On expectations ...

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  Cotonou, Benin
Wednesday, December 17, 2008

'Expectations' is a pretty big word in Peace Corps circles.  As with any life-altering 2yr adventure in a new and foreign land, pre-departure your mind is filled with expectations and ideas of what your new life is going to be like, and how you will come out of the experience (changed, more confident, perhaps with a few tropical-disease stories in tow).  On arrival at Staging in Philadelphia and then in Benin, PC then stresses the importance of loosening and abandoning your expectations - perhaps with the idea that instead of trying to make Benin fit around your expectations you'll incorporate a more flexible attitude (which tunes in with the general PCV Benin need for flexibility, patience and a certain amount of unflappability).  I personally believe 3years in London, especcially Camden Town/King's Cross helped me develop an unflappable attitude.  But then the PC staff seem to do a U-turn on you, and in the various interviews to determine what post/community you might fit into well, you're immediately asked a lot of questions about your 'expectations'?

'Where in the country do you expect to be living in?'
-Well, I've only seen Cotonou and Porto-Novo, which is only a little bit of Benin.  I have no idea what the rest of the country is like (but according to other PCVs - it's 'different')

'Do you expect to live in a village without amenities, town with some amenities or city?'
-Again, only been in Cotonou and Porto-Novo - two of the largest cities.  What is a Beninese village like?  What size are you talking when you say town?

-... hey, I thought you told me to predispose of all my expectations before I got here?

*My answers weren't exactly phrased like that - I do have some interview style!

So somehow, through my vague answers I somehow got fitted with Pobe, which at the moment seems like a good fit.

But on this topic of 'expectations' ..

I am currently in Cotonou, killing the hours until I am getting my taxi to the airport for my 3am flight to Casablanca.  It's then a layover of 5hours before heading into the second leg into London Heathrow Terminal 2 and onto the Meads for Christmas/NY two week vacation.  Now I most definately have some 'expectations' of what I want from this visit home, and most of it centres around all the different food I'm going to eat, how many times I'm going to be cold at night (wrapping up in my duvet, with a little prayer of thanks).  So in no particular order, a run down...

-I'm looking forward to being cold, properly cold and not perpeptually sweating (I want to actually hear all those pores in my body close up going '...zip').
-I'm looking forward to the look on my mother's face (happiness.. with potentially a hint of maternal disapproval at my foolish turnout) when I walk out the arrivals gate in a tissu summer dress and flipflops. 
-I'm looking forward to seeing how much Poppy (the cat, who was a 6wk old kitten when I left) and Amelia (the 10yr old sister) have grown.
-I'm looking forward to seeing what's different about Fleet high street.
-I'm looking forward to being given the tour of the new landscaping work on the garden by enthusiastic family members, starting before I've even put my bag down.
-I'm looking forward to my bed.
-I'm looking forward to pub trips with Fleet friends, catching up.
-I'm looking forward to drinks selections that go beyond regular, syrup-like Coca-cola and Beninese beer.
-I'm looking forward to my Mom's cranberry jelly mix - watching her make it, taste-testing it, stealing cheeky finger dips into the mixture, eating it on Christmas day and eating it everyday afterwards until a) I leave or b) it runs out, whichever comes first.
-I'm looking forward to not sleeping under a mosquito net.
-I'm looking forward to getting my big black cat back in my arms.
-I'm looking forward to wearing perfume without fear of mosquito retribution.
-I'm looking forward to running water, and most importantly HOT running water.
-I'm looking forward to DIET coke/pepsi.
-I'm looking forward to maple syrup (not the vannilla essence/sugar/water mix I made up in Pobe the other week).
-I'm looking forward to seeing London again.
-I'm looking forward to testing out my french on my brother, and beating him into the ground with it.
-I'm looking forward to wearing socks.
-I'm looking forward to the West Wing - whatever happens I'm coming back with it!


These are all things I am looking forward to, and hopefully 2weeks and a bit will be enough to satiate my appetite.  And although I don't want to think about leaving my family right now, I'm looking forward to coming back and enjoying the life I've created back here in Benin again.

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