The special today is Python

At the request of a certain cousin-in-law that shall remain nameless I will do my best to increase my blog output! As surprising as it might be I have been extremely busy in the last 5 months and have been faced with the issue of sharing everything I experience over here or choosing a handful of events to write about. I guess in this instance its better to give more information!! Well I do have one interesting story to explain in detail…..eating python snake for dinner.

It all started back in October when my post mate Jonny informed myself and our other post mate, Clay that he had asked Daniel to find python and cook it for us. Daniel is the cook and owner of La Souvenir restaurant in Nati that we usually visit at least once a week if not more. Daniel is a great chef. He cooks good chicken, fries, rice, and couscous with this awesome sauce. Jonny helped Daniel improve his restaurant and also made it popular among many volunteers. Jonny has also become good friends with Daniel and I plan on working with him regarding some savings and marketing things after the holidays. So Jonny and Daniel had a conversation about eating/preparing python and Jonny decided that we were all going to try snake!

I am one for experimenting with new things and being adventurous every now and then (I mean I moved to West Africa  ) but every time I thought about eating snake I just envisioned a huge chunk of snake like the one from that movie with Jennifer Lopez, Anaconda, laying on the plate…my mouth didn’t exactly start watering when I thought about eating snake….but you can believe that I sure wasn’t going to not at least take a bite. A few weeks ago Jonny mentioned that Daniel was having trouble finding snake so it might be a while before we could try it….not gonna lie I was a bit relieved. I figured I had gained hopefully 2 months to mental prepare myself for eating python.

Yesterday Saturday December 11, I went with 4 other volunteers to Materi, Benin to attend the official inauguration of a school building with 3 classrooms that the volunteer who lives their built. Jamie is an English teacher at the CEG (Collège D'Enseignement Général, the same as high schools) in Materi and she raised funds to have 3 new classrooms built. It was awesome to see the work that she has done and the joy that she has brought to her village. Brittany, the English teacher volunteer in Toucountouna (a neighboring village to Natitingou) and I are going to also try and raise money to build three new classrooms at her CEG. More information to come on this project!! Anyways the previous 2 nights I hadn’t slept well or gotten enough sleep so I was extremely tired. In the car on the way to Materi I received a text message from Jonny saying “We are eating PYTHON at Daniel’s tonight”. I was completely surprised and worried! I wasn’t prepared to eat snake!

After spending a wonderful day seeing Materi and the work Jamie had done we headed back to Nati. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to relax and nap before dinner so I was really tired when we headed to Daniel’s. Also since I didn’t know what to expect I decided that I was going to eat least take a bite…that was unless they served someone the face of the snake, then I wasn’t exactly sure what my reaction was going to be. (You know when you are in the situation where you have no idea what to expect so you always picture the worst case scenario, well that sure was me) Ok I will skip to when the plates came out. Fortunately at Daniel’s you eat outside under a straw rough and the lighting is pretty poor. There were 5 other volunteers and myself at Daniel’s. We all received a plate with two pieces of snake about 5 inches long the circumference of a steering wheel and rice. At first it wasn’t bad. We all just looked at the plate and decided how to eat it…some went right in and ate it like a chicken wing while I decided to knife and fork it! All I can say is it actually taste good, like chicken only sweeter. It’s just really difficult to get past the skin and spine. The spine moves just like a snake moves (I know that is a stupid explanation but I can’t think of any other way to describe how weird it was). There were surprisingly a lot of bones coming off the spine. Also there were a lot of organs….I’ll just leave it at that.

All in all python essentially tastes good but you have to be mentally prepared to deal with the thoughts of eating a snake. I am proud to say that I have eaten python, don’t tell anyone I didn’t finish it all though!!

Christmas Wish List 2010

Christmas wish list 2010

Hello everyone…so I thought that I would write a Christmas wish list incase anyone wanted to send me a little something something for Christmas (yeah I am completely selfish!)…its ok if it comes after I will of course STILL LOVE THE GESTURE and GIFTS!!!! Like I always say anything and everything is welcomed and appreciated!

Peanut butter
Crackers (cheese-its)
Honey nut cheerios
Honey
CD’s (you can burn me a mix!!)
TV show series
Trail mix
Cake/brownie/cookie mixes
Candy

Or you can just make a donation to the NGO, The Benin Education Fund, which I work with. Here is a link to their website. As much as I would love you to send a package with random food products that I will devour in 10 minutes; I also would love you to use your money wisely and send a Beninese student to school for a semester or year and help them grow and have an opportunity for a bright future. I have seen first hand work that BEF has done for the students in Benin. I know that a little bit can go along way. Instead of getting your nails done or ordering that appetizer and dessert donate $20!

www.benineducationfund.org

Through BEF, over 550 students have stayed in school since 1998. BEF provides scholarships and educational support to needy but promising students from rural Benin. Only primary school is free in Benin. Basic high school expenses exceed $150/year in a country where the average annual income is less than $700. About 50% of students drop out after primary school.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT: Sample giving levels:$150: a high school student’s tuition and fees for one year
$300: a high school student’s tuition, fees, and basic expenses for one year
(includes books, uniform and school supplies)
$1000: a college student’s tuition and basic expenses for one year
$1500: a medical school student’s tuition and basic expenses for one year
$2000: a primary school teacher’s salary for one year

Every dollar helps! As we receive more donations, we increase support per student and add students to the program. Read more on Our Work and in Newsletters.
To give by check: Make check payable to “Benin Education Fund” and mail to:
Benin Education Fund
4110 Bennett Drive
Annandale, VA 22003

Why donate? Only primary education is free in Benin, so most students drop out in 5th or 6th grade. Fees, uniforms and books can cost $150 or more in a country where the average annual income is less than $700. BEF is a US-based 501(c)3 organization so all donations are tax deductible. Your contribution will go directly to our programs. We are run almost entirely by volunteers, which keeps administrative expenses extremely low.

I hope that everyone has an awesome Christmas and New Year! I will be spending much needed time with my mother! Showing her my house, my work, my town and everything else!!!! I will definitely post some blogs on that experience and pictures!!

The week of FÊTES

(Typed back during the week of 11/15-11/21)

So this week has literally been the week of Fetes (parties) there was the Muslim holiday of Tabaski which is about killing and eating goats or something like it. Tabaski is schedule by the placement of the moon so apparently it was time to celebrate it on Tuesday November 16th. Banks, Schools and pretty much every other person in Benin had off. I had just come back from Cotonou so it was perfect timing to have a day of rest and relaxation. That night my postmate Jonny told me that his landlord (who also owns a bar we all visit QG) was having a Reggae concert at his bouvette. So after dinner we went to the bar and waited for the concert. All I can say is how ridiculous it was…everyone was lip-singing and the audience was EATING IT ALL UP! So unbelievable but it was actually pretty funny!

During the concert I learned that apparently one day off is not enough, Yayi Boni the current president of Benin came on TV earlier that day and announced that he was extending Tabaski to Wednesday so everyone had off again!!! It was the strangest thing, you know how when you were younger and you wished that someone would decide school was cancelled again because the holiday just continued another day…well this has always been a dream of mine…its ridiculous I had to come all the way to Benin to have it fulfilled!!! Unbelievable! Wednesday was an encore day of fetes and celebration. I was able to hang at the workstation with my postmate Clay and watch brand new (yes I said BRAND NEW) episodes of GLEE!!! For some reason Glee is the only thing that I can watch right now. It gives me unbelievable joy and takes me away from Benin for a few hours! Anyways we had fun and relaxed.

