PST is getting well underway, I am just wrapping up my third week in Cameroon. It amazing how slowly time can move but at the same time it seems to be flying by. I feel like everyday here takes about a week but at the end of each week it seems like it flew by.
This week in training is immersion week. That means all french all the time (actually just on PC property); its a good idea but I will be spending my next two years speaking English so it seems a bit silly. I will know my particular site tomorrow, as of now I know that it is anglophone, so in the northwest or southwest regions. On Tuesday all of the education volunteers are leaving Bafia to visit our sites. On of the big questions everyone has is whether there will be Internet at site. Lots of volunteers have it, it is expensive, about 1/6th of my monthly income, but if it is available I will likely be buying it. Apparently it is slow but fast enough to skype. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
The presence of technology in Cameroon is a bit surprising. Nearly everyone has cell phones and internet is widespread and relatively inexpensive. If you use internet cafes it is less than one dollar per hour. True it is slow but it is available. TVs are also common and unlike Guinea there is more than one channel. The effect of western influences through media can be easily seen, from the way people dress to the music they listen to. Everyone knows Beyonce and other American artists. Surprisingly, I have not heard any Akon, that must just have been a Senegal/Guinea thing.
The big news in Cameroon is the world cup.Cameroon was supposed to do well; unfortunately they lost first to Japan and then to Denmark. I think there is one more game before they will be totally eliminated but as a whole I think the country was disappointed with their performance. My host mom blamed it on their youth and bad luck.
By the time I post again I will be able to write about my site. I should know what I will be teaching, I am hoping that it is not IT education. It is quite common for science teachers to be put in charge of computer labs...if that happens it could trigger an international incident. Not really, but I sat through an IT session last week once they started talking about changing the BIOS menu and replacing the RAM I realized I might be in need of some remedial courses. I will keep you updated on that front.
The internet should be much better by the end of 2011. Already the Chinese are funding 3900 km of fiber optic cable to connect the major regional cities and soon MTN and associates will connect a huge undersea cable. I think Camtel and their associated group is also connecting a smaller undersea cable. In any case speeds are expected to increase and prices are expected to drop.
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