Financial Report of the project

80 students in a class

It doesn't look like very crowded even with 80 students. Or I have already used to it? haha

Photos

Start of the school



























Final view :)

More after 1 May

Since I am in Douala and I will visit Limbe and Buea in the coming three days, I will get more update after I arrived HK on 1 May.

Keep visiting afterwards =]

Culture difference?

We chose an overnight travel back from Bamenda to Douala. We thought that we were lucky as the bus left on time (10:30pm). At that moment I was already very sleepy ( I normally sleep before 10pm in Kumbo), the music in the bus was loud and I thought that it would stop soon (as from my experience last time, the bus driver turned off the music when it started to leave). I kept waken up because of the music several times since then. At around 1pm, I was sort of mad and I shouted to the bus driver, 'Could you stop the music please?' (There was no way for me to walk to the driver seat and talk to him as the bus was moving down in a very fast speed T_T). One of the ladies in the bus laughed and said 'You know what...hahaha....The white man wants to stop the music hahaha...Here is Cameroon..hahaha'...and a series of words which I don't understand) in an annoying voice. Afterwards, the bus driver turned the music even louder. Ok, maybe it's a culture difference that they listen to African pop music at night while sleeping??? However, some more people tried to say 'turn it off' during the journey.
At around 2pm, the bus stopped for a while so that people can get out for food or something. I asked one guy sitting next to us if it's normal for the bus driver to turn on the music in such a horribly loud sound at night and he said that it's not normal though it could happen. I asked if he enjoyed the music and he replied that he could only enjoy it during the day. Another guy sitting in front of me told me that he asked the bus driver to lower down the music but he rejected as there was only one volume for the music. Jeff was angry and he tried to talk to the bus driver again. The bus driver laughed at him and walked away. Jeff followed him and said that there were babies in the bus and how could he turned on the music so loud but the bus driver kept walked away.
The journey continued and the lady who laughed at me kept talking in a very loud voice about me asking the bus driver to stop the music. Another black man got angry and walked to her to ask her stop talking. The lady shouted back, ' You are not Cameroonian!' Luckily they didn't fight and the lady stopped talking finally.
The music kept playing for the whole journey!!

It was a horrible 7-hour journey to me!!!

Teaching little kids

I went to G.N.S Meluf today to teach those students in drawing thank you cards for donars. Due to this experience, I realized that teaching little kids is never an easy job, esp when you don't speak their language.
They did try to draw those cards and I'm sure that they enjoyed it!

My last week in Kumbo

I will leave Kumbo on 25 April and spend my last week in Douala and Beau to visit the two universities.

It is a busy week for me - teaching in schools in the morning and giving tutorial lessons to form 5 and form 7 students who are living near me. :D

There is neither light nor water this week T_T
Light just came half an hour ago!!! Hopefully it will stay longer so that I don't need to use candles any more :P

About the school building project 關於學校興建計劃

Thank you for all your support! We have already got enough fund to finish the whole project. The reminding amount will be reserved for another school building project in Cameroon.
感謝各方的支持，本計劃已籌得足夠的善款，而工程已踏入最後階段，將於明天完工．
所有餘款將用於另一個由Navti foundation 籌辦的學校興建計劃．

文化周之與會見Fon

時至今日，這兒還有「王」的存在，人們稱之為fon．fon並沒有甚麼實際的權力，但人們對他亦很尊重．fon 有許多妻子，聽說有些fon有多達一百位妻子呢，而本任fon有三十多位妻子．他們與王子公主們都住在「皇宮」內．文化周於「皇宮」附近進行．對於皇宮使 用引號的原因是這兒一點也不像皇宮，我無意中走進了一所我還以為這是古代遺址的房屋，原來這是其中四位王子的居所．其他皇親貴族的房屋也差不多，比一般平 民的房屋還要也很簡陋呢．
無意中又走進了現任fon的其中一位妻子的屋內，坐了數分鐘，沒事可幹，便離開了．正當我準備離開皇宮之際，再遇上那位「妃子」，她說她正四處找 我，fon要會見我呢．
她領我到大閘之後，並說我要彎下身子，fon來到了，她便叫我向前走，我不知道是否還要彎下身子，便站起來跟fon對話．
fon問了我的名子、國籍及來了Kumbo多久，他好像不滿我已在這兒兩個月也沒有拜會過他（但我知道有文化周時跟人家說笑要見fon，他們說這是不太可 能呢．），然後便叫我離開了．「妃子」帶我離開，並送我一支芬達汽水，說是fon給我的禮物．
後來我發現，原來於fon面前，你要一直彎下身子，儘管你正跟他對話，但一直這樣彎下身子，fon能聽到我們在說甚麼嗎？
真的很有興趣知道fon的居所是怎樣，而他又是否喜歡當fon呢？

