Blogs from Benin, Africa - page 4

Our first stop in Benin was Grand Popo, a small beach town not far from the Togo border. Grand Popo has lots of hotels but seