Laundry and Conversation

Hi Everyone!

 It’s been a great Sunday here in Benin, I hope it has been in for you too!

This morning the whole family packed up and went to St. Michael’s for church in the morning. It’s my favorite of the three churches I have been to. It is the closest to home, and has a community feel. I was happy to catch more of the phrases in the service this time, I was even able to follow parts of the sermon. The music is pretty cool too. It’s hard to pick out words, but it does always have such a joyful feel. Also there weird little cultural difference – in the US (or at least in New England) when we clap along to a song in 4/4 time, we usually clap on the 2 and 4. Here is a 4/4 song, they clap on the 3 and 4. That caught me off guard. Fortunately, as someone who is not rhythmically gifted, not knowing the words, I can count out the measures to make sure I’m on the right beat. Thanks marching band!

After church lunch was turkey with beans. I actually liked it a lot (this was two new things, and in general, I am happy to report that I am developing more of an appetite for Beninese food).

After lunch I hand washed my clothes with my little host sister Cena, under the instruction of my host Mama. I am pleased to say I felt a little more confident than the last time. Still my hands were so raw afterwards. I can really understand why people, especially kids, re-wear clothes until they really are dirty. Otherwise you would have so much laundry to do! I had a surprising cross cultural moment during the washing process. In general we have been told that women are expected to do all the domestic work. However, while I was washing clothes, my host Mama’s younger brother was visiting and chatting. At one point he crouched down and said, “try it like this”. And then proceeded to wash one of my shirts to demonstrate an effective way to quickly get the collar and sleeves. I was both grateful and surprised. It was really cool to see a slightly different method than my host mama’s also, she is so deft, it can be a little daunting!

After that I got to chat on the phone with my Mom, Dad, and Aunt Julie (by proxy) a little bit. It was so good to hear from them and it is just always encouraging to hear that people are enjoying the blog, and appreciating the information. I’m so grateful to you guys for reading it!

Dinner was a Sunday special of fries and plantains with fish. I have let my host mama know that my favorite Beninese dish is fried plantains. I had a great conversation with my host family about the next couple weeks, and everyone’s upcoming birthdays, etc. Apparently here 10 and 20 are big birthdays, and Onelia brought out her photo album from her 10^th birthday last year. It was so exciting to see her birthday outfit, and pictures of the family from a year ago, and a surprising number of familiar faces that have visited over the past three weeks. It was heart warming. Apparently, I will have to come back here at the end of January for Cena’s 10^th birthday party. It’s exciting to have a little over two years here to get to celebrate birthdays with the family and all of that. On that note, I finally learned the ages of all the kids: Onelia (11), Chancella, or Cena (9), Jerro (7), Romeo, who is actually a cousin but it living here for now (6), and Yani (5). I have probably spelled all of their names wrong, so sorry about that, but there’s a little more information!

Thanks for reading!

With love,

Lauren

Day of Delicious Food

Hello Everyone!

Happy Weekend! As tends to be the case, it’s been a busy Saturday!

In the morning Heidi and I got Zemis to class. My motorcycle helmet was recently replaced with a newer one, and since we have been biking, this was the first time I got to try it out! It is very nice. However, I miss the Boston stickers (Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics) that a previous volunteer put on my old helmet. It seemed pretty lucky to me. Hopefully I won’t need luck with my newer less beat up helmet!

Once we all met up for class, we had some time to review and chat before each of our language interviews. There were several new Beninese outfits to admire.

I felt like my interview went well. It was definitely better than my initial language interview in Cotonou, the day before we met our host families. I felt like I conveyed my thoughts more clearly, and I was seldom scrambling for the word I wanted. However, I am worried that I didn’t correctly use enough different tenses to move up a level. We will see how it goes!

After the interview we went in shifts to the Porto Novo Palace Museum. We got a tour of all the different rooms, and their traditional purposes. It was interesting to hear about different traditions for Porto Novo Kings, and I was impressed by the well recorded lineage in a culture that, through most of its history didn’t have a written language. However, the tour didn’t really get to go into detail about the art or other scenery that would have been in the Palace, and we didn’t have a chance to get into Benin’s more recent history, which I would like to learn more about. Today, there are still regional kings in Benin, who sere a social role while the elected government makes and enforces rules and regulations (just like Great Britain!).