Cultural Week

兩年一度的文化節於本周舉行．今天我終於也能抽空到場觀看！
剛到場時有許多人在圍觀，完全看不到那些表演，有位婦人看到了我正努力舉起相機，便替我開了條路，讓我站到最前XD
這個文化節會有一些傳統儀式的演出，這些儀式已不再進行了．今早的表演是於「戰爭」前或用來嚇怕野獸的儀式．他們會先跳一種特別的舞蹈．然後便是圖中他們的搶火環節，他們會把火放進口中．其他人則在旁唱歌．其後他們會邊飲酒邊殺雞－－徒手殺雞！

整個表演也很有趣呢，特別是看到他們那種「臨記」的表情！

缺水

期待以久終於下雨，亦因如此終於有自由水！
昨夜四時鄰居發現有水，便立即把我喚醒．把屋內所有能盛水的器皿都盛滿了水．並立即洗小部份衫！一如所料，自來水的供應於清晨六時便停了．對上一次有自來水的時候是五天前，那次等待了足足八天呢！

沒有水的日子我們是如何度過呢？
從我的住所步行五至七分鐘左右有一條河，從河的沿頭接駁了一條水管，人們便會從水管處取水．某次我拿了一個20L的水桶，去程花了六分鐘，回程卻用了差不多三十分鐘！
在非常時期，取水實在太辛苦，便索性於河邊洗衫．有些人還會於河邊洗澡呢！
於香港，若我於河邊玩水，回來家後第一時間便是洗澡及洗衫．現在我用河水洗衫及洗澡，又算不算乾淨呢？

cooking of fu fu corn

it's too hard!!

About the project

While the classrooms are being built









The new classroom!


What we have done with the money raised:
- Cements and sands for plastering the school
- Cements and sands for the floor
- Stones, cements and sands for the verandah
- Plywoods, nails, woods and sand paper for ceilling
- Windows
- Labour for building the school

Pear and Avocado

A new volunteer called Jeff from Canda came on Friday. He was given a pear from a friend of mine yesterday. I was supprised that he would like to eat that pear after a full meal yesterday night. What supprised me more is that he ate it without peeling it - 'you don't peel the pear?' I asked. He looked confused to me and asked me, ' isn't it a pear?' 'Oh! So sorry! They call avocado pear here! They don't have pears we have here!' I laughed.

葬禮

今天被邀請參加一個葬禮．雖然未曾見過死者，但跟死者的親戚份屬好友，便被邀請了．

這是一個天主教的葬禮．
首先，我們於教堂，儀式跟周日的差不多．
然後，便會把棺木抬到下葬處
通常死者都會被葬於家前，這跟香港的分別很大呢．
他們於安葬死者時，會唱歌和跳舞呢．
最後，大伙兒會到主人家處進餐．

－－－－－－

被問到於中國是如何安葬死者，他們好像覺得火葬是不能接受呢！

Needs more funding 籌募捐款

We need HK$5,500 more in order to finish the school. If you are interested in supporting the project, please kindly contact me through pinky.navtifoundation@gmail.com

我們仍需要HK$5,500才能完成興建這所學校，若閣下有興趣資助本計劃，請透過電郵(pinky.navtifoundation@gmail.com)來聯絡本人．

Financial report of the project

Oku Lake and Water Fall

Since the Japanese guy was going to Oku and I had nothing to do, I joined him to Oku and visited the lake and the water fall.

世界真細小

上星期六早上，當我剛從辦公室回義工屋時（辦公室正正在義工屋的對面），看見有位貌似中國籍的男子剛乘電單車並停於義工屋前，由於我知道將有由加拿大來的義工於本星期來到Kumbo，便上前查問，但他並非從加拿大來的，而是從日本的，而他只是路過Kumbo並將到Oku．並閒談兩句，發現他竟是我去年到烏干達認識的日本女孩的朋友！那位日本女孩於他到喀麥隆前告訴他我正在喀麥隆，但她忘記了給他我的聯絡方法，怎料竟這樣恰巧地讓我們遇上了！
若果我並不是於這分鐘離開辦公室，若他並不是正正停於我家門前，若我並非因知道將有新義工到來而上前查問，若並沒有談起AIESEC，這個恰巧便沒有發生了！！！

