checking my "drip" every few hours and making sure I was as comfortable as possible. For the next few days, I received injections of powerful antibiotics and began to recover under the Sisters' care. It's safe to say I've never been so sick in my life. I was released Wednesday and now I'm taking gigantic horse pills of Ciprofloxacin, some pain reliever/fever reducers, and something called "Nuravit" which is a vitamin syrup with some weird drug that makes me nice and sleepy. Although the ordeal was pretty traumatizing, I received the Cadilac of Cameroonian medical care. Also, basically everyone I know in Cameroon came to visit me and brought me fruits and stories. I feel very loved here. For now, I've been discharged and I'm recovering nicely at school, eating lots of fruit and sleeping most of the day, slowly regaining strength.
I'm pretty bummed that I've had/will have to waste a ton of time getting better; I only have 6 more weeks in Cameroon. For two of my classes, exams begin the first week of May, and so I pretty much have three weeks to spit out whatever knowledge I can before the end of the term. On the other hand, I want the Typhoid to leave my body FOREVER, so you can count on me taking it very easy.
BECAUSE I HAVE TYPHOID.
I knew before I came to Cameroon that I would face many challenges and possibly illness, but nothing can really prepare you for having a serious illness in a third world country. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for them, Typhoid is a very common illness in Cameroon and doctors generally know how to recognize and treat it. Most people have had it at least once in their life, and so in order to experience every facet of life here in Cameroon, I needed to pay "new man tax" and fall sick, too. I also want to note that I could not have been more careful: before I came, I took the oral Typhoid vaccine. I drink bottled water, I only eat fruits with a thick peel, and I wash everything carefully in bottled water. I'm careful to the point where I get made fun of for being too careful. So basically, as with STI's, abstinence is the only 100% way to prevent Typhoid. And I'm not going to abstain from food. I love food.
Saturday night we had Easter Vigil at the mission, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Apart from being in the church for four hours, I was being tortured by serious muscle and joint aches. When mass was over I popped some ibuprofen and went straight to bed, but I struggled to fall asleep. I had a very strange feeling and was still in pain. Sunday morning I woke up feeling fine. Then, during church, the aches came back and I began feeling week. I told Sr. Theodosia immediately after mass that I was feeling weak and I needed to rest for some time before we got in the car. She told me I could rest in the car or when we got to Ndop, where we'd have lunch, and I practically screamed that I needed to get into bed NOW. The way I felt, I knew that there would be little rest and lots of pain for me as we traveled on Cameroon's "dancing roads", i.e. uneven dirt tracks full of massive potholes, rocks, and other various barriers to smooth rides. So I went to bed, hoping I'd wake up rested and ready.
I never really woke up. At two p.m., worried about me and impatient we hadn't started our long journey, Sr. Theodosia woke me up. I wasn't having it. I felt very hot- the fever was setting in. She sent the driver to fetch a nurse, who dropped his Easter Sunday celebrations to come up to school and check me out. I had a high fever and my throat was even more sore than when I had strep. He told me I had malaria and needed to be on an I.V. So I packed up and moved to the convent next to the Mambu hospital. I'd like to interject a special "Thank you Jesus" here for not having to stay at the hospital, which is a loud, dirty, bad place to be a white lady and have to recover from bacterial infection. Anyways, the nurse drew blood, hooked me up to the I.V., and the drugs began to flow. I saw the doctor (there are two doctors working in the hospital, but one was sick himself), who suspected right away that I didn't just have malaria. He put me on antibiotics for Typhoid, too, but didn't really tell me lest I freak out, rip the I.V. out of my arm, and run to Douala airport.
The lab results came in Monday morning after a fitful night at the convent, where Sr. Theodosia slept next to me on a cot, checking my "drip" every few hours and making sure I was as comfortable as possible. For the next few days, I received injections of powerful antibiotics and began to recover under the Sisters' care. It's safe to say I've never been so sick in my life. I was released Wednesday and now I'm taking gigantic horse pills of Ciprofloxacin, some pain reliever/fever reducers, and something called "Nuravit" which is a vitamin syrup with some weird drug that makes me nice and sleepy. Although the ordeal was pretty traumatizing, I received the Cadilac of Cameroonian medical care. Also, basically everyone I know in Cameroon came to visit me and brought me fruits and stories. I feel very loved here. For now, I've been discharged and I'm recovering nicely at school, eating lots of fruit and sleeping most of the day, slowly regaining strength.