Today Thursday I met the Mayor of Natitingou, with my other postmate Jonny. We are putting on a World Aid’s day event and we needed to let the Mayor know of our plans. Fortunately Jonny works with the Mayor’s office so he knows everyone and he did all the talking. Little did I know the Mayor’s office was planning a Fete de la Beire (Beer Party like Ocktoberfest) for this evening. There was a legit Reggae band that played pretty good music 5 other volunteers and myself sat drank beer and listened to the band…we also got to watch Beninese people dance and act like fools! I ‘m not sure whats in store for tomorrow or this weekend but I hope the Fetes continue!! I guess if anything next week is Thanksgiving so that will sure be one good fete!

Sorry to jump all the way to Thanksgiving but here is the post I started from Thanksgiving!

My first big holiday in Benin was actually a great success! I was surprised that all the food was prepared before 4pm! I must say that the turkey (Earl…yes we named him) was AMAZING! My soon to be postmate Mary killed him this morning at 5am with the help of the workstation guard. Then my postmate Jonny cooked him all morning and he was ready to eat by 1:30pm!! We also had about 10lbs of mashed potatoes, our version of green bean casserole, stuffing and a TON of gravy. Mary and Jen baked 2 apple pies, 2 pumpkin pies (made of fresh home grown pumpkins) sweet potato pie, and pecan pie…and I contributed with carrot cake. Still not sure why I wasn’t ever a fan of carrot cake before but its so amazing! I hate to say it but my favorite thing we ate was the pumpkin pie!!! It was so much better than store bought! So at about 2pm we (myself and 20 other volunteers) stuffed ourselves silly with all the turkey, potatoes, and pies! Don’t worry before we ate we all went around and said what we were Thankful for! (I of course am thankful for all the opportunities I have been given to see the world and live this amazing life while still having the love and support of my family and friends!!)

Nothing felt too different besides the fact that I feed the turkey apple pieces the day before I ate him!! Oh and Grandma you would be proud I made brownies that could never be as good as yours but sure did come close! Everyone told me they were amazing so I know they would have made you proud!! I was able to spend time with some friends I haven’t seen in over a month so overall great weekend with good food and good friends! Nothing beats holidays like that! I hope that everyone back home had a great day also!!! I was definitely thinking about everyone!! I never realized how much I love Thanksgiving until coming to Benin.

Update as of December 1st:
I just realized that I haven’t posted in almost over a month…I truly apologize but things have just seemed to fly by! I can’t believe that my mom will be here in 17 days! I have fortunately booked the hotel and driver for her visit and am in the process of booking the room at the Parc and the guide! I have also helped my NGO The Benin Education Fund (BEF) aid flood victims this last weekend! It was awesome to go and visit small villages and distribute food to people who have lost their crops due to flooding. I also have the World Aid’s day event that my postmate is planning coming up this weekend Sunday Dec. 5th! There really is so much to do!!

I also just realized that it’s been just about 5 months since I was back home in the states with everyone! Some nights I have dreams about being in Houston and when I wake up I don’t know where I am for a second then I realize “ohhh yeah I joined the Peace Corps and was accepted and was placed in Natitingou, Benin for 2 years”…what a crazy life I live! It’s been interesting to be able to skype with my mom, and best friends Kristen and Tina….it’s weird that even though I don’t have running water in my house I can use satellite internet technology to see their faces and communicate in real time!


I hate to cut it short but I need to get some sleep, the seasons are changing and the Harmattan is here and people have begun to burn their fields so I have had some minor allergies with itchy/water eyes and stuffed up/runny nose! Not fun! I will blog about the World Aids Day event and post pics on facebook! Until then Happy December!!

I send my love to everyone!

Halloween weekend actually was scary

I’ve drank at least 6 liters of water and got about 9 hours of sleep so I feel like I can sit and talk about what happened Monday November 1, 2010. I was fortunate enough to go to Parkaou list past weekend. I went with my postmate Jonny, and 4 other volunteers in my region, all of which are in the stage before me so they have already been in country for one year (Mary, Jennifer, Brandon, and Doug) On the way to Parakou, which is about a 4-5 hour journey our taxi was flying down the terre rouge (red dirt road); everything was fine we were all just chatting it up trying to distract from the heat and layer of red dirt that was slowly covering our skin when we saw in the distance something in the middle of the road. It’s very typical for animals to be crossing the road (please refer to my previous post where my homologue hit the cow) sometimes even people are crossing the road. As we got closer we realized it was a small adolescent goat. We all silently hoped that soon the goat would realize it was not in the optimal resting place and would run across the road like all the previous animals we’d seen. Unfortunately the goat turned toward the side of the road our vehicle was driving on and our drive didn’t slow down…at all. I felt the bump of driving over the goat under my feet in the car. It was not a very pleasant feeling, Jonny was the only one to look back and see the damage.

I like Parakou it’s not what I imagined but then again everything I have pictured is not quite correct. The work station there really reminds me of the different fraternity houses I have seen. It was really great to see the people from my stage I haven’t seen since September. It was a really good weekend with great conversations and good food. I actually was able to eat STEAK!!!!!! It was expensive but totally worth it! Oh and a mini keg of Heineken was purchased!! Seriously random but funny!

The same group minus Brandon left Monday morning around 10am to return back to Nati. We arrived at the Taxi gare and surprisingly found a taxi ready to take us that was a pretty (not actually pretty just less ugly than the other cars) light blue that seemed decent enough. We left shortly thereafter and started for Nati. At 11:30 we had a pee stop and when the car got back on the road there was a strange noise and shaking coming from the rear right tire. We all looked at each other and said “Uh yeah that doesn’t sound/feel good” The driver said the next town was only about 10K away so he would stop there. After about 15 more seconds of driving he pulled over to check it out. The bolt holding the tire on had fallen off because it was so stripped and rusted. There was only 2 bolts left holding it on and they were together near the top not spread out to distribute evenly. He flagged down a moto and said he was going to the next town to get a mechanic to come and fix it. At noon he returned with a mechanic. They tried for 40 min to remove the other two bolts to put new ones on; they were unsuccessful and ruined their tools in the process. So the mechanic jumped in a passing taxi. Our driver said he was going to take a 100 steps and the mechanic was going to return with something to fix it. We waited on the side of the road for 3 hours during the hottest part of the day. When it reached 2:30pm Jonny brought up the idea of leaving and searching for another taxi because at the rate we were going we would be headed back to Nati when the sun was going which is dangerous because of Bandits who rob people. We all sorta agreed or at least didn’t disagree and got our stuff and started to walk toward the next town. Two hours earlier we had eaten cookies, bread, beef jerky and drank all our water. I actually was worried; I didn’t know how far I could make it walking during the hottest part of the day without water.

There was a sign that the next town was only 1K away so I knew I could make it at least there. Right when we cleared the curve and I saw the next town Jonny stopped a truck that fortunately was able to take us all the way to Nati. They were a group of guys who were doing some financial work in Nati and were so nice to take us with them! I’m not sure how things would have turned out if they hadn’t passed by at that moment.

I can’t believe that such craziness happened during the journey but then again I am in Africa and crazy things happen.

Well Christmas came early literally, I went to the post office today and I had three packages waiting for me!!! I had a huge package from my aunt Linda in Anderson, Indiana, a package from my other aunt Nancy and Grandma in Conroe, TX, and a package from my little Liz in Houston. I got some amazing things I feel so lucky and happy I started crying out of joy! My aunt Linda sent me a freaking Christmas tree with decorations along with tons of other stuff!! My Aunt Nancy sent me sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie and enough smores to feed a small army!! My little sent me a beautiful necklace I can’t wait to wear and an absolutely beautiful bible I can’t wait to read! Seriously it was a magical event! The children that know my name saw me with three packages and started chasing after me…I had to politely tell them to BACK OFF the presents were ALL MINE!