Kumbo

在這個網誌內有很多地名，大家是否覺得很混亂呢？
喀麥隆內有十個省，而Kumbo 位於西北省的Bui分區內．Kumbo位於海拔二千米，儘管這兒距離赤道少於十度，處於室內都總感到涼快，而清早及夜上更是冷得難以置信，然而，正午的室外卻是熱得很呢．
Kumbo的中央有三個主要的小鎮（每個小鎮大約有一個銅鑼灣的大小吧）－Tobin、Square及Mbevh．
Tobin：Navti foundation 的辦公室及我的居所所在，Bui分區的政府辦公室都集中於這兒．
Square：有一所大教堂．附近的網吧有發電機，而且網絡連接十分良好，但價錢頗為昂貴．於Square 向上行便是BBH，那兒有一所很好的醫院，名為Banso Baptist Hospital．
Mbevh：是市場的所在地，其實於Tobin 及Square 都可以買到各種疏菜、米或食品，但這兒的市場很大，應有盡有！每八天便是市場日，於市場日會有許多小販擺賣，熱鬧得很！附近還有超級市場，若想購買罐頭及進口食品，便要到超級市場了！
（註：這兒的傳統歷法是八天一個循環，而據傳統歷法的休息日便是市場日）

教育制度

Kumbo(我不肯定是否整個喀麥隆的制度也一樣)的教育制度與教改前的香港相似，幼兒園兩年，小學六年，中學七年，大學三年．於中五及中七分別各有一個公開試．全年共有三個學期，第一與第二個學期間有聖誕假，第二與第三個學期間有復活節假．

婚前性行為

近年，有一種能預防子宮頸癌的疫苗，今年，這兒的政府資助九至十三歲通過學校接受這疫苗．
由於這疫苗對處女最為有效，當CMBC的老師集合了十三歲或以下的女生後，便查問她們有否性行為經驗，竟發現部份學生已有此經驗，而她們對自己已非處女感到愉快，這使老師們感到不安．事後，老們便於教員室討論，她們認為現在的資訊比以往發達，學生較易接觸有關性的資訊，以至這現象，而最麻煩的是，當你告訴她們這是婚前性行為是不好的東西時，孩子們便想嚐試．
這使我感到奇怪，當教會於這兒有這麼大的影響力，而婚前性行為又被教會所反對，當人們到教堂或禱告時，他們到底是抱著甚麼的心態呢？

於三所學校任教

由於當初Navti foundation安排我於職業學校及另一所私校任教，而我十分希望能於官校任教，便再申請於官校任教，各所學校所安排的時間竟然沒有相撞，故我現正於三所學校任教．
職業學校：Opportunity Industrial Center(OIC)，位於Tobin，所我的住所步行約七分鐘便到．逢星期五任教數學．
官立學校：Government Secondary School Kiyan(GSS Kiyan)，位於Kiyan，很遙遠．由於附近很難找到公共電單車，故我會從學校步行約四十分鐘到Mbevh(市場)再乘電單車回住所．逢星期二至五任教中一級數學．
私立學校：Chafee Memorial Baptist College Kumbo(CMBC)，住於BBH－Square 與Mbevh 中間．逢星期一、二、四任教中一至中三級電腦及數學科．

我的信仰

在這兒，我有很多機會認識宗教，有好幾次被問及為何我會沒有宗教信仰，這對我來說是很新鮮的問題──他們覺得是否相信自己的宗教並沒有關係，但神是真實的，故有宗教信仰是必然的．附近有個家庭，父親是回教徒，母親是天主教徒，他們的六個子女中有兩個是天主教徒而其餘是回教徒呢．
我於中六以前一直不相信神的存在，就是沒有科學根據的東西．及後的某一段時間我突然覺得神是存在的吧，那段時候我很刻意地認識各種宗教，尋找一個我確信存在的神．太概是各種宗教也有一些我不喜歡的儀式／教義／理念存在，我便放棄了尋找信仰的念頭．雖然不確信或否定神的存在，但我還是對各種宗教很有興趣，也許某一天我會突然覺得某信仰是真實的吧！
曾被問及，若果神不存在，那死後會是怎樣．我為死後便像睡著了但沒有夢境一樣，靈魂永永遠遠消失吧！
再者，與其花時間於禱告中，現在的我寧願花了時間於「人」身上．

宗教

在喀麥隆，差不多全部人都有宗教信仰．於Kumbo裡主要是天主教及回教徒，而住在Tobin的居民大都是天主教徒．故此，在這兒的大部份活動、私人派對及會議，第一個環節都會是祈禱．在香港，大概只有由教會舉辦的活動才有祈禱環節呢．
其實我挺喜歡宗教的存在，總覺得它們便人們存善念，遠離惡念，並幫助他人．但我們始終是不完美的凡人，總有矯枉過正的時候，這兒的私立學校大都由教會營辦，由於沒有政府的資助，學費比官立學校貴，但某些教會又覺得學生接受教會教育才最能認識神，故會給予家長壓力，要求他們送子女到教會所營辦的學校，可是，家長又未必有能力負擔高昂的學費，這使他們處於兩難的局面！

我在官校任教的日子 ── 主動學習

也許你會以為教這麼多人的一班會很難管理他們的跌序，事實上卻是易得太的事．當你走入課室，他們便會自動起立並敬禮：「Good morning/Good day Madam」．當有人不專心或嘈吵時而我停止發言時，其他人便會阻止說：「Stop noise! Listen to Madam!」，然後他們便會靜下來．當收集功課時，有人會主動幫忙整理．當我發問時，他們會很勇躍地舉手回答，當某人答錯時，知道答案的便會立即舉手，希望我會選他們回答問題呢！
當然，當中亦有不專心上課的人，但總括來說我是挺喜歡教他們呢．

About project

They have plastered all the walls and they have started working on the floors!
Carefully managing the finance and see if we could also make a toilet for the kids!

