This is the story of my life so far: 67 years and counting.
Prequel: A Brief History of my Family in France
The story starts here
Previous episode: Part 45
Douala
After I met Geneviève, we fell for each other and except for 3 days, we stayed together until the end of the month when I flew back to France.
She was sharing an apartment with her friend Catherine and we spent the nights sometimes in Michel's house, sometimes in their apartments.
At some point, I became very sick for 3 days and Geneviève took care of me. I believe it was paludism, that is mostly known in English as malaria. Fortunately for me, I was healed quickly and I have never had a recrudescence of the sickness since.
Édéa
Geneviève's parents were living in Édéa, less than 60 kilometres from Douala. So, one day, I rented a car and we drove to Édéa to meet her parents and some of her younger brothers.
Édéa
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Édéa is a city on the Sanaga river. It has now more than 100,000 inhabitants. I am not sure how many there were in 1973, probably much less.
There is a hydroelectric power station and an aluminum processing facility.
In 1973, there was only one bridge over the Sanaga river, that has been by the Germans when Cameroon was their colony, that is before World War I. There was only one lane on this bridge, and it was used by the railway, the cars and the pedestrians.
We stayed only for a few hours in Édéa and went back to Douala in the evening.
Ngaoundéré
Because I had got a visa thanks to an invitation letter sent by the Leimgrubers, it was necessary for me to go visit them.
They were living in the city of Ngaoundéré, in northern Cameroon.
While southern Cameroon is mostly Christian, northern Cameroon is mostly Muslim.
The main building in Ngaoundéré is the mosque.
Ngaoundéré mosque
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I believe I spent 3 days in Ngaoundéré with the Leimgrubers. I flew in a Cameroonian military airplane and I came back with a commercial flight from Cameroon Airlines.
Back to France
At the end of the month, I flew back to France. Geneviève and myself we promised to stay in contact by mail (letters, of course, there was no e-mail in 1973).
Her friend Catherine was immigrating to France at the time, and Geneviève intended to do the same later.
After my return, I spent a few days with my parents at the Abbey. To their big surprise, One day I declared: "I think I will get married".
Continue to Part 47
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Summary
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7
Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14
Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21
Part 22 - Part 23 - Part 24 - Part 25 - Part 26 - Part 27 - Part 28
Part 29 - Part 30 - Part 31 - Part 32 - Part 33 - Part 34 - Part 35
Part 36 - Part 37 - Part 38 - Part 39 - Part 40 - Part 41 - Part 42
Part 43 - Part 44 - Part 45