I promised my post mates that I would back cookies with all the m&ms I had sent and we are going to taste test which cookie is better, regular, peanut, or pretzel…yeah I know we are so adventurous!

Oh also another volunteer Mary brought me paint and promised to help me paint my house (the inside) this weekend so that is the next adventure on the list!

Also just FYI I am hardcore now I can kill bugs (baby roaches, spiders, and crickets) with my bare hands and I can also kill giant black flying/jumping crickets just by throwing my shoe I have that good of an aim….there are two baby salamanders I am trying to muster up the courage to kill.

Until the next adventure…

And the work begins...

Play time is over. I have been extremely busy this week going to the different schools with my homologue meeting the Directors of the schools and paying the students yearly tuition. Since Monday I have visited Boukoumbe, Perma, Birini, Tampegre, and Toucountouna. Each day we leave around 8am and take his motorcycle for about 1 hr and 30 min there and then another 1hr 30 min back during the hottest part of the day. I don’t feel old until I have been on a moto for about 4 hours each day; my back, butt, and hips hurt really bad (I have only two seating options on his moto, 1. ride up on him 2. sit further back on the metal rack both of which are extremely uncomfortable) . All of the above listed towns are smaller villages so it was really interesting to get a glimpse into village life. I have much more respect for those volunteers who spend two years in a tiny village where people are constantly watching them. Tuesday in Perma we went to the marche were I seriously thought I might have forgotten to wear clothes the way everyone was just staring at me and when I would say Bonjour and smile they would just stare harder in amazement that I, the white person, spoke.

During the journey to Boukoumbe my homologue actually ran into a cow….I didn’t think it was possible but we literally ran into a cow with his motorcycle. I thought I was going to die. I have heard crazy stories of volunteer’s moto accidents but I said a prayer that my journeys would be fine. We were just cruzing down the goudron when I saw a man herding cattle across the road and there was one cow in particular a head of the group. I started calculating and I realized we were on a course for contact. I grabbed my homologue’s shoulder and said “Oh my god” and he slowed down but not quite enough and the head of the cow and the front of the motorcycle collided. The cow backed up a bit and swayed then moved just past us behind the moto. My homologue replied “desole” and then rubbed his knee. Apparently the cow also hit his knee. Then for the next few minutes while on the moto I finally realized I am in Africa where it is possible to crash into cows.

Besides being uncomfortable and hitting livestock, it was fun to get out of Nati and visit other villages. I know that the main reason for my attendance is for my homologue to show me off “Hey look we have an American volunteer working for us!” So I just smiled and saluered the directors. It was amazing how some of the schools have over 800 students but only 8 classrooms where up to 75 students crowd into one room and they have classes from 7am-7pm and even Saturday mornings just so all students can attend all classes. Each director proceeded to list the things they need for their school and how some have had volunteers before but it had been a few years and some were lucky enough to have a volunteer but still needed more classrooms and professors. Many students walk multiple miles to school in the heat on the goudron where 18 wheelers and huge oil trucks fly by. There is also no lunch for the students; they are expected to go home and eat then return for more classes. I am really excited to be paired up with students so I can hopefully provide some extracurricular activities and outside thinking.
I have my work cut out for me over the next two years but at the same time I am happy to see that I have work.

On a bad note, one of my friends from stage has decided to Early Terminate (ET); which is leave early. Not everyone is as lucky as I am to have an organization to pair up with and clearly define their goals over the two years. Many volunteers have to search for work and it usually takes a long time as working with Africans you have to build a relationship first before convincing them to take your advice. She didn’t think there was work in her village and she didn’t see the point staying in country to do nothing. I am sad because she was one of my close friends here but I told her she has to do what works for her because life is too short to be miserable and stay 2 years in a country when you don’t want to be there. It is unfortunate but I want her to be happy. This whole situation has just got me thinking…as much as I miss my family and friends I don’t want to let my ONG down or the students they support. Anyways I can’t dwell on it just need to focus on why I am here and what I can do.

My homologue is visiting Tanguieta and Materi the two remaining villages where there are students; they are about 3 hours North and I told my homologue I don’t think I will survive the trip so he is letting me sit this one out. I need to start preparing for my English clubs to start and the visit with my APCD mid November. I also need to complete my community evaluation so I can explain to their other volunteers about my city and work. I need to start making preparations for my mom’s visit….Mom you will be happy to know that I have stopped making to-do lists and I am just trying to “ride the wave” like you told me. No more stressing whatever happens each day happens. I have a feeling from now until Christmas is going to fly by, then it will be 2011 and I will have beaucoup de chose to do.

I hope everyone has an awesome Halloween weekend and can’t believe November is around the corner…where does the time go???
If you get time send me an update! Love everyone!

October already?

I know I know it’s been way to long…there are no excuses so I won’t type any 

First off I would like to list the things that I have realized I would like sent to me. Please take this as a suggestion but realize how amazing these things would be! Oh and bubble packages are better! Boxes are ok but I have to pay to pick them up!
In no particular order:
Liquid hand soap
Wheat thins/Cheese-itz
Cocoa powder
Cinnamon
Wheat flour
Seeds to plant a garden (cilantro, basil, tomatoes, bell peppers)
Puzzles (you could put the pieces in a plastic bag and take a picture of the cover, or it could be a surprise when I put it together! Ha!)
Travel games
Uno
Sweet-n-low packets (splenda or whatever’s cheapest)
Reese pieces, M&Ms, ANY CHOCOLATE, chocolate chips for cookies
Blueberries, raisins, Oceanspray craisins (the trail mix one is delicious!)
Chexmix
Cake mix, brownie mix, any desert mix
TWIZZLERS (disclaimer: sending a package without candy is like a cruel joke even if you just throw in a lousy tootsie roll it’s better than nothing)
Crystal light packets/ Gatorade/ PowerAde/ Kool-Aid mixes (lemonade, raspberry lemonade, fruit punch, anything fruity and delicious)
Solid color t-shirt from target/ON/anywhere fitted cap sleeves or tank top that’s not revealing or spaghetti strap in any bright solid color orange, red, blue, green, pink, teal, maybe even brown or tan (it would match this tissue I got a skirt made in) Size Large is good or get medium if it looks huge just use your judgment!
CD’s or any current new music
Super large flash drive like 16G
Sunscreen (I like the spray sport one that’s sweat proof)
Things to pamper myself with!
Any other food you think I might miss which is EVERYTHING that can transport well
Soup mixes/packets
Protein powder/bars
Special K bars/ granola bars
Spices you usually live by
Pepper grinder (they sell black pepper kernels here and I know I could smash them up)

I think you get the idea!

So I had a really great past weekend…there was a meeting in Nati so the volunteers in my region came to the workstation and I got to see everyone and hang out with them. It’s really cool to hear what everyone is doing at post and how we are all adjusting differently but we are all going through similar experiences with homologues and neighbors and random people asking us for money or to “start our program” with them immediately. Some people think that we are here just to help them exclusively and it’s always interesting to hear about those different situations. I had a young male neighbor who came up to me and wanted me to help him so I sat with him and talked with him for an hour. I told him I was from Texas and asked if he knew where it was, of course he said no. At the end of our conversation he told me he had always wanted to go to Texas and he was so glad that I was here to help him get there. Anyways I politely told him why I was here and if I could help him I would love to but I need to work with my counterpart first and see what they need me to do.

Speaking of work partner, today I helped distribute school supplies to BEF’s students it was so awesome! Just like back at home when the schools list the supplies needed for every class; we packaged up the notebooks, pens, rulers, erasers, and other things for each student and handed them out at the office. I’m excited to go and meet the students in the next few weeks and see what I can do for them!

