This morning I tidied up my dead roaches for the day, deposited them in the nearest heap of rubbish and walked to work. On the way I saw a guy eating out of a dustbin, which was a little bit sobering, and then a few minutes later I was stopped by a woman who I thought was going to ask the time or directions. She asked if I had any cleaning or babysitting that needed doing, as things were very hard for her at the moment. She had a slightly desperate look on her face, while nonetheless trying to be dignified. She had the look of someone who is trying to refrain from expressing their emotions; her face was trembling a little bit and her facial expressions were a little bit erratic with slightly manic smiles, although she was still quite composed. You can never be sure, but she seemed genuinely upset. Basically, I feel like I should offer her some cleaning work. Only when I'm in the house, and after I've talked to her some more and tried to find out more about her, but I think it would be a good idea. If you have an opinion let me know. The way I see it the worst that can happen is I get robbed, the best that can happen is I give an opportunity to earn some money to someone who really needs it.
Anyway, it's Friday pm and everyone has gone home except for one or two people. I'm pretty annoyed because Monday is a holiday and everyone goes home early on Fridays and no-body thought to tell me either of those things. I'm missing an opportunity to be travelling now to make the most of the long weekend, but I still might go somewhere tomorrow morning. I'm also feeling pretty lonely again as my friend-raising efforts on Facebook have so far come to naught but promises, and someone who I was kind of banking on to reply - a contact I got through VSO - hasn't got back to me. So it's no-mates-ville again tonight, and probably the best plan will be to head to the coast tomorrow so that if I am to be on my own for 3 days at least I'll have the beach.
I need to chill out with the blogging too, last night when I was watching the football there were a couple of points where I was thinking about what to say about it in my blog. Very unhealthy, so a hiatus is probably required.
If anyone can be bothered then give me a ring off Skype - +237 79604423 - 15p a minute.
And happy birthday to Carrie and DC for Sunday!
The VSO person has just got back to me - cool.
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Some thoughts from my time in Yaounde, Cameroon, working for a development charity in 2008. (A more private blog is here )
1 comment:
Don't take a hiatus on the blogging - it's an interesting read!
I reckon you should give the cleaner a go. I'm going to investigate the possibilities of getting someone to do my laundry tonight. Since it'll almost certainly be a woman it feels like I'm perpetuating a patriarchal power structure but what the hell - it's a job and I'm not gonna have time to clean myself!!
Sorry about the friend situation - I'm sure it will pick up soon!!
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