Interview between Eric and Jason
Loading Map
Cotonou,
Benin
Thursday, April 1, 2004
Hey everyone, Eric and I cought up on IM the other day and here's the conversation we had between the two of us. For some of you it may be a bit difficult to follow because of the lag time in transmission some questions and answers are in different places but hopefully some of you will enjoy the banter.
We will be writing a normal travel logue tonight so if you can't decipher this just wait a little bit and we'll be sending the next edition soon.
JasonS1976 (11:06:16 AM): Hey Eric
JasonS1976 (11:11:11 AM): Rebecca had a quick question about Food nutritional info
Eseyler (11:11:35 AM): What's the question?
JasonS1976 (11:12:33 AM): She was wondering if you knew of a web site that has nutrional info for all sorts of veggies or fruits. She says she knew of one on the NIH webpage but she can no longer find it. That and if she sends you a mango whether you can anayze it or not
Eseyler (11:14:05 AM): Well, there's fda.gov, but I think you need a database, which we have one at work. I know Mangoes have lots of vitamin A & B.
JasonS1976 (11:15:04 AM): She tried the fda too but no luck, Oh well
Eseyler (11:16:21 AM): There's just so many foods, that the database is big. I think the one we have at work is one we did download into our software, we use Paradox.
Eseyler (11:23:12 AM): How's the critters (friendly and unfriendly) around the house?
JasonS1976 (11:24:48 AM): Well unfortunately our third cat was doing wonderfully and was starting to become a serious mouser but one night she walked out like she always does and she hasn't been back
JasonS1976 (11:25:10 AM): We think someone must have picked her up and taken her
Eseyler (11:25:27 AM): That's too bad.
JasonS1976 (11:25:38 AM): So that's 3 strikes and we're taking some time off before we think about another one
JasonS1976 (11:26:05 AM): Yea you think that this way would be cool because you always have a kitten around but 3 kittens in a row wears you out
JasonS1976 (11:26:18 AM): we just want something that gets mice
Eseyler (11:27:04 AM): Do the other people in the village also have the mice, or is it because your house was empty before you were there?
JasonS1976 (11:27:33 AM): However, our mouse trap has gotten 4 mice in the past 4 days so we're pretty lucky that they keep falling for mango peel. No it's pretty normal for everyone to have mice adn that's why people like having cats around
JasonS1976 (11:28:15 AM): I think they are just field mice that have figued out that kitchens are a good place to find a tastey treat
Eseyler (11:28:55 AM): Any snakes? How are the bugs? Do you sleep under a net?
Eseyler (11:30:49 AM): Does Rebecca see many diseases, or is it more malnutrition among the infants?
JasonS1976 (11:31:12 AM): We do sleep under a mosquito net which where we are is so dry that no mosquitos exist but it keeps out everything else
JasonS1976 (11:31:53 AM): Malaria is really bad here, and everyone has it and it can flare up anytime with varing degrees of severity
JasonS1976 (11:32:22 AM): But people get by. She mainly deals with trying to get mothers keeping thier babies healthy
Eseyler (11:32:40 AM): Mom tells me that Grandmommie wonders often about you. She asks mom, "Do the children there have shoes?"
Eseyler (11:33:52 AM): Where is the malaria caught, if not mosquitos?
JasonS1976 (11:35:22 AM): Nope, hardly any of the little tikes wear shoes or clothes for that matter. At around 3 they start wearing underwear/speedo swim suit but only when they get to be older do they get a pair of flip flops, which is the national shoe of Benin and I think Africa. Well there are Mosquitos just not nearly as many as down in the humid southern areas
Eseyler (11:35:25 AM): The delay time for us typing and sending is about the same time it takes a voice to go through the satellites and to the other side of the country.
JasonS1976 (11:35:53 AM): They probably catch it in the rainy season and then it flares up anytime
JasonS1976 (11:36:56 AM): ISn't IM and technology amazing???
Eseyler (11:38:35 AM): Right, I forgot the rainy season.
On "ER," Kovac, who went to Africa, was chewing out a pharmaceuticalls rep. on why they invent new drugs for impotence, but there's hasn't been a new malaria cure in 30 years because there's no money to be made from poor people.
JasonS1976 (11:39:04 AM): But back to dress.... We also have flip flops and wear them all the time around the house
JasonS1976 (11:39:09 AM): Good For Kovack
Eseyler (11:40:09 AM): So how hot is it? Do the people work all day, or mornings and evenings?
JasonS1976 (11:40:18 AM): Rebecca also says the other disesase are simple issues like washing hands and food hygiene, also drinking from a clean water source
JasonS1976 (11:40:21 AM): HOT!!!!