Well unfortunately my power went out…it usually goes out 3-4 times a day which isn’t bad. Since my computer sucks and is going to die any day now I need to wrap this up because I probably have about 5 minutes left without constant charge. Oh and I have ducks on my roof….seriously big fat UGLY ducks sit and walk around on my roof; which is made of like sheet metal so its horribly loud and annoying. The first time it happened I thought there was a human walking around on my roof! There’s a little complaining for you!

So far everything is still going great! Thanks to my mom, sis, Tina, Ashley Vaughan (Congrats again on the engagement!), Casey (Congrats on the job offer!) for calling me and making my week awesome! I need to write some more letters to everyone…I’ve been lazy my bad!

I love and miss everyone and thanks for taking the time to read my blogs…I know they are old but I still feel like I should put them up so people know what I am doing or at least have done!

Oh and special shot out to Jonny’s Parents! Don’t worry I will share the candy in my packages with Jonny!!

Also one last thing tonight I gave silly bands to my neighbors children which seriously made them so freaking happy they couldn’t finish their chores for the evening which negatively sparked the reaction of their mother who then wanted to know why I gave the kids presents and not her so I gave her a silly band then the other neighbor with her son came over and demanded I give her a present (in a nice way; Petit Cadeaux are big here) so I willingly obliged and gave her and her son silly bands. Then the first neighbor asked me why I didn’t give one to her 7 month old baby so I tried to explain how it could be dangerous (her son was carrying the silly band around in his mouth and I started to picture the baby choking on it and I didn’t want to be responsible for a babies death, but I couldn’t explain this in French) so I told her to keep it until the baby was older. Then I asked if everyone was happy and you bet they were HAPPY! Isn’t it ridiculous how one tiny plastic bracelet worth $.10 can bring people together! HAHA! Silly bands are taking over the world. I should write the inventor of silly bands and see if I could get some shipped to Benin. I bet $50 tomorrow morning I will have every child (and Mother) in a 3 mile radius at my door asking for silly bands.

A la prochain

Natitingou, it's as great as it sounds!

I finally made it to Natitingou! Yay for me! It’s been an interesting first week here at post! Let’s see if I can recap: Arrived Sunday evening 9/19 around 5pm, I mainly cleaned/unpacked/organized my things then went to sleep Oh I also spilled powdered soap every where, broke the kitchen food cabinet thing, and got two serious blisters trying to open my back door…I almost broke it too. Other than that pretty uneventful first night! Tuesday I woke up to a huge pile of standing water from this plastic jug I filled up so I went to get a broom and some other house things that I needed at the Marche. I continued to clean and organize my house. Tuesday my homologue, Philippe, called me to see if I had made it into town. He stopped by and greeted me then asked if Wednesday I could come in to the office to do “some work”.

Wednesday went into the office and gave him my resume and information to send to some of the board members of BEF so they can get to know me. Then he gave me some spreadsheets on the students that BEF supports so I can start learning more about BEF. After that went home relaxed and decided that I didn’t want to cook any more meals so my post mate Jonny and I went for dinner and drinks. I am so happy to have a post mate and I am so happy that it is Jonny! He is hilarious, encouraging, and down right awesome! I have a feeling the next year is going to be great! Thursday was the big marche day (i.e. more ladies come to sell things so there are a bigger variety of things to purchase) and my homologue offered to take me to the marche. I am pretty sure he thinks I am helpless but at least I am excited to have someone eager to help me! So we walked around the marche and I purchased a few other things I needed for my house. After that one of the other new volunteers who is in SED named Josh, who lives in Boukoumbe about 30 miles away, was in Nati to get some work done. He asked if I wanted to go to dinner so we met up and ate at this awesome restaurant which is on the side of a hill that over looks Nati and it was absolutely beautiful! The food was really good too! After dinner, Josh, Jonny, Clay (the PCVL who runs the work station in Nati) and I got drinks and hung out for a bit. I’m not sure how many times I’ve posted this but I know I’ve said it a lot…I feel so lucky to be in Nati! I am so happy I have 2 post mates and will have other volunteers coming through so I won’t be too lonely!

Friday I decided that I was going to have “Fitness Friday” (cheesy huh?) and I rode my bike around Nati for an hour from 12-1 during the hottest part of the day! I know I am super smart huh? I was so dead tired…just for the record I almost broke my ankle twice and hurt my baby maker once. It was really good to get out and start getting familiar with the town. Two people stopped me and asked if I was looking for a specific house/person and I said Nope, just for the sport! And they looked at me like I was crazy! Which clearly I am. Then I went back home and did some crunches/push ups and turned my music up really loud and had a dance party! I am so sorry that all of you missed it! Today Saturday I am going to go to the tailor and try and get some clothes made. I also have a dress I want fixed. I think tomorrow I am going to do some laundry. I was thinking about paying someone to do it but since I really don’t have anything to do I might as well do that tomorrow morning! I think either this evening or tomorrow evening I am going to make a big effort to talk with the family that lives next door to me. I need help finding a tutor and I need to practice my French. They have three children the youngest baby is 7 months old like John-David so I will get to see that baby grow up for a bit like John-David! I miss and love you JD! Don’t forget about your aunt!

Side note: I am trying not to eat popcorn every night but it’s so delicious!

It also tends to rain everyday and the town shuts down so I’ve been stuck a couple times in my house, during the wet season rain shuts down the town and during the hot season the heat shuts down the town so that will take some getting used to! My power also goes on/off about 3 times a day.

School starts next week here for the children so it will be interesting to see how the town changes a little. Also there might be more work to do when the kids go back to school. I will keep everyone posted but I am pretty sure the first couple weeks are just going to be figuring out my surroundings and getting to know people. Still can’t believe October is next week…so crazy.

Sorry this was short, I promise when events happen I will start recounting them immediately so I can share every detail.

Thanks to all my Delta Zeta girls for making that sign and showing their love for me! I really do miss y’all! Congrats on a great rush, I heard y’all did great!!

I send my love to everyone!! Send me emails if you get a chance!

Old but posting it anyways

*Disclaimer* This was typed the on 9/14 and was supposed to be uploaded then but the internet didn’t work so please forgive me…I figured I would post it anyways!

So I have good news! This is my last week of stage!!! I get to swear in as a volunteer on Friday!!! I am so freaking happy I could scream! I still can’t believe that it’s been 63 days since I left Houston, Texas and came to Benin (it still seems unreal to be here with the Peace Corps)….its gone by so fast but super slow sometimes. These last few days have been so bitter sweet. I am ready to live in my own and take care of myself and do everything that I want on my own time but at the same time I am sad to leave the other stageriers. We have spent just about 14 hours a day 6 days a week for over 2 months together and know we are going to go almost 3 months without seeing each other. I am really lucky that one of my close friends is going to be just 3 hours north of me and another only 3 hours south so I will get to see them about 2 days a month but other than that it’s going to be a real change. I have learned so many things about the Peace Corps and Africa and all other things in between.

Friday we are swearing in at the US Ambassadors house and apparently it’s going to be televised!!!!! We are basically celebrities here in Benin! Just kidding…but really  My host family was invited and they are super excited to go since I am the first volunteer they have hosted ( I hope I’m not their last, they really have been great…side note: Every time I do something Beninese my Papa calls me Veronica Araba which is their last name and he always says I am his daughter…he also jokes and says he is going to cut of my leg when I scrapped it or when my stomach hurts he says he’s going to cut it off, and just today he said he is going to cut off my neck and shoulders because of my rash I have…he thinks its hilarious, I usually do some nervous laugh/smile thing and explain to him I will die if I don’t have that limb/organ/body part) After we swear-in we are having a swear in party at some hotel in Porto Novo so it should be really fun! I am excited to have one last night with my friends before we go to post! Saturday we are allowed to go to Cotonou and shop for things for our house! I need a new mattress, broom, light bulbs, bleach, scrub brush, nails, big mirror, and yarn to make a clothes line….I am also considering buying a mini fridge. I know it is not necessary but I don’t need to buy really anything for my post because I inherited so much furniture so why not buy a fridge and use it when I need it…apparently it makes your electricity bill jump from 800cfas to 13,000cfas so I might have it but not use it all the time!

