Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving
Today is Thanksgiving, and I hope that all of you reading this have a wonderful day, full of loved ones and gratefulness! We are all together in Garoua preparing a massive feast. It won't be filled with Turkey, but there are chickens (for all the non-vegetarians), stuffing, stuffed tomatoes, deviled eggs, and some other African delicacies, such as fresh pineapples. The chickens are being roasted over a fire. It still, of course doesn't feel so much like Thanksgiving, because of the weather, so it feels more like a celebration of another sorts, maybe for the close of training/stage. It's hard to believe it's been below freezing in the states. Stephen here has commenced the playing of Christmas music on the computer though, so I guess that's the same! I love you guys and miss you.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Soccer Game--Jeff you'll enjoy this one....
Sunday we went to a soccer game in Garoua. It was the final (second game) of Africa's equivalent to the Champions League in Europe. Garoua has the best team in Cameroon, called Cotton Sport (supported by SODECOTON), and thus they made it to the championship for the Afrian Cup (I think). They were playing against Cairo/Egypt. The first game was in Cairo, and the way the championship works is that it there is an away and home game. So the first game in Cairo ended as 2-0 Cairo, meaning that for Garoua to win, they needed at least 3 more goals than Cairo. It was a big game. I felt so blessed to get to be there! So many different things from stadiums in the states. No lights, so all games have to be played in the day (heralding back to William and Mary football games pre 2005?). The seats were cement, soooo hot, so you bring along a thick book to sit on. And then something to shade you. I rested my bottle of water on next to me in the shade, but after 10 minutes, the heat of the cement warms it up to bathwater temperature. But even warm water is good, when you're thirsty. It was so crowded, the crowd 95% men at least, and we stood out a bit, not only because we were the only non-African looking ones in our section, but also because we were sporting bright yellow t shirts that MTN (phone company here) gave us, so that there'd be a patch of yellow in the stadium.
There was a little bit of waiting before the game started, and then many officials arrived, including the countries Prime Minister (second below Paul Biya); all the officials arrived in nice cars that sped around the track surrounding the field. Quite an entrance!
The game itself was very exciting and full of energy: I think Garoua went up 1-0 and then Cairo scored, and then Garoua again but finally a PK given to Cairo sealed the deal at 2-2 near the end of the second half. So Cairo took the cup. My favorite guy was a crazy Cameroonian who ran around with a wand of cotton like a baton, cheering and running up and down the stands. Michael also had a moment ofame. We wanted to start the wave, so we did it as a small section of trainees, but wanted to get the rest of the fans involved. So Mike got down and ran to the end of our section, shouting in broken French "Est-ce que vous etes Pretes? Ou nous pouvons." But the third attempt it made it all the around the stadium. It was amazing and all the Cameroonians in our section were way enthousiastic and loved Mike. He kept sitting down to take a rest and they would tell him to get up again and start the wave again. He ended up on national television too.
It was so interesting watching the players, imagining their lives, seeing the Egyptians and thinking about how they traveled across the continent to play here, how they're lives in Cairo are completely different, and how I wanted to go there so much last year (and still do!) to work. Lives are so different and transect in so many ways. It's something. But I was really happy to be there.
I happen to have started reading "How Soccer Explains the World: an unlikely theory of globalization," which is pretty fun too. It's nice to be in such a soccer-crazed country.
There was a little bit of waiting before the game started, and then many officials arrived, including the countries Prime Minister (second below Paul Biya); all the officials arrived in nice cars that sped around the track surrounding the field. Quite an entrance!
The game itself was very exciting and full of energy: I think Garoua went up 1-0 and then Cairo scored, and then Garoua again but finally a PK given to Cairo sealed the deal at 2-2 near the end of the second half. So Cairo took the cup. My favorite guy was a crazy Cameroonian who ran around with a wand of cotton like a baton, cheering and running up and down the stands. Michael also had a moment ofame. We wanted to start the wave, so we did it as a small section of trainees, but wanted to get the rest of the fans involved. So Mike got down and ran to the end of our section, shouting in broken French "Est-ce que vous etes Pretes? Ou nous pouvons." But the third attempt it made it all the around the stadium. It was amazing and all the Cameroonians in our section were way enthousiastic and loved Mike. He kept sitting down to take a rest and they would tell him to get up again and start the wave again. He ended up on national television too.
