Miriam – Buea, Cameroon

I choose to travel to Buea in Cameroon, to work on HIV/Aids for 7 weeks.

My work in Buea has not been what I expected, but it has been great. I expected to work with other interns and that my internship would be varied. I have worked completely alone mainly teaching in a school. Teaching was very challenging with classes of 50 kids, sometimes over 70. Aiesec told me I would get help from them, as this project was very challenging for one person, but at the end of my internship they had exams and were naturally busy. This has really developed myself in prioritizing and working independently.
The last week I did not have much to do as the teachings were finished. I felt a bit neglected as I still had one more week left and I told Aiesec Buea that they should reconsider having interns in the exam period. I also felt a bit like a guinea pig; this was a new project and there were clearly some things that should have been done differently. I gave several suggestions on how to do it for the next intern.

 

Living in Buea was great, I got many friends, and I felt safe walking around alone in the day. Cameroonians are very social, so I was rarely alone. I lived with a girl from Aiesec, and it was very nice to really get to know the culture. We did not have shower or running water, and I have to say it was a surprise to me at first. I think I adapted well, but it also helped to know it was only for a few weeks. The food was a big challenge as they eat only 2 times a day, and the food is like no other I had tasted before. I am not picky in Norway and can eat anything, but here I struggled, and especially in the beginning I was hungry a lot.
Living this crowded and simple for many months is maybe too long for many. You can always rent a place, but this can be a security issue. Several of my Cameroonians friends got robbed in their houses while I was in Cameroon, and it is even worse for whites as people notice you and assume you have a lot of values in your home.

Some of the challenges:
- Having to pay 4-5 times more than a Cameroonian. I hate to negotiate prices, but it is absolutely necessary in Cameroon. I usually never went alone to buy things other than in the bakery were the prices were fixed.
- A lot of boys asking for your name, number, where you live, etc, when you are standing alone in the street. I never felt unsafe, but it was annoying at times.
- People never showing up at time. I quickly learned who really didn’t show up at time, and who were just a bit late.
- Having to attend Aiesec meetings right after work every Wednesday, they often lasted for 2,5-3 hours. Honestly I thought the meetings were boring, people were noisy and a lot of the meetings consisted of planning events that were going to take place after my departure.
- The Welcome dinner. Aiesec asked for 50 dollars and I discussed and negotiated a long time to make them realize this was a lot of money. I got it down to 30 dollars, but I told them it was still a lot to ask from someone who has used a lot of money to come there.

I will absolutely recommend Cameroon, but I also recommend to ask more questions prior than I did, avoid the exam period (which is in March) and to prepare for completely different food. You also need to pack sunscreen, insect repellent etc, as this is not to be found in Buea.