Oh I can’t believe I made y’all read so far down before telling the best news of all!!!!!!!!! I got my language interview results (PAY ATTENTION MOM) and I am Advanced LOW!!! I still don’t think its 100% accurate but I’ll take it! I was very happy and proud of myself! Yesterday we learned local language…Benin has around 60 different local languages. In Natitingou there is about 6 main local languages and the one the Peace Corps wants me to learn is Ditamari. Half of the time I think it’s made up! Yes is iyoooo or eeeehhhh. I think it will be pretty interesting if I actually learn how to have a conversation in local African village language. I will let you know how my progress comes along!

So I have been planning my trip with my mother in December which I am getting really excited about! (I know you might think otherwise mom ) I think we are going to spend a few days in Cotonou and go to Ouidah and see the slave route, which I actually visited this past weekend. It is very beautiful but also very very sad. It is in the south near Cotonou. Benin was one of the main slave countries and traded somewhere around 40% of their population into slavery. We saw the door of no return where the slaves boarded the ships and there was also a tree where slaves had to go around it so many times to forget their homeland before they boarded the ships. First before the door of no return we visited the Museum of Ouidah where there were pictures and statues of Beninese history. What is really cool is there were pictures of traditional dances in Bahia where my parents met also there were wooden African carvings and fabric wall hangings that look very similar to the ones in my house! It’s all making sense now….a large number of slaves from Benin went to Brazil…I wonder if I could actually be Beninese……just a theory. But it was really cool to appreciate first hand the artifacts that I’ve seen growing up! We also visited the Python temple where there are sacred pythons that people hold and touch. Apparently pythons are sacred animals to Beninese people and they don’t hurt them…also we visited the temple just in time to witness a goat being sacrificed for a huge python. And finally we visited the Sacred Forest where there are huge trees and voodoo statues that bring people good fortune or something like that. Oh on the way to the sacred forest we were stopped by some voodoo spirits that almost didn’t let us cross. It’s so crazy to think that people dressed in crazy costumes walking around the streets are actually spirits that many people here worship. I couldn’t get a picture because apparently they would take my camera away from me, and the tour guide would actually ALLOW IT!!!!! Voodoo here is not something to joke around with!

I also want to visit Parc Pendjari to see wild Lions, Elephants, and Hippopotamuses! There is the last wild Giraffes in Niger but that is too far away for this trip…maybe next time! There are also waterfalls near Nati that I want to check out. I think if we go trough Parakou I want to show my mom the real village life with women who make Shea butter. There are 4 volunteers near Parakou that work with women’s groups who have made Shea by hand for over 100 years. I am still working on the itinerary but so far I have a bunch of ideas! I know most of you are not interested in visiting me in Benin but if you change your mind I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU and show you around….overall the people in Benin are really nice and happy with little conflict like some other African countries. (It’s like $1400 for a round trip plan ticket but you can seriously visit for 10 days on $200 or less…mom I’ve already talked with other volunteers so we can stay with them and not stay in hotels!)

I’ve heard that I can go to Ghana to take the GRE if I am interested so I might do that next summer so I will have a year to apply to grad school. I heard it’s a fun trip. Also I want to visit Senegal and Mali over land because the volunteers have said it’s really one of the best trips to see most of West Africa. Rumor has it that you get a plan ticket to Egypt for $200 so I might look more into that. A few volunteers have said that for the most part the have traveled on their Peace Corps salary which is encouraging.

I need to get better with journaling things and posting everything on my blog so you can all understand the things that I see and do here. I feel like I’ve been in some sort of bubble going through the motions of living in Africa, but I know that its really helpful to slowly integrate into typical daily life here. I mean just getting a moto-taxi to school is frustrating enough I can’t imagine going straight to post alone…I say Tu connais Pharmacy DOHA and they look at me like I’m a lunatic then I say it again and they repeat Pharmacy DOHA and then I say Oui then they say NON then I say PHARMACY DOOOOHAAAA really slow then they go OHHH Pharmacy Doha Oui, Je connais! I just think to myself I know I said it the same way you did…..whatever. One guy today proceeded to lecture me on not knowing where the supermarche was….why am I supposed to know when you are the taxi guy???

I think I’ve rambled on long enough….I hope everyone is doing great and I miss y’all so much!!! Please write me emails or letters so we can keep in touch! I send my love from Africa!

Back from Post

Unfortunately I didn’t have much time to write a blog because I had post visit last week and I traveled up to Natitingou my post!! It was sooo amazing I am really lucky to be posted there! It is beautiful with rolling hills and a little bit drier less hot temperature (well for right now at least until the hot season comes). It is about the same distance between Dallas and Houston but it takes an average of 10 hours! There is a work station there with free wifi so I need to set up Skype dates with everyone once I am at post! That will give you about three weeks to set up an account and figure out how to use it! There is also a Marché there named Marche Yara!! Can you believe it?? It’s meant to be! I am also really lucky that I am inheriting a lot of furniture for my new house! I am replacing Alicia but I am getting a new house with all her stuff. My house has two rooms; a large living room that I am using as a living room/spear bedroom and kitchen, and then a bedroom with an outside kitchen and shower area. I think its better to have the kitchen inside than outside and dirty.

Just an update….I officially have my first heat rash…the doctor told me it’s nothing to worry about; I also made my first African child cry just by looking at her. I also almost kidnapped my first African child…during post visit there was the cutiest sweetest little boy that I almost took home with me! We visited a Marché where they make traditional medicine with tree branches and beans and leaves. It as so crazy to think that actual people go there and buy tree bark and boil it with water to get ride of a bacterial infection in their stomach. I also got my first spider bite and my hand swelled up a bit but everything is fine now! The other day I spent 20 minutes trying to kill a HUGE wall spider that was about the size of my hand….then I couldn’t sleep well that night because I kept dreaming the spider was going to come into my mosquito net!! (still can’t find that sucker…) It’s so weird to think whats going to become normal to me after two years.

We had another person ET (early terminate) and go home after post visit. Apparently there is a ET bingo that the current volunteers have made…I don’t think I am at the top of the list. This is our last week of classes, and we have our official last language interview on Friday so every before you go to bed on Thursday say a prayer that I get Intermediate high so I can swear in as a volunteer!!!!!! Then next week is our official last week of stage where we meet with our APCD and go over everything we’ve learned and prepare for post!! I am seriously over stage, I love my post and I can’t wait to go to my house and cook for myself and read and meet people and start working!

Also side note…I am thinking of cutting my hair short….sorta like a boy but a bit longer. I have to take bucket showers for the next two years and I figure when will there be a better time to have short hair??!?!?! It will grow out before I come back home and it will be super easy to wash and take care of! I wear it in a pony tail every day so why not cut it off! I’ll post pictures if I actually go through with it!

Today after class we are playing American football so that should be a good stress reliever…hopefully I can get some frustration out! Then my mama is going to pick up my tissue from the tailor so I’ll see what my outfits look like!

Also I have my new post address…..SO SEND ME PACKAGES THERE!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!

Veronica Swank
PCV- Corps de la Paix
BP 168
Natitingou, Benin
Afrique de l’Ouest

Hope everyone had a great Labor day weekend!