It was so interesting watching the players, imagining their lives, seeing the Egyptians and thinking about how they traveled across the continent to play here, how they're lives in Cairo are completely different, and how I wanted to go there so much last year (and still do!) to work. Lives are so different and transect in so many ways. It's something. But I was really happy to be there.
I happen to have started reading "How Soccer Explains the World: an unlikely theory of globalization," which is pretty fun too. It's nice to be in such a soccer-crazed country.
November 7th, Friday--Francoise Mbango
Today we saw Francoise Mbango at the post office. Actually it wasn't as "everyday" as that. Jessie and I were walking to open up post office boxes and as we approached the post office. In front were tents, a stage, and music playing. As we got nearer, there werw signs saying "Bienvenue a Garoua, Francoises Mbango" et "Elle vaut de l'or".
Francoise is an Olympica athelete from Cameroon, in track and field. She won the gold medal in triple jump in 2004 and again this year in 2008. I didn't get to see her winning jump on TV this year but I think I remember my dad telling me abuot her, and also my friend Kailee emailing me a news article when she got the gold medal, saying "yay cameroon!"
So Jessie and I decided to stay, and Mike joined up with us. In typical African fashion, she was supposed to arrive around 1:00pm. We got there around 1:30 and I think it wasn't till 2:30 perhaps that she finallly rolled up, with the Governor. Meanwhile, everyone waited, as the grands slowly trickled in and live music played, and cold drinks were served (yes, cold drinks, what privilege).
The reason for her appearance was that she was doing a country-wide tour, which started in October 15. going till Nov 15, to talk to kids and present her medals. I'm not sure which province she was from, but she mentioned in her speech that one of her first meets or championships was in Garoua, so that's where she got her track start.
There were many school groups there and it was nice to see them all get a chance to see and listen to an Olympic athelet and to see such pride in her being Cameroonian. The lamido mentioned, that if anyone happens to break her record in the future, may they also be a young Cameroonian. After speeches form the grands, she gave a small speech and walked around shaking some hands. I really liked her. Jessie and I were feet from her but couldn't bring ourselves to push through. There was more music of course, and dancing.
We both agreed that it was such fantastic luck to run into that, that it was well worth the wait, and that was the closest we had ever been to an Olympic athelet. The music on the other hand, was another story, and you'll have to ask me about that later!
Francoise is an Olympica athelete from Cameroon, in track and field. She won the gold medal in triple jump in 2004 and again this year in 2008. I didn't get to see her winning jump on TV this year but I think I remember my dad telling me abuot her, and also my friend Kailee emailing me a news article when she got the gold medal, saying "yay cameroon!"
So Jessie and I decided to stay, and Mike joined up with us. In typical African fashion, she was supposed to arrive around 1:00pm. We got there around 1:30 and I think it wasn't till 2:30 perhaps that she finallly rolled up, with the Governor. Meanwhile, everyone waited, as the grands slowly trickled in and live music played, and cold drinks were served (yes, cold drinks, what privilege).
The reason for her appearance was that she was doing a country-wide tour, which started in October 15. going till Nov 15, to talk to kids and present her medals. I'm not sure which province she was from, but she mentioned in her speech that one of her first meets or championships was in Garoua, so that's where she got her track start.
There were many school groups there and it was nice to see them all get a chance to see and listen to an Olympic athelet and to see such pride in her being Cameroonian. The lamido mentioned, that if anyone happens to break her record in the future, may they also be a young Cameroonian. After speeches form the grands, she gave a small speech and walked around shaking some hands. I really liked her. Jessie and I were feet from her but couldn't bring ourselves to push through. There was more music of course, and dancing.
We both agreed that it was such fantastic luck to run into that, that it was well worth the wait, and that was the closest we had ever been to an Olympic athelet. The music on the other hand, was another story, and you'll have to ask me about that later!
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