D squared + J squared = Anderson

Natural Support

Posted on July 21, 2014 by David

I’ve always been amazed watching nature. I like to gaze at the nighttime sky. I would lay in the yard with the boys when they were younger and we would point out the shapes we saw in the clouds. I like looking at flowers and stopping to smell the roses. I do need to say that although I like nature, I don’t enjoy camping or poison ivy or bugs or creepy crawlies that are also found in nature.

The other day I was looking at the downspout that also fills our water holding barrel and noticed the support bracket was just hanging on the downspout, not attached to anything. It piqued my curiosity and upon further investigation, I was amazed to see how the vine that grows on our wall, wrapped itself completely around the downspout and holds it in place.

Posted in Cameroon, home | Tagged Cameroon, nature | 2 Comments

Stuff Graveyard

Posted on July 18, 2014 by David

The environment in Cameroon is hard on things. It’s hard on clothing. Our clothes wear out, fade out, molds from humidity and elastic crumbles quickly. It’s hard on metal. The high humidity makes metal things rust, get brittle and stop working. It’s hard on plastic. The strong sun makes plastic things get brittle, top layers start to flake off and the color fades quickly. It’s hard on batteries. One can’t leave batteries in items because the batteries will leak out and it doesn’t matter if they are a name brand like Duracell or cheap no brand name batteries. Toys quickly become unusable due to leaking batteries.

I’ve kept a collection of can openers. Since November 2012, we’ve put three can openers out to pasture. They stopped turning or stop breaking through the metal on the can or the knob won’t turn. I ordered a can opener that so far, has worked well.

We were very blessed while in Language Study in France, to be offered to purchase all belongings from a couple who were leaving Cameroon. One of the items was a wall clock. We were happy that the clock has worked so well for us; four years. Unfortunately this clock was no match for Jonah using it as a target for his Nerf gun and when it took a direct hit on the hands from a Nerf bullet, it was broken beyond repair.

The next day, we purchased a new wall clock that worked for less than 24 hours before it stopped working. It would tick and then the second hand would tick in place a while before moving along, so the clock wasn’t keeping time.

A few days later, we purchased another wall clock. This clock worked for just over 24 hours before it started to delay in time. At first it was a five minute difference, than ten before it stopped ticking all together.

We tried taking the clocks back for an exchange or refund, but since they would tick some when a battery was in, they wouldn’t accept it for an exchange or refund.

The housing helper at the main campus for our organization purchased in bulk, wall clocks to replace non-working wall clocks on the campus. David asked if he would purchase one for us when he purchased more.

So far, we now have a working wall clock. It’s kept time for a few days in a row and we’re hopeful it will last for years.

Posted in Cameroon, home | Tagged Cameroon, flashback, Home, things | 1 Comment

Rotten Eggs

Posted on July 16, 2014 by David

I (DeAnna) have taught several classes here to new colleagues about how to safely prepare meals. One of the things I share is to ALWAYS crack an egg into a separate bowl before adding it to the batter.

I remember when I was first told this and it was explained that sometimes there are rotten eggs. I would smell each cracked egg because I was fearful I wouldn’t know immediately if an egg was rotten. How funny when I think back to that because the first time I cracked a rotten egg, I knew immediately by the putrid smell.

Recently, I cracked an egg and had an interesting find. Needless to say, I didn’t use this egg in my batter.

Posted in Cameroon, home | Tagged Cameroon, Eggs, food preparation | 2 Comments

Playing Store

Posted on July 14, 2014 by David

Our neighborhood has many children. These kiddos are outside playing most of the time. There are two little girls who usually don’t play with the others and are always concocting something out of dirt, trash, water and grass. When we returned home from church and I (DeAnna) got out of the car to open the gate, I overheard these little girls who were playing with a little boy, talking about the things they found at their “marché” (store or market).

After we pulled the car in, I went outside to talk to them about their marché finds. The older one told me all about their “finds.” She was excited to show me wrappers she found for cookies, telling me these cookies are very good. She told me about the good corn she had. The younger one started telling me about her goodies. It reminded me of when Joshua and Jonah were little and used to play store. They used to get out their toy food and combine it with canned and boxed food we had in our pantry. They would make up price tags and rip up paper for money.

I came to the conclusion that playing store is cross cultural and something fun for all kids.

Posted in Cameroon, home, Kids | Tagged Cameroon, cross cultural, marche | 3 Comments

Garden Update

Posted on July 11, 2014 by David

Unfortunately, our garden didn’t take. I planted rows of wonderful, mouth-watering vegetables only to have one single dill pop up. I did plant tomatoes in containers and transferred them to other areas of the yard where I was hopeful they would grow – some are thriving.

