Sunday, August 15, 2010

Welcome Home, Fatty

Everytime I return to my village after a couple weeks of traveling or gone for just the weekend, it is customary for the villagers to comment on how much weight I have gained (even if I have not gained an ounce):

"Oh tu as pris le poid! beaucoup!"

Translated to: "Oh you have taken the weight! A lot of it!"

Most of the time I believe it is meant to be a compliment. Some villagers will follow the statement with "very good! Cameroon is good to you!" Those are the people who enjoy seeing me plumper. And when you tend to be a little heavier, it means that you have the money to feed yourself well. And often. And yes, perhaps I have gained a few more pounds. I mean it is hard not too when the only food to eat is couscous, rice, pasta and more heavy, full-of-carbs food. And when I travel I can find more tasty food such as salads, omelettes, grilled fish, cheeseburgers (yes, cheeseburgers!) that it is too hard not to pass up. And with the climate usually hovering around 90 degrees, it gets too hot to exercise.

So it's acceptable in the Cameroonian culture to make blunt statements about physical appearance such as weight, skin color, clothes, etc. but we are taught in the states to hardly ever comment on that, let alone a negative aspect. It is hard to get used to this at first, thinking that my friends in village were just being rude and mean. But they don't mean it like that and it is just part of the culture. It is easier to just accept it and not get frustrated over it. And so now I just joke back with them saying "oh yes, I have eaten so much good food!" So soon I will return home again and expect the comments (compliments?) of my weight once again. All this talk about food... I think it's time to fill my belly up with a chicken sandwhich and fries! And just maybe they will have ketchup too!