Dschang

I have been in Dschang, the capital of L'Ouest since last Friday afternoon. On saturday, we were dropped off at our host familys. I feel like I could live here forever. I share a room with my sister, Dorvale. She is 25 and attends the University of Dschang. We share a huge bed and batheroom, and she really is awesome. Shes pretty chic and likes all the same music that i do. i have yet another brother named Yanick ici. Yanick is also a student at the university.He is 22 and in the third year, studying economics and international affairs...i think?! Anyway, he loves to dance and play the tamtam = the djembe. he is part of a club dance group at the university and does traditional dances. He LOVES to laugh, oh and he does theatre. I have 2 other brothers: Yvan, 18, and Louic, 15. Crystelle also lives with us, and shes my 16 yr old cousine. Maman works all day at a money exchange similar to western union, and papa is a retired teacher of history and geography. The children prepare all of the cuisine and well pretty much everything else. Favorite hang out place= the kitchen while we're all making food or dorvales bed. we only speak in french, though they all know some english. Unlike Yaounde, i am definitely not the first student theyve had. Yesterday, my fam told me that i speak french much better than other students in the past :) since maman works and papa is off doing other things, i only see the parents at night when the three of us eat dinner in the dark in front of the television. The other kids eat in the kitchen. its in the kitchen with my siblings where i have conversations about bilingual education system - cameroon is the only african country with english and french as official languages and consequently 2 education systems. weve also talked about polygamy and the deuxieme bureau, a maitresse, and things like that. Im learning so much while doing choses like cutting vegetables or washing dishes. we only have water in the morning, as we live on the top of a hill and water is scarcer based on location.
Agriculture dominates the economy of Dschang, and as I walk to school on the red muddy streets, I can see farms of mixed crops everywhere. Women are the primary cultivators, the traditional cultivators of the land. I also pass by a lake on the way to school. Hopefully I can upload pics soon.
I attend classes in a room at the university. Im learning about traditional versus modern gender roles and perseptions and also about the Bamilekes, the ethnic group of this area. More to come later about that.
Im thinking of doing my ISP in Dschang, as i have no desire to leave.
A plus tard,
audrey (from now on, my name is o-dray/the french pronunciation)