When everyone finished with the tours we commenced with what I thought would be the most stressful part of the day. We had been told a few days ago that we would be divided into groups of 7-10 and would go tone trainees house to make some Beninese cuisine. There was a lot of ambiguity around who was buying the ingredients, and how we were going to learn to make this food. It turned out that different host families volunteered, and I wound up going to the trainee David’s house. His family was given some money by the peace corps and bought the ingredients needed for the food we wanted to make. The family also guided us through cooking the cuisine. We made talli talli, which is sort of a fried banana deliciousness, benignets, rice with eggplant and a spicy peanut sauce, and sliced pineapple. It was so good and I ate so much! Even though I had my doubts going into the activity it turned out to work out perfectly. I learned how to make some Beninese cuisine, ate a meal that I helped chose and thought was delicious, and got to share the activity with my Peace Corps friends. Who could ask for anything more?

Upon arriving at the home of my host family, I chatted and caught up a bit. My mama was mercifully understanding when I only took a half portion of dinner (half portion for me, which is more like a quarter portion for the rest of the family!). We had beef for the first time since I left the states and it was delicious. I couldn’t help but wonder why all the delicious food was in my life on the same day!

After dinner the power went out. This happens somewhat frequently in Benin. I picked that up the first time it happened and no one commented or reacted. Usually it comes back on in 10 minutes to half an hour. This time it’s been a little longer, maybe an hour now. We chatted by candlelight for a while, and I talked about when the power went out for a day at my house in the United States over Christmas break.

Who knows what tomorrow will hold. For today, I’m just thankful for great food!

Thanks for reading,

Love,

Lauren

lunch with the director and scheduling

Hi All!

A big day with the Peace Corps today! My French class, and many others, met at Songhai, since all the Environment and also Community Economic Development volunteers had lunch with the director of Peace Corps Benin. We had met him during the first few days of orientation, but it was nice to hear a little more about his life and his prespective on the peace corps. He did say one thing in particular that really struck me: Peace Corps has a tension between being a practical aid organization and a cultural exchange.  He brought it up because finding the balance can be difficult, but I realized that is one of the things I love about Peace Corps. Both aspects seem so necessary and interrelated to me. It is a cool thing that we have going on here.

Language class was actually a little un characteristically difficult today. Our class joined up with another class that seemed to need a little help. At first it was really great to have some other French class mates, and get to hear their stories and thoughts (as another trainee said, you can only ask someone what their father’s name is so many times). But after a while the troubles that the other class has been having started to bubble to the surface. The fascilitator is newer than our fascilitator Aurelien, and the exercizes he chose were a little more academic, with less immediate personal application than what we enjoy in our class. This might have been fine on it’s own, but their was at least one trainee who was having a very difficult time staying motivated to keep trying in french, and because of that wasn’t really presenting herself positively. As other trainees tried to joke and be sympathetic the balance of the class really got out of whack and basically, it took a long time to do even simple exercizes and almost everyone was a little frustrated by the end. I do hope things get better for those other trainees. It made me grateful for what a good rapport we have in my french class, and how dynamic, passionate and organized our fascilitator is. It’s nice to recognize the things that are working out right.

Unfortunately, neither Heidi nor I have heard from Bethany, and I’m afraid she won’t be rejoining our stage. It would be sad to see her go, and she will be missed, but I hope this is the best choice for her.

Things that are happening next:

On Saturday we have a language placement test. Our French competency will be re-assessed in a conversation exam, and if we do well enough we may get to start with a local language.

On July 27^th we are supposed to find our placements for work during our service in the Peace Corps.

On August 5^th I believe we will be leaving for a two week visit to our future posts. We will be staying with different host families and be getting our first look at the local climate, traditions, food, and of course, our work!

After the two weeks at post we will start our technical training.

If all goes well, Lord willing, as Dr. Phillips would say, we will all swear in as Peace Corps Volunteers on September 14^th, after that, it’s off to work!

Thanks for reading and for all your support!!

With love,

Lauren

lunch with the director and scheduling

Hi All!

A big day with the Peace Corps today! My French class, and many others, met at Songhai, since all the Environment and also Community Economic Development volunteers had lunch with the director of Peace Corps Benin. We had met him during the first few days of orientation, but it was nice to hear a little more about his life and his prespective on the peace corps. He did say one thing in particular that really struck me: Peace Corps has a tension between being a practical aid organization and a cultural exchange.  He brought it up because finding the balance can be difficult, but I realized that is one of the things I love about Peace Corps. Both aspects seem so necessary and interrelated to me. It is a cool thing that we have going on here.