雨季及停電

已踏入雨季了，每天也有十數小時下著傾盆大雨呢．
昨天下午沒事幹，便和Joesph(一位Navti foundation 的員工)到酒吧談天（這兒有很多酒吧，在日照時間見到人們待在酒吧是很常見的事呢！）．不喝酒及不喜歡飲汽水的我不太喜歡到酒吧，但間中待在那兒卻能對這個市鎮了解更多！
由於沒有電力，很多人都到酒吧呢．我不禁想，為何這個電力供應不穩定的市鎮會這樣依靠電力呢．但電力讓我們省卻不少時間，也許要做的不是減少對電力的依賴，而是想辦法令電力供應穩定！

我在官校任教的日子 ── 每班人數多

這兒的學校可分為官立學校和私立學校．官立學校的學費比私立學校便宜，特別是中學，私校的學費通常是官校的兩倍或更多．
自從上星期開始，每星期有四天我也會到Government Secondary School Kiyan 教中一級數學．GSS Kiyan 有兩班中一，1A有81人而1B有80人，你也許會覺得這比大學講室內的人數更多，但這郤是這兒中學每班人數的平均數字，於歷史最攸久而位於Tobin 的 Government Bilingual High School Kumbo 平均每班的人數是110人！
由於他們的課室大小跟香港每班四十人的差不多，亦可能因為我已習慣了每班有很多人，所以我也不覺得這些班房內坐了八十人呢！

我的生活點滴

時光飛逝，自二月三日踏上這遍土地，已經一個半月的時間了！
除了頭一天的車程，我所有的時間也是花在Kumbo 內．不能夠說十分了解這個地方，但也開始融入這兒的生活了．
頭的一個月是適應期．認識這兒的人地和事，了解這兒的風土人情等．
然後便是投入期，就是開始忙於工作了，感覺好像來了不久，但又很快便要回去，希望能體驗更多！
沒有電視、上網費用昂貴的情況下，煮飯、洗衫和寫日記竟佔據了很多的時間（特別是寫日記呢，每天也發生很多很特別的事呢！)．每晚十一時前便睡覺，早上七時便起床（剛來的時候多是被雞啼聲吵醒呢！），很有日出而作，日入而息的感覺呢．
而且很喜歡與大自然這樣親近的感覺，若果路程不多於一小時，我也會選擇步行呢．

於職業學校任教

每逢星期五早上九時至十一時，我都會於一所職業學校任教．這所職業學校大約有四十名學生，大部份都是主修酒店管理，其餘的修讀電子工程、會計及木工．
由於他們的學習目的並不是於公開試考取好成績（其實這不應是任何學生的主要學習目的吧！），於課程設計上總要花些心機．教授三角形面積或次方運算對他們來說其實沒有多大作用，所以我選取了百分比、盈虧運算、單利率及複利率(percentage, profit and loss, simple and compound interest)．這都是日常生活最大機會會遇上的數學課題．
其後我發現他們對小數及分數的四則運算也不是太能夠做得好，而大部份人都背不到乘數表（但又不是人人有計算機），又花了兩堂的時間教授四則運算．
每次備課我也有同樣的疑惑：學習的目的是甚麼呢？怎樣才是最有效的學習和教授方法呢？
也許，當我們能知道更多，生活便會多添一些色彩！
而怎樣教怎樣學才是最有效，我還沒有答案呢～

有趣逸事

在這兒生活，每天都會發生一些有趣的事．
通常我於晚上十時睡覺，早上六時半至七時起床．
由於昨晚還未準備好今天的課，於晚上十時半還在工作．正當我在苦幹時，突然聽到有人在門外喚：「Pinky! Pinky! Pinky!」．由於已夜深了，所以特別當心，要肯定的認識並信任的人我才會開門，我便問：「是誰？」但他沒有回答，只是繼續喚：「Pinky! Pinky! Pinky!」我便望向窗外，怎料來訪者竟是鄰家的兩歲小孩！他趁他的媽媽到厠所時偷走到我家呢！

Shi Song hospital and water fall

Shi Song Hospital is one of the best hospitals in Cameroon and many people from Douala, the largest and busiest city in Cameroon, and Yaoudend, the capital city of Cameroon, come to this hospital for surgery.



