Travel Blog » Africa » Benin

Benin Travel Blogs

Background: Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged.

Benin

Map of Benin

Benin's Flag

Hostels in Benin
Latest Benin Blog Entries
Benin Photos

By solstice21
June 19th 2008

Hello, Goodbye Africa » Benin » South

the fams

How? How can this one place, this one small village, this one spot on the face of such a vast planet change me so profoundly, warm my heart all the way through, teach me so many lessons, inspire within me such a complex combination of happiness and sorrow? Doumè. No, not the village, not the market, not the dirt roads and the isolation and the poverty and the local language. Rather, all of it. All of it bundled into one indescribable experience. Layer upon layer unfolding itself daily, weekly, monthly in my mind. The smiles, the smells, the feel of the [View Full Entry]

By Silv
June 16th 2008

Last days of a great adventure Africa » Benin

Beatrice and her family

Ecoutché, Adado, Thank you and goodbye!!!! Thank you for the memories, the adventures, teaching me how to eat Yam pulli with my hands and pumping the water for me. Thank you for being patience while I stumbled along with my French, and for the laughter while I tried to speak Tcha. But it is time to say goodbye. How do I say goodbye to a village, a culture, a school and people, who I know have changed my life forever? How can I explain to a child why I have to leave, why I can't stay with them longer. My last [View Full Entry]

By Silv
June 2nd 2008

My days in Koko at Ayeke school Africa » Benin

Choir

The sun shines on Koko at 6.30 each morning, though the roosters seem to think it should be 5 as that is when they start to crow their morning chorus. I tend to wake about 7 to the crows or the crying child Angelo from next door, or to the children already arriving at 7.30 to start sweeping the school yard. School is meant to start at 8am, but this can be a flexible as sometimes the teachers just dont turn up, or they forget to bang the bell (an old orbital saw from a wood mill which they bang with [View Full Entry]

By Erika
May 28th 2008

More Pictures Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

ruins of athieme

In the last week of my Peace Corps Volunteer experience in Benin, I realize I have not yet posted these photos. I might even have some more later... I went exploring in the ruins of Athieme. I went the first time randomly, and without the camera. The second time I went, someone warned me that snakes like to hang out in ruins, so the dogs accompanied. I was assuming a snake would find the dogs before me. The other photos are of things dear to me- mangoes and small children. [View Full Entry]

By Silv
May 4th 2008

Benin - a new way of living Africa » Benin » West

First night in Tobe

How to describe another world of new feelings, sights and smells, while sitting in an air conditioned room with a cold beer?? My world here is very different to home in New Zealand, but different in a wonderful way. It has now been just over a month, and I have two months still to go. Every day is a learning experience, the way of living here is just so different on every single level, but when I say different I do not mean better or worse, just different. Where am I? Benin is on the west coast of Africa, next to [View Full Entry]

By Cocktailllll
April 27th 2008

Day Fifty-Three; Sunday, April 27 '08 Africa » Benin » South » Ouidah

Woke up thinking it was 10:00 when it was actually 11:00 because of the time change. Weird to think there's a time change when Benin is only 90 miles from the Ghanian border. We headed off to the Python Temple which is the voodoo place of worship. When we arrived there was a morning service taking place which was completely unexpected as we were informed the temple was more of a museum than anything else. It was really awkward walking in and I thought they would be osmewhat annoyed with us, however, they offered us chairs to sit down and observe [View Full Entry]

By Cocktailllll
April 26th 2008

Day Fifty-Two; Saturday, April 26 '08 Africa » Benin » South » Cotonou

Woke up and took a bucket shower which is really gross to do inside a bathroom. We waited aroudn our hotel for quite some time before we actually started our day to visit the stilt village in Ganvie. After our talk about visiting Nigeria subsided we got a ride to a village near the lake entrance to Ganvie. The ride on the water was crazy. We took a canoe for the four of us which was rowed by a small boy. Our sail was made out of a patched bedsheet. Our boat constantly felt like it was sinking. We actually crashed [View Full Entry]

By Erika
April 8th 2008

International Women's Day Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

Athieme

Athiémé celebrated International Women’s Day on the 8th of March at the secondary school’s playing fields. The basketball and handball teams, the two sports with girls’ included, had prepared the courts for the games, which meant that the courts had actually been drawn in, the lines scratched out with a hoe. We set up a tent at each court for the spectators and hauled the benches and chalkboards from the school. No matter how many times I mentioned it, we were still missing the water buckets by game time. I finally yelled and water appeared in buckets on a couple of [View Full Entry]

By Erika
April 8th 2008

Elections Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

Pretty Toes

With elections approaching I find myself much more often with Beninese friends who have satellite television. Via satellite I can follow the American presidential campaign. Fortunately I don’t have to bribe them with cake to be allowed to watch; even they are interested in the campaign process. Benin is also preparing for elections, so my friends and I profit from the news by discussing political systems in Benin and in America. My friend Mathurin, who I also call Mr. Know-it-All, is a candidate for elections, and is my well-informed resource on the Beninese political system. I am not as [View Full Entry]

By Erika
April 8th 2008

All Together Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

I attended my third All-Volunteer conference with Peace Corps in Benin. We were in the big city for two and a half days of meetings. Peace Corps houses us for these wonderful three nights in a nice hotel on the ocean. We slept and met in air-conditioning, bathed in hot water, swam in the full length swimming pool and dived from its platforms, stayed up all night talking and dancing, and drank a lot of coffee to stay awake and warm in the air-conditioning. The first day we brainstormed and criticized the functioning of the Peace Corps office and the demands [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Africa » Benin

Benin Travel Blogs, page 2

Benin Travel Blogs

Benin