Soirée Culture

I spent today waiting for Akilah to get home from school. She had to go today to pick up an extra credit assignment from one of her students, and finish completing her grades. Each of the teachers has to enter the students’ grades into these huge books. I guess it took her some time to finish it.

By the time she arrived, she told me that she’d stopped past the Yonkeu’s and found out Dr. from Baltimore arrives on the 26th of this month. Oh well, I’d been sitting around the apartment all day really anxious to meet this woman, and now I have to wait. Wonder if she’s in the country as of yet, or just in another part of Africa?

So instead of heading out, I had to wait until it was time for us to head to the Soirée at the Lycée. While Akilah was preparing, the doorbell rang, and she really didn’t want to see anyone, so I had to answer the door and get rid of him or her. However, instead they actually ended up being invited in; it was Nicolene, the student who was to hand the extra credit into Akilah earlier and his mother. They’d come so the student could submit his extra credit assignment.

After all that I’ve heard about Nicolene, this was the first time I’ve met her. For some reason I pictured her as older, but I think she’s about twenty-five or so. She’s recently married (about two years) and lives with her husband near the Lycée. The student’s mother heard that Akilah and Nicolene knew one another, so since this was her neighbor, she asked Nicolene to show her to Akilah’s home.

This student should feel blessed, because I don’t think there are too many parents here who would go to this extreme to make certain that he has submitted work that would give him extra credit. His father met Akilah in the library yesterday, and today the mother, after returning from Bafoussam, drives him to his teacher’s home. That’s dedication.

As they sat and talked for a little while, I walked to the cabine to try and call the states; I needed to begin preparing things for my return home. I tried for about a half an hour or so, but had no luck. Guess I’ll have to try later on tonight or some time tomorrow.

Well we make it to the Lycée somewhere just after seven, only to find out their just completing the set up. The event was supposed to begin at seven, but there were very few people around. I began getting the impression that everyone except us knew not to come until later. By the time it started at nine, it was evident that was the case. The room was about three-quarters filled and people were still coming.

I sat in my seat a little irritated because the sound system they were using was extremely loud. Not just loud but obnoxiously loud. It was as if they pushed every level to maximum in order to be heard as far as the road. My ears were ringing for a while after we finally left.

What was even more interesting was that something I thought was a social event was actually talent showcase. The students of the Lycée and ENIEG (one of the area teacher’s college) were to perform various songs and skits for the next two hours; or at least that’s what was planned. Akilah and I eventually left after eleven because we were way too tired.

We would later find out that they didn’t stop until like three in the morning! That’s a pretty long night, I know I wouldn’t have been able to stay that long. It could’ve been a little more exciting, but everything was in French; so there was no interest for me. All I heard were sounds going into one ear and out of the other.