ONE WEEK.

It seems like just yesterday I was writing the ONE WEEK blogpost that counted down to my leaving the United States, and now here I am, procrastinating yet again on my creative writing paper, writing a countdown until my return (May 31st, fyi). I can’t believe it!

Today, my second to last Friday in Cameroon, was probably my favorite, even though it started with an exam in my Gender and Development class. After that, it was off to find a tailor to make a few more dresses, and luckily I found an English-speaking one who will make two dresses for 5000 francs! Woohoo! Then, Harry and I ventured to la briqueterie for our mission to find pant fabric and bubus (the first for him, the latter for me). We chowed down on some delicious soya (basically kabobs of freshly roasted meat) and after successfully finding and buying pant fabric, despite the majority of shops being closed for the Muslim call-to-prayer, we set off towards Marché Mokolo to find some bubus for me. Along the way, we stumbled across a literal hole-in-the-wall artisan market filled with authentic masks, and once we were informed the owner was at prayer, we decided to book it to Mokolo so we’d have time to return.

However, booking it to Mokolo didn’t exactly go as planned, because we took the road that is closed off during call-to-prayer as all the men lined up their prayer mats to face east towards a yellow mosque and Mecca. The loudspeakers projected the call-to-prayer as Harry and I attempted to walk down the crowded yet orderly street, all the while feeling a combination of awkward, in awe, and disrespectful to the praying Muslims. Finally, it got to the point where we just could not walk any farther without absolutely trampling on someone’s prayer mat and causing a scene and so we paused to stand right across from the mosque. No sooner had we stopped than a tailor in the shack next to our standing spot hissed at us to have a seat in his shop. And this is how we found ourselves with front row seats to an event that I think should be listed in that book 10000 Places to See Before You Die – the call-to-prayer in Briqueterie, Yaoundé, Cameroon. For maybe 15 minutes, Harry and I just say, listening to the prayer of these devout Muslims, taking in the panoramic view before us, while the tailor’s friend snored almost as loudly as the mosque’s loudspeakers in the background. It was easily one of my Top 10 experiences during my five months here. As the prayer ended, the faithful folded their colorful mats and Harry and I left our perches to join the crowd as traffic flowed once again in a return to the day’s activities.

For us, this meant the rest of our walk up to Mokolo, the entire time just being in a state of amazement at the beauty we had just witnessed. Upon entrance into the market, it was as if we were in another world as vendors competed for our attention and we put on the married couple act. But success ensued, as I purchased bubus and earrings and Harry bargained down a pair of nice loafers to 4000 francs. As we descended back into Briqueterie, we reentered that other world and met up with Gina and Terence to recount our day’s adventures over a cold drink and then returned to the hole-in-the-wall, where Harry bought a great authentic mask, and I assured the owner I’d be returning next week once all souvenirs were bought to spend the last of my francs on a mask used to call the sun.

It’s funny how in our final week, we are making all these discoveries, but I guess that always happens under such circumstances. In walking our neighborhood to accurately make a map for our final Contemporary Cameroon project yesterday, Morgan, Harry and I discovered so many places we have probably walked by 100 times but have never paid attention to. So my goal for this final week in Cameroon is to cherish what I have discovered and try out a few more places before getting on the plane bound for home.

Alright, back to writing things that counts for grades…have a great long weekend everyone and see you soon! Stay well in your corners of the world!

Love from the land of new discoveries ‘round every corner,
Kait