I recently received a comment asking what type of work I'm doing here in Northern Cameroon. I often ask myself that same exact question. After an hour or so of intermittent headaches and daydreaming about coldcut sandwiches and washing machines (two separate day dreams, although eating a turkey sandwich while my clothes are being put through the cycles sounds pretty awesome), I come to some conclusion on what I've done and what I hope continues here. To give you an idea my work schedule involves the following:
Mango Orchards:
-# of Orchards I work with: 10-15
-What do we do? In collaboration with L'Institut de Recherchement Agricole pour le Developpement (IRAD), a Cameroonian governement agency, we have treated numerous orchards in the Bogo area against destructive insect and fungus infestations with surprising success. Orchards that had not given fruit in almost two to three years began producing again; the reason being that the pesticides we used (dangerous but biodegradable) allowed the trees to produce flowers in December and January unfettered. In the past the pests would typically consume any flowers the trees had sprouted, hence making it impossible for any fruit production. Almost all of the local orchards were originally in complete disrepair and this will need a few more seasons of solid improvement to be seen as a success. Despite the challenges they face the local orchard owners have eagerly adopted the treatment process to the point that an outside development worker is no longer needed to oversee it.
-Here are a few other techniques that I've discussed with the owners that can help them keep their orchards healthy and productive:
Natural fertilizers- Bogo is a cattle town. The market on Thursday is one of the largest in the region for herders, not to mention that many families have their own cows. When one is butchered the horns are just about the only part of the animal that isn't used by anyone, save for a few enterprising artisans. Cow horns are full of nutrients and the sandy soil in Bogo is not. Placing these excess horns around the trunks of mango trees during the rainy season can give those trees many of the nutrients they need to stave off infection and hopefully produce better. It is not only cheap but also extremely effective. A Peace Corps volunteer stuck in a village with next to no resources, such as myself, looks to these types of simple things to make some type of difference.
Overgrafting- This would be filed under the category of things I really want to do but the information to do it is simply not available as far as I know. Many of these orchards are 30-40 years old. As a result, most of the mango trees are far past their prime years of fruit production. Most owners are hesitant to cut down a 50 foot mango tree, plant a seedling in its place and then wait another 3-5 years for it to produce. I don't blame them. This ain't an easy place to grow a tree. Hungry livestock, brutal dry spells and branch breaking winds can all cause a lot of problems for a seedling trying to take a permanent hold. Instead of cutting down these behemoths and starting from square one I've suggested another idea that was suggested to me by an IRAD director who is a specialist with fruit trees and, unluckily, has since been transferred to another post. Actually one would still cut the older trees down but only to just above the trunk. If the tree was still alive at the time it was cut down it should begin sprouting new branches. Selecting three branches that have sprouted on the trunk, one would then graft a small branch of another healthy and productive tree to them. If the graft takes, in about two seasons that old tree will once again be producing fruit at a much higher rate. Its a technique that is used frequently in commercial orchards but has yet to show up in this neck of the woods. Unfortunately it may be too late for me to undertake such a project but with my experience over the past few years and the contacts that I've collected my replacement could potentially do some really cool stuff.
Diversification- During mango season I can go to the Bogo market and buy a pile of three or four large and deliciously sweet mangoes for about 200-250 francs (30-50 cents). Many of the orchards here sell their fruit in Maroua and even as far away as Chad, but the prices do not get much better. I've told them how much one mango would sell for in an American supermarket and their eyes nearly fell out of their head. At this point we are light years away from providing you and yours with delicious Northern Cameroonian mangoes, so I've suggested that we look into replacing non-productive mango trees with other species that, while not producing as impressively as a healthy adult “manguier,” command a much better price in the local markets and are not nearly as time consuming to care for. Papaya, citrus, anacardium (cashew), and guava trees all fit the bill for this region and climate.
Organization- When I began visiting orchards back in 2009 it was like listening to a broken record. “My wells have collapsed.” “The trees are sick.” “The trees no longer produce.” “The animals keep eating my new trees.” “My orchard guardian is a useless drunk and sleeps through bandits stealing all the fruit during the night.” The last statement was only voiced by one orchard owner but too good to omit. As an aside, I wonder if its worse to be the guy who is too drunk off millet beer to protect the orchard or the guy whose trade in life is 'fruit bandit.' Back to the point, it became obvious that power in numbers could be extremely beneficial for these folks. Discussing problems they all have, finding possible solutions, sharing success/failure stories, pooling resources for larger projects, etc. Almost like a support group for Bogo orchard owners. If the government paperwork allows for it I want to call it Orchards Anonymous. Your 12 step program towards having kick ass fruit.
Tree Nurseries (Peppinieres)
-# of Nurseries I work with: 5
-What do we do? Every year, I work with local tree nurseries to germinate, grow and transplant as many trees as possible in the Bogo area. Many of them are fruit trees but there are also numerous forestry species. Not only do they improve soil fertility but they also provide fodder for animals, firewood for families, protection of fields from wind, products for local medicine men, and lumber for carpenters.
Reforestation- I don't have hard facts on how the environment in this area of the world has been and is changing. I don't know the annual rainfall or its fluctuations. I've only been here for two years and have no idea what the fertility of the soil was like decades ago. What I do know is that over hot tea, cous-cous and sauce, old men have told me about how they remember when there used to be forests in the Extreme North of Cameroon. While Bogo is still on the periphery of the fight against deforestation in Africa, the brutal truth is that the Sahara desert is upon us and encroaching. One thing I do know is that when I'm working in the fields and it is three thousand degrees outside, the shade of a nice tree makes it so that it is only two thousand nine hundred and eighty degrees. Planting a trees is good..I think that's something we can all agree on so let's leave it at that
Intercropping- This technique involves planting trees in a field where crops are also being grown. Many trees that grow well in the dry sandy conditions here also give back a great deal of nutrients to the soil, whether be it by the leaves that fall onto the ground or the nutrients that their root systems provide. By planting certain trees in one's field, over time a noticeable improvement in soil fertility will be evident.
Live Fencing- Many of the species that grow well here in the Sahel are trees that have very small leaves and are extremely thorny. These trees can be extremely useful when trying to protect a field of crops from animals. Imagine you have a field full of corn, millet, manioc, peanuts, beans, whatever. You'd like to protect this field from outside invaders but metal fencing is simply too expensive for most small scale African farmers. Instead, on the border around a field one can plant thorny trees 50-60cm apart. When they reach a certain height cut them down part of the way and they will begin to grow outwards, joining together to form a thorny, living barrier that can protect whatever it is you have in your field.
Income Generating- While many people that have begun tree nurseries in Bogo are altruistic individuals in many ways, the number one reason they do it is to make extra money. Your average forestry tree in Bogo will sell for 100 francs each (fruit trees, depending on the species, sell anywhere from 300-1500 francs). 100 francs is only about 25 cents, but when you are selling thousands of trees, 25 cents can add up. Currently I work with a couple nurseries that are already well established. One of them produces as many as 20,000 fruit and forestry trees a year. With these nurseries I mainly focus on experimenting with new species that could be beneficial. They have the wiggle room to mess around with new seeds that could potentially be useful in the future. As for the nurseries that I myself have established we work on a much smaller scale and mainly with trees that are tried and true in this environment. To give an example, this year I provided the inputs for two nurseries of 1,000 trees each . A plastic watering can is 4,000 francs. Plastic pots for 1,000 trees is roughly 10,000 francs. Seeds are free if you go out in the bush and find them, but I also put down about 3,000 francs for seeds that I knew were good quality. All said and done I spent about 17,000 francs ($28) to start a 1,000 tree nursery. The main expense are the plastic pots and having enough seeds to see that they are all filled by the end of the season when its time to sell. Currently the person managing the tree nursery stands to make about 75000-100000 francs ($150-200) when we sell the trees to clients that want them for their homes or fields. The gentleman who began the nursery had no way to spare the initial 17,000 francs to start it. However after this planting season he will take the money that he has made, pay me back, set aside a small amount for his family, and then place about 35,000 francs in a village savings account. Next year when it is time to begin the tree nurseries again, considering he still has his trusty watering can and knows where to get most of his seeds in the bush he'll have the money in his savings account to create at the least a 2,000-3,000 tree nursery. Keep in mind that this is not his principal means of income. He'll harvest his crops, keep some to sell when the price is right, save the rest to feed his family for (ideally) the year, but then once again be close to broke this time next year. We've gone over the numbers for the next few years, and if he sticks to it there is no reason why he cannot be doing close to 20,000 trees in five years. Tree nurseries can be lucrative but by no means a full time job. Yet if managed well they can be incredibly beneficial in supplementing the meager income that most families subsist on here year in and year out.
