The Official Farewell!

As the pictures show, the big event has now taken place – the celebration of 10 years of RIC plus 5 years of them working with VSO.

In true Cameroon style, the program, meant to start at 8 am, eventually got under way around 11.30! RIC had hired the Hotel de Ville for the occasion and set up a number of marquees on the front lawn – there must have been about 300 hundred or so staff and guests.

The day was a great mixture of the formal – speeches, presentations for long service etc- plus the informal – each branch had been asked to provide an “event” - which ranged from elaborate home crafted songs through to some quite hilarious sketches about the benefits of banking with RIC. This was all supplemented by lots of traditional dance displays and the local comedians doing turns.

The VSO part was a double presentation – a really beautiful statue of an African women struggling with the weight of the world on her shoulders – presented to VSO Cameroon, and as you can see a superb chiefs outfit to your truly, plus a fantastic bronze statue . I was very touched of course and had to fight back the tears when I made my farewell speech, which included a promise to come back in a year or so to check everything is going ok!

This took all day, then it was inside for a slap up meal, drinks and dancing, which was to go on all night- I actually wimped out quite early as I has a VSO colleague visiting to say goodbye, she was tired and we crashed out well before midnight, but it was a great day.

Meanwhile the work has continued, one more branch has been implemented - totally by the guy I have trained, and although it took him twice as long as he had planned due to various hardware problems, it was done successfully and confirmed that my work here is done! The last branch Derick will do on his own as well, while I will spend my last month touring around to say cheerio, writing up the various reports I have to do for VSO and RIC to complete the project, then one last booze up with the staff here towards the end of July - then that will be it! Expect one last posting after this to wrap up this blog – so tara for now, see some of you quite soon!

A nasty tail!

Just in case you hear that I have popped my clogs out here, the cause may well be a terminal attack of rabies - as my health book says once you get this - you die!

The reason is that last night I had what seemed a good idea that quickly turned into a very bad idea - I strolled into my kitchen to disturb this rather chubby mouse snacking on some fruit I had left lying around - it tried to leg it by diving head first down a hole, got stuck and left its bum and very long tail waving in the wind - so I grabbed the tail thinking I would casually sling the beast outside and be rid of it! This worked for a moment, then the sneaky crittur did a reverse back flip, climbed up its own tail and bit me! Bloody sore for such a tiny creature - anyway I dropped it and it scarpered to haunt me again no doubt!

My VSO chums reckon this was hilariuos and as no-one has heard of rabid mice, hopefully this is not my epitaph - if it is perhaps "Mice one, humans nil" on the headstone would suffice!

Jugglers of the world - unite!

Hi

Another month, another branch implemented in Bamenda, which was meant to be the last. Unfortunately, things have gone so well that RIC have asked me to try and complete things by implementing in the last two branches, both of which are very remote, up in the hills towards Nigeria, in two villages called Andek and Oshie. It’s not a problem except that rather than gradually relaxing over the last few weeks, I am going to be dashing around – but it will be great if we end up having implemented all branches!

Feel a bit like one of those Chinese jugglers which start with one plate spinning and end up with 8 – although the system is holding up well, the users are still making a lot of mistakes which mean I have to go back and help them sort things out, and some days it feels like I have dropped a plate or two.

Another major event in the past week was the holding of the bank’s AGM – which in typical Cameroonian style was the third they have had in 10 years – so should really be called the Occasional General Meeting in my view! It was meant to start at 8am, eventually got going around 11.30 but was a good meeting with the shareholders asking many good questions of me, as I had to do a presentation on progress.

Next big thing (with photoes I am sure) is the celebration of 10 years of existence for RIC. They are going to combine this with marking 5 years of working with VSO and my official farewell – should be quite a day – in fact the events planned cover a week – possible including an interview with your truly on the local radio – I am a star at last!

Couple of nasty incidents last week involving robbery which is quite prevalent here – one of the branches was robbed during daylight hours and the thieves got away with Fcfa 1.5 million – a lot of dosh in Cameroon – but were last heard of surrounded in the forest by the local police – they will be lucky to get out alive. On a more mundane level, my next door neighbours flat was broken into, through the roof (I live on the top floor) – he is a wealthy lawyer, the brigands cleary thought he would have more in his flat than a VSO volunteer – lucky for me – as they trashed the place as well. The buildings occupants have now hired a security guard.

So now only about 7 weeks to go, lots of my VSO colleagues who started at the same time as me are already gone – its all a bit sad actually saying ta ra to them, but I am looking forward now to the end and seeing my family and friends again.

Probably one or two more entries on here, hope you have enjoyed reading this half as much as I have enjoyed writing it , hear from some of you by return I trust

cheers