I'm pretty bummed that I've had/will have to waste a ton of time getting better; I only have 6 more weeks in Cameroon. For two of my classes, exams begin the first week of May, and so I pretty much have three weeks to spit out whatever knowledge I can before the end of the term. On the other hand, I want the Typhoid to leave my body FOREVER, so you can count on me taking it very easy.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Differences
A brief description of some cultural differences I've noticed:
Bathing: Cameroonians use buckets and splash themselves with water rather than standing under the shower. Only after they have soaped up do they stand under running water; then only until the suds are gone. Also, many bathe in the morning and in the evening (2x a day), but many more don't bathe at all most days.
Toilets: Most Cameroonians don't use water toilets (since they can't afford plumbing). Almost anywhere outside of a building is an acceptable place to urinate; exceptional places have a plaque stating "Please don't urinate here" or something to that effect. Even at school, students often prefer to use pit toilets than the nice porcelain in the ultra-modern dormitory complex. Also, often Cameroonians don't use toilet seats or toilet paper. Rather, they squat and drip dry. And hardly anyone washes their hands. Awesome.
Medicine: Under duress, Cameroonians often prefer to use traditional medicine and soothsayers rather than trust medical doctors. HIV/AIDS patients may refuse to go to the hospital and instead hire traditional medicine people to plant different mystical herbs around their house and perform rituals. Cardiac patients travel long distances packed 8 people in a car on bad roads to visit a soothsayer's office so he or she can pray to the gods for health. Even when hospitalized, a patient's family will sneak a traditional medicine man in to work his magic. If the patient recovers, everyone will generally attribute it to traditional medicine rather than M.D.'s. Not to say that traditional medicine always has it wrong; many herbal medications used have the same active ingredients as manufactured drugs, especially those for malaria. However, nonexistent dosing can lead to deadly overdose or worthless under-dose.
Hospitality: Cameroonians are amazing hosts. First of all, there is absolutely no need for an invitation in order to visit someone in their home. If you show up, everyone drops whatever they're doing to welcome you. You are immediately fed and drinks are presented. Neighbors will stop in and greet you, and gifts may even be involved. Similarly, if someone pays you a visit, you must show them such hospitality and make sure they enjoy their stay. To accept food offered is an honor; sometimes refusing offered food can be an insult, if not done tactfully. Because of this spirit of hospitality, it is impossible to feel unwelcome in Cameroon.
Religion: There's no such thing as a Cameroonian "agnostic" or "atheist". Most Cameroonians are Christian or Muslim, and the predominant Christian denominations are Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic. The first missionaries arrived in Cameroon in the middle of the 19th century, so Christianity is fairly new to the area. These people take their Christianity seriously. Many people go to mass every day, and no one skips prayer before mealtime or bed. Cameroonians who aren't Christian or Muslim, and even many that are, practice traditional religion. Their gods and ancestors live in rivers, special plants, stones, animals, almost anything you find in nature. They believe in many supernatural powers, and traditional medicine and religion are often intertwined.
Just a few topics to give you an idea of the culture shock I experience!
Bathing: Cameroonians use buckets and splash themselves with water rather than standing under the shower. Only after they have soaped up do they stand under running water; then only until the suds are gone. Also, many bathe in the morning and in the evening (2x a day), but many more don't bathe at all most days.
Toilets: Most Cameroonians don't use water toilets (since they can't afford plumbing). Almost anywhere outside of a building is an acceptable place to urinate; exceptional places have a plaque stating "Please don't urinate here" or something to that effect. Even at school, students often prefer to use pit toilets than the nice porcelain in the ultra-modern dormitory complex. Also, often Cameroonians don't use toilet seats or toilet paper. Rather, they squat and drip dry. And hardly anyone washes their hands. Awesome.