Experimental Gardens/Crop Introduction
In addition to the activities explained above, I've also planted numerous crops/veggies/herbs with which the locals are often unfamiliar. Much of this stems from my own curiosity but is also intended to find food crops that grow well in the dry climate and perhaps add to the diversity and nutrition the local diet. It is rarely successful, but for me its extremely interesting to see what works and what doesn't. To give an example, last year I tried 10-15 new varieties and/or species in local gardens. Out of all those, a mere three actually grew and produced well: Soybeans, butternut squash, and cilantro. This season we are trying another dozen or so food crops for their resistance to drought and/or their high nutrition value. A few examples of this year's trials: Quinoa, amaranth, marama beans, and forage peanuts (animal fodder) to name a few. I imagine that much like last year many of the crops will not adjust to the climate, but there is always the possibility that one or two of them could do well and perhaps over time become a useful source of nutrition.
8.17.2010
Community Update
I've been enjoying scattered storms and milder temperatures since June, so now at midday as I write this its only 90 degrees. Standing on my porch and watching a storm come in over the horizon is a favorite activity of mine. 8 months of unrelenting sun makes dark gray clouds a welcome sight. The wind comes first to stir up the hot, dry air and almost immediately the temperature plunges. A few moments later the rain announces its arrival conspicuously, pinging loudly on my tin roof. The rhythm persists for a few minutes, and then as if someone flicked a switch, the deluge begins. The storms often come and go within an hour. While the temperatures remain pleasant the sun reappears immediately afterwards and one can almost feel it sucking the moisture back up.
Last week I was on my porch eagerly awaiting what I've just described. The wind started to stir as usual and the mercury began to drop. The approaching clouds looked extremely nasty. Typically nothing more than a dark gray band pushes through without much fuss. Only these clouds were black in color and were piled far up into the sky. The rain began and fell as it usually does: a downpour but by no means something to be overly concerned about. The wind was what concerned me most. I will often stay on my porch and enjoy the cool spray of the wind and rain, but on this day I was more worried about getting knocked over the head by a flying tree branch, goat, small child, etc.
Closing my doors and retreating into my house I could barely hear myself think. The rain on the roof can be deafening, but the gale winds added to it and created an almost unbearable cacaphony. Add to that the sound of breaking glass and twisting metal outside and I began to contemplate which part of my house was the best area to crouch down in.
Gladly the storm passed quickly as they often do. I stepped outside to assess the damage and was pleased to see that my house was still intact. The breaking glass? Two soda bottles on my porch that were pushed off by the wind. The twisted metal? Luckily not my actual house, but the shed in the back of my yard. Its tin roof had been peeled back as if it were a can of beans.
In the end power was cut to Bogo for nearly three weeks with over thirty downed power poles in the central town alone, and numerous flooded streets. Many trees had fallen and a few houses were no longer in one piece. Lots of cleaning up to do but miraculously there were no injuries. The death toll was limited to two unlucky cows.
The next day I was at the Bogo market and people were discussing the storm, saying nothing like that had been through the town for almost forty years. I stopped by the boutique where I bought the sodas with the intention of giving the owner money for the broken bottles. Explaining that they broke the day before I handed him 500 francs for the two bottles. He refused to take the money, saying “Non non non. C'est Dieu qui a fait ça,” meaning God was responsible for the broken bottles. Good to know that the neighborhood boutiques have return policies on merchandise broken by angry deities, yet the big man upstairs would be none too pleased to learn that I'm running up his tab in the Bogo market.
-The one bar in Bogo, Chez Akamba, has been struggling with a broken refrigerator for the past month. I just wrote that sentence explaining a major issue in my life and suddenly realized that said phrase contained two major issues. No cold beer is to be found in Bogo right now. That in itself is not acceptable but above I said “the one bar in Bogo.” That's a travesty and I'll congratulate myself for staying muted for so long. One bar in a city of tens of thousands???
-Bogo Cup 2010- That's right, the 2010 Coupe de Bogo began in July and was scheduled to continue into early September. Before continuing I'll say that Ramadan started this Wednesday and the Cup was not yet finished. Not eating or drinking all day in desert heat is not conducive to athletic endeavors. Furthermore, an unrelated tournament in Maroua was underway and many of the top players from our neck of the woods were on the road doing their best to do Bogo proud. As a result I believe the Cup has been put on hold if not canceled. The tourney in Bogo had reached the semifinal round and as expected the lads of Auxerre Marouaré, the 2009 defending champs, were still in the mix and waiting to square off against either the infamous Sararé FC, the hopeful Carlos squad or the fashionable newcomers of Boraἲ village. Personally I have no qualms about playing football during Ramadan. These young men, most of whom have worked manually for most of their lives and have had little other than football as a diversion are a handful to play against to say the least. Even with severely low blood sugar they'll probably still have a leg up on me, but at this point I'll take any advantage I can get!
Last week I was on my porch eagerly awaiting what I've just described. The wind started to stir as usual and the mercury began to drop. The approaching clouds looked extremely nasty. Typically nothing more than a dark gray band pushes through without much fuss. Only these clouds were black in color and were piled far up into the sky. The rain began and fell as it usually does: a downpour but by no means something to be overly concerned about. The wind was what concerned me most. I will often stay on my porch and enjoy the cool spray of the wind and rain, but on this day I was more worried about getting knocked over the head by a flying tree branch, goat, small child, etc.
Closing my doors and retreating into my house I could barely hear myself think. The rain on the roof can be deafening, but the gale winds added to it and created an almost unbearable cacaphony. Add to that the sound of breaking glass and twisting metal outside and I began to contemplate which part of my house was the best area to crouch down in.
Gladly the storm passed quickly as they often do. I stepped outside to assess the damage and was pleased to see that my house was still intact. The breaking glass? Two soda bottles on my porch that were pushed off by the wind. The twisted metal? Luckily not my actual house, but the shed in the back of my yard. Its tin roof had been peeled back as if it were a can of beans.
In the end power was cut to Bogo for nearly three weeks with over thirty downed power poles in the central town alone, and numerous flooded streets. Many trees had fallen and a few houses were no longer in one piece. Lots of cleaning up to do but miraculously there were no injuries. The death toll was limited to two unlucky cows.
The next day I was at the Bogo market and people were discussing the storm, saying nothing like that had been through the town for almost forty years. I stopped by the boutique where I bought the sodas with the intention of giving the owner money for the broken bottles. Explaining that they broke the day before I handed him 500 francs for the two bottles. He refused to take the money, saying “Non non non. C'est Dieu qui a fait ça,” meaning God was responsible for the broken bottles. Good to know that the neighborhood boutiques have return policies on merchandise broken by angry deities, yet the big man upstairs would be none too pleased to learn that I'm running up his tab in the Bogo market.
-The one bar in Bogo, Chez Akamba, has been struggling with a broken refrigerator for the past month. I just wrote that sentence explaining a major issue in my life and suddenly realized that said phrase contained two major issues. No cold beer is to be found in Bogo right now. That in itself is not acceptable but above I said “the one bar in Bogo.” That's a travesty and I'll congratulate myself for staying muted for so long. One bar in a city of tens of thousands???