JasonS1976 (11:40:26 AM): HOTTTTTT!!!!!!
JasonS1976 (11:40:46 AM): ON saturday it was 111 in the shade of our patio while we were eating lunch
Eseyler (11:40:58 AM): Oh My God!!
JasonS1976 (11:41:55 AM): people work from 8:30-12:30 and then 3:30-around 6, but these are oficial job posisions
Eseyler (11:42:05 AM): I will mail you some snow! I'm going to climb Mt St Helens this weekend, which got more snow yesterday, so I'll get some there.
JasonS1976 (11:42:33 AM): IN Materi 99% of people are farmers so right now is the time to sit under a mango tree and keep cool
Eseyler (11:43:03 AM): That's what I thought. Eat lots of mangoes.
JasonS1976 (11:43:31 AM): once the rains begin people really get busy and are in the fields all day, but it's a lot cooler too so it doesn't kill anyone
Eseyler (11:43:51 AM): Are the mangoes exported, or just taken to the cities to market?
JasonS1976 (11:44:41 AM): But I can honestly say I've never sweated this much before ever. Mangoes go bad pretty quickly so mostly they are kept locally. I don't know if they ripen once they are picked either.
JasonS1976 (11:45:14 AM): one PC guys project is to try to implement mango drying so they can sell dried mangoes anytime of the year
Eseyler (11:46:43 AM): Do the locals see you and wonder, "Why are they complaining so much. This is normal."
JasonS1976 (11:46:53 AM): It's such a good idea but the logistics of implementing this project are driving him crazy. He's trying to get a comercial level operation up.
JasonS1976 (11:47:04 AM): It's kinda a running joke
Eseyler (11:48:04 AM): So Jason, what's your Project again?
JasonS1976 (11:49:42 AM): Here saluations are a big thing, you ask about their health and family and kids and work etc... but for us they usually ask about the heat and then we act like it's killing us and then they just laugh at us and we simply say we're going to die and laugh, then they say we won't die and then tell us how it's just going to get hotter for a while yet but don't worry in may it begins to cool
JasonS1976 (11:50:40 AM): I'm working a bunch recently on fuel efficient wood burning stoves. and I just met a guy who's planting a bunch of trees so hopefully I'll get in working with them a bunch
Eseyler (11:51:23 AM): I will save this "interview" and send it to everyone.
JasonS1976 (11:51:35 AM): Great idea!!!!
Eseyler (11:51:52 AM): What kind of trees? For firewood or what?
JasonS1976 (11:53:25 AM): But my position in Materi is kind of weird because I'm really there just because Rebecca's there. I came with her and I'm supposed to find work(which there's plenty of work to be done) I was just not set up with an offical group like most everyone else.
JasonS1976 (11:53:47 AM): The big trees everyone wants are cashew trees and mangos
Eseyler (11:54:09 AM): If Rebecca wants me to look up certain foods' nutrition facts, I can do that. Just make a list.
JasonS1976 (11:55:12 AM): Hopefully we can get people interested in Morenga (which the leaves are execellent nutrionally when eaten raw or in the souce) and then other types of fast growing trees for fire wood and lumber
JasonS1976 (11:55:40 AM): We can get cabbage right now and if my garden works we'll have lots of eggplant
Eseyler (11:56:03 AM): What like of movie house did you see "Castaway" in?
Eseyler (11:56:27 AM): Oops I mean what kind?
JasonS1976 (11:57:12 AM): I saw castaway in a city (natitengou) where PC has a workstation and they have a TV and VCR where we watch movies that people send us from the states
JasonS1976 (11:57:56 AM): IT's around 3 hours from our post and that's where we goto get mail adn check email. IT's a nice little oasis from life in the bush
Eseyler (11:58:02 AM): That's a good one to have there. Maybe you can get a couple seasons of Survivor too.
JasonS1976 (11:58:27 AM): I think they do actually but I've never gotten that desperate to watch them
Eseyler (11:58:42 AM): Did you bike there or take a bus?
JasonS1976 (12:02:02 PM): we usually bike to a town 32 km from Materi where we are then crammed into a Pougeut (that they French have long abandond) and ride around 50 km to Nati. So theoretically we could bike the 80km ~50 mi but the first leg is on dirt sandy roads and then you have to go over a mountain range (over 1200 ft elevation change) and oh did I mention it was HOT???
JasonS1976 (12:02:52 PM): But next cool season we will probably do a 5-6 day bike ride all around our area and pass through there on bike
Eseyler (12:03:49 PM): Peugeot. Those French and their spellings.
That sounds fun! Are you still taking lots of pictures?
