I often watch the DW news channel. Its intro music and bumpers instantly transport me back to Yaoundé, Cameroon. I worked there in 2018, knowing little about the country beyond its celebrated football legacy. Yaoundé was fascinating, yet unfamiliar. Cameroon is officially bilingual—French and English—but French dominates daily life. I struggled with simple things: getting a taxi, ordering food, even shopping. Most television channels were in French, except for DW and NHK. After work, I had little to do. My evenings were spent watching TV or reading. That DW bumper music? It came to symbolize my loneliness. I had no friends there. The cultural gap made it hard to connect with colleagues. Every email required Google Translate. I travelled across the country—from the Far North (Maroua) to the South-East and South-West provinces. It was amazing to see the jungle, which extends for hours of flight. The vastness of greenery was something I had not seen. The towns and hou...
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