-Bogo Cup 2010- That's right, the 2010 Coupe de Bogo began in July and was scheduled to continue into early September. Before continuing I'll say that Ramadan started this Wednesday and the Cup was not yet finished. Not eating or drinking all day in desert heat is not conducive to athletic endeavors. Furthermore, an unrelated tournament in Maroua was underway and many of the top players from our neck of the woods were on the road doing their best to do Bogo proud. As a result I believe the Cup has been put on hold if not canceled. The tourney in Bogo had reached the semifinal round and as expected the lads of Auxerre Marouaré, the 2009 defending champs, were still in the mix and waiting to square off against either the infamous Sararé FC, the hopeful Carlos squad or the fashionable newcomers of Boraἲ village. Personally I have no qualms about playing football during Ramadan. These young men, most of whom have worked manually for most of their lives and have had little other than football as a diversion are a handful to play against to say the least. Even with severely low blood sugar they'll probably still have a leg up on me, but at this point I'll take any advantage I can get!
7.22.2010
An Eating Guide to Maroua
Every month I spend a few days in our regional capital in the Extreme North, Maroua. A number of reasons bring me to town: Banking, visiting local NGO offices, socializing with fellow volunteers, going to the hospital to find out what’s residing in my stomach or growing on my feet, etc.
Not to bad mouth Bogo, an excellent town in its own right, but when I arrive in Maroua I often feel refreshed. Paved roads, internet, cold drinks and western toilets…I’m easy to please these days. Perhaps most important however is the cuisine available to me in Maroua. Eating in Bogo on a typical day usually consists of some combination of omelettes, spaghetti, onions, grilled beef, beef stew, spicy dried beef, and assorted other cow parts. Remember Bubba’s spiel about shrimp in Forest Gump? I could now do that exact same thing in relation to cows.
I’ll spare you that for the moment and get to the point. After weeks in Bogo, most of the time without any substantial vegetable of any kind, I’ll arrive in Maroua with a craving for anything that offers a little variety in taste and nutrition. While you all may think that I suffer immensely here I must reiterate that it is simply not the case. You’ll understand better after reading the dining review below of the thriving metropolis that is Maroua.
Belle Vie Restaurant
To start I’ll say that while it is a nice family run establishment, the atmosphere suffers when Junior, the chef’s toddler, is on the rampage in and around the restaurant. When he’s not busy soiling himself on the sidewalk outside or in the middle of the actual restaurant, Junior spends his time harassing the customers and his busy parents. With that said, I am all for putting the little terror on a leash. Yet while I’ve listed all the restaurants in no particular order I would say that this fine establishment, Junior aside, is my top pick any day of the week. Mixed salads, curries, a delicious chicken basquaise, and fish brochettes were some of the highlights. And with all dishes in the neighborhood of 1000-2000 francs ($2-4), someone on a volunteer’s salary can eat pretty well. These staples are still on the menu, but the chef has recently added ham, cheese, sausage and veggie sandwiches to the menu. I know that doesn’t sound all that amazing to you, but I assure you it is a major development in our standard of living here. I believe the normal Human Development Index (HDI) used by international organizations is a mixed measure of life expectancy, education and per capita GDP in any given country. Yet until “availability of ham & cheese sandwiches” is added as a fourth element of the HDI, I think we’ll just be lost in the woods as a society.
Cafeteriat Abdurahman
As far as the food, this place isn’t something to write home about. Greasy beefsteak, bread and French fries is about the extent of it. Despite the lack of decent grub Cafeteriat makes a fruit smoothie that is out of this world. Depending on the season one can get any mix of mango, guava, papaya, banana, pineapple and citrus. Some (including yours truly) have taken to calling them dysentery shakes, and if you saw the fly-ridden table where the fruit is cut and blended you would understand why. Yet I can’t think of one time when my intestinal woes could be traced back to Abdurahman. Then again, perhaps I’m just in denial that something so delicious could be harmful in any way.
Mammale Allaitante/Cheese GIC
This place gets bonus points for having “Lactating Mammal” as their name. The reason for this odd title begins with the formation of a community group that produces milk, yoghurt and cheeses at this location with the aid of an Italian organization. Their dairy products have always been immensely popular, especially among expats, and it was only a matter of time before a restaurant was opened on the same site. Today one can order tomato and mozzarella salad, personal pizzas, cheesesteak, homemade ice cream and tiramisu and many other daily specials. After a long difficult stint in Bogo, this restaurant is usually the perfect pick me up.
Niam Niam Glou Glou
This has never been much of a dinner joint, but when the oppressive heat sometimes lifts enough to allow for a more substantial lunch the burger and fries here hits the spot. For somewhere around three bucks one can get a “Hamburger McDonalds style” and fries. I would say this place actually beats McDonalds. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t kill someone for a double quarter-pounder with cheese right now (you think I’m kidding…throw in an apple pie and vanilla milkshake and I’ll kill two people), but McDonalds style here is a fresh roll, spiced and seasoned ground beef, cheese, ketchup, mayo and olives. It may not have that same glorious mix of artificial flavors, pure fat and sodium, but the freshness is hard to beat.
Restaurant Le Noumou
At first I really liked this place. The prices were a bit steep, but it puts out good food and is a nice change every once in a while. I believe they make more money off of catering and opening their massive courtyard to weddings and parties. This might explain why most times when I come in looking for a good sandwich or a plate of steak poivre blanc they look at me as if surprised that I’ve come to their restaurant to order food. I place my order with one of the half dozen employees with nothing to do in the empty restaurant and they take it back to the kitchen. About fifteen minutes later another employee will walk by briskly and exit restaurant, returning shortly with all ingredients for whatever I’ve just ordered. After that its only another 2 hours of sipping on overpriced drinks before the food is actually ready.
Relais de Porte Mayo
When I sit at a table on this restaurant/hotel’s patio with the tree cover and ambient lighting I forget where I am. It is fine dining at its best (in Cameroon), and the prices on the menu reflect that. A volunteer couldn’t exactly afford this place on a regular basis. Spending upwards of 10,000 francs on a meal is hard to justify when equal quantities of delicious (but less so) food can be found for fractions of the price. It’s nice every once in a while and once I start tearing apart the Roquefort salad, mango duck, spaghetti carbonara or banana split my brain shuts down and all cerebral functions not required for shoving food into my mouth are temporarily disabled. Then the plates are empty and I cry a tear of joy for those few minutes of gastronomical bliss.
Not to bad mouth Bogo, an excellent town in its own right, but when I arrive in Maroua I often feel refreshed. Paved roads, internet, cold drinks and western toilets…I’m easy to please these days. Perhaps most important however is the cuisine available to me in Maroua. Eating in Bogo on a typical day usually consists of some combination of omelettes, spaghetti, onions, grilled beef, beef stew, spicy dried beef, and assorted other cow parts. Remember Bubba’s spiel about shrimp in Forest Gump? I could now do that exact same thing in relation to cows.
I’ll spare you that for the moment and get to the point. After weeks in Bogo, most of the time without any substantial vegetable of any kind, I’ll arrive in Maroua with a craving for anything that offers a little variety in taste and nutrition. While you all may think that I suffer immensely here I must reiterate that it is simply not the case. You’ll understand better after reading the dining review below of the thriving metropolis that is Maroua.
Belle Vie Restaurant
To start I’ll say that while it is a nice family run establishment, the atmosphere suffers when Junior, the chef’s toddler, is on the rampage in and around the restaurant. When he’s not busy soiling himself on the sidewalk outside or in the middle of the actual restaurant, Junior spends his time harassing the customers and his busy parents. With that said, I am all for putting the little terror on a leash. Yet while I’ve listed all the restaurants in no particular order I would say that this fine establishment, Junior aside, is my top pick any day of the week. Mixed salads, curries, a delicious chicken basquaise, and fish brochettes were some of the highlights. And with all dishes in the neighborhood of 1000-2000 francs ($2-4), someone on a volunteer’s salary can eat pretty well. These staples are still on the menu, but the chef has recently added ham, cheese, sausage and veggie sandwiches to the menu. I know that doesn’t sound all that amazing to you, but I assure you it is a major development in our standard of living here. I believe the normal Human Development Index (HDI) used by international organizations is a mixed measure of life expectancy, education and per capita GDP in any given country. Yet until “availability of ham & cheese sandwiches” is added as a fourth element of the HDI, I think we’ll just be lost in the woods as a society.