There is a water fall near the hospital. Although it’s still the dry season and there is not much water, it’s still nice to visit it.

Women’s Day

8th Mar is the international women’s day and we got celebration here. In the morning, different groups of women gathered in the field and had a marching. It was supposed to begin at 9am but since the Senior Divisional Officer(SDO) was late (basically he never comes on time in any event), it started at around 10:30 instead. After singing the national song, and the speech delivered by SDO and guests, there was marching by different women groups. This is the first time I preformed in a marching!!
Afterwards, almost everyone went to bar and celebrate with their group. We got a huge lunch with chicken and fish with the women from Navti!!!!! =]
By the way, when the SDO was delivering his speech, there was a strong wind with dust and everyone on the stage was suffered! It was so funny and luckily I was waiting for the matching and was not on the stage.

人情味

已經連續第四天沒有自來水了．
昨天到了山下取水．那是個很艱辛的路途，山路已很難行，還要抬著20L的水！
幸好得到很多本地人的幫助，每當有人見到我沒有力繼續，他們就會幫我抬一小段路，否則我定必不能完成整段路程！

關於食物 – fu fu corn 及 jama jama

fu fu corn 及jama jama 是Kumbo內的主要食糧，fu fu 是一種於喀麥隆常見的食物，可以是fu fu corn、fu fu yam或其他fu fu．而jama jama 則是喀麥隆西北部的特產．
Fu fu corn 是把乾粟米粒磨成粉，而後加水煮成．Jama jama 是一種植物，用紅油煮成（本土的食物大都用紅油而非植物油）．

關於食物 – garri and pear

在這兒，我們稱牛油果為pear（梨），進食garri時，我們都會拌以pear．
Garri是黃色的穀類食物，加入水（不用熱水）及糖便可．它的味道有點像雀穀（雖然我未曾嚐過雀穀），而且當中夾雜殼，總括說我不喜歡這食物．

關於食物 – achu

於Kumbo 最常見的食物是 fufu 及jama jama，而Arch則於Bamenda 比較常見．前天無意中於Kumbo 的Square 發現了一處售賣Achu的地方．
那灰色的東西是cocoyam，再拌以黃色的「湯」．跟fufu corn或米飯不一樣的是他們不會特意地暖著cocoyam 或湯．我吃的時候那碟achu 已不是暖的．
這種食物也挻特別的，很易入口，但相比起來，我比較喜歡fufu 及jama jama，大概因為我較喜歡熱食吧．
在這兒的餐廳進食通常也會有蒼蠅打擾，而這次當我進食時，有兩隻竟撞入那些黃色的湯中，店主用湯匙把蒼蠅取走便讓我繼續進食，嗯，大菌食細菌，應沒太大問題吧．

School visit4 - Miss Pinky學校考察四之Miss Pinky

I went to G.N.S. Meluf to see the progress of the consultation on 25th Feb. The windows are already done and they have started the ceiling.
The nursery two students had lesson outside the school because of the construction and I played with them. They started to call me Miss Pinky instead of Kimbon, which means white man. I learnt some songs of them and they are interesting!
------------------------
I am a banana;
Children and monkey
They like to eat me
And they call me yellow!
------------------------
Labour for learning before you grow old
For learning is better than silver and gold
Silver and gold will vanish away
But learning itself will never decay
For a man without learning wearing good shoes
is just like a silver ring on the pig’s nose.

二月二十五日，再到G.N.S. Meluf 監工．已開始安裝窗了，亦開始安裝天花了．
由於課室正進行工程，幼兒高班的小孩子都於課室外上課．跟他們玩了些遊戲，他們終於都不再叫我Kimbon 而叫我Miss Pinky 了．

About life – public transport 生活篇之公共交通工具

In Kumbo, there are two main public transportations – taxi and motorbike.

Taxi: it is a cheaper and safer transportation. However, you need to wait for more passengers until it is full. The size of the taxi is smaller than the HK one and the definition of full is with 8 people. Imagine how it feels to share the seat with the driver!! Moreover, if you travel for a long distance, people will also bring luggage or maybe a goat.
It is also very hot to travel by bike since the windows will be closed because of dusts.

Motorbike: there is no fix price and therefore you need to bargain for a reasonable price, especially when you are not black. A motorbike can carry three people including the bike driver.