Language class was actually a little un characteristically difficult today. Our class joined up with another class that seemed to need a little help. At first it was really great to have some other French class mates, and get to hear their stories and thoughts (as another trainee said, you can only ask someone what their father’s name is so many times). But after a while the troubles that the other class has been having started to bubble to the surface. The fascilitator is newer than our fascilitator Aurelien, and the exercizes he chose were a little more academic, with less immediate personal application than what we enjoy in our class. This might have been fine on it’s own, but their was at least one trainee who was having a very difficult time staying motivated to keep trying in french, and because of that wasn’t really presenting herself positively. As other trainees tried to joke and be sympathetic the balance of the class really got out of whack and basically, it took a long time to do even simple exercizes and almost everyone was a little frustrated by the end. I do hope things get better for those other trainees. It made me grateful for what a good rapport we have in my french class, and how dynamic, passionate and organized our fascilitator is. It’s nice to recognize the things that are working out right.

Unfortunately, neither Heidi nor I have heard from Bethany, and I’m afraid she won’t be rejoining our stage. It would be sad to see her go, and she will be missed, but I hope this is the best choice for her.

Things that are happening next:

On Saturday we have a language placement test. Our French competency will be re-assessed in a conversation exam, and if we do well enough we may get to start with a local language.

On July 27^th we are supposed to find our placements for work during our service in the Peace Corps.

On August 5^th I believe we will be leaving for a two week visit to our future posts. We will be staying with different host families and be getting our first look at the local climate, traditions, food, and of course, our work!

After the two weeks at post we will start our technical training.

If all goes well, Lord willing, as Dr. Phillips would say, we will all swear in as Peace Corps Volunteers on September 14^th, after that, it’s off to work!

Thanks for reading and for all your support!!

With love,

Lauren

cutting bangs and biking

** I wrote this post on Wednesday, July 18th**

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are doing well, and all is good chez-vous, with your home.  I am happy to say my host brother seems to be doing fine. It seems like it was a one off sickness last night. If I hadn’t seen that he was sick last night, I never would have suspected it today.

After that happy news, there is some less than happy news. My fellow trainee and french classmate Bethany has had some family trouble back home and she isn’t in class right now while that is being sorted out. Heidi and I are missing her in class and hoping she will be able to jump back in and not have to go home while we are covering so much ground. It’s a very unfortunate situation and she is missed.

Other than those two events life is settling into a normal pattern. I get up and have breakfast (bread with peanut butter, fruit, and instant coffee) and go to class. We do some grammar and vocabulary and some more casual conversational practice. Today when we were walking around we met a local pastor and he was really excited to talk with Heidi and I about our church background and why we chose the Peace Corps. He also talked a lot about his work here in Porto Novo. It was exciting to talk with someone who is so excited about the Gospel. It was energizing.

For lunch Heidi and I ate at a local roadside spot and chatted briefly with some of the students who hang around there. In the afternoon we covered some common idioms, practiced utilizing different tenses, and talked about celebrities. After class I rested for a while and actually tried to read the French copy of the 7^th Harry Potter book that I bought in the Brussels airport. It was definitely easier to read now than when I first bought it, which is encouraging, but it was still a bit of a chore, so I only read a little bit.

For dinner we had tilapia, and afterwards I reviewed my notes a bit and watched the regular soap operas with the family. Gustavo is out of jail, but his brother is in the hospital, and Shree is expecting twins and had a baby shower!

Oh! I also finished the hat I have been knitting! It’s on the big side, but it came out really well. I’m very proud of it. Now I just need some cold weather! It actually has been very reasonable here. Today we actually had some cool breezes that probably brought the temp down into the high 70s. I guess I will have to carry the hat around in case I get the chance to wear it!

I also cut my bangs the other morning (first thing in the morning) and I think I was feeling a little hostile towards them, because I cut them very short. I’ve been cutting my own bangs for years and this is a record breaker. They will be perfectly fine in a week and could be artsy right now, but I’ve just been opting to pin them back for the time being.

Biking to Songhai tomorrow, wish me luck!

Love,

Lauren

Biking revisited

Hello Everyone,

Another successful day in Benin! Despite the challenges of biking yesterday, Heidi and I bravely and decidedly jumped on our bikes again this morning. I’m pleased to say there were no falls today, and in general the ride was smoother than yesterday. Especially riding home after class I was struck by how biking is so typical of all my experiences here; scary and also fun at first, and I slowly but steadily feel more comfortable and confident. I also feel like I am constantly learning new things; how best to avoid that puddle, who has the right of way, how fast I can go here, etc. etc. All in all, it’s really nice to be getting ourselves around (probably safer and definitely cheaper!). I have to hand it to Heidi for getting her host brother to teach her the back roads route to Songhai (where we often have class). Heidi gets the gold star for initiative on this one.