I got packages!!!!

It is now common knowledge that during the two years of your service you will experience really high highs and really low lows…this is very true during stage which I have realized I have to come to feel. The past two weeks have been low…it was a combination of being sick, hormones, the results of my language interview and BEING IN AFRICA…I think that everything on top of everything just made me feel off and weird. Fortunately I was able to lean on the friends I have made here to vent and complain about my current conditions. Also on the plus side I have made it through 6 weeks in Benin and get to go to post visit this week…actually tomorrow Wednesday September 1! Now I will talk about my high that I am experiencing right now.

This week is post visit and our homologues (our bosses who pay our rent) have come in to town and we are supposed to spend Monday and Tuesday with them to get to know them then travel to post with them and visit our workplace, house, and community. I was super excited until everyone started saying how awkward it is because you basically do about 30 minutes of small talk then just sit in silence for the rest of the day then you get to travel 13 hours in a bus together then 4 days at post….so I had no way not to start to get stressed and dread post visit! Well we were told to prepare a skit to show our homologues what we have done over the past 6 weeks in stage, because apparently it’s the “American” way to teach things in skit form. (Just FYI the Peace Corps loves skits and acronyms) I was lucky to be in a group with all my close friends…we had to do our host families and safety and security. We decided to poke fun at the Beninese people a little and showcase our cultural differences in our host families. Long story short it was hilarious and all the homologues that it was really funny. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time!!! It was an abdominal work out! I also really like my homologue, His name is Philippe and he is 29, very smart and obsessed with BEF, The Benin Education Fund, the NGO I will be working for. We talked for an hour about what BEF does, religions, population, local languages, and marché days and for the most part it wasn’t too awkward. The volunteer I am replacing in Natitingou, Alicia, will be in Nati when I visit so I will get to see her and go around with both of them to meet everyone and get to know Nati. It was really great to see everyone with their homologues and hear a little about what they will be doing! I am also going to meet my post mate Johnnie, literally everyone who I meet says exactly “OMG You are going to be in Nati with Johnnie, HE IS AWESOME”!! I am really excited to meet him…I’ve seen a picture he is super skinny with really big hair! Should be an interesting guy!

Sunday I went with my Mama to the tailor to drop of my tissue…I am very curious to see if the outfits actually come out like I described them. It’s a completely knew concept of buying clothing…you first go to the marché and buy the tissue you like then go to the tailor and tell them what you want, a skirt or shirt or dress then hope they make it the way you want it. I am getting a skirt and shirt made for the SED tissue for swear in; then a dress with another tissue I picked out, and then finally a modelle which is a traditional Beninese women’s outfit. It’s a long skirt with a ¾ sleeve shirt that’s kinda loose. I specified that I would like shorter sleeves because it is way to hot here for ¾ sleeves. Tonight at dinner my Mama closed the windows and put on a sweater while I was sweating eating…..they think its cold here and I assure you it’s a nice 78 degrees! I will definitely post pictures of my house and my tissue!

Oh how could I forget to mention I received 3 packages!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I am so grateful for the birthday packages they seriously made me so freaking happy! Thank you to my AWESOME SISTER MRS. YARA GOLDEN AND FRIENDS ASHLEY VAUGHAN, ASHLEY PRASSE-FREEMAN, CASEY KONERZA, ADRIENNE DOMINGO, TINA FLORIDIA, and last but not least KRISTEN WILBANKS!!! Also special thanks to The Floridia Family and Mike Northern! I seriously got some of the worst looks from the other volunteers but luckily I am a good sharer so I shared my candy and magazines with them and they forgave me for receiving 3 packages! (FYI I did not share the twizzlers or the dots and I am hording the trail mix, gum, mac & cheese and starbursts for when I am at post and lonely!!!) You guys are so amazing! I tend not to think too much about home but this last week receiving all the packages definitely made me a little homesick! If y’all haven’t seen my nephew go check him out he is so handsome it hurts!

Well I hope everyone is doing well…sorry I haven’t responded to emails in like 2 weeks…like I said before its been a weird 2 weeks and this week I am traveling to my post so it’s a hectic time. I promise to post pictures of my post and update everyone! Oh and wait to send any other packages to Natitingou I will get the address so it will go straight to me and not sit in Cotonou for a long time!

Thanks for the love everyone I have rationed myself to 3 twizzlers a day…lets see how long I last! LOVE FROM AFRICA!

Finally Officially "sick"

So I’ve been in Benin for 36 days and I finally have officially become “sick”. Saturday morning I had to take my first round of Cipro for stomach problems and I’m sure there will be more rounds in the next two years! Surprisingly my host family was very worried and called one of the Housers (there are 3 men who were in charge of picking out the host families and are supposed to be here to help if there are any issues with the host families, well of course my family is best friends with one of the housers named Alfred, so he tends to “stop by” quite often just to chit chat with my parents!) to come to my house at 7:20am to call the Doctor in Cotonou, which he woke her up by the way, and had me chat with her about my bowel movements! She told me to start taking cipro and drink one of the rehydration packets. I did as the doctor ordered and tried to eat some rice but mainly slept until about 11am. My mama and my papa kept coming in to check on me and kept saying they were praying that I felt better and could return to my normal cheerful self. My mama kept asking about my diarrhea and was soooo concerned that I drink beaucoup d’eau!

After I rested for a while I decided that I wasn’t going to stay in my room all day and miss our cooking session that we had. I headed over to the SED house and met up with everyone. We had mashed potatoes, green beans, and sloppy joes….they were actually surprisingly really good, I think it’s the quality of food that I am used to now here in Benin! Anyways we hung out and had a good time talking and being silly. I have a group of about 5 girls (Kali, Ashley, Lauren, Shannon, and Erin) that I have become close with and really like! Sunday they came over and watched Oceans 13 at my house. We went to buy some sodas for the movie and it was literally a freaking YOVO PARADE! Everyone was staring and yelling yovo….it still isn’t at the point where it bothers me but one thing that is annoying is that Beninese people making a kissing noise to get peoples attention like friends or the pineapple lady and that is the one noise that I can’t stand. So I had a pretty good weekend minus getting sick. It’s difficult trying to stay positive when your physical health is dire, so this last weekend was a little rough. I feel better but am still a little off.

Yesterday we went to the Grande Marche to buy meme-tissue for SED. There are so many different kinds of tissue. There is tissue with fish on it, elephants, and chickens; and then there is tissue with geometric shapes on them, and flowers, and crazy designs. I think that I am going to buy the tissue with the water faucets on them! There were about 30 venders all yelling “YOVO VIENS ICI VIENS ICI” It was very overwhelming but we finally decided on a tissue! I am excited because now I have three different sets of fabrics that I can get outfits made! I really want to get outrageously loud tissue and make capri pants…I know weird request but I wish I had more capris…there really isn’t a need for fabric past your mid-shin to your ankle, it just gets dirty and I usually fold them up anyways when I start my day! I think I am going to take my linen pants to the tailor to have them made into capris. I know very ridiculous writing about capris but hey it’s what is going on in my life right now!

Today we get to learn about Moringa, it’s a miracle tree that can be used for many different things. The rest of the week we are learning about Marketing in Benin. Next week is Post visit so I will get to go up to Natitingou and see my house and meet the people that I am going to be working with! I am so super stoked! I will definitely post pictures and let everyone know what its like! Then the week after that is our last week before we get to swear in….its weird to think that two months is almost over and we will finally get to go live in our houses in our cities and be volunteers! I really like my host family but I am definitely ready to fix my own meals and take care of myself.