在Kumbo 裡主要有的士及電單車這兩種公共交通工具．

的士：較為便宜及安全的交通工具，但你需要等待更多的乘客，直至的士滿座．這兒的的士較香港的細小，而滿座的定義為八人．還有，若你是到一個較遠的地方，乘客們還會帶大包小包．試想想跟的士司機共坐同一個坐位，而另一位乘客帶著一

School Visit 3 - 學校考察三之助教 - Asistant teacher

Visited G.N.S Meluf again today. There is a primary school on the way to the nursery school and the students in the primary school always stare at me when I pass by.
It was break time when I arrived the nursery school. The kids rushed to me and shouted, 'Kimbon! (white man)'. I replied with my smile, 'I am not a Kimbon and my name's Pinky.' A teacher came and said, 'Return back to your seat. She is your teacher!'
The most difficult part to be a nursery teacher is, that you never know if they understand your instruction or not.
今天再到G.N.S. Meluf，到幼兒園的路會經過Meluf小學，小孩子們見到我也定眼地望著我．到了幼兒園，正值休息時間，老師都不在，那兒幼兒低班的小孩子都衝到門前，大叫「Kimbon！Kimbon！（白人）」，我便笑著對他們說：「我不是白人，我的名子是Pinky」．老師走了過來，說：「返回自己的座位！她是你們的老師！」
教小朋友的難處是，你很難知道他們到底是否明白你的意思．

Taiwan and China

I didn’t expect to be asked this question: Do you think that Taiwan is part of China?
I was being asked twice, by Natsuki, the Japanese girl living with and a history teacher here. And, ‘Japan government wants Taiwan to be part of China because she did something bad to China in the past and she wants to keep a good relationship with China’ Natsuki said. It is an interesting discovery to me that the Japan government admitted that she did something bad to China in the past!

教書

教書來到這兒以前，我沒有想過這個國家竟缺乏數學老師！今個星期五開始，我便會到一間職業訓練學校教授基本數學．這所學校的學生都是都沒有完成中學的，而他們會修讀工程、機械或財務等實用科目．而他們自去年開始便沒有數學老師，這真的令我感到驚訝．我看過書本，都是一些很基本的數學概念──小數及分數的四式運算、單利率及復利率、時間速度和距離等．若果沒有這些基礎，他們又是如何學習那些實用科目呢？
今天，有位碩士研究生到來辦公室，他正研究一個關於非政府組織對地方發展的題目，跟他談及數學老師的問題，他說這兒的人都很怕數學，所以很少人於中六、七時選修數學，以致缺乏數學及物理老師．
到了星期五，當我真正接觸學生，便會知道他們的實際情況．

學習

二月十六日，我應邀請到了兩位修女所組織的小型圖書館幫忙．首先，小孩子可以閱讀自己喜歡的圖書，我們則會在旁陪伴，若他們遇上不認識的字我們便會幫忙．然後，年紀較小的小孩子都會聚在一起，聽故事姐姐說故事．故事姐姐並不只是單單地說故事，她還會問許多的問題，小孩子們都很勇躍地回答問題．
香港的學生都常被批評不主動學習，這是因為最初的教育問題嗎？大部份小孩子也充滿好奇，但我們的課堂設計又有多少機會讓我們去發揮這個小宇宙呢？

甚麼是貧窮？

去年三月，我到了烏干達參加了一個由AIESEC舉辦的國際學生會議，討論一些關於非洲的問題．很多的非洲國家也面對著貧窮的問題，可是，到了那個境地才不算是貧窮呢？
－＞流浪漢，沒有足夠的錢租住房屋
－＞一家人住在一所房子內，但錢只足夠每人每天吃一餐
－＞一家人，三餐並非問題，但沒有錢讓孩子唸書
－＞在香港，一家人的衣食住行也勉強足夠，但沒有錢買電腦讓孩子做電腦科功課．
－＞在某個國家，唸醫科的費用很昂貴，某學生有足夠的能力唸醫而他的志願是當醫生，他沒有足夠的錢唸醫，但他的錢足夠他唸其他的科目．
－＞某人憧得多國語言，而他的理想是環遊世界，把所見所聞結集成書，在他的國家，他所能賺取的金錢永遠也不足夠他離開自己的國土．
談到這兒，我想討論的問題是，到了那一個憬像，我們才算是把貧窮的問題解決呢？
若果貧窮的沒有足夠的能力或金錢以滿足生活的基本需要，那何為基本需要呢？
最初是衣食住，然後我們會覺得教育是非重要的，其後我們又會談及夢想、理想．於香港，我們都評論時下年青人欠乏理想，然而，當生活需要的更底層出現問題時，我們又能否談理想呢？

天主教學校與神父

新年快樂!
二月十四日．我到了一所天主教學校參觀，那所學校很大亦很美．接待我們的神父很慈祥．

The youth day

11th FEB
Students gathered in the field and performed marching. Kids from nursery schools are cute!!
學生們都聚在廣場並表演步操．那些幼稚園生都很可愛呢！

Hong Kong, China 中國香港

Whenever I make new friends, they ask me where I come from. Sometimes I answer HK, sometimes HK China and sometimes China. Once, Jason, the volunteer from Canada, was very surprised when he heard giving the answer of China. He thought that HK people make it clear that HK is different from China.
Actually I am interested to know if people in Macau face the same situation or not. How would they answer the question ‘where are you from’?
By the way, when I and Jason was talking about the issue, a kid living nearby came in. I asked him if he knows where I am from. ‘The next door’, he answered unexpectedly.
Actually, all of us are living on the Earth!

