Be aware international travelers, it is now demanded that we arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure. It’s possible to arrive at the boarding gate less than one hour before takeoff and be denied entry. Our airports in the U.S. have become military zones. Step out of line, ask to move ahead if you are […]
Playing the Godmother
by lois pierris on March 17, 2012 in cameroon
There was a knock at my door early this evening as my young friend Rahina and I were sitting down to devour a plate of spaghetti covered in fresh tomato sauce. My pregnant 19 year old neighbor Clarice had come to fill empty plastic bottles with cleaner water from my tap. Already seven months pregnant, […]
The Silent Majority
by lois pierris on March 15, 2012 in cameroon
Monica is my neighbor. She lives in a mud brick room and is still taking care of herself after ninety years of working in the fields and raising eight children. Her son Eugene is my landlord and the only one of her eight children that cared enough to put himself through school. Getting an education […]
THE AFRICAN CONUNDRUM : corruption and poverty
by lois pierris on February 29, 2012 in cameroon
The passageways leading from the plane to the baggage claim were actually lighted and the broken cement floors had been replaced with new ceramic tile. But the most shocking change was the disappearance of the young street boys grabbing your luggage as you chased after them, not knowing whether you would every see your bags again. […]