Medicine: Under duress, Cameroonians often prefer to use traditional medicine and soothsayers rather than trust medical doctors. HIV/AIDS patients may refuse to go to the hospital and instead hire traditional medicine people to plant different mystical herbs around their house and perform rituals. Cardiac patients travel long distances packed 8 people in a car on bad roads to visit a soothsayer's office so he or she can pray to the gods for health. Even when hospitalized, a patient's family will sneak a traditional medicine man in to work his magic. If the patient recovers, everyone will generally attribute it to traditional medicine rather than M.D.'s. Not to say that traditional medicine always has it wrong; many herbal medications used have the same active ingredients as manufactured drugs, especially those for malaria. However, nonexistent dosing can lead to deadly overdose or worthless under-dose.
Hospitality: Cameroonians are amazing hosts. First of all, there is absolutely no need for an invitation in order to visit someone in their home. If you show up, everyone drops whatever they're doing to welcome you. You are immediately fed and drinks are presented. Neighbors will stop in and greet you, and gifts may even be involved. Similarly, if someone pays you a visit, you must show them such hospitality and make sure they enjoy their stay. To accept food offered is an honor; sometimes refusing offered food can be an insult, if not done tactfully. Because of this spirit of hospitality, it is impossible to feel unwelcome in Cameroon.
Religion: There's no such thing as a Cameroonian "agnostic" or "atheist". Most Cameroonians are Christian or Muslim, and the predominant Christian denominations are Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic. The first missionaries arrived in Cameroon in the middle of the 19th century, so Christianity is fairly new to the area. These people take their Christianity seriously. Many people go to mass every day, and no one skips prayer before mealtime or bed. Cameroonians who aren't Christian or Muslim, and even many that are, practice traditional religion. Their gods and ancestors live in rivers, special plants, stones, animals, almost anything you find in nature. They believe in many supernatural powers, and traditional medicine and religion are often intertwined.
Just a few topics to give you an idea of the culture shock I experience!
photos
if you please, there are many more photos up on my picassa site:
http://picasaweb.google.com/106754477391544221556/Africa1
Other than that, things are still calm in Cameroon. The cat is terrifying all of the mice, so that problem is solved. My health is fine. The students are studying hard for their exams coming May 31st. I went to church for four hours yesterday... just typical stuff.
Easter Sunday Sr. Theodosia and I will travel to Kumbo. They are having their cultural week, and in addition to being chased by Juju (masked dancers who apparently transform into non-human spirits and scare the crap out of everybody), I'll be eating some new dishes, watching some concerts, and enjoying traditional dress. Someone is going to make me an outfit out of the "wrapper" fabric that has been specially produced for the week: it will be some traditional design with the fon's photo on top! I'll try and snap some nice pics for you.
Love,
Catherine
http://picasaweb.google.com/106754477391544221556/Africa1
Other than that, things are still calm in Cameroon. The cat is terrifying all of the mice, so that problem is solved. My health is fine. The students are studying hard for their exams coming May 31st. I went to church for four hours yesterday... just typical stuff.
Easter Sunday Sr. Theodosia and I will travel to Kumbo. They are having their cultural week, and in addition to being chased by Juju (masked dancers who apparently transform into non-human spirits and scare the crap out of everybody), I'll be eating some new dishes, watching some concerts, and enjoying traditional dress. Someone is going to make me an outfit out of the "wrapper" fabric that has been specially produced for the week: it will be some traditional design with the fon's photo on top! I'll try and snap some nice pics for you.
Love,
Catherine
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Weird Weather
This year has been exceptional weather-wise in Northwest Province. First of all, rain started falling at the end of February, a full three weeks before dry season should end. Then, at the typical beginning of rainy season, we went back to dry. It's been more than a week and no rain; people are starting to worry about their crops, and I'm just sick of the dust.
