Dr. Godlove Fonjweng, ostensibly the coordinator of the Cameroon leg of Communitech’s summer 2005 project, has left the building. In fact, we think he’s left Mbengwi and hope he’s still in the country. Rumor has it he took a 5-hour drive south to attend church with his extended family, but that seems almost as odd as the fact that it’s after 1 pm and he still hasn’t shown for our 9 am meetup.
So, I do what any self-respecting nerd would do and break into our own computer lab. Cracking a wood shutter, bashing some nails off of metal grating with a vaguely automotive pipe I found lying around, and peeling back said grating was all it took to gain entry into a room containing equipment easily worth several times the average Cameroonian’s annual earnings. Boxes of bibles placed outside the window make convenient steps for the others, so I guess they are good for something:) Needless to say, our lab’s not exactly secure: it took me maybe 10 minutes to enter, and I spent at least 8 of them deciding whether to break in or not. Of course, someone comes with the key less than 15 minutes after I’m in. Oh well: hopefully it shames them enough to actually secure the place.
I’m surprised to find that the electricians still haven’t delivered the power supplies we need to plug in the lab and actually have anything function. Somehow everyone but me heard about the dude’s very legit excuse: his brother had been shot yesterday afternoon! I’d say that’s worth a day’s grace period on the delivery. Besides, I don’t think we exactly have a wide choice of electricians in random village in random country in Africa’s armpit...
Rest of the day’s wiled away: Batibo for internet, dinner at the mayors’ house, tense conversations with Dr. Fonjweng (he shows up for dinner), and the inability to get much work done at the lab because the power hates the storm we’re having. Not much work, not much play: overall, not much at all to this day.
Oh yeah: and why I am so cool. Sunglasses can look nice. A flashy LED headlight is the latest in miner chic. But what is a groovy vacationer to do when it’s bright out but he needs to randomly peer inside dark computers? Answer: headlight and sunglasses, both on your head at the same time. You slice, you dice, you always have the perfect amount of light. Arrrr, I need a beer and a break...