On a Bench Beneath a Terminalia Tree

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Dance Dance Dance

They have cut the electricity again! Just when I want to read email. So I sit in Lokossa, killing time at the public park. I killed time at my favorite coffee-flavored sweetened condensed milk stand as well, with an egg sandwich to perfect the breakfast, but all the death was attracting the wrong kind of business.
About a week ago I organized an outing with As.P.E.L. and the women’s groups. There is a super-efficient center near Lokossa that produces vegetables, chickens, fish, and rice, an extension of the Centre Songhaï in Porto Novo that I have mentioned before. In hopes of encouraging the women to put their group efforts into gardening as well, we made a point to tour the expansive cabbage/carrot/spinach garden, but visited the other attractions as well.
When our bus pulled up to the gate, I jumped out to find the tour guide, but instead found the gate locked, with not a soul to be seen, not even a chicken, on the other side. This rendered me quite dumb, and I would have just stood and cried, having brought some 20 women 20 kilometers to see a locked gate, but Florent, a member of As.P.E.L., told me he had seen someone down the fence row. Those men were able to find the guide and save my day. I worried at first that I would be the only person thinking the trip was worth the effort, but once the guide started talking, the group asked all kinds of questions, and I started thinking the event was wonderful! I checked my emotions though, considering that I might have been so pleased only in comparison to how distraught I would have been if all we had seen were the locked gates. In the end, I agreed with myself in saying that the trip was, at the very least, worth our time.
The center has a watering system unlike we Athieme-ian gardeners have ever seen; when the guide turned on the sprinklers, everyone gasped in amazement. Patrice, who is As.P.E.L.’s sprinkler system, told me later that if he could have a system like that, he would be the happiest of men.
At the fish ponds, the guide threw in some fish food. Catfish and tilapia lips puckered the water like fat raindrops. Everyone was immediately hungry for fresh fish. The rice paddies were worth exclaiming over too, so we did.
Basketball last Saturday was particularly intense. One of the P.E. teachers is now the coach, and had the beginning and advanced players running laps and doing drills. I was in the advanced group. I hadn’t exercised like that in years; we warmed up for 12 minutes jogging around the soccer field, then did a circuit four times including abdominals, jump-ropes, and push-ups, before doing basketball drills. I was wonderfully worn out and sore. I learned, however, that I am not a very coachable person in this setting, so next week I will be the assistant coach and help the beginners. We are also trying to get a real basketball court under construction. I really like playing basketball.
I invited my favorite family over to dinner, Mimino and the Secretaire and family. Mathurin donated a rabbit to cook with the understanding that he helped eat. I think I did fairly well- everyone ate twice, which pleased me. I adapted a peanut teriyaki grill marinade into a rabbit sauce and let it simmer until thick. My next undertaking is Thanksgiving, with help from nearby volunteers.
The mayor is building new offices, the construction of which is blocking the path to and from my home. I am using a cut-down tree from the site for two functions: 1) to make passable the path in the other direction from my home, and 2) to put in some public benches at the river. Some people tell me the benches are a good idea at the same time that others laugh at me. Whatever; those who don’t like the benches can enjoy the river in standing position, while I nap on the bench in the delicious cooling breezes.
The environmental club is building steam, which is quite an accomplishment considering the nature of steam. I am having fun with the kids, and learning that “environmental class” is a more appropriate term. I know very well that kids like to play, and I along with them, but am coming to know that kids like to learn, too, especially when the teacher loves the subject. Last Wednesday we played predator tag in the front yard of CLAC. Two lions tag/“eat” all the antelopes, and when the antelopes die off, so do the lions. Same story when antelopes eat all the grass. It’s kind of a sad game.
Now it is noon, and there is still no electricity. Three boys have joined me on the bench, hoping that I speak English. Usually I do, but I effectively ignored them to be able to continue my line of thinking for this entry. It’s hard to not laugh when they are trying to read my t-shirt (Niamey Universal Tournament of Softball, read NUTS).
So- lunch, and likely a nap between chapters in my current book, “The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton,” before helping Patrice in the garden. A garden garden, with lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, bell and hot peppers, and Beninese spinach. Yum. I am the weakest hose in Patrice’s watering system, but I help at least that little bit.

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Comments

[Greta]

Predator Tag
Predator tag sounds like a really good idea! You are a great teacher! Plus you have wonderful kids to teach, so I'm sure that helps. I just mailed you a letter today!

[Nancy and Kate]

coachable, eh?
Erika, We can't imagine you being a non coachable person....afterall you always do what people tell you.... a very funny story. We also wanted to be just like you....we don't have electricity, none at all, it' also 22 degrees F. here. We are staying in a hotel for the night. A very crappy ice storm took our power, as well as another 400,000 persons in st. louis. Fun winter storms. We miss ya.

[mom]

nightmare field trip
Every time I get ready for a field trip, I have a nightmare kind of like you were describing. The worst possible scenerio comes to pass. I'm glad yours was short-lived! I'm sure Patrice appreciates your company. You are a talking,walking sprinkler system! Can't beat that! Love you!