每一次認識新朋友，他們也會問我是從哪兒來的．有時我會答香港，有時我會答中國香港，有時我會答中國．某次那位從加拿大來的義工Jason聽到我答說我是中國人，他感到很驚訝，他還以為住在香港的人都很清晰地把香港跟中國分開，他還說這兒的人都認識香港，我不用怕他們不知道而說中國．
除了在入境時（因為待遇不同）及遇上認識以前香港來的義工的人外，我也會答說我是從中國來的．我想現在大部份港人也不會很著意地把香港獨立分開來看罷．
我很有興趣知道住在澳門的人外遊時有否遇上同樣的情況呢？而他們又會如何回答「你是從哪裡來的」這個問題呢？
順帶一提，當我跟Jason討論著這個問題時，有位住在附近的小孩子走了過來，我便問他知不知我是從哪兒來的，怎料他答：「隔離的房子．」
其實，我們都是住在地球上呢！

How to help 如何幫助

Those kids near by always come to play with me. Sometimes, they help me cook and do house work. I have never felt bored with them! I heard that the family is facing financial problem and Nat buys food for the youngest girl sometimes. The fact that they have only one meal a day while I am having three full meals makes me feel sorry about them. However, I do not feel good in giving them money nor food as I do not want them to reply on me or other volunteers. A few days ago, a kid said that she wants to be a doctor but science subjects are too difficult for them and this inspired me to think of another way to help them – providing free tutoring! Hope that it does help them!
住在鄰近的家庭，那些小孩子都很可愛，有時他們會來幫忙煮飯切菜、洗衫，有時他們會來我家玩，陪我解悶．他們正面對經濟問題，有時奈月會買食物給那位最小的女孩．當我每天吃飽飽的三餐，有時還會再買些小食時，他們每天只有一餐半餐，心內也不是味兒．但我又不太想經常接濟他們，畢竟我資金有限，而且我不希望他們依賴義工的幫助呢．有次，一位小孩說他想當醫生，但理科科目都太深了，這使我找到了另一種幫助他們的方法──替他們補習！ 希望這能多少幫到他們呢．

About the project 學校考察

With the reason that we do not have enough donations, we would like to change the target school to Government Nursery School Meluf, which needs less amount to finish the construction.The school got another amount of donations in 2008 but it is not enough for them to complete the school. After the school interview, I found that they also need a toilet. However, the amount of money we have is only enough for the two classrooms.If you would like to support this project, please make your donation to the HSBC bank account: 168 736296 002 and send an email to pinky.navtifoundation@gmail.com to notify me the amount you have deposited.

學校考察由於資金有限，跟Navti foundation 的主席討論後，我們改了資助的學校．現在我們幫助的學校名為Government Nursery School Meluf．是一所幼兒園．於2008年，這所學校籌了一些錢來重建，可惜資金只足夠購買磚頭、屋頂及門，他們需要資金來興建天花板、窗、水泥牆及地板．雖然我有的資金還不太足夠，我跟Joseph 現正想辦以更低的價錢買到足夠的材料來完成這所學校！二月八日，我到這所學校考察．我認為他們還需要建一個?所呢，現在小朋友都是在屋後的草地如?，可惜我籌的錢都不足夠．若果你還希望捐助這個計劃，請把善款存入我們的銀行戶口：（匯豐銀行） 168 736296 002 ── 戶口名稱：Navti Foundation HK．然後請發電郵到: pinky.navtifoundation@gmail.com．我便會把錢匯到這兒．

熱情款待

在喀麥隆的第一個周未，Navti foundation 的員工—Odette邀請我和奈月(Natsuki)到她的家玩．她的家在Kuvlu，都是在Kumbo 的範圍內（註：前把Kumbo誤寫為Kimbo），由Tobin 到那兒大約要一個半鐘車程．到了那兒，我發現我住的地方已經很先進呢──有石油氣爐、浴室及西式馬桶．先進與落後，只是比較罷了．
那兒的早上及晚上均是非常寒冷！大概只有攝氏十度左右吧！而浴室及?所只是在室後用禾草圍成，若非這般寒冷，對著星空洗澡可說是別有一番風味呢．她們一家人也很熱情呢，她們用肉及魚招待我們呢！在這兒，肉很昂貴呢！
星期日的早上，我們一起到教堂，這兒的主日學(由於我不是天主教徒，所以我不肯定主日學這名稱有否用錯)沒有些甚麼儀式，只是唸一些聖經，然後便唱歌和跳舞，也挺有趣呢．奈月說雖然她並非教徒，但她每星期日也會到Tobin的教堂呢．

沒有電的一晚

二月五日的晚上停電，摸黑從餐廳走回家，幸好有手提電話的光呢．最麻煩是洗澡，要將蠟燭放於高處，以防被水沖熄．晚上寫日記只能靠燭光，寫了一半便放棄了，還是早點睡吧！
Btw, I think that it's quite difficult to upload photos here, provided the slow internet connection.

