Leaving Materi for the last time
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Materi,
Benin
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Saying Goodbye
So the last few weeks at post we did lots of work. There was a NGO (non-government organization) that called on us to give an awareness campaign to a series of women's groups. We gathered three days, in three different villages and spoke with the women about a variety of topics, such as hygiene, nutrition, family planning, and AIDS. Jason spoke with them about bush fires, stocking grains to sell later in the season, and improved wood stoves. The information was well received by the women. These women were so happy to have us in their village talking to them. It reinforced our belief that the best experiences with Peace Corps have been when we're with women.
Then the women's group of the protestant church finally tracked me down to set a date to make tofu together. We had been talking about it for a while, but no date had been set to do it. So we gathered and I showed them how to make tofu from soybeans. We also put part of the soymilk aside before curdling it so we could add citronella and sugar and have a tasty drink before munching on the tofu. The women really enjoyed it. Some even plan to do it as a money-making venture in the local market. Hopefully it works out for them.
As a little celebration in finishing our year long term with our AIDS team, we held a reception and invited 20 of the important people in village (Mayor, School principals, doctor, midwife, bank director, etc.). The guy on our AIDS team prepared a speech and spoke of all the work they've done and the villages they've visited over the past year. Then, Jason gave a speech which spoke highly of the work they've done and recommended them to the town authorities (those present) to be used for future AIDS projects. Then we presented them their certificates of participation. We all had drinks and took pictures. Then, surprisingly, the mayor decided to make a speech in which he thanked us for our time in Materi and our contributions. Then Rebecca's supervisor spoke and again thanked us for our work. It was nice to here that our time there was appreciated. So I guess that was the beginning of our ending.
In between all these appointments, we were busily packing up our things, informing everyone of our departure date, and setting aside gifts for all of our friends and those who had helped us over the two years of living there. On the day before we left, we had most everything done. Then it was time to say goodbye. We knew, from everyone saying they'd come by to visit, that the last day would be full of sitting and talking with people. It is a cultural thing here. Never mind that the person has things to do, you're supposed to visit the person before they leave. Our first visitor came by at 10:00 AM. Then we slowly got more and more people stopping by to spend a little more time with us before we left. The kids came by and we played games. My girlfriend Cathy, who is 9 years old, was very upset that I was leaving and didn't really want to accept my gifts to her, which included all the games we played together and the coloring book and crayons. At that point I wished I could just sit down and play all the games with her and color again and have it all last forever. It was sad to see people like that, so affected by our leaving. The worst and most touching moment for me was when our oldest boy in the house, which is 5 years old, kept talking and gibbering something in the local language. Finally I asked my friend who was sitting there what he was saying and she said "He said Saaba and Kouetcha (me and Jason) won't be around much longer..." And it brought tears to my eyes, that this little boy was beginning to comprehend the fact that his play buddies were leaving him.
By the afternoon, all of our chairs were occupied and we had a mat on the porch with many people sitting on it. We conversed with everyone and thanked them for the help they've given us, encouraged those school girls and boys to keep plugging away at their studies and the villagers to keep up with the work that they've begun. Then our closer friends came by and asked us to come to the local bar and have a drink. So we went there, and we ran into other people in village we knew, and everyone was wishing us goodbye, a "bon voyage" and to greet our parents back in the US. It was kinda like a little party for us, but one that happened on the moment and was not planned. Then my friend Rita came by with dinner that she had cooked for us and we ate with her and a few other friends right there at the bar (the Beninoise always make way more food than is needed for the amount of people, especially when they cook for us!) Then our work supervisors came by together and ends up that they had planned a special surprise dinner at the bar but in the private room with them. So we ended up eating two dinners! Somehow we were able to do it, probably because they were spread out by a few hours. So we were able to have one more chat with our work partners and thank them for all they've done to help us succeed in village and they even had a few little farewell gifts for us. Overall the village really had a warm goodbye and really made us feel good.
The next morning we woke very early and the chauffer and his helpers came to load the car. We had arranged for a car for just us since we had so much stuff to either drop off in the workstation in Natitingou for other PCVs, or to Cotonou to return to Peace Corps. The taximen were competently able to load a huge kitchen shelf, a sofa, a mattress, and two bikes on the top of the car and load everything else inside. We got into the car, shook hands with our Papa and then said goodbye to our Mama, who had tears in her eyes, as she turned to let the youngest child, strapped to her back, wave goodbye. It again moved me that Mama showed that much emotion at our depart and it hit me that this was the final goodbye. As we d rove through the village, it seemed to be a normal brisk and dusty morning for November, and we waved to people as they were drawing water and sweeping their market spaces. Just a normal day, like any other, but our small time there was over.
Hope everyone is well,
Love,
Rebecca and Jason