Additionally, for the last week, a strange haze has settled over the area. I haven't seen the sky for 6 days. Tiny white dust is covering everything inside and out- and we're all breathing it in and feeling the affects. I have a nasty post-nasal drip and I tire easily. Many people are experiencing malaria flare-ups and cough and cold. Apparently, this weird white haze is unprecedented; my hypothesis is that it is from the desert but some are saying pollution is the cause. Anyways, the government doesn't seem to be doing much by the way of testing the stuff and letting us know what to do to protect our health. Doctors are telling us to wear masks and rub Vaseline on our nostrils. Naturally, masks aren't available. Another win for preventative care in Cameroon!
Additionally, for the last week, a strange haze has settled over the area. I haven't seen the sky for 6 days. Tiny white dust is covering everything inside and out- and we're all breathing it in and feeling the affects. I have a nasty post-nasal drip and I tire easily. Many people are experiencing malaria flare-ups and cough and cold. Apparently, this weird white haze is unprecedented; my hypothesis is that it is from the desert but some are saying pollution is the cause. Anyways, the government doesn't seem to be doing much by the way of testing the stuff and letting us know what to do to protect our health. Doctors are telling us to wear masks and rub Vaseline on our nostrils. Naturally, masks aren't available. Another win for preventative care in Cameroon!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
the hospital
Disclaimer: I'm fine. Please don't worry about me (too much).
Sr. Theodosia had been on retreat since Tuesday, and the school definitely missed her. The students enjoy having her around- she's their mother when they are here. The staff's spirits are lower. Things become disorganized and since our authority is away, they have to handle all issues alone. And, of course, I missed her too. The void we felt here is great, but in the same breath, I'm glad she gets to spend some time away from school, where she works from 5 am to 11 pm every single day.
The day she left, I noticed a rash appearing on my trunk. Since the cat just arrived, I was immediately worried it was fleas, but didn't see any crawling around anywhere. In the next two days, the rash spread to my back and my hips and legs, and Sr. Martina, the bursar, the school nurse, and I decided we should seek treatment at the hospital.
Sr. Martina has mixed feelings about the doctors at the Mambu-Bafut health center, so she decided it would be better for me to go to the hospital in Ntassen, Bamenda. One of my colleagues, also a nun, accompanied me, and Colins, the school driver, drove us comfortably. After a 45 minute car ride, we arrived at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Hospital. There weren't many patients around, thankfully, so we didn't have to wait long. A man seated at a small table took my name, blood pressure, weight, and pulse. Then I waited in line on a bench with the other patients consulting in order to meet with the doctor. Every 15 minutes, the door to his office would open, a patient would exit, and the next person on the bench would hurry in. An hour into this, I got to see my doctor, whose name is 5 foreign words and too many syllables long to remember. He was very thorough- asked me about my family health history, examined the rash, and asked me many pointed questions to narrow down the problem. Then he sent me to the lab with a sheet which would tell the tech what tests to do. I literally went into the lab, where I had a blood draw next to the centrifuge and microscope. The tech did not wear gloves, but thankfully he used a little alcohol to clean my arm and a clean needle. Then I took a urine test in an old, used cardboard-based cup. I peed in an empty hospital room toilet, and there was no tp, no soap, and no water. In a hospital room. Thank God I'm not actually sick.
Anyways, results came back, and there was no infection found that could cause this rash. However, I did test positive for malaria. I've been taking it easy since I found out the news but my health is fine and my only symptom thus far is exhaustion, which I've pretty much been battling since I got here. I was prescribed some allergy medications to help the "reaction" and bought them at a pharmacy in town, with the assistance of my doctor, who hitched a ride with us when we left. About a week later, Sr. Theodosia is back and the rash is slowly healing- but not quickly enough for me to sleep comfortably. And the diagnosis is definitely not satisfactory to me- what the hell is this thing? Ahh Africa. Thanks for the rash! Thanks for the malaria! Thanks for all the attention to personal hygiene.....oh wait.
Love,
Catherine
p.s. the hand-washing thing is pretty disgusting. very, very, VERY FEW people wash their hands after the toilet or before meals, and most people don't even have sinks anywhere near their kitchen or toilet. And it's customary to greet everybody by shaking their hands. I shudder. Thank god for hand sanitizer.