JasonS1976 (12:05:29 PM): Yes we took lots of pictures in the Park and have taken some around town. We know a couple that will be heading home at the end of april and we'll proably have them take our film so look for a package then
Eseyler (12:05:32 PM): The cool season, hmm, is that the rainy season and will the bikes work over muddy roads?
JasonS1976 (12:05:48 PM): No the cool season is different than the rainy season
JasonS1976 (12:06:01 PM): it's the cool and Windy season
JasonS1976 (12:06:15 PM): so you can't win here really but we try
JasonS1976 (12:08:14 PM): Dec - Feb is the cooler windy season, March - May/June is HOT HOT HOT Season, June - september/october is not so hot but rainy season, and then Oct - dec is kind of a mix
Eseyler (12:08:27 PM): Well, the flowering trees here are all in bloom, and people's flower beds are filling up with color. It's a nice time, except for the pollen.
JasonS1976 (12:08:52 PM): Cooler meaning lows in the upper 50s and highs only in the low 90s
JasonS1976 (12:09:08 PM): it's amazing how good 95 feels to both of us right now
Eseyler (12:09:30 PM): 95 means you can go jogging?
JasonS1976 (12:09:45 PM): Oh yea that's perfect jogging weather!!!
JasonS1976 (12:10:50 PM): Right now the highs during the day are 110+ and the lows are probably 90-95
Eseyler (12:10:51 PM): What's coming up for either of you?
Eseyler (12:12:46 PM): When you meet other PC volunteers, what's the usual topic of conversation?
JasonS1976 (12:12:53 PM): We have started sleeping outside in our patio in beach lounge type chairs (under our straw awening, but still under a mosquito net). It's pretty much a necessity because inside the house it now probably never gets below 100
Eseyler (12:14:41 PM): You're going to be so cold when you return. December!
JasonS1976 (12:14:57 PM): The locals also sleep outside but they usually only have a straw matt to sleep on. We feel a little weird about bringing out our cots, sheet, pillows, mosquito net but hey we have to get some sleep and this is the only way
JasonS1976 (12:15:11 PM): No Joke, who's crazy idea was that!!!!
JasonS1976 (12:18:17 PM): I can't imagine even 50s right now, and both of us normally are required and getting used to wearing either pants or a long skirt to work. (I personally perfer the air flow fo the skirt but it's a still a little hard to explain to the farmers) I'm in an air conditioned room right now and it's a little on the chilly side and it's probabbly set at 80-85
Eseyler (12:19:04 PM): Benin is a kind of democracy, right? Are you going to see an election?
You guys have a short-wave radio, but how do other people keep up with news, or does it matter to them? Benin news, I mean.
Eseyler (12:22:18 PM): Is there a mayor for Materi?
JasonS1976 (12:22:55 PM): Benin is very much a democracy (one of the better/least curropt ones in west africa right now) and the next presidential elections won't happen till 2006 so we'll miss it, but everyone is very much up to date with local and world news. In Materi everyone has a little portable radio (that runs off of dirt cheap highly toxic and aweful quality batteries from China) and almost everyone listens to the national news every night
Eseyler (12:23:52 PM): That's good. Is it government-radio or independent?
JasonS1976 (12:24:44 PM): Materi is 2 things: a county with lots of cities and also the city where we live whihc is called Materi and the county seat
JasonS1976 (12:25:37 PM): So there is a mayor and Imy official local superviosr is the mayor so I willl be working with them a lot hopefully
Eseyler (12:26:51 PM): Hopefully? How much have you worked with them so far?
JasonS1976 (12:28:38 PM): This is all kind of new because Benin just switched to locally elected officals as opposed to government appointed positions so things are still new but the new mayor is really nice, very interested in what we have to offer but like any mayor he's very busy!!!! and I will be mainly working with one of his aides. And work is more along the lines of just keeping them informed of what projects I've done and so they feel happy about us there
JasonS1976 (12:30:36 PM): The radio is independent but most broadcast a national news broadcast. Another really good thing about Benin is that they are really very good about freedom of the press here so the national news seems fairly impartial
Eseyler (12:32:42 PM): Well, this was great! I'm happy we did this. But I need to go to work. Say "Hi" to everyone, and anything else you wanted to add.
JasonS1976 (12:33:13 PM): Nope it's been great for me too.
JasonS1976 (12:33:26 PM): I'm really glad I cought you
Eseyler (12:34:15 PM): Okay. Take care. Give yourselves a hug from me.
JasonS1976 (12:35:45 PM): Say good night Gracy... and give yourself a big hugg too
Well I hope you enjoyed and we'll talk to you all soon.
Love,
Jason and Rebecca
