Climate/weather
The weather in Cameroon is as diverse as the terrain. There are tropical coastal plains in the southwest, a dissected plateau in the center, semi arid and hot plains in the north, and cool mountains in the west. The north has a single wet season from April/May to September/October. The hottest months here are March to May when temperatures can soar to 40°C (104°F), although it's a dry (and therefore generally bearable) heat. The south has a humid, equatorial climate, with rain scattered throughout the year and almost continual high humidity. The main wet season here is June to October when secondary roads often become impassable. From March to June are the light rains. The Batouri Adventist Hospital is perched at an altitude of 2027 feet near the western border of Cameroon. The closest major city is Bafoussam 281.9 miles away.
Mailing address
Boite Postale 58, Batouri Cameroon, Africa
Program description
Site size
The Batouri Adventist Hospital is a 32-bed health institution and has about 20 staff members.
Services offered at the site
Prevalent diseases in area
Malaria, acute respiratory infections, parasitic/diarrheal, HIV/STDs, malnutrition
Languages
Cameroon has two official languages, English and French, and 279 other living languages. Although Cameroon has two official languages, English is rarely spoken, but the hospital has at least two English speakers on staff.
Accommodations
Participants stay in a modest room with two twin beds on the hospital grounds. There is a shower on site but there is no hot water. The hospital is about one mile from town and can be accessed either by walking or by moped taxis. Students will eat most of their meals with the hospital staff. There is no cafeteria nor public kitchen so anything bought at the market would be cooked at a staff member’s house. Slow speed Internet access is available in town for about 300cf/30min. (~500 Cameroon Francs (cf) = $1USD)
Transportation to site
From the Yaoundé, the capital, students will take a 6:00 p.m. train heading towards Ngaoundere. Students will get off the train in Bertoua. Normally the train arrives here at about 2:00 a.m. and stays for about 10 minutes but arrival and departure times may vary greatly. The cost is about 18,000cf. From Bertoua participants will take a 2.5-hour and 5,000-cf bus ride to Batouri. Once in Batouri participants will take a 5-minute motor taxi ride to the hospital for about 300 cf.
Country information
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cm.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/africa/cameroon/
In the few short weeks that I spent in Cameroon I learned many things: how to start an IV, how to diagnose malaria, and how to suture a wound.
Advice I would give to someone going to Batouri: 1. Don't over pack. Think basics and leave it at that (you don't want to have to transport more than absolutely necessary). 2. Don't pack "good" clothes. Any clothes you take will forever have traces of red clay. 3. Take a dictionary. Keep it as small as possible but a French to English dictionary is nice. 4. Take a good flashlight and plenty of batteries. The power WILL go out A LOT. 5. Take gifts for the people. They will appreciate anything (hand sanitizer, pens, lotion, stuff for the kids). 6. Be flexible. Time is a different thing there. 7. Don't assume that you know what they mean. 8. Don't get offended. Give them the benefit of the doubt and realize that what is acceptable there is different than here.
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Last Revised: Thu, Jan 04, 2007