Cafeteriat Abdurahman
As far as the food, this place isn’t something to write home about. Greasy beefsteak, bread and French fries is about the extent of it. Despite the lack of decent grub Cafeteriat makes a fruit smoothie that is out of this world. Depending on the season one can get any mix of mango, guava, papaya, banana, pineapple and citrus. Some (including yours truly) have taken to calling them dysentery shakes, and if you saw the fly-ridden table where the fruit is cut and blended you would understand why. Yet I can’t think of one time when my intestinal woes could be traced back to Abdurahman. Then again, perhaps I’m just in denial that something so delicious could be harmful in any way.
Mammale Allaitante/Cheese GIC
This place gets bonus points for having “Lactating Mammal” as their name. The reason for this odd title begins with the formation of a community group that produces milk, yoghurt and cheeses at this location with the aid of an Italian organization. Their dairy products have always been immensely popular, especially among expats, and it was only a matter of time before a restaurant was opened on the same site. Today one can order tomato and mozzarella salad, personal pizzas, cheesesteak, homemade ice cream and tiramisu and many other daily specials. After a long difficult stint in Bogo, this restaurant is usually the perfect pick me up.
Niam Niam Glou Glou
This has never been much of a dinner joint, but when the oppressive heat sometimes lifts enough to allow for a more substantial lunch the burger and fries here hits the spot. For somewhere around three bucks one can get a “Hamburger McDonalds style” and fries. I would say this place actually beats McDonalds. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t kill someone for a double quarter-pounder with cheese right now (you think I’m kidding…throw in an apple pie and vanilla milkshake and I’ll kill two people), but McDonalds style here is a fresh roll, spiced and seasoned ground beef, cheese, ketchup, mayo and olives. It may not have that same glorious mix of artificial flavors, pure fat and sodium, but the freshness is hard to beat.
Restaurant Le Noumou
At first I really liked this place. The prices were a bit steep, but it puts out good food and is a nice change every once in a while. I believe they make more money off of catering and opening their massive courtyard to weddings and parties. This might explain why most times when I come in looking for a good sandwich or a plate of steak poivre blanc they look at me as if surprised that I’ve come to their restaurant to order food. I place my order with one of the half dozen employees with nothing to do in the empty restaurant and they take it back to the kitchen. About fifteen minutes later another employee will walk by briskly and exit restaurant, returning shortly with all ingredients for whatever I’ve just ordered. After that its only another 2 hours of sipping on overpriced drinks before the food is actually ready.
Relais de Porte Mayo
When I sit at a table on this restaurant/hotel’s patio with the tree cover and ambient lighting I forget where I am. It is fine dining at its best (in Cameroon), and the prices on the menu reflect that. A volunteer couldn’t exactly afford this place on a regular basis. Spending upwards of 10,000 francs on a meal is hard to justify when equal quantities of delicious (but less so) food can be found for fractions of the price. It’s nice every once in a while and once I start tearing apart the Roquefort salad, mango duck, spaghetti carbonara or banana split my brain shuts down and all cerebral functions not required for shoving food into my mouth are temporarily disabled. Then the plates are empty and I cry a tear of joy for those few minutes of gastronomical bliss.
Cameroon In the News- July 2010
Cameroon farmers doubt elephant chilli ball idea (BBC)
Cameroon capital introduces strict anti-begging measures (BBC)
Cameroon seeks help to boost use of solar power (Reuters)
Cameroon to Mine Gold From Site of Planned Reservoir Before It's Submerged (Bloomberg)
Cameroon denies homosexuals face persecution (BBC)
Pius Njawé, Noted African Journalist, Dies at 53 (New York Times)
Cameroon capital introduces strict anti-begging measures (BBC)
Cameroon seeks help to boost use of solar power (Reuters)
Cameroon to Mine Gold From Site of Planned Reservoir Before It's Submerged (Bloomberg)
Cameroon denies homosexuals face persecution (BBC)
Pius Njawé, Noted African Journalist, Dies at 53 (New York Times)
6.17.2010
The Bogo Mailbag Returns
In July 2009 I asked readers to send me any burning questions they may have about any aspect of my life/work in Cameroon. After receiving some excellent questions I answered them to the best of my ability in this post.
I feel as though it's now a good time to do it again. The reason being is that as strange as it is to admit it, life in Cameroon feels almost absolutely normal to me. Things that seemed exciting or bizarre in the first year are now feeling like just a part of the everyday. Nowadays it's very interesting to meet visitors that have just arrived and hear them talk about their initial impressions of the country. They have many of the same opinions and reactions that I once had to this culture, and they will often bring a fresh perspective; seeing the forest through the trees, so to speak.
So with that said what do you want to know on the topic of all things Cameroon? Believe me, I haven't run out of items to talk to you about. Far from it as this place never ceases to amaze. But seeing as you've taken time out of your day to read this blog, take a minute or two and leave a question on the 'Comments' section of this entry or send me a question at darchibaldpccam@yahoo.com. And if I receive any I'll be sure to respond to them in a future post. Thanks for reading and take care for now.
I feel as though it's now a good time to do it again. The reason being is that as strange as it is to admit it, life in Cameroon feels almost absolutely normal to me. Things that seemed exciting or bizarre in the first year are now feeling like just a part of the everyday. Nowadays it's very interesting to meet visitors that have just arrived and hear them talk about their initial impressions of the country. They have many of the same opinions and reactions that I once had to this culture, and they will often bring a fresh perspective; seeing the forest through the trees, so to speak.
So with that said what do you want to know on the topic of all things Cameroon? Believe me, I haven't run out of items to talk to you about. Far from it as this place never ceases to amaze. But seeing as you've taken time out of your day to read this blog, take a minute or two and leave a question on the 'Comments' section of this entry or send me a question at darchibaldpccam@yahoo.com. And if I receive any I'll be sure to respond to them in a future post. Thanks for reading and take care for now.
6.13.2010
Cameroon In the News: June 2010
Algeria coach wants more African coaches (Associated Press)
Cameroon wins UN praise for corruption crackdown (Associated Press)
10 mln fear worst as Sahel faces new food crisis Associated Press)
Illegal Trade Threatens Grey Parrots in Cameroon (Associated Press)
Cameroon tensions pose risk of conflict (Reuters)
Cameroon Destroys Pigs Amid Outbreak of Swine Fever (Bloomberg)
45 killed in Cameroon bus accident (Associated Press)
Cameroon wins UN praise for corruption crackdown (Associated Press)
10 mln fear worst as Sahel faces new food crisis Associated Press)
Illegal Trade Threatens Grey Parrots in Cameroon (Associated Press)
Cameroon tensions pose risk of conflict (Reuters)
Cameroon Destroys Pigs Amid Outbreak of Swine Fever (Bloomberg)
45 killed in Cameroon bus accident (Associated Press)
6.12.2010
Le Monde Jouent
World Cup USA, Russia v. Sweden, July 1994
Nearly sixteen years ago my father took one of my sisters and I to a World Cup match at the Pontiac Sivlerdome in Detroit, MI. We were on vacation visiting family in Ohio and we made the jaunt to the motor city to catch a group match of the 1994 USA World Cup. For a ten year old American who had played soccer since the age of 5 the idea of seeing a match that didn't promise orange slices at halftime was foreign. Seeing a stadium packed with sixty thousand fans who weren't parents or kin was also a bit mind blowing. The 1994 World Cup held in the US may have been a bit premature for the American public at large, but I had already been playing this sport for a few years despite the heckling from kids at school who were convinced that soccer was for queers. I always found it strange that the most popular and one of the more physically demanding sports in the world was considered queer in my neck of the woods. Kicking a ball with one's feet across a field the size of Rhode Island? Apparently homoerotic. Men's wrestling? Inexplicably revered.
The first few years that I played this foreign game made for immigrants and communists (another popular slander) I was more interested in the bugs that I could find in the soil of the field than I was in the game going on around me. My old man coached the “Clifton Forge Force” youth soccer team. At about 5 or 6 years old I was put on the under 8's, the youngest age group at that point. I don't remember much about these games but I do remember vividly that when I was 5 years old, 7 and 8 year olds looked like they were on steroids. I doubt they were juicing, but picture yourself as a young boy on a field of play with an also young but much larger boy bearing down on you wearing cleats.
