Et Le Navire Va: Damn Pebbles

Monday – Tuesday, October 22 – 23, 2012 – Damn Pebbles

I feel like a hot mess right now. The rash that was just on my left arm is now on the right one too. I still think it was the bleach; maybe it just took longer for it to set in. I think the hydrocortisone cream that I’ve been putting on has helped a bit; hopefully it will get better tomorrow. I haven’t gotten over my illness fully yet either, I’ve still got a cough and runny nose, but it’s not too bad. The worst thing is that when I was eating my sandwich today, there was a little pebble in it. I ended up breaking a tooth on it – not too bad, it doesn’t hurt, but I’m not exactly happy about it either. I texted the PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Officer) about it and they said to talk to the nurse when she comes in tomorrow. Apparently next time I am in Yaoundé (whenever that is) I can go to the dentist, so I’m supposed to get details from her. I’ll probably talk to her about the rash and all that too. She wasn’t there today, I guess I’ll have to talk to her tomorrow.

At least it’s not a front tooth or something. It’s one of the molars. I can’t keep myself from tonguing the sharp edge though. That damn pebble looked exactly like one of the beans I was eating. I should have been more careful eating – this is almost the same thing that happened to PVA when we were in Timor-Leste. In developing countries it’s hard to keep little rocks out of stuff like beans and rice. The funny thing is that last night I helped my host-brother go through our rice for little rocks.

We’ve been learning Cameroonian slang, which is pretty interesting. I’ve been trying to use it more often. Here are some examples:

On dou how? – what’s up?

C’est how? – how are you?

Je suis foiré or être nguémé or être pommer – I’m broke

Je wanda – I’m surprised

Dépose-moi! Or Mets moi par terre – Leave me alone

J’ai les nerfs – I’m angry

Faroter – to make it rain

Le faroteur – person who makes it rain

Have sex – pistacher or finir or écraser le pistache or faire l’amour or la combo

Big breasts – les lolos or les seins

Le way – vagina

Libérer le way – open your legs

La mop – French kiss

Il faut se chausser avant d’écraser le pistache – put on a condom before sex

Être stylé or être nianga or être frais or être sapé – sexy dresser

La ngâ or la petite or la ngo or la chaude – girlfriend

Le djoh or le man or le gars – boyfriend

Fait quoi fait quoi – whatever happens, happens

Le do (dough) or les fafiots or les ronds – money

Waka – to walk

La tchop or la niama or la bouffe – food

My favorite is On ne suce pas le bonbon emballé (you wouldn’t eat candy without a wrapper) or on ne mange pas une banana sans l’éplucher (you wouldn’t eat a banana with the peel on) – it’s something Cameroonians like to say to avoid using condoms.

Also, don’t judge me that so many of these had to do with sex, that’s pretty much all we talk about in YD (sexual reproductive health of course). It probably doesn’t help that I’ve been… alone… for a month though.

Tomorrow Environment is going on a 4-5 day field trip. Health gets a 3-4 day one too. YD only gets a one-day field trip. I know we’re a new program, but come on! I want to see more of the country on Peace Corps’ dime and training time! And while I’m complaining, Environment gets machetes and hoes and papaya and sugar cane, can YD not get NERF guns or something?