Well I guess that’s its for now…oh still haven’t received any packages! Another plus for being in Nati is that the mail is faster so once I get that address and figure out where exactly to send mail I will post that address so you can just start sending me stuff there (yes I am assuming EVERYONE has stuff ready to send to me NOW ) Remember for letters write AIR MAIL PAR AVION and bubble envelopes are better than boxes and just write candy, pictures, letters if they make you list what the contents are, don’t be too descriptive. Also if you put GOD IS WATCHING in French it might make it to me quicker…just a rumor I’ve heard (the people of Benin tend to be religious). Also hand sanitizer, a mix CD, nail polish, cheap earrings, et beaucoup de chose c’est bon! Oh also friends if you are shopping and you see a cute top that’s not spaghetti straps (needs to be more like tank top with not revealing chest/shoulder area because I am going to be in the north and its more conservative) and you think I would like it SEND IT! I might need y’all to help my mom go through some clothes for me when she comes in December! Not trying to be a spoiled brat over here and expect y’all to send me stuff but it really makes your day/week/month A MILLION times better when you receive a package…I am so jealous of this one girl who has already received 4 packages…lucky BITCH!

Wish me luck at post visit…travel to Nati from Porto Novo takes about 12 hours on a good day and the transportation is either a 6 person car usually filled with 14 people or a 15 person van/bus filled with 30 people! FUN TIMES!

Oh side note Yara- I had amazing popcorn on the street today and it reminded me of you! Don’t worry I am going to have to go old school to have popcorn and actually heat oil and pop the individual kernels in a pot! But hey it works! Oh and I need someone to send me ingredients for smores because I’ve decided for thanksgiving I AM HAVING SMORES…..if I have an amazing friend who wants to send me stuff oh yeah and if anyone wants to try and help me come up with a plan for a pumpkin pie recipe over here; ask my grandma someone!!!! They have turkey, green beans, potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, and bread anything I’m missing? OH GRAVY PACKETS!! Seriously I am not trying to be demanding over here but all I can do is try right!!!!!!!! I LOVE Y’ALL!

Man now I’m hungry….I miss good food….everyone eat a really good meal for me (I’ll be eating pâte noir or akasa with crin crin sauce and cow ankle having my host family tell me I don’t eat good and I’m going to get skinny; just kidding I definitely don’t eat cow ankle, they tried to give it to me once and I said nope not going to happen oh and sardines for breakfast…DISGUSTING)

One month down....26 to go!

So it’s my 24th birthday and I’m in Porto Novo, Benin. It feels weird, not gonna lie. I can’t believe that I am actually trying to live my life and see the world. I feel like I’ve always talked about it and now I am actually doing it and I am only 24 years old!!! This weekend was actually really amazing! Friday, I found out that I will be posted in Natitingou, Benin which is in the Northwest part of the country near the Togo/Benin Border and apparently it is one of the nicest areas of the country. There are waterfalls, rolling hills, and Park Panjari which is amazing! I am replacing another SED volunteer named Alicia who has been training us for the last two weeks and she is so amazing! She is a baker so naturally I should replace her!!! There is also a PC office in Nati so I will have access to the internet semi-regularly! She is giving me her furniture so I might be able to purchase a refrigerator which would be AMAZING! But most importantly I have two post mates who are guys and are really cool, Johnnie and Clay. Also there are three other volunteers about a 30 min car ride away so I won’t be all alone out in the middle of nowhere! Natitingou isn’t very big but apparently a past president was from there so he made it well known to the people of Benin.

So for the most part my birthday weekend was spent with the other Trainees. Saturday we went over to Andrea’s house, her dad owns his own bouvette so we drank and ate there at her house….she has awesome third floor terraces so we hung out up there and it was perfect for my birthday. Alicia baked cookie cakes and we had a wonderful time. Sunday I went over to the SED house and drank wine and watched the Hangover. It was a nice pretty relaxed day which is what I wanted. I still can’t believe that the next two years I will be up north working with the Benin Educational Fund working with children teaching them business skills and many other things! This week we get to go visit another volunteer for our technical visit to just shadow them and see how it is to live life like a PCV. Typically we will go to a different part of the country so we can see what life is like all over the country. I am going to visit a girl in Houegbo which is in the middle of the country about an hour north of Cotonou, so I won’t have to travel too far. We will visit the PCV from Wednesday-Sunday, so hopefully the rest of this week will fly by. It’s almost been a month since I’ve been here in Benin! There are two girls in SED who I am becoming close with. Kali from Dallas and Ashley from Louisville. We bike to and from school together so we tend to see each other often! They are really laid back and go with the flow so we hang out quite a bit. They also made me a sash to wear for my birthday and a pretty sweet card!

I don’t feel like I’m 24 but I have a feeling pretty soon I’ll be 25….I guess 23 flew by and it was awesome so I can’t imagine what 24 will have to bring! I really am sorry that I haven’t been able to individually email everyone and catch up with them but please send me a facebook message if you have time. Yahoo is absolutely super slow and difficult to access so I think I am mainly going to utilize my blog and facebook the most.

Oh I forgot one of the most important parts my birthday weekend my Mama and Papa got me cokes and mini muffin cake things that were delicious with CHOCOLATE they must really know how to get to my heart! My Mama also got me “tissue” which is the traditional Beninese clothing that has awesome patterns. She said she is going to take me to the tailor next week so I can get either a sweet skirt/shirt made or dress. Typically Tissue is a shirt with either a skirt or a “ponya” (piece of fabric to wrap around your waist like a skirt but without any zipper or closure) and head thing….we’ll see if I get any opinion on what I want my outfit to look like! Trust me pictures coming soon of me in tissue! Other trainees have said there Mamas don’t listen to them at all and just decide on the outfit!!

Well Wednesday through Sunday I will be visiting Houegbo, then the next two weeks back to classes and then Post visit up to Nati with Alicia so I can see my house and start moving the stuff she is giving me into my house! I seriously can’t wait to have my house and start my two years as a Volunteer!!!! After that I think we have our last week of class then all our testing to make sure we can swear in as Volunteers!! I am just about half way through with stage!!!!!!!!!!

Well wish me luck and think of me this week while I get to go out and see another city…also Thanks to all of you who thought of me on my birthday and sent me love! I seriously have the best family and friends and I am sorry to be away from y’all but I truly had a wonderful 24th birthday and you were all with me in spirit!

Wish list

Ok so some things you can send me......
candy...apparently peanut m&ms travel well
movies...can someone go to my house and send me some of my movies please!!!
trashy magazines/vogue
fun cheap jewelry
dried/prepackaged foods
pictures
hand sanitizer/wipes
I would like a world map

ok thats it for now!!
any surprises are great!
LOVE AND MISS YALL

Finally Internet access

So this was written last Saturday 7/24/10…just so you are up to date...but I didnt get to post it until today....sorry

I figure it would be a good time to explain what my day to day activities will be like for the next 8 weeks during stage. I am staying at my host family Araba. There is Landry (Lance as I like to call him…that’s for you Yara!) the Papa and Elizabeth my Mama. They are so freaking awesome! Both are headmasters at schools. They have three children; two older daughters Carole- 28, Hervy- 25, and Rock-22. The girls are both married and live away. The son lives next door to me and goes to University so he is usually very busy but still has time to come and chat with me every now and then. I basically have my own house! I have my own sitting area with stove top to boil my water, so I don’t get sick, and a television which I never turn on (weird for me I know). I have my own bedroom and bathroom! Overall I have it pretty good!