A man who helps in our yard a couple of times a month planted feeder corn in an area in our yard. His corn has shot up much higher than I’ve ever seen before, but isn’t producing fruit.

Our roses are blossoming beautifully and I’m enjoying having their enchanted scent.

Posted in Cameroon, home | Tagged Cameroon, flashback, yard | 5 Comments

Knock Off’s

Posted on July 9, 2014 by David

I often refer to our life in Cameroon as opposite world when comparing it to our life in the United States. Something we have found funny is how much name brands or recognized trademark characters are copied and used to attract customers. Below are a few pictures.

This was taken in 2012 at a place where you can pay to play on playground equipment.

This was taken at the zoo where you can pay to play on a trampoline.

Posted in Cameroon | Tagged Cameroon, Fun | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday

Posted on July 7, 2014 by David

Today is Joshua’s 11th birthday. It’s hard to believe he’s 11! We are so proud of the young man he is becoming.

Posted in home, Kids | Tagged Birthday, Joshua | 4 Comments

Independence Day Flashback

Posted on July 4, 2014 by David

There are certain times of the year that are harder than other times being away from our passport country. Independence Day, Fourth of July, is one of those days. I have many fond memories celebrating the 4th. It was a big deal in our family. From the time I was old enough to hold a punk, light a fuse and run, I was shooting off fireworks. I grew up in a part of the country where fireworks can be shot off and we loved it. I also knew to wear old clothes when shooting off fireworks because inevitably there would be punk burns on my clothes.

When David and I began dating, I introduced him to fireworks. He grew up in a part of the country where he couldn’t shoot off fireworks. He spent a ton of money on fireworks and was like a kid in a candy store lighting them off. My favorite is when he held two roman candles overhead like in the ending scene of the movie The Rock. Below is my tribute to 4th of July pasts.

Posted in home | Tagged flashback, Independence Day | 4 Comments

Habits I Developed Overseas

Posted on July 2, 2014 by David

I recently read a blog about strange habits developed overseas and thought I would make a list. This is from the perspective of an American comparing to life in Cameroon. Strange meaning a difference between how you do things in the USA compared to Cameroon.

Ten Strange Habits I Developed Overseas

1. No shoes in the house
When I’m told I can leave my shoes on as I enter a home, I struggle. I want to take them off. I could have road kill juice, animal poop, tons of dirt, slime from gutter run off – you name it on my shoes. A house without a pile of shoes at the front door is a lonely house.

2. Always have tissues and hand sanitizer
Nature calls at the most inconvenient times and unless you have an iron bladder or intestinal tract, you must respond. If we are out and about while nature calls and near a toiletish device, we need to be prepared. Toilet can mean an actual toilet, but more than likely it won’t have a seat on it. It can also mean a hole to squat over “squatty potty” or it can mean a ditch. Rarely will toilet paper be present. Rarely will a sink with soap and water be available.

3. Cupping my hand to call someone
Waggling one finger is not how to call someone here. Hold your hand out, palm down and bring all four fingers toward the fleshy part of your palm.

4. Not wearing seatbelts
I know this is a life threatening, horrible habit. Our own vehicle only has one fully functioning seatbelt. Trust me I have tons of guilt on this one. Most vehicles we ride in don’t have seatbelts. When seatbelts are available and working, rest assured, we use them.

5. No home address
We don’t have a home address. There aren’t mail delivery people. Pretty much everyone in the mission community uses the same box address and mail comes in waves.

6. Kiss sound to get someone’s attention
There’s no “hey” to get someone’s attention, instead it’s kiss sounds. So pucker your lips, stretching them far out and start the kiss motion. Believe it or not, it works.

7. Irregular toilet flushing
If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down. The water gets shut off frequently and you either need to bucket flush or use stored water in a tank to flush. No unnecessary flushes allowed.

8. Have candles all around
We never know when the power will be cut, so we have candles all around the house with a matchbox so we are ready wherever we are in the house.

9. Bizarre exclamations and hand gestures
Ashia. Oh, la, la! Looking down and shaking my head. These are common responses. David shakes hands with another man and at the end of the shake, the two will slide their hands and use the other person’s hand to get the momentum for a snap at the end of the shake.

10. Buying Frenzy
There are two stores that have random North American products. So when we see something we like, we buy it up like crazy people because we probably won’t see it again. I recently bought several bottles of Tussin cough syrup.

When we return to the States next year and you see us buying things like crazy people, trying to end a handshake with a snap, saying “ashia” to what you are telling us, placing candles all around wherever we are staying, not flushing after number one, taking our shoes off after you told us to leave them on, calling someone over with our whole hand or any other bizarre thing, please chalk it up to the habits we developed overseas.