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!