In my first soccer experiences, I can only imagine that I as a 5 year old reasoned that taking them on in athletic pursuits could only end poorly. In the interest of self preservation I took no interest in the game around me and instead focused on the bugs I could find in the grass. The first year or so of my soccer career consisted of my father or another coach looking over me speaking in a very Charlie Brown-esque “wah-wah-wah” tone in which I can only imagine that they were not explaining the local flora and fauna of the field.
Back to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1994: a stadium packed to the rafters on this day with rowdy Swedes and Russians. Not exactly the marquee game of the tournament but for these two countries national pride is on the line. I can imagine that no self respecting Swede would want to carry the burden of losing to a bunch of commies, and I doubt Mother Russia has any intention of losing to a band of lousy Scandinavians. We take our seats on the middle deck. Down below the Swedish fans, decked out in blue and yellow, are doing their best to make the entire stadium collapse.
I remember very little of the game itself. That's not to say that it wasn't entertaining, but the excitement and tension in the stadium is like nothing I had ever witnessed. With the game under way it was obvious that Sweden was the better team and Russia looked to just be delaying the inevitable breakdown as long as possible. The lower level of the stadium on the opposite side of the field was a rowdy sea of blue and yellow flags held up by people dressed and painted in the same colors. They were probably visible from space, and in case they were not conspicuous enough they filled the place with unbelievably loud and well synchronized chants.
Deep into the match and Sweden has owned every bit of the game. Its 2-0 in Swedens's favor and in the late minutes their star striker of that tournament, Martin Dahlen, puts one home to make it 3-0. Game, set, match. Unfortunately the Russian guy in front of us has had enough. He stands up and takes out his frustrations by pouring his entire beer on the head of a Swedish woman in front of him who had the audacity to stand up and clap when Sweden scored their third and final goal. I thought we were in the calm section of the stadium but this Russian guy just took things to another level. Unfortunately for him this was a sporting event that was taking place in the U.S.
We Americans love us some sports. I've been to some very contentious games in various sports and at various talent levels and despite the tensions between opposing fans I've rarely seen anyone get truly out of hand. The only exception would be a minor league hockey game in Roanoke, VA, I went to with my U-14 soccer team as a reward for our stellar season. A teammate and friend of mine punched an older girl behind us. Let's be honest; at minor league hockey they basically drop the puck and immediately afterwards drop their gloves so I would argue that its not a place to take young boys full of teenage angst and rage. In his defense she was being a massive “B” at the time.
So when Boris Badinov chose to dump his beer all over the Swedish lady in front of him, it took about .5 seconds for Detroit's finest to descend upon him and whisk him away to what I can only imagine was a very animated discussion of the fact that he had just assaulted someone on foreign soil. Russia got their ass handed to them in that game so I can only infer that the Russian embassy was flush with calls that evening about their citizens being detained in the Detroit metro area as a result of misdirected fits of rage.
A crisis of loyalties
As I write this 32 countries who have qualified have arrived in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. Supporting the United States is a no brain-er. And this year you could honestly say that we have a team capable of making a deep run in the tournament. Our first three games are against England (today!), Algeria and Slovenia. No disrespect to Algeria or Slovenia, but we should qualify from our group and be in the mix later on in the tournament. A victory over the Brits in our first game would be especially sweet. We play England this evening and I have traveled to Maroua where there is a bar with a projection screen outside. I am clad in a button down shirt and pants made out of Barack Obama fabric courtesy of my mother, and my friend from village is decked out in the same ensemble. I'm pretty certain that we look absolutely ridiculous, but I've seen more bizarre outfits and costumes worn by sports fans. Its possible that there will be a large American flag on hand as well, so I expect that we'll be a spectacle out of the ordinary from the normal bar patrons on match days. I ask any self respecting American reading this right now to watch the U.S.A vs. England match later on regardless of your interest in soccer. It's on a Saturday so you have absolutely no excuse. Home Depot and Bed, Bath and Beyond are probably open on Sunday, so sit your behind in front of the nearest TV around 10 or 11AM EST.
Over the past week I've been lobbying Cameroonians hard to get behind the United States for our game against England. It's not difficult. Most Cameroonians watched the Confederations Cup last summer when we beat Spain (#2 in the world) 2-0, and came close to beating Brazil (#1) in the final. After seeing a team like the United States, talented but by no means in the elite, take on and beat some of the best we've won many admirers in this country. Athletic, organized and capable of an upset, I dare say that the U.S. could go far this year.
Les Lions Indomptables
I enjoy watching African teams at the World Cup as well. They play fast and physical in a way that can be overwhelming for opponents. It's an interesting mix of innate attacking skill, tenacity in midfield, and total defensive chaos that defies comprehension. Yet win or lose, a match involving an African side usually promises entertainment. Being here in Cameroon I feel I now have a vested interest in an African team's success at the tournament that I've never felt towards any team other than the USA.
How is Cameroon going to fare? They are in a tough group with the Netherlands, Denmark and Japan and qualification to the next round is no guarantee. Netherlands is by far the best team of the group. Cameroon on its best day could get second place and just maybe contest Netherlands for first place. On their average day, which has been all too common recently, they would most likely get embarrased by all three teams. Unfortunately Cameroon has been frustratingly inconsistent as of late. They had an unusual amount of trouble qualifying for the tournament playing lesser teams such as Togo, Morocco, and neighbors Gabon. I have great hopes for them, but I always wonder when watching them when the meltdown is going to occur.
Yet Cameroon is arguably the most illustrious team in Africa. They were the first nation in Africa to get to the quarter-finals of the World Cup (in 1990) which is no small feat. They've won the African Cup of Nations numerous times, and claimed Olympic Gold at the 2000 games in Sydney. One of the more memorable moments of all World Cups has to be from their amazing quarter final run in 1990. Roger Milla was Cameroon's hero as they beat a number of more illustrious teams, including defending champs Argentina. He scored numerous goals and after each one he would sprint to the nearest corner flag and dance around it in celebration.
Unfortunately, the other recent World cups in '94, '98 and '06 (they didn't qualify in 2002) have been extremely disappointing for Cameroon. Each time they've been unceremoniously knocked out in the group stages and left their countrymen wanting more. If they qualify from their group this year I'd say that would be enough to keep people in this country from rioting and setting things on fire. Anything less than making it to the 2nd round would be a disappointment. However it all comes down to Samuel Eto'o, the most well known Cameroonian player. I want to say he is the hero of Cameroon but in truth, lesser players (Roger Milla) have done more for Cameroon in the past than this uber-talented individual. Spending most of his professional football career at FC Barcelona and just this past season at Internazionale Milan, he's won the Champion's League 3 times. Eto'o is among the greatest to ever play the game by winning this competition 3 times while playing a crucial role with every team he's ever won it with. In short he has been absolutely unstoppable for any professional team he has ever represented. The only problem is that Samuel Eto'o is inexplicably quiet when he plays for Cameroon. The entire Cameroonian nation, through all the day to day hardship and nonsense they endure, place many of their emotions into the successes and failures of their team. For their sake I hope “Les Lions Indomptables” step up to the plate this time around and give them something to cheer about. Either way the country will probably take to the streets. I'd just prefer they take to the streets waving the national flag and not pitchforks and torches.
Samuel Eto'o is by no means the only big name player on Cameroon's national squad. There are players who play at some of the best professional clubs in Europe: England, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and throughout countless other countries across the globe. Cameroonians are scattered about the professional ranks of these nations and are often at the most talented clubs and playing integral roles. The only question is if they can come together as a nation and put their individual successes and professional athlete persona's aside and make an effort to cause some upsets. “On est ensemble” (We are together) is a popular phrase in this country. Here's to hoping they personify it in on the field in South Africa.