For class today we had some language work, and some information for all trainees. It’s is fun to see the new Beninese outfits being sported every time we all get together. I was especially happy for my friend Amber, who now has a beautiful Beninese outfit after toughing it out with just one skirt for the last three weeks!

In my host family, the oldest brother Gerard (Jeh-rar) got sick to his stomach this evening. I hope he feels better, and that it isn’t anything serious!

Short note tonight, to compliment yesterday’s long one.

Thanks for reading!

With love,

Lauren

Sunday crafts and bike adventures

** I wrote this on Monday, July 16th**

Hi Everyone!

Today is Monday, the beginning of week 4 in the Peace Corps, week 3 with the host family. I’m still learning a lot every day, but I am starting to settle in a little bit too.

On Sunday I went to mass with the whole family. We went to a different church than the one Mama and I went to the week before. I guess this one had a better service time for everyone. This church was larger and had more of a cathedral layout. The service was once again in French and Gune or possibly Fon (with prayers in French and songs in Gune for the most part). Again it was really exciting to see church so personally owned in a culture so different from my home culture, but again it was hard to follow. I am going to try to look up the French version of some of the big prayers so I can join in on those next week.

After church we hung around the house for a while. My friend Amber asked if I wanted to meet up, but my host papa had said about going to the pond, and I am still really hesitant to spend time away from the family. You just never know when you are going to observe something helpful and important (or even better, get to be helpful).

We watched TV, which happened to be a French dub of Peter Jackson’s King Kong. This is only the second movie I have watched while here in Benin. The other was also starring Adrian Brody. Coincidence or national infatuation? I’m hoping for the later! Just kidding. It was nice to watch a movie though.

I also worked on my knitting and did some crafts with my host sisters. We braided yarn and made bracelets. I had mentioned before that I thought it would be fun to teach them how to make friendship bracelets, and it looks like we are starting at the very beginning with braiding. Both of them have cropped short hair, so I guess the concept is pretty new for them. I am going to be keeping an eye out for gimp string and beads. Also, I need to start brainstorming crafts and ideas for my little host brothers. That could be tricky.

In the afternoon Papa and Mama and I took a drive and they showed me the building where parliament meets (and the new parliament building under construction) as well as a huge statue of one of the famous kings of Benin, and the ‘pond,’ which was actually a river with a bridge that connects Porto Novo to Cotonou. After the driving tour we stopped at a Buvette for a drink and chatted for a while.

I went to bed early because I knew Monday would be a big day. Heidi, my neighbor and fellow Peace Corps Trainee had learned a route to Songhai from her host brother. She was confident that we could get there on our bikes without taking the main road. In the morning, I wasn’t a happy camper. I hadn’t really organized my bag well for biking, and trying to get it organized used up my breakfast time, so I just took some bread to go. The roads are mercifully not hilly, but they certainly are bumpy, with some intimidating puddles. Still despite all obstacles we trekked along at a good pace. Despite any disgruntled-ness, I could see why a lot of other trainees swear by the bikes. It feels so good to get a little physical activity in the day, and to be doing something by and for yourself. We spend our days receiving lessons, and vocab and culture notes, and zem rides and food. When we get to make something happen by our own reasoning and power, it’s very refreshing. I hear that the opposite will be true at post though!

I ended the difficult ride with a fall on my butt. I knew it was only a matter of time until that happened, so in a way it was good to get that out of the way without major incident. We stopped very close to the deep gutter outside of Songhai, and I really did NOT want to fall in that, and I basically over compensated, lost my balance, and would up on the ground. It wasn’t great for my pride, but it can take the hit.

French class was successful, and without incident. Most of the time we all buy lunch together after practicing French with people on the street. Today our instructor Aurelien needed to make some copies, so the three of us eleves or students went out to lunch together. We all got atassi, which is a mix of rice and beans in a spicy tomato sauce and Bethany and I got a small piece of fried cheese, a popular topping here. It was nice to go out to lunch just the three of us.

I am happy to say that the bike ride home was very smooth. When I got home I got to talk on the phone with my mom a bit, which was so nice. I’m thinking of you all back home! Thanks for all your support and interest. It means so much.

With Love,

Lauren