Culture Shock!

Well, we've been here now for 9 1/2 months. Today I went to a Cultural Orientation--and it was extremely interesting! So, I thought I'd share, quickly, a few things that I have learned about Cameroonian Culture (so far on my own and at the orientation):

Give money with your RIGHT hand--the Left hand is offensive!

Don't point with one finger!

Don't motion to 'come here' using one finger!

EVERYONE is their family (They call everyone aunts and uncles and cousins...regardless of whether they are actually related or not!)

They get SUPER offended if you don't say hi or acknowledge them when passing by!

They don't look you in the eye--when you look them in the eye, they think that you think they are lying to you! (I had always wondered about this, because when I would talk to my housekeeper or my nanny, they would always look down, or some other direction, and I kept thinking it was because they didn't want to talk to me! Nope. They were showing respect! Weird, eh??? My housekeeper and I had a long funny discussion about this today. But it sure cleared up a lot of things.)

Don't cross your legs in the presence of a 'superior' person (like a chief or king or sultan or something like that)--it's super rude! And if you cross your legs in the presence of someone else, they usually think you're just trying to act superior to them.

ALWAYS accept a gift!!!! Even if you really don't have a place for a goat!! :)

If the sun is up, then there is still time! Cameroonians are ALWAYS late for EVERYTHING! My housekeeper calls it 'Black Man's Time'. :) If you want to have a meeting at, say, 3pm, you'd better tell everyone to be there around 1 or maybe 2pm!! Seriously! In church here, we always have sacrament meeting last. Why, you might ask? Because by the time the first 2 hours of church have passed, pretty much everyone is there, and since the Sacrament meeting is the most important (not to mention where they count the number of people there), it is held last. Just the way it is.

Whether a function is formal or not, you dress formally.

Cameroonians are fond of holding hands. Guys hold hands with other guys; girls hold hands with other girls. This is acceptable to them. But don't you dare show any public displays of affection with your husband or wife! This is gross and rude and unacceptable!

If you invite someone out to eat with you, you HAVE to pay.

Don't smile too much when you meet new people--otherwise, they will think that you are now their best friend and they will ask you for money and things.

A Cameroonian will never initially offer to shake your hand if they think that you are their superior. It would be rude and encroaching for them to do so. If you want to shake their hand, you must offer first. UNLESS you are visiting a chief, king or sultan. Then, you wait until they offer to shake hands (they usually don't).

Cameroonians think that any time they are sick, no matter what it is, it is Malaria.

They believe that you can get Malaria from eating too many mangoes, walking in the rain, or if their neighbor doesn't like them and casts a spell on them.


This is a very interesting and diverse culture we are living in here. I love it! I think it's great! I love looking out of my bedroom window at night and seeing the big Presidential Palace on the hill and remembering that I live in Africa! I love seeing all the tropical trees and plants--in my own yard! :) I love the rains and the sun and the red dusty sky of the long dry season! I'm very grateful for this experience. :)