And then there were 3
If splitting my loyalties amongst two teams wasn't hard enough, this World Cup has presented me with a third nation that merits my support. By some miracle New Zealand has qualified for the tournament this year. New Zealand booked their ticket to South Africa by beating juggernauts such as Fiji, Samoa and Bahrain. If you play the numbers and look at who New Zealand has to play in the World Cup you'll know they are up a creek without a paddle.
The kiwis find themselves with matches against Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia. Italy are the defending World Cup champions and have won the tournament five or six times. Paraguay, to qualify for the World Cup, had to play against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, etc. They are no pushovers. I really have no idea about Slovakia, but if they qualified from the European continent that tells me that they are a tough team. If New Zealand even scores a goal in their first three matches I'll be pleased. I mean no disrespect. Besides I imagine they are more concerned with the Rugby World Cup taking place on their home soil next year.
One thing I must state before we move on is to explain why NZ is actually in the World Cup in the first place. A few years ago, Australia's soccer team (the “Socceroo's,”...hows that for a lame moniker?) moved from the Oceania region to the Asia region. The reason for this was that Australia has a fairly strong football team and Oceania never receives an automatic bid to the World Cup (e.g.- New Zealand had to beat Bahrain, the 4th placed team in Asia, in a playoff before qualifying for the World Cup). I'm not crediting Australia for NZ's fortune. Those convicts can have Asia. They were just too afraid of Bahrain to stay in the Oceania region. That's right I said it. Australia is afraid of Bahrain. They thought “Crikey!, We can't beat those Bahrainis. Let the Kiwis play 'em.”
The best and worst WC moments from Cameroon:
1)1990- defeating World Cup champs Argentina
2)1990- Roger Milla's trademark cornerflag dance goal celebrations (click here to watch)
3)1990- Taking England to the wire in the quarterfinals but falling just short
4)1994- Losing to Russia 6-1.
5)1998- Pierre Njanka's ridiculous goal against Austria (click here to watch)
The best and worst WC moments from USA:
1)1994- beating Colombia 3-2 to advance to the final stages
2)1998- losing 2-1 to Iran. It was not pretty to watch
3)2002- taking down Portugal 3-2 in their first match of the tournament
4)2002- beating arch-rival Mexico 2-0 to advance to quarter-finals
5)2002- getting beat by Germany 1-0 in the quarters after a terrible penalty decision. The ref obviously hated freedom.
Opening Day:
The World Cup actually began yesterday. In the evening the hosts, South Africa (Bafana Bafana), took on Mexico (El Tricolor) and France (Les Bleus) played Uruguay. I don't like to watch any sporting event on an empty stomach, but what you might consider your average game day fare is a little tough to come by in Bogo. I explained buffalo wings to a friend and the concept of a huge heaping plate of nothing but wings and legs nearly made his head explode. What did you do with all the quadriplegic chickens???
But alas, I was planning ahead last week in Maroua and before returning to Bogo I stopped at Marché Abatoire and picked up some stuff that isn't available in village. And when I say marché I'm not talking about Harris Teeter. Putting together a game day feast here is perhaps more challenging. Wandering the stacks of veggies, colorful spices, butcher tables with piles of fly covered raw flesh, and young kids hawking everything in between I'm able to put together what looks like a decent bag of groceries to cook up something tasty.
Game day has arrived and I begin the day with a small amount of work in a mango orchard. Just enough to defend my intention of watching every single game of the Cup. Everything here shuts down during games anyways so I don't think its unreasonable to just work mornings for the next month :) The work is done early and I then made my way to the Bogo market for a few small items. Afterwards I drop some clothes off with the catholic mission where the cook will wash them provided I buy the soap and pay per article of clothing. I gave up on doing my own laundry here a long time ago. Anytime anyone sees me washing something they make a very disappointed clucking sound and seem to take great pleasure in explaining that I have no idea what I'm doing. Fair enough, you do 'em.
Returning home I begin the prep work for my game day feast. Its a very informal affair. A small number of folks are aware of my intention to prepare food, sit down and watch the South Africa-Mexico game, cook dinner, and then watch the France-Uruguay game while eating it. I've told them to come over for the games and a meal is on offer as well if they'd like. Come watch my TV and eat my food; the Coupe du Monde puts me in a strange frame of mind, I admit.
Peel and dice the mangoes. Juice the limes. Cut the green peppers and green beans. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes. Slice the onions, step outside to cry a bit, and repeat both steps a few times. Cut hot peppers without touching them as they are nuclear. Wash skins off the peanuts. Peel and chop the garlic. Peel and chop the ginger. Dice the basil and mint. Mix up a concoction of dried spices. And with that the prep work for my spicy mango salad and yellow curry is complete! If I told you which ingredients went where and when I'd have to kill you.
South Africa vs. Mexico- The game starts and Mexico looks to be the better team. Its 0-0 at halftime but Mexico had a goal disallowed by the referee. The linesman called offsides but it was not even close to being offsides. Its such a bad call that it begs the question of whether the refs are deliberately favoring the hosts. In the second half South Africa needs no such help and opens the scoring with what is the first, and when all is said and done, could be one of the best goals of the tournament. The team's goal celebration wasn't bad either. Canal Sport shows us the replay about 50 times at countless angles and speeds, and I can't see it enough. To make it even better it was scored by some guy named Tshabalala. Not only has he scored what could be one of the best goals we see throughout the Cup, but he is also a candidate for having the best name. Mexico looks to be in trouble, but then about 20 minutes later they score a nice goal off of a freekick to tie it up. The match ends 1-1 after lots of end to end entertainment. Keep an eye on South Africa in their next few matches. They are by no means a great team but they put together some really nice football and play without fear.
The mango salad is mixed and keeping cool in the fridge. The curry is assembled and simmering on the stove. All that's left to do is to crack open a cold Beaufort and prepare for the France-Uruguay match, fully hoping to see France crash and burn in their first game of a World Cup that they don't deserve to be in. In their last qualifying match the ref royally screwed Ireland out of an upset win over Les Bleus.
France vs. Uruguay (and dinner)- Sadly this game was nowhere near as entertaining as the first. I blame France. Uruguay actually looked like they wanted to score throughout the game. The french were just going through the motions and playing some really boring football. Uruguay had a player ejected in the second half, and they played the rest of the game stuck in their own half. Nevertheless they looked good and got a 0-0 result against France. In all truth they were unlucky not to pull off an uspet. The salad and curry are pretty damn good. Shame that I couldn't say the same for the evening game.
Interesting things to watch during the tournament:
-Can the Bafana Bafana (South Africa) make it out of their difficult preliminary group?If not they'd be the first hosts in history to fail to do so. The 1-1 tie with Mexico is a decent start.
-What uniform will Cameroon show up in? They've had some pretty crazy ones in recent past, most notably the sleeveless muscle shirts they wore a few years back, no doubt scaring the crap out of the opposition.
-Who will Bob Bradley choose as his starters? In his three or four years as USA coach I don't think he's ever picked the same starting eleven.
-Can an African team(s) break through to the end of the tournament? No African team has ever gotten past the quarter-finals. Cameroon did it in 1990 and Senegal did so in 2002. The Cup is on African soil this year so I think it can be done. Will it be 'Les Elephants' of the Ivory Coast, the Ghana 'Black Stars,' or maybe the 'Super Eagles' of Nigeria? Who knows, maybe even 'Les Lions Indomptables' of Cameroon could do it. They've all got a shot, and we here in Cameroon will be supporting Les Lions first and foremost. Yet I've enjoyed seeing Cameroonians express support not only for their nation but for all the African nations, as if there is a higher goal for the continent at large.
Nearly sixteen years ago my father took one of my sisters and I to a World Cup match at the Pontiac Sivlerdome in Detroit, MI. We were on vacation visiting family in Ohio and we made the jaunt to the motor city to catch a group match of the 1994 USA World Cup. For a ten year old American who had played soccer since the age of 5 the idea of seeing a match that didn't promise orange slices at halftime was foreign. Seeing a stadium packed with sixty thousand fans who weren't parents or kin was also a bit mind blowing. The 1994 World Cup held in the US may have been a bit premature for the American public at large, but I had already been playing this sport for a few years despite the heckling from kids at school who were convinced that soccer was for queers. I always found it strange that the most popular and one of the more physically demanding sports in the world was considered queer in my neck of the woods. Kicking a ball with one's feet across a field the size of Rhode Island? Apparently homoerotic. Men's wrestling? Inexplicably revered.
