Arrival at Pobe
Trip Start
Jun 30, 2008
1
11
17
Trip End
Sep 04, 2010
Porto-Novo,
Benin
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Swear-In Ceremony/40th Anniversary Celebrations took place in the Palais de Congres in Cotonou, and was quite an event. We had the main event in the largest hall there, and the event was attended by a number of people. President Boni Yayi was unable to make it, but the Minister of International Relations was there, there was also the US Ambassador, the Peace Corps Regional Director for Africa and the Benin Country Director. As well as all the Peace Corps staff, the stagiares and current PCVs, there was also many officials from the Beninese government, some previous volunteers from Benin who had come over especcially for the ceremony, and also many of the host familys had come over from Porto Novo. Unfortunately it was a very wet and damy day, so my host family didn't end up making it (it is common knowledge in Benin that when it rains, everything shuts up and nobody travels). There were also lots of television cameras milling about, and apparently there were many clips shown on the television.
That actual ceremony started at 9am and lasted for about 3hrs, It was lots of speeches, mostly in French. There was also speeches in some of the many different local languages of Benin, made by the stagiares who had learnt more of the local language (those who had come in with a high level of French). There was also a video, a cake, some songs (which I performed in as part of the choir), and of course there was the point where we all stood up, as instructed by the Ambassador, and swore our allegiance to being a Peace Corps Volunteer as a group. For me this was the one moment I had a real hard time keeping a straight face. Not that I don't take the position seriously, but it was my little British accent amongst these Americans, swearing to 'uphold the Constitution of the United States' and then ending with 'so help me God' (which of course, I sounded bizarre going 'GOd' amongst the 'GAd's). Afterwards we then turn round to congratulate each other, and T grabs my shoulder saying 'Well done, you are now american'.
The day-ceremony was followed by a reception, and then we had a few free hours to mill around 'the bureau' (Peace Corps Benin HQ in Cotonou), which basically meant a lot of new volunteers stocking up on books before we all go to our respective posts for the 3 month lock-down period. We were then able to retire to Saint Jean Eudes for a few hours (this name should be familiar as the place where we initially spent our first 5 nights in Benin, on arrival). Being a rainy damp day we all just about managed to dry off, and clean up before we were shuttled back to the Palais again for the evening soiree, a 'buffet and cocktail evening' hosted in our honour. The food was great, and the cocktails a rare treat. A really interesting part of this session though was the presentation of one of Benin's highest medal of honour to the PC Regional Director, and a long speech about Benin's steps towards forming it's own domestic volunteer service, modelled on the PC. It was a poignant moment of being in the midst of international policy in motion. Of course after all this, and relief that the rain had finally stopped, it was a night of fete-ing back at Saint Jean Eudes where we spent the night, before returning to Porto Novo the following morning.
After all the excitement of Friday, the weekend was fairly subdued, There was plenty of hugs and final hurrah's as people begin to realise we are all very much going to our own seperate corners of the country, and when we next see each other will be uncertain. There was also the process of packing. So we did a last big buvette trip with SED/TEFL, and then that last evening with my host family I prepared very basic pizzas. Being muslim I had to refrain from using ham, but I did manage to top the pizzas with cheese, peppers, onion and of course pineapple. Feeling insecure with making a makeshift dutch oven, I cheated and although I made the tomato base from scratch I just used sliced baguettes instead of going as far as making dough, It all turned out fairly well, and they did seem graceful and it was a nice way to end things. Overall I think that I was very lucky with my host family, there were no particular issues, and they did give me my space when I needed it. But I also like to think that I wasn't too demanding as a visitor.
Departure for Post on Monday morning (at 7am!) was fairly uneventful, We had a great vehicle, a beat up Peugeot van (Dad, thoughht you might get a kick out of it, so I took a photo). Saying 'Goodbye' too the family wasn't too emotional, (it is not in the Beninese culture to show emotion anyway). So I was picked up first, everything loaded and the driver kept on popping the hood of our van, or scrambling under the vehicle - I feared that we would make it to Pobe at all. Due to Peace Corps budget cuts they had us sharing taxis, so with my stuff loaded up we went off to pick up M (or 'Chadsey') - an energetic Environmental Volunteer from Florida. So I had someone to share worried glances with as we began the journey north and out of Porto Novo.
We dropped off Chadsey at his post first, which is only about 20 minutes out of Porto Novo, but to get to the small village of Dra (which isn't even on the map) you have to turn off the paved road onto a small, hidden path. It's very very rural, proper PC sans running water or electricity. We had quite a trip getting to his house, lots of hills and taking the van up and down 'non-existent' roads. In the confusion of moving though, there was a slight mix-up and I now have Chasey's pillow, which I'll need to return at some point (no running water, no electricity, and now no pillow ... tough life). It was then back on the paved road and up to Pobe.
