Benin at last
Trip Start
Jun 30, 2008
1
4
17
Trip End
Sep 04, 2010
Cotonou,
Benin
Monday, July 7, 2008
and it's only now that I'm getting the time to sit down and write an
email. The days since we arrived in Cotonou on friday evening have just whisked
by. The Paris to Benin leg of the flight
was quicker, and involved flying over part of Africa during daylight hours
(however, the flight was delayed so it was properly dark before we landed in
Cotonou). Benin is so close to equator that the sunsets at the same time all
year round, at about 19.30. It took a
while for our luggage to get through, and that was a bit stressful, but when we
went through to the arrivals area there was a big group of PC volunteers welcoming
us, and even more when we made it to Jean d'Eudides - a catholic church
monastry/camp. There was a 4th July cake
waiting for us there (which I was nominated to cut) and a off-key version of
the star-spangled banner. After a
refreshing cold shower, and some introductions, I climbed under my mosquito net
for the second time - and fell asleep in the hot, muggy air (it's rainy season
right now - the cooler part of the year but no rain yet).
Saturday
was another busy day, included lots more admin, meeting PC Benin staff and a
host of current volunteers who are great for advice. We also received our first initial medical
tutorial, along with a substantial first aid kit which could have everything
you ever wanted. All this took place in
one of the large Rec halls of the camp.
Also that day was experiencing one of the frequent water or power cuts
(power you can't do anything about, but they have big tubs of water and plenty
of buckets - so there's your shower!).
Age-old
PC joke: 'There's a glass half-fillled with water - the optimist says, "the
glass is half full," the pessimist says "the glass is half
empty" ... and the PC volunteer says "I can have a bath in
that".
After
lunch on saturday we all piled up in the vans again to head to the main PC
Bureau - getting to see the street-scenes in the light this time. As I said before, it's quite a dirty grubby
city, and chaos is always the initial reaction.
As I said before, the glass bottle gas stations are my favourite. At the Bureau we had a french exam (mine was
pretty poor), the first in a series of vaccinations (including Typhoid- which
is far from pleasant) and got fitted for our bikes (although we don't get to
ride them yet). Then had the opportunity
to sit in a street-side bar and drink some Coke (out of the old fashioned
bottles, of course). Then from a passing
street vendor we got some pineapple, which has to be the sweetest, juiciest,
pineapple I've ever had. The big fruit
here is pineapple, mango and oranges - I'm still waiting to try some of the
mango - prices at eight for 25p equivalent.
So please don't mind me if I'm a bit spoilt by the time I make it
back. In the evening, before our Cotonou
curfew, a few of us got taken out for Beninese beers and chatted through
lots.
Sunday,
today, I got up early and went with some of the other volunteers for a run
outside the compound, think dirt tracks and kids singing the 'yovo' song at us
- certainly very different going from having to dodge pedestrians in Camden
running to dodging goats. I did muck up
slightly as I realised that I hadn't packed running sneakers or socks, so I
ended up running in my sandal sneakers and getting a fairly bad blister from
them. After a break, we went to the
country director's house for brunch, met the ambassodor and got spoken to by
the US 'Regional Security Officer'. It's
a very nice house in one of the plusher sides of town, and great food (more
pineapple!). Back on the compound I
managed to get some frisbee going with some other volunteers and then we had
our first french class. I predictably
got placed in one of the lowest groups, but it's 5 of us and an incredibly
patient teacher. I was feeling a little
bit tired so I probably wasn't in the best way as I started the french, but I'm
going to attack it tomorrow. Tonight we ate dinner in growing dusk and
eventually candlelight (power cut), and then went out for 'Fanmilk' after. It's a cool ice-lolly brand and the
closest/safest thing you'll ever come to an icecream or milkshake. Definately good.
So
I'm going to sign off now, but just to set the scene, I'm lying on my bed
typing, and in the compound I can here west African music blaring from some
speakers as the other volunteers and Beninese staff are out chatting and
sipping from their Nalgene's. I will be joining
them shortly - but at my own risk as one of the other volunteers just realised
how ridiculously ticklish I am.
