I am not a morning person.
My preference is to stay up late, and sleep in. After the kids go to bed
is when Joy and I get some relaxed time together, or I can get some work done
preparing for my teaching. Usually, I have a gift for sleeping. I
can sleep anytime, anywhere. I can sleep through almost anything.
But here in Cameroon, sleeping in is a challenge! Perhaps because so many
here do not have electricity, people get up with the sun (even long
before!). I get awakened, drift back to sleep, then jolted awake again.
the noises are more noticeable since we got our new room as there are now two
windows so we get it from both sides of the house. Here is the typical morning
routine:
4:45
am Muslim call to prayer by the loudspeakers
at the local mosque
5:00 am
53 dongs from the Cathedral bell tower
(we’ve counted each dong!)
5:15 am
First round of “cock-a-doodle-doos” from
the roosters outside our window (I keep
thinking it’s time to
have that fowl for dinner!)
5:30 am
Singing and drums from morning prayer at
the sisters’ convent next door
5:45 am
Another Muslim chant (loud up-and-down
sound which I don’t consider melodious!)
6:00 am
Another round of 53 dongs from the bell
tower signaling morning Mass
6:15 am
More “cock-a-doodle-doos” from Freddy and
Mister-Mister (named by the kids)
6:30 am
The kids are getting up and getting ready
for school
6:45 am
Time to roll out of bed for morning Mass
in the bishops’ private chapel
Oh well. At least there is
the local practice of a long lunch hour, for that sometimes much-needed siesta
during the day! And it beats the sounds of urban traffic.
So there you have one dimension of
what life is like for us here in Africa!
-Pete
