Bamboo Bungalow

So with construction crews finally out, (for the most part), I began the task of moving in. I said my goodbyes to Kumbo and headed back to Enyoh, in a small two door car, with eight people packed into it. Fortunately the car was only going to Bamenda where I would then find another car going to Batibo. Without this intermission I think I would have lost circulation to every part of my body due to how tightly they pack everyone into cars here. During my brief stop in Bamenda I purchased a mattress, which the driver of the car heading to Batibo somehow shoved into the trunk along with everyone else's luggage. Of course it was not able to close at this point, but while living here you learn to just hope for the best while expecting the worst. So I expected that my mattress would likely end up on the side of the road along with everyone else's luggage. However when we got to Batibo everyone was pleasantly surprised to see that miraculously nothing had fallen out. I then found a bike that would take me up to Enyoh with my queen size mattress strapped on the back. Yes, it looks just as ridiculous as it sounds. It was also raining just to make the journey slightly more challenging. After everything was strapped in tight with bungee cords we were on our way.
Upon arriving to Enyoh in one piece my landlord gave me the tour of my new home and showed me that he had indeed acquired a bed frame for me along with a table and two chairs. After having my first nights sleep harassed by moths and other flying plagues I got to work early the next day. I purchased materials to make screens for all my windows, a broom, and essentially a large squeegee to wash my floors. Construction crews had been there just the day before and the mud they had tracked through the house was still everywhere. I began my mission to keep what's outside out! Within no time I had the tile floor in my parlor sparkling. Unfortunately the concrete floors in my bedroom, guestroom, and kitchen didn't glisten quite the same. I saved cleaning the bathroom for another day. Although it had been finished, it had to be redone due to leaking pipes so there would be a plumper working on it for the next few days, leaving muddy footprints in his wake. After the initial cleaning I was very hungry and realized I needed to get my kitchen set up. I walked into the room designated for food preparation. There was a floor, walls, a window, and a ceiling; I couldn't imagine anything better.
So my house was essentially a blank slate for me to do exactly what I wanted with. Many volunteers move into homes that previous volunteers have lived in. This makes the initial transition immensely easier and cheaper. However, in another life I fancy myself as an interior decorator so having the opportunity to make this home my own was something I embraced. At this point my bedroom has been completed. Most notably, the bamboo desk, and dresser are prized possessions of mine. Plastic flooring that looks like black and white tiles is definitely a step up from the constantly damp concrete floor. And with the majority of my clothes hanging freely on a wooden clothing rack the threat of mold growing on them, a result of the incredibly damp climate, is somewhat reduced. My parlor has come together very nicely as well. Coffee table and chairs made from bamboo in one corner and a wooden dining room table and chairs in the other. Now it may seem somewhat frivolous of me to be furnishing my home almost entirely of bamboo furniture. However, as it turns out, it's by far the cheapest option. After asking around one day at market I came across a man who was an expert in bamboo. So once a week I have been asking him to make one or two items for me. I have to say everything to a friend I met who runs a local shop at the weekly market who then translates my request into the local dialect. I am never sure if what I'm asking for has been understood, and everytime I pick up what has been made it is much different than what I was expecting. However, it always comes out great, so at this point I just give a general idea of what I want and leave the rest to the artistic vision of the bamboo artisan. And anything that ends up not being fit for the house will work perfect as patio furniture.
Now bringing all this from the market to my home is just as difficult as bringing the mattress was, if not more. The method of choice is me being sandwiched between whatever furniture I am transporting that day and the driver. The coffee table with chairs was quite a squeeze rivaled only by my last purchase, the dresser. During my last trip it started pouring rain on the ride back. We drove through two rivers that had flooded the road and we had to pull over halfway to let the rain somewhat subside. But at this point, my home has come quite a ways. The guest room might as well be a dungeon, but I don't anticipate having too many guests any time soon. After everything I've done to make this home my own it is good to know I'll be able to enjoy for the next two years.