Sr. Theodosia had been on retreat since Tuesday, and the school definitely missed her. The students enjoy having her around- she's their mother when they are here. The staff's spirits are lower. Things become disorganized and since our authority is away, they have to handle all issues alone. And, of course, I missed her too. The void we felt here is great, but in the same breath, I'm glad she gets to spend some time away from school, where she works from 5 am to 11 pm every single day.
The day she left, I noticed a rash appearing on my trunk. Since the cat just arrived, I was immediately worried it was fleas, but didn't see any crawling around anywhere. In the next two days, the rash spread to my back and my hips and legs, and Sr. Martina, the bursar, the school nurse, and I decided we should seek treatment at the hospital.
Sr. Martina has mixed feelings about the doctors at the Mambu-Bafut health center, so she decided it would be better for me to go to the hospital in Ntassen, Bamenda. One of my colleagues, also a nun, accompanied me, and Colins, the school driver, drove us comfortably. After a 45 minute car ride, we arrived at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Hospital. There weren't many patients around, thankfully, so we didn't have to wait long. A man seated at a small table took my name, blood pressure, weight, and pulse. Then I waited in line on a bench with the other patients consulting in order to meet with the doctor. Every 15 minutes, the door to his office would open, a patient would exit, and the next person on the bench would hurry in. An hour into this, I got to see my doctor, whose name is 5 foreign words and too many syllables long to remember. He was very thorough- asked me about my family health history, examined the rash, and asked me many pointed questions to narrow down the problem. Then he sent me to the lab with a sheet which would tell the tech what tests to do. I literally went into the lab, where I had a blood draw next to the centrifuge and microscope. The tech did not wear gloves, but thankfully he used a little alcohol to clean my arm and a clean needle. Then I took a urine test in an old, used cardboard-based cup. I peed in an empty hospital room toilet, and there was no tp, no soap, and no water. In a hospital room. Thank God I'm not actually sick.
Anyways, results came back, and there was no infection found that could cause this rash. However, I did test positive for malaria. I've been taking it easy since I found out the news but my health is fine and my only symptom thus far is exhaustion, which I've pretty much been battling since I got here. I was prescribed some allergy medications to help the "reaction" and bought them at a pharmacy in town, with the assistance of my doctor, who hitched a ride with us when we left. About a week later, Sr. Theodosia is back and the rash is slowly healing- but not quickly enough for me to sleep comfortably. And the diagnosis is definitely not satisfactory to me- what the hell is this thing? Ahh Africa. Thanks for the rash! Thanks for the malaria! Thanks for all the attention to personal hygiene.....oh wait.
Love,
Catherine
p.s. the hand-washing thing is pretty disgusting. very, very, VERY FEW people wash their hands after the toilet or before meals, and most people don't even have sinks anywhere near their kitchen or toilet. And it's customary to greet everybody by shaking their hands. I shudder. Thank god for hand sanitizer.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
...dumdedumdum
As I've been here for almost two months, I'm pretty used to the place. In fact, I debated whether or not to even write here today, because I really don't have much to tell you. Classes are done for the term (instead of two semesters, there are three terms here in Cameroon- the first one starts in September and ends before Christmas, second begins after New Years and ends before Easter, and the third begins in April and ends at the end of May or beginning of June) and most students are done with their exams- a few of the classes who have to take national standardized exams are writing their "mock", which is a gigantic practice test for the real ones which will come this June. On Tuesday, the students not in examination classes will leave for holidays until April 12th, and those writing mock will stay in school and have holiday classes, with only a short 3-day break in two weeks. I'm still busy lending a hand here and there where needed, which prevents any boredom that may come from not teaching. Yesterday was the feast of St. Joseph and so there was a small party at school- the students did lots of hip-hop dances, we heard some speeches, and then the teachers all went drinking :). After Easter, Sr. Theodosia and I plan on going to Yaounde for a couple of days to see what the capital of Cameroon is like, and I'm looking forward to that. And sadly, Anna and Maud, my dutch friends, are leaving on March 29th. I'll miss having them around. Otherwise, things are "normal" and going well. Family and friends, I miss you a ton and I love you very much, and I'll see you before we know it!
Love,
Catherine
Love,
Catherine
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