There are a few things that I will eventually have to get used to: Climbing in and out of my mosquito net so I don’t get Malaria, going to the bathroom in a hole in the ground, my Mama and Papa saying I don’t eat enough…they give me the biggest portions ever, all the children yelling “YOVO YOVO YOVO” which basically means foreigner or white person. Today was interesting because we received our bikes, and they expected us to be able to ride home when Porto Novo is basically a maze! I’m good with directions but no one uses maps here so I can’t even picture where I am in my head! This is how I know how to get to school: Go out of my house and turn right; turn left at cell phone store; turn left at main dirt road; go all the way down and turn left at house on corner with red painted gate; then turn right at naked mannequin in the road (seriously no joke) and my school is a head on the left.

Close your eyes….Imagine me with my backpack and helmet on sweating uncontrollably while riding my bike…hilarious I know and imagine if I am the first white person you’ve ever seen in your life! Pretty entertaining right?!?! All along the main road small children come running yelling “YOVO YOVO” so I say hello and wave trying not to fall off my bike! This will definitely take some getting used to!
[I would like to insert as of 7/30/10 I have officially ridden my bike in a skirt! After two years I will be a pro-bike rider]

Cold showers sound nice but really are difficult. I can’t sleep with a blanket or sheet because it’s positively too hot. Last night at dinner I talked with my Papa about the weather and apparently December-April is the hottest time of year therefore they think its cold right now….trust me its not at all. They also laughed at how sweaty I was after my bike ride. My French is getting better; sometimes my French lesson is like a long game of charades. I’m going to be awesome at that game when I get back…watch out!

I think I was supposed to talk about my typical day…sorry. Rooster wakes me up around 5am. Then I sleep on and off until 6:30. Breakfast alone prepared by my Mama, most trainees have said they eat alone. At least my mama turns on the television and we either watch the news or Beninese music videos. Class at 8 which usually consists of language, cross-culture, and technical training. Lunch between 12:30-1:30 then more classes until 5pm. Dinner at 7:30, sit and talk with parents until 9, even though lately I’ve been tired and gone earlier.

My brother Rock wants to visit the US and he was showing me pictures on his computer of Akon, 50Cent, and Beyonce. I told him Beyonce was from Houston like me and he didn’t really seem to care, oh well. Everyone thinks its funny how the dictionary is my best friend when we communicate.

So August 6th is the big day we find out where we will be posted for two years. I’ve already spread the word we are meeting at a bouvette near my house to have some beers so don’t worry my birthday will be great! The following week we get to visit another volunteer at post to see what it’s like! There is a volunteer who is leaving in a few weeks and she was telling me about her post and project and a trainee is supposed to replace her….she is the only SED volunteer that doesn’t have electricity or running water…$50 that’s where I get posted!!!!! Anyways her project sounds cool and she loves her village and the people she works with….I’ll get back to you after the 6th!

That seems to be everything in my daily schedule…if you are ever sad just think of how ridiculous I look on my bike!

August 1st is the 50th anniversary of Benin’s independence so there is a huge Fete (party) in Porto Novo and the President is giving a speech and there will be tons of people! Its really cool to be celebrating in the historical capital of Benin! I’m sure this weekend will be a good time! I’ll try and take some more pics so you can see what I am doing!

When all else fails....pass out

Well lets see where to begin....The orientation in Philly was awesome got to meet all the volunteers in my group, it was exciting to see that we all had the same thoughts, questions, and fears! During the flight to Paris I talked to Lauren, an Environmental volunteer from Reno, NV who is really cool. Unfortunately we talked pretty much the entire flight (wonder where I get that from :)) so I was absolutely exhausted! Our flight was delayed coming into Paris so we were hustled from our plane through to security on to the next flight to Cotonou....once I was on board I immediately passed out. I slept for about 5 hours of that 6 hour flight so it was awesome to wake up and be preparing for landing!!

We arrived in Cotonou, Benin around 8pm to a large group of PC Volunteers cheering for us! It was such a relief to finally get here and feel accepted!! The past 4 days have been filled with meetings on safety, health, language, project overview and cultural adaptation. I have learned so much in the last four days....we learned how to successfully ride a Zemidjan aka taxi-moto; probably one of the funniest experiences so far! I am apparently a Novice-High level of french (whatever that means), and saw a glimpse into Beninese culture with a walk through the marche. So far everything has been going along smoothly without much deviation from our intense schedule until this morning!!

Yesterday we received pictures of our new host families...our Mama and Papa, and I am so freaking excited to meet mine they look AMAZING! Apparently they both are English Professors and they have older children who live away but often come visit. Today we had to gather all our luggage (I am still amazed that I made it here with exactly 80lbs of luggage and technically 4 carry ones) and go through another meeting about safety and reporting incidents. Immediately after that we were to receive Typhoid shots....I have received many shots in my life so I wasn't worried but our first day here we received a meningitis shot and my arm was killing me and got bruised really bad so I asked the doctor if I could get the shot in my other arm. She started to tell me how bad it was going to hurt and I needed to get it in the other arm so both arms wouldn't hurt just one then I started to get nervous and my feet were sweating (along with every other part of my body) and I got my shot and it DIDN'T hurt but I was already worked up so I went to go sit down at my seat and I started feeling dizzy and knew it was already too late....I went down to sit Indian style on the floor and some other volunteers came to see if I was ok and I leaned over on one then the next thing I know I am passed out on the ground with the doctor in my face about to give me oxygen and 60 volunteers like WTF?!?!?! Seriously I am so lame......

After trying to explain that I have a habit of passing out during medicinal situations the doctor said that I have to stay in Cotonou at the Peace Corps Office in the sick room tonight to make sure that it wasn't a reaction to the shot. So recapping I don't get to go meet my host family like the rest of the volunteers but I do get Internet and AC for the night! I guess the bright side is the Peace corps do care about my medical condition and want to make sure that I am 100% healthy...even if there is nothing to be done about my mental issues :)

When I met with the doctor an hour ago she told me whenever I get another shot I have to remind them I am the "girl who passes out" so they can lay me down and monitor me.....oh joy!

Preparing for Departure

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my blog that will chronicle my experiences during my service in the Peace Corps. I leave in two weeks from today for Benin Africa. I am a Small Enterprise Development (SED) Volunteer and my official title is Organizational Development Advisor! I am so excited to finally have an opportunity to see the world and find out who I am and what I want out of this life!

The first three months of training I will be stationed in Cotonou, Benin. It is their financial capital that is on the south coast of Benin. There are apparently 70 other volunteers in my group!! They will be doing different things like education, health, agriculture, and community development. I received a ton of information regarding our training and packing and basically anything you could think of! During training we will be learning language skills, cultural customs, technical skills to complete our project, and how to stay safe and healthy.

In case some of you are wondering exactly what responsibilities are covered under "Business Development" it is: providing training and management advisory services to individuals and groups, identifying new entrepreneurs, providing information to local populations on financial services such as savings and loan, developing training programs for target sectors and making frequent visits to entrepreneurs to work with them on improving their management skills. Most volunteers also take on second and even third projects so I can't imagine what all I am going to be doing.

Since I received my assignment back on June 10, 2010 I have been trying to figure out how you pack for two years....trust me its pretty stressful! One of the packing lists I have been referring to told me to pack underwear for two years....how many is that exactly??? I guess each person has their own interpretation!! Some things I'm packing include: frying pan, fan, water bottles, multi-tool, sleeping pad, mini radio, flashlights, duct tape, measuring cups, spices, can openers, and many other things like clothing!

I have also been trying to see as many friends and family members as I can. It hasn't really set in that I will be in a foreign environment for two years alone away from everyone I know and love....hopefully that doesn't hit me while I'm on the plane with 70 other volunteers....haha talk about embarrassing.

Well hopefully I can get myself packed and see as many people as possible before I leave! I will do my best to keep everyone updated and please feel free to email me or facebook me!

2 WEEKS....going to fly by better get back to packing!