The first few years that I played this foreign game made for immigrants and communists (another popular slander) I was more interested in the bugs that I could find in the soil of the field than I was in the game going on around me. My old man coached the “Clifton Forge Force” youth soccer team. At about 5 or 6 years old I was put on the under 8's, the youngest age group at that point. I don't remember much about these games but I do remember vividly that when I was 5 years old, 7 and 8 year olds looked like they were on steroids. I doubt they were juicing, but picture yourself as a young boy on a field of play with an also young but much larger boy bearing down on you wearing cleats.
In my first soccer experiences, I can only imagine that I as a 5 year old reasoned that taking them on in athletic pursuits could only end poorly. In the interest of self preservation I took no interest in the game around me and instead focused on the bugs I could find in the grass. The first year or so of my soccer career consisted of my father or another coach looking over me speaking in a very Charlie Brown-esque “wah-wah-wah” tone in which I can only imagine that they were not explaining the local flora and fauna of the field.
Back to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1994: a stadium packed to the rafters on this day with rowdy Swedes and Russians. Not exactly the marquee game of the tournament but for these two countries national pride is on the line. I can imagine that no self respecting Swede would want to carry the burden of losing to a bunch of commies, and I doubt Mother Russia has any intention of losing to a band of lousy Scandinavians. We take our seats on the middle deck. Down below the Swedish fans, decked out in blue and yellow, are doing their best to make the entire stadium collapse.
I remember very little of the game itself. That's not to say that it wasn't entertaining, but the excitement and tension in the stadium is like nothing I had ever witnessed. With the game under way it was obvious that Sweden was the better team and Russia looked to just be delaying the inevitable breakdown as long as possible. The lower level of the stadium on the opposite side of the field was a rowdy sea of blue and yellow flags held up by people dressed and painted in the same colors. They were probably visible from space, and in case they were not conspicuous enough they filled the place with unbelievably loud and well synchronized chants.
Deep into the match and Sweden has owned every bit of the game. Its 2-0 in Swedens's favor and in the late minutes their star striker of that tournament, Martin Dahlen, puts one home to make it 3-0. Game, set, match. Unfortunately the Russian guy in front of us has had enough. He stands up and takes out his frustrations by pouring his entire beer on the head of a Swedish woman in front of him who had the audacity to stand up and clap when Sweden scored their third and final goal. I thought we were in the calm section of the stadium but this Russian guy just took things to another level. Unfortunately for him this was a sporting event that was taking place in the U.S.
We Americans love us some sports. I've been to some very contentious games in various sports and at various talent levels and despite the tensions between opposing fans I've rarely seen anyone get truly out of hand. The only exception would be a minor league hockey game in Roanoke, VA, I went to with my U-14 soccer team as a reward for our stellar season. A teammate and friend of mine punched an older girl behind us. Let's be honest; at minor league hockey they basically drop the puck and immediately afterwards drop their gloves so I would argue that its not a place to take young boys full of teenage angst and rage. In his defense she was being a massive “B” at the time.
So when Boris Badinov chose to dump his beer all over the Swedish lady in front of him, it took about .5 seconds for Detroit's finest to descend upon him and whisk him away to what I can only imagine was a very animated discussion of the fact that he had just assaulted someone on foreign soil. Russia got their ass handed to them in that game so I can only infer that the Russian embassy was flush with calls that evening about their citizens being detained in the Detroit metro area as a result of misdirected fits of rage.
A crisis of loyalties
As I write this 32 countries who have qualified have arrived in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. Supporting the United States is a no brain-er. And this year you could honestly say that we have a team capable of making a deep run in the tournament. Our first three games are against England (today!), Algeria and Slovenia. No disrespect to Algeria or Slovenia, but we should qualify from our group and be in the mix later on in the tournament. A victory over the Brits in our first game would be especially sweet. We play England this evening and I have traveled to Maroua where there is a bar with a projection screen outside. I am clad in a button down shirt and pants made out of Barack Obama fabric courtesy of my mother, and my friend from village is decked out in the same ensemble. I'm pretty certain that we look absolutely ridiculous, but I've seen more bizarre outfits and costumes worn by sports fans. Its possible that there will be a large American flag on hand as well, so I expect that we'll be a spectacle out of the ordinary from the normal bar patrons on match days. I ask any self respecting American reading this right now to watch the U.S.A vs. England match later on regardless of your interest in soccer. It's on a Saturday so you have absolutely no excuse. Home Depot and Bed, Bath and Beyond are probably open on Sunday, so sit your behind in front of the nearest TV around 10 or 11AM EST.
Over the past week I've been lobbying Cameroonians hard to get behind the United States for our game against England. It's not difficult. Most Cameroonians watched the Confederations Cup last summer when we beat Spain (#2 in the world) 2-0, and came close to beating Brazil (#1) in the final. After seeing a team like the United States, talented but by no means in the elite, take on and beat some of the best we've won many admirers in this country. Athletic, organized and capable of an upset, I dare say that the U.S. could go far this year.
Les Lions Indomptables
I enjoy watching African teams at the World Cup as well. They play fast and physical in a way that can be overwhelming for opponents. It's an interesting mix of innate attacking skill, tenacity in midfield, and total defensive chaos that defies comprehension. Yet win or lose, a match involving an African side usually promises entertainment. Being here in Cameroon I feel I now have a vested interest in an African team's success at the tournament that I've never felt towards any team other than the USA.
How is Cameroon going to fare? They are in a tough group with the Netherlands, Denmark and Japan and qualification to the next round is no guarantee. Netherlands is by far the best team of the group. Cameroon on its best day could get second place and just maybe contest Netherlands for first place. On their average day, which has been all too common recently, they would most likely get embarrased by all three teams. Unfortunately Cameroon has been frustratingly inconsistent as of late. They had an unusual amount of trouble qualifying for the tournament playing lesser teams such as Togo, Morocco, and neighbors Gabon. I have great hopes for them, but I always wonder when watching them when the meltdown is going to occur.
Yet Cameroon is arguably the most illustrious team in Africa. They were the first nation in Africa to get to the quarter-finals of the World Cup (in 1990) which is no small feat. They've won the African Cup of Nations numerous times, and claimed Olympic Gold at the 2000 games in Sydney. One of the more memorable moments of all World Cups has to be from their amazing quarter final run in 1990. Roger Milla was Cameroon's hero as they beat a number of more illustrious teams, including defending champs Argentina. He scored numerous goals and after each one he would sprint to the nearest corner flag and dance around it in celebration.
Unfortunately, the other recent World cups in '94, '98 and '06 (they didn't qualify in 2002) have been extremely disappointing for Cameroon. Each time they've been unceremoniously knocked out in the group stages and left their countrymen wanting more. If they qualify from their group this year I'd say that would be enough to keep people in this country from rioting and setting things on fire. Anything less than making it to the 2nd round would be a disappointment. However it all comes down to Samuel Eto'o, the most well known Cameroonian player. I want to say he is the hero of Cameroon but in truth, lesser players (Roger Milla) have done more for Cameroon in the past than this uber-talented individual. Spending most of his professional football career at FC Barcelona and just this past season at Internazionale Milan, he's won the Champion's League 3 times. Eto'o is among the greatest to ever play the game by winning this competition 3 times while playing a crucial role with every team he's ever won it with. In short he has been absolutely unstoppable for any professional team he has ever represented. The only problem is that Samuel Eto'o is inexplicably quiet when he plays for Cameroon. The entire Cameroonian nation, through all the day to day hardship and nonsense they endure, place many of their emotions into the successes and failures of their team. For their sake I hope “Les Lions Indomptables” step up to the plate this time around and give them something to cheer about. Either way the country will probably take to the streets. I'd just prefer they take to the streets waving the national flag and not pitchforks and torches.