在Kumbo 的頭兩天

二月四日的下午六時, 我.終於來到了Kumbo! Kumbo由不同的村落組成, 而我住的村落位於Tobin. 比起市鎮，這兒多了一份親切感.
現在我跟和另一個本義工同住在Navti foundation 的義工居所內，她的名子叫Natsuki. 這兒還有另一個由加拿大來的義工--- Jason, 他住在相鄰的房子裡.
在這兒的第一晚, 我們到了Jason 的房子裡吃晚飯.
二月五日(星期五),
吃過早飯後便跟Navti foundation 的員工, Joseph討論未來三個月的工作，由於今天是國家的雙語日，大部份學生也會聚在廣場內，所以不能開始工作，星期一我便會和Joseph到Government Nursery School Meluf進行考察，看看他們有甚麼需要．此然，Joseph 說我可以每星期兩至三天到附近的學校教數學呢．
然後，我便到了廣場，那兒有很多學生，他們一堆堆走到台前，英語學校的學生會以法語發表演說，反之亦然．由於Kumbo 的大部份學校也是英語學校，而我不暗法國，所以也不太明白他們在說些甚麼．在廣場的四周，有許多人在擺賣小食，熱鬧得很！我還看到鄰家的小女孩在擺買冰棒，她把最後的一支冰棒送了給我，然後我們一起走回家．看著她搬著那又大又重的冰箱，我便幫她一起拿回家，二人一起抬那空的冰箱，走這樣長的一段路，我也覺得有點重，早上這個十四歲的小女孩是如何把這滿滿的冰箱抬到廣場的呢？
然後，我跟Natsuki 到附近的餐廳吃午飯，滿滿的一碟飯，加些洋蔥汁，只是300CFA(註：$1 = 60 CFA)．然後，我們到另一個叫Bui的村落(in Kumbo)，Natsuki 平時是在這兒教書的，而那兒有市集，有食物、衣服鞋、家用品、手工品及各式各樣的東西．我買了一匹布，回到Tobin時找了住在後方的裁縫造一套非洲衣服，星期一便可以取得呢！
在這兒的交通工具有電單車與的士，但人們很少坐的士的，因為這兒大部份的路也沒有鋪上石屎，都是不平坦的沙泥路．順帶一提，Kumbo總是沙塵滾滾的，所以人們見到我，也會說：Welcome to the dusty Kumbo!
在這兒，他們會稱白人為Kimbon，雖然我是黃皮膚，但對他們來說我也是白人呢．遇上不認識的人，他們可能會收取Kimbon 價－貴一些的價錢．

On the way to Kumbo

After 6.5 hours on the bus, I'm currently in Bamenda and waiting for the bus to Kambo. It will take another 3-4 hours. The temperature is so different in Douala and Bemenda, it was very cold yesterday night, in Bamenda. It's warmer now but still cold. I heard that it will be even colder in Kumbo! Hopefully it won't be that cold during the whole day - I don't have enough warm clothes.

1st day in Cameroon

After 21 hours, I'm in Cameroon finally. I got the member committee president of AIESEC in Cameroon, Eric, and a member from Navti foundation Cameroon, Marcel, to pick me up from the airport. I'm currently staying in Marcel's friend's family in Douala, the city where the airport is located, for a few hours. Afterwards, I will take another 10 hours to Kumbo, the town where the school is, at around 10pm (it is 7 hours earlier than HK here)

There are 7 chirden in the family and half of them are working. The youngest son is still in primary school. They looked very delighted when I said that it's okay to have African food. I did expect to get into the culture.
The meal inculded rice, fish with tomato (similar to HK) and a white thing, which I've tried in Uganda last year. The rice and fish tasted good while the white thing made by corn flour, which tasted weird to me, was sweet and powder-like. The mother of the family said that there will be lots of that white thing in Kambo. Hopefully they have something else. Otherwise I have to get used to it as soon as possible.

While they saw me visiting HK websites (Chinese words are able to be displaced here!), one of the daughters, who is at the same age with me, asked if I could teach her some Chinese. I showed her my name and the word "hello" (nei ho) in Chinese.
They speak French/local English to each other and English to me.

I will try to upload some photos after arriving at Kumbo.