The biggest surprise was going to be my new house, as the previous large house had not passed PC safety standards and so I had heard word that they had found me somewhere new, and someone had dropped a hint that I might be getting a proper toilet, instead of a latrine (which is a big deal!). Because I had no idea where to direct the moving people I had to first locate Bernadette's and then we followed her down a series of lanes, and then we finally stopped outside Chez Moi. So a description of my new home for the next two years, it's located about 5minutes walk off of the main road, so it's just far enough to be quiet but not out of the way. It's a walled concession, which I share with a family. There's even a guard dog which they let loose at night to guard the property. The family is very nice, a mother with 4 kids, ranging from 9 to 18 years old (2 boys and 2 girls). On my part of the concession I have 2 reasonable size rooms, each with a large window each. The rooms are clean, painted and in good shape with a concrete floor. The first room I'm using as a kitchen/living room. Then there's another lockable door through to my bedroom. And off the bedroom is 'le piece de resistance' - the bathroom has a proper toilet, fawcet and shower! Although the shower is positioned kind of over the toilet, and there's no light in the bathroom, I cannot describe to you how relieved/happy I was. Although latrines aren't that bad I do appreciate my little porceline luxuries. It may just make the difference for the next two years. So although with only 2 rooms this place is substantially smaller, for the security and the bathroom, it is totally worth it.
I inherited a lot of furniture and objects, and after spending the first week with my mattress on the floor and living out of my suitcase, I now have more than enough furniture, including a lot of baking and kitchen stuff which makes me happy no end. I also have the double bed I put together myself, a massive bureau for clothes, bookshelves, deck-chairs etc. It did require a rather dusty and dirty tuesday spent hauling and sorting, which meant hiring a bush-taxi and some man power for a couple of hours. It was quite a scene, when they piled the bookshelf, on top of the double mattress, on top of the bureau, on top of the battered old peugeot station-wagon with sections of my bed sticking out the back. But now I definitely feel settled into my little home, curtains and all. I also saved a LOT of money. But I fully intend to leave it all in good condition for whatever volunteer should follow me. (because S's house was substantially bigger than mine, and I didn't need all the furniture I'm also storing some of it for M, a female volunteer to the south of me).
So my first week was spent getting to know Pobe, and getting the people of Pobe used to seeing me about. Bernadette has been superb, setting up meetings for me, and helping me to settle in, while giving me time to get my house together. I discovered that S and I share an interest in food, so she was able to show me where I can get what for cooking, the best places to eat out and the best street food vendors (avocado sandwiches are a favourite, and there's also the lady who shall be known as the 'bean-lady' - I won't patronize you by stating what she sells). So each day was generally spent walking about, getting lunch out, usually a meeting with Bernadette, either to discuss work with her, or sit in on meeting of different artisans group - listening to a 2 and a half hour meeting in nargot/french about embroidery apprentices, a little tedious and my mind did wander. I also spent some time at the NGO that S worked well, called GABF, who were very pleasant and offered to let me work a bit with them if I want to. Also there is Judith and Andrea there, two friends of S who I can hang out with and get help from if I need. The marche is every 4 days, so exploring that was another day.
I've also been doing a lot of reading and having read all the ones Stewart and Clare gave me, I'm onto the ones that have been floating around 'the Bureau'. The one I just finished was particularly interesting, and I'm sure Dad would have approved being a historical novel. It was 'the last full measure' by Jeff Shaara, which goes over the last 2 years of the American Civil War, something I knew very little about. It's the last of a trilogy, so I'm keen to see if I can track down the first two books. Although it starts after Gettysburg, it definitely gives me a renewed desire to visit that battleground. Quoting father 'because it really happened, and it happened right (t)here'. Dad, I encourage you to go seek it out, if you haven't already read it. Now I'm onto 'Rebecca' (another Big Read book, I might try to get through that all list by the end of two years - beat Stewart once and for all at that little contest). I also inherited a LOT of magazines from Sunny, a combination of Newsweeks and fashion mags - I've found myself particularly enjoying smelling the perfume advertisements in the fashion magazines (with mosquitos, sweat and dirt, perfume is very impractical here).
So the next few days should be very much filled with meeting more artisan groups, and trying to find a french tutor. This email has been very long, but it's a combination of me sitting and typing and writing a few paragraphs at a time over the past two weeks. Although my emails are sure to be less frequent, they will certainly be mini-novels when they do get sent. The great thing about the laptop is having the time to pre-write emails.