Samuel Eto'o is by no means the only big name player on Cameroon's national squad. There are players who play at some of the best professional clubs in Europe: England, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and throughout countless other countries across the globe. Cameroonians are scattered about the professional ranks of these nations and are often at the most talented clubs and playing integral roles. The only question is if they can come together as a nation and put their individual successes and professional athlete persona's aside and make an effort to cause some upsets. “On est ensemble” (We are together) is a popular phrase in this country. Here's to hoping they personify it in on the field in South Africa.
And then there were 3
If splitting my loyalties amongst two teams wasn't hard enough, this World Cup has presented me with a third nation that merits my support. By some miracle New Zealand has qualified for the tournament this year. New Zealand booked their ticket to South Africa by beating juggernauts such as Fiji, Samoa and Bahrain. If you play the numbers and look at who New Zealand has to play in the World Cup you'll know they are up a creek without a paddle.
The kiwis find themselves with matches against Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia. Italy are the defending World Cup champions and have won the tournament five or six times. Paraguay, to qualify for the World Cup, had to play against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, etc. They are no pushovers. I really have no idea about Slovakia, but if they qualified from the European continent that tells me that they are a tough team. If New Zealand even scores a goal in their first three matches I'll be pleased. I mean no disrespect. Besides I imagine they are more concerned with the Rugby World Cup taking place on their home soil next year.
One thing I must state before we move on is to explain why NZ is actually in the World Cup in the first place. A few years ago, Australia's soccer team (the “Socceroo's,”...hows that for a lame moniker?) moved from the Oceania region to the Asia region. The reason for this was that Australia has a fairly strong football team and Oceania never receives an automatic bid to the World Cup (e.g.- New Zealand had to beat Bahrain, the 4th placed team in Asia, in a playoff before qualifying for the World Cup). I'm not crediting Australia for NZ's fortune. Those convicts can have Asia. They were just too afraid of Bahrain to stay in the Oceania region. That's right I said it. Australia is afraid of Bahrain. They thought “Crikey!, We can't beat those Bahrainis. Let the Kiwis play 'em.”
The best and worst WC moments from Cameroon:
1)1990- defeating World Cup champs Argentina
2)1990- Roger Milla's trademark cornerflag dance goal celebrations (click here to watch)
3)1990- Taking England to the wire in the quarterfinals but falling just short
4)1994- Losing to Russia 6-1.
5)1998- Pierre Njanka's ridiculous goal against Austria (click here to watch)
The best and worst WC moments from USA:
1)1994- beating Colombia 3-2 to advance to the final stages
2)1998- losing 2-1 to Iran. It was not pretty to watch
3)2002- taking down Portugal 3-2 in their first match of the tournament
4)2002- beating arch-rival Mexico 2-0 to advance to quarter-finals
5)2002- getting beat by Germany 1-0 in the quarters after a terrible penalty decision. The ref obviously hated freedom.
Opening Day:
The World Cup actually began yesterday. In the evening the hosts, South Africa (Bafana Bafana), took on Mexico (El Tricolor) and France (Les Bleus) played Uruguay. I don't like to watch any sporting event on an empty stomach, but what you might consider your average game day fare is a little tough to come by in Bogo. I explained buffalo wings to a friend and the concept of a huge heaping plate of nothing but wings and legs nearly made his head explode. What did you do with all the quadriplegic chickens???
But alas, I was planning ahead last week in Maroua and before returning to Bogo I stopped at Marché Abatoire and picked up some stuff that isn't available in village. And when I say marché I'm not talking about Harris Teeter. Putting together a game day feast here is perhaps more challenging. Wandering the stacks of veggies, colorful spices, butcher tables with piles of fly covered raw flesh, and young kids hawking everything in between I'm able to put together what looks like a decent bag of groceries to cook up something tasty.
Game day has arrived and I begin the day with a small amount of work in a mango orchard. Just enough to defend my intention of watching every single game of the Cup. Everything here shuts down during games anyways so I don't think its unreasonable to just work mornings for the next month :) The work is done early and I then made my way to the Bogo market for a few small items. Afterwards I drop some clothes off with the catholic mission where the cook will wash them provided I buy the soap and pay per article of clothing. I gave up on doing my own laundry here a long time ago. Anytime anyone sees me washing something they make a very disappointed clucking sound and seem to take great pleasure in explaining that I have no idea what I'm doing. Fair enough, you do 'em.
Returning home I begin the prep work for my game day feast. Its a very informal affair. A small number of folks are aware of my intention to prepare food, sit down and watch the South Africa-Mexico game, cook dinner, and then watch the France-Uruguay game while eating it. I've told them to come over for the games and a meal is on offer as well if they'd like. Come watch my TV and eat my food; the Coupe du Monde puts me in a strange frame of mind, I admit.
Peel and dice the mangoes. Juice the limes. Cut the green peppers and green beans. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes. Slice the onions, step outside to cry a bit, and repeat both steps a few times. Cut hot peppers without touching them as they are nuclear. Wash skins off the peanuts. Peel and chop the garlic. Peel and chop the ginger. Dice the basil and mint. Mix up a concoction of dried spices. And with that the prep work for my spicy mango salad and yellow curry is complete! If I told you which ingredients went where and when I'd have to kill you.
South Africa vs. Mexico- The game starts and Mexico looks to be the better team. Its 0-0 at halftime but Mexico had a goal disallowed by the referee. The linesman called offsides but it was not even close to being offsides. Its such a bad call that it begs the question of whether the refs are deliberately favoring the hosts. In the second half South Africa needs no such help and opens the scoring with what is the first, and when all is said and done, could be one of the best goals of the tournament. The team's goal celebration wasn't bad either. Canal Sport shows us the replay about 50 times at countless angles and speeds, and I can't see it enough. To make it even better it was scored by some guy named Tshabalala. Not only has he scored what could be one of the best goals we see throughout the Cup, but he is also a candidate for having the best name. Mexico looks to be in trouble, but then about 20 minutes later they score a nice goal off of a freekick to tie it up. The match ends 1-1 after lots of end to end entertainment. Keep an eye on South Africa in their next few matches. They are by no means a great team but they put together some really nice football and play without fear.
The mango salad is mixed and keeping cool in the fridge. The curry is assembled and simmering on the stove. All that's left to do is to crack open a cold Beaufort and prepare for the France-Uruguay match, fully hoping to see France crash and burn in their first game of a World Cup that they don't deserve to be in. In their last qualifying match the ref royally screwed Ireland out of an upset win over Les Bleus.
France vs. Uruguay (and dinner)- Sadly this game was nowhere near as entertaining as the first. I blame France. Uruguay actually looked like they wanted to score throughout the game. The french were just going through the motions and playing some really boring football. Uruguay had a player ejected in the second half, and they played the rest of the game stuck in their own half. Nevertheless they looked good and got a 0-0 result against France. In all truth they were unlucky not to pull off an uspet. The salad and curry are pretty damn good. Shame that I couldn't say the same for the evening game.
Interesting things to watch during the tournament:
-Can the Bafana Bafana (South Africa) make it out of their difficult preliminary group?If not they'd be the first hosts in history to fail to do so. The 1-1 tie with Mexico is a decent start.
-What uniform will Cameroon show up in? They've had some pretty crazy ones in recent past, most notably the sleeveless muscle shirts they wore a few years back, no doubt scaring the crap out of the opposition.
-Who will Bob Bradley choose as his starters? In his three or four years as USA coach I don't think he's ever picked the same starting eleven.
-Can an African team(s) break through to the end of the tournament? No African team has ever gotten past the quarter-finals. Cameroon did it in 1990 and Senegal did so in 2002. The Cup is on African soil this year so I think it can be done. Will it be 'Les Elephants' of the Ivory Coast, the Ghana 'Black Stars,' or maybe the 'Super Eagles' of Nigeria? Who knows, maybe even 'Les Lions Indomptables' of Cameroon could do it. They've all got a shot, and we here in Cameroon will be supporting Les Lions first and foremost. Yet I've enjoyed seeing Cameroonians express support not only for their nation but for all the African nations, as if there is a higher goal for the continent at large.
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