I first contacted Joshua in January 2011 via a UK-based website called workingabroad.com. Right from the start Joshua was eager to initiate collaboration and cooperation. We discussed project ideas and possible new ways of funding long before I actually knew if and when I had the chance to actually visit Belo. In late 2011, it all finally worked out. Before starting my new job with the Swiss government I faced a couple of unplanned weeks and decided to spontaneously join RUDEC for little more than a month. In the following I list a couple of experiences and impressions about RUDEC, Belo, and Life in Cameroon that I feel might be of some interest for potential future volunteers planning their stay.

*RUDEC is a grassroots organization*

With all the good and not so good that comes with it, RUDEC is a grassroots organization to the core. It is directed and run by Joshua without any stable financial support from big donor organizations. Hence don't expect a caravan of Land Rovers picking you up at Douala Airport the day you arrive. Volunteering with RUDEC means travelling, eating, and living like the locals do. Just like everybody else you travel by (the often crowded) Bus, share taxi, or motorbike taxi. You will eat delicious local meals such as Fufu, fried plantains, Soya (brochette), but also food that takes somewhat longer to get used to such as fried grasshoppers or garden eggs. If you choose to live in the volunteer house you will be provided with more than most Cameroonians are. Still, random electricity and water supply will
force you to adapt your daily routines to what Cameroonian infrastructure offers. Being grass-rooted and independent from large bureaucratic organizations comes with many advantages though. Lean overhead costs allow RUDEC to survive on lighter and more irregular income than big organizations. The absence of clear reporting rules and its small size enable RUDEC to promote an entrepreneurial laissez-faire culture among its volunteers. You can tailor your stay at RUDEC very much according to your needs and visions. You choose for how long you want to stay, where you want to stay, and if you want to continue an existing program or start a new project. Joshua always has an open ear for the volunteers' ideas and project proposals. Although his financial means are limited he will support you greatly in all your attempts of developing the community. He will assist you in planning, managing, or networking.

*Safety*

Joshua feels responsible for you from the moment you set foot on Cameroonian grounds till the second you board the plane going home. Your safety is Joshua's number one priority during your stay. Whenever you feel uncomfortable, Joshua will be glad to help out with words and deeds. However, you will soon notice that life in Cameroon is not significantly more dangerous than life in the West. Count the change you get after buying from street sellers and be aware of pickpocketers and you will be save in the bigger cities. On the countryside, in rural Belo criminality is not a problem at all. Most people are so honest and genuine that they will walk for miles to bring back valuables you lost the other day. Try to avoid travelling by night and reduce your trips in the often over-crowded share taxis though. Traffic accidents are frequent. If you happen to be one of the unfortunate who needs medical treatment, you may find help in the Baptist Hospital in Bingo, some fifteen minutes drive away from Belo. Apparently it is one of Cameroon's best hospitals with patients coming even from the Capital Yaoundé.

*The Community*

The Kom people constitute the ethnic majority in all Boyo division. The Kom are one of 175 to 275 (depending on the source) different ethnic groups in Cameroon. In Belo, most people you meet will be of Kom descent and speak Kom as their first language. Rooted in the locals' efforts to bridge linguistic gaps between the various neighboring tribes (all speaking unrelated Bantu dialects), a pidgin language developed in the Northwest region over time. It seems to be a very simplified English with influences
from various tribal languages, French, and German. If you don't happen to be a linguistic super talent, you will find it surprisingly hard to understand. Often I had to admit that I barely grasped the broader topics of pidgin conversations. Only as a third language, the Kom learn the official school language English. With a few exceptions in the elderly population the level of English is surprisingly proficient though. The second official language French is only spoken by a handful of villagers. The Kom have a very old and rich culture they try to reconcile with the claims of modern constitutions. Take some time to listen and learn during your first weeks. For Europeans the Kom concepts of time, property, or
social status are very enriching at times, but can be somehow bewildering and even frustrating at others. I found, however, that people will respect and value a lot more if you accept and esteem these cultural differences instead of being irritated by them. Generally the Kom are very accessible. If you make an effort and learn a few Kom words, the locals will reward you with joyful laughter wherever you go.

Even though I only passed a couple of weeks in Belo, I feel like this was a once in a lifetime experience I will certainly never forget. I hope to make it back to this beautiful and magic place very soon and I hope to see all the people that had such a positive and lasting impact on my personality and attitude.