Overnight in Kumba

A night in Kumba... I was SO weary, but thankful for the hotel that we stayed in.  It was cheaper than the rest house, the bathroom was definitely better, and we didn't have to share a room with the kids :).

The next morning we headed to the center where our team has a storage container. 



We also greeted seminary leaders and other friends
   



 




And, of course, Kenneth found a furry friend, though its mom wasn't too happy with this new friendship :).





Mike headed off to do last-minute shopping, and we were ready for the adventure of getting into the village....

A long drive from Bamenda to Kumba...

 
The drive to Kumba used to take 5 hours to Loum on a paved road, and them 1 hour from Loum to Kumba on a dirt road.  This year, the dirt road is not passable, so we had to go the long way, almost to Douala and through Mutengene, before reaching Kumba.  Here are a variety of pictures from that long, 8 hour, journey!

Heading down the escarpment



Rain clouds...

 

The "fast food" stop for lunch netted us bits of cooked meat, cooked (unripe) plantains, and cooked African plums (see picture below).  YUM!

I couldn't get a clear picture of this, but wanted you to get a glimpse of the goats (yes, 3 of them - one brown one standing up, and two black/white ones lying down) tied to the roof-rack of this bus.

A rubber plantation (the dark trees off the road a bit)



A banana plantation, owned by Dole, I believe.  The light blue bags you might be able to see
 on some of the stalks are to protect the developing stalks.



A road-side plant nursery.  Stop and select your choice :).



And FINALLY, Kumba!!!

Leaving Bamenda behind us...

Part of the Bamenda center - the dining hall and, for the group sessions, some classrooms.



Evening walks around the circle
 (posing for Laura to take a picture)

Yes, we are still alive :) .  These pictures were taken a few weeks ago during our 2nd week at the home-school group session in Bamenda.


Laura and her friend (pictured here)
 enjoyed taking pictures of each other...

Kenneth enjoyed being able to play
the game of "Settlers of Catan" with friends

Our kids always seem to gravitate towards the animals - domestic or wild!

Cameroonian culture (items for sale by local traders)

and Scottish culture... :)





 

A great art project

taught by a great teacher (a local artist) :).

Sights and Sounds

The home-school group session ends tomorrow; I'm "down" with some kind of stomach bug, but I can still hear the sounds of activity going on around our room.  I can hear the honk of taxis as they travel through the intersection at the bottom of the hill, Cameroon Pidgin spoken by Cameroonian kids playing in the playground, and a guitar and drum being played by parents waiting for supper.



Flag football - note the yellow flags

Soon these parents will "scatter" as they return to their various places of work.  A sign of the coming end of the group sessions is that fitness testing started today - our long and lean kids excel in most of these tests (except the flexibility one - it's hard for K to reach all the way to his feet, with those long legs!).  During P.E. they have also learned how to play flag football (American football, that is :) ).

And soon we will exchange the beauty of the flowers/plants here in the Northwest Region with the lush rain forest of the Southwest Region. 




Some of the plants will be the same, some different.

What I really like about our area is that plants seem to grow easily - stick a shoot in the ground, and it will take root and grow.  Except for vegetables... it is too wet there for most veggies.  Ah well, we'll enjoy the tropical fruit :).  What we are really looking forward to is being able to settle in one place and unpack!  Perhaps on Monday we will brave the muddy roads....

Kenneth all "organized" in Yaoundé (the only place so far he's had room to unpack much at all)

Enjoying the Moment

In the middle of traveling and home-school group sessions, here are some miscellaneous fun photos...



Laura enjoys drinking pop out of a GLASS bottle again - and collecting the bottle caps :)

[photo above...] Sunday lunch - soya/meat on a stick (bottom left), half a roasted plantain (to the right of the soya), bananas, boiled ground nuts / peanuts (in the middle), bread, and filtered water to drink. 

 

Kenneth went on a day trip with friends and got to hold a chimp!



Kenneth got some experience using a machete...

Jenny got to learn a bit about playing the BAGPIPES!!  Here she is learning on the practice chanter (for all you musicians, the fingers need to be FLAT - goes against everything you learn in band!!).  She did get to try to play the real bagpipes, but I didn't get a picture :).




Jenny improvised - needing dowel rods for dramatized songs, she cut bamboo to the right lengths.



Laura's favorite way to do homework - with a WORM SNAKE keeping her company :).  She'll be sad to see it go to its home at the end of this week....