Bandja is a small village located up in the mountains in western Cameroon. Tropical forest and red soil make the setting beautiful. This is where I spent three weeks of the time here in Cameroon to visit hospitals and health centers as well as people’s houses. My study objectives were malaria and how it is correlated to the way people live. When visiting the houses in the different neighborhoods I interviewed the people about everything concerning the objectives.
Three weeks passed in what seemed like a second with the distraction of all the work and really friendly people of the village. The lack of electricity which forced early bed times perhaps contributed to the flight of time. You obviously lose some time when going to bed at 19.00. The memories are a bit blurred to be honest (perhaps I dreamed them all away?) but the fragments left tell of amazing views wherever I went that would make the authors of lonely planet overdose on superlatives, fresh fruit and vegetables straight off the market or even the soil, heavy rains and cold temperature reminding me of summers in Sweden, beating a personal record of number of people jammed into a taxi (11. In a five seat Mazda), a seven-hour Easter ceremony in church, siesta tempo – all the time, the feeling of being a part of each family I visited and friends I hope to meet again.
Overall the time in Bandja was a great experience. Sans doute. Now that I’m gone I wish I was back there. I hope I’ll come back soon.
Daniel
Originally published June 10, 2011 by Armand.