L'Américaine au Cameroun

1. You address women as “ma” and men as “mon père.”
2. You can shell peanuts one-handed.
3. When someone says good morning to you, you reply: “Thank you.”
4. Bamiléké women are impressed with your negotiating skills.
5. You know the best way to compliment a mother is to say her baby is the fattest you’ve seen and that he must eat bien.
6. You eat your couscous with your hands.
7. You understand that when people call you fat and say that you must eat bien it’s also a compliment.
8. You develop a taste for fresh beer and even sometimes prefer it to cold beer.
9. You think sharing the front seat of the taxi with someone is a lot more comfortable when you’ve got a petit chauffeur to lean against.
10. You understand that teeth sucking signifies slight displeasure, a hiss means come here, a lip-point indicates “That one,” “Won-der-ful” means unbelievable and a lip-point with a kiss sound means “Oh, petit! Quit your fooling around and bring me that!”