Bonne Année!

Cameroonians put Americans to shame when it comes to their ability to celebrate a holiday. No only did most people I know in Dschang go out dancing on New Years' Eve (usually returning at 5 or 6 am), but everyone celebrates the entire next day. Alex and I kicked off our New Years' celebration with friends in Doumbouo. The main carrefour in the village of Batsengla was alive with activity. Beers, sodas, and kola nut were shared around. Alex, our friend Yvette, and I then returned to Dschang and split our time between a party organized by a local Peace Corps volunteer and the great bar/cabaret below Hotel Constellation, which featured a band that covered not only popular Cameroonian music, but also the occasion Tracy Chapman or Bob Marley hit. Like serious party poopers, we lasted until about 1:30am before returning to Keuleng under a nearly full moon.

The following day, Alex and I did the rounds at friends' homes, eating at each stop along the way.

First, the home of Breaking Ground program manager, Paul Zangue:

Then, my family, the Nanas:

Third, Alex's family, the Njokos:

And finally, we returned home to Keuleng to ANOTHER meal. Go team! Needless to say, we went to bed early that night!

Alex's arrival, rest in Limbe, friends in Doumbouo, and coffee harvest

I may be taking the easy way out here, but I'm going to go for another photo blog. Pictures speak louder than words, right?

1. Ma soeur/amie Alex Moore, fellow member of the Breaking Ground team, arrived in Douala on Dec 27th. After a typical day-long ordeal in a bush taxi to meet her in Douala, she and I traveled with our dear friend (and papa) Tsamo Thomas, friend and driver of most SIT students who have passed through Cameroon, to his new hotel in Limbe. His hotel, Tsaben Beach Hotel, is located at Mile 11 just outside of Limbe. It is close enough to town to have access to everything you need, but far enough away that it is quiet and calm, with access to the clearest and cleanest water I've seen in Cameroon. In short: we slept, ate good food, swam, and rested. Thanks, Thomas!

Shameless plug: Tsaben Beach Hotel, +237 79 26 64 05 / 95 05 08 65. Mile 11, Limbe. Go there!

Chez Abe'ele in Limbe

2. Upon returning to Dschang, we spent a day in Doumbouo visiting old friends. In photos:

Baby Lindsay, my friend Yvette's niece

Yvette's nephew Miguel (left) and sons Kaniska and Kesnel.

My old students from Doumbouo, all grown up!

Madame Noël

SoSo

Chef Balatet with his daughter, Lindsay.

3. And today, we met up with Zangue Paul, Breaking Ground's on-site project manager, to visit the Menouet River Bridge site, and to learn how to harvest coffee. I'll acknowledge that Alex and I may not be QUITE as efficient at removing the cherries from the trees, but I think we did pretty well!

Big night tonight! Kicking off the New Years' celebrations with friends in Batsengla, the first village in Doumbouo, before heading to a fête in Dschang. Bonne année, tout le monde!

Keuleng Construction Update (in photos)

Check out the evolution of the project in Keuleng. Every couple of days, I take a photo from the same spot in the yard. Maybe someday I'll put the photos into a flip book. :)

And a selection of photos of the construction:

The head technician, Calixte.

La Fête de Noël à Dschang (in Photos)

Delmas, looking sharp in his party clothes.

Elvira Hélène was much happier before she put her party clothes on.

Delmas, sporting his Obama party clothes, and the tree.

Pretty awesome.

Marinette, who did most of the cooking and preparation for the party, and Elvira.

Lindsay, all dolled up, loves having her photo taken.

...however we had less success with filming Elvira.

Maman, a happy grandmother, with one grumpy 1-year-old.

Of the many characteristics we share, I discovered another thing that little Lindsay and I have in common: an insatiable appetite for plantains.

Gateau, fish & chicken, batons de manioc, coco yams, and more...

Ma belle fille.

Historic Occasion: Breaking Ground's first official partnership is signed!

The Breaking Ground - RIDEV team, along with potential partner-to-be, Taguem Fah.
Left to Right: Taguem of COREDEC, Théo of RIDEV, Lindsay of Breaking Ground, Elsa of RIDEV, and Paul of Breaking Ground.

After much anticipation and planning, I am proud to announce that Breaking Ground formally established its first official partnership this past Thursday. Our new partner is RIDEV (the Research Institute for Development), based in Bafoussam in the West of Cameroon, just an hour from Dschang. RIDEV's programs are perfectly complementary to ours, and in collaboration with them, we will be stepping up our system of evaluating both a community's level of mobilization as well as the success of the project after its realization. Additionally, our work with RIDEV will provide our "partner communities" with access to capacity building programs in the fields of revenue generation, community health (with a focus on HIV/AIDS), information technology, and more.

To learn more about RIDEV, check out their website.