(Written by: Joel)
Most of the feedback on the blog so far has been that we’re living the high life and that it is likely that the three of us are getting soft. I can assure you that this is not the case. While we are definitely doing a whole lot better than the average Cameroonian, that doesn’t say all that much. The least you can do is meet us halfway.
First, most of the toilets don’t have seats, let alone lids. I’m not sure if it’s to prevent leaving-the-toilet-seat/lid-down related arguments, but for those of us used to them, it’s really hard to go back to squatting. Even the toilet at work and the one in the bathroom that Vijay and I share doesn’t have a seat.
I also have to admit that while I feel like I should be happy with any shower, taking cold showers in the morning sucks. It’s like waking up to an abusive bathroom. There have been quite a few days when I seriously debate whether to be clean or to be warm. The water isn’t a degree above freezing like it is at home, but I definitely can’t just sit under the shower head either.
Significantly more annoying than that is the inconsistency of the running water. At work, the water goes in and out, and when it’s out, you can’t go to the bathroom. So instead of going when we need to, we go when the water is running. I think the entire office thinks that we have dysentery because we check it so often.
First, most of the toilets don’t have seats, let alone lids. I’m not sure if it’s to prevent leaving-the-toilet-seat/lid-down related arguments, but for those of us used to them, it’s really hard to go back to squatting. Even the toilet at work and the one in the bathroom that Vijay and I share doesn’t have a seat.
I also have to admit that while I feel like I should be happy with any shower, taking cold showers in the morning sucks. It’s like waking up to an abusive bathroom. There have been quite a few days when I seriously debate whether to be clean or to be warm. The water isn’t a degree above freezing like it is at home, but I definitely can’t just sit under the shower head either.
Significantly more annoying than that is the inconsistency of the running water. At work, the water goes in and out, and when it’s out, you can’t go to the bathroom. So instead of going when we need to, we go when the water is running. I think the entire office thinks that we have dysentery because we check it so often.
We also have problems with the electricity. On Wednesday we lost electricity and had a candle light dinner. Even though it was very romantic, I don’t think Vijay appreciated my advances. The lights upstairs were working, so we asked the people at the house if they had an extra fuse. After they continued to ignore us, we decided to let them figure it out and go upstairs to enjoy the wonders of incandescent lighting.We also have a few stowaways in our house. We’ve got some cockroaches to help clean up dinner in the kitchen (pictures spared for those who have weak stomachs). A really small mouse that makes some continual trips between the whiskey bar and the stereo (this guy is way to fast to catch on my camera). Lastly, there’s my roommate, a tiny lizard (I’m hoping to get photos of him soon).
Lately we’ve been making our own lunches. It’s amazing how expensive going out to eat is. It’s about 6-8 dollars a meal. So instead, we’ve been making sandwiches with stuff from the local market. It’s still not all that cheap, like it was when I was touring Europe. The prices are actually quite similar to Chicago, if not more expensive. I have absolutely no idea how anyone lives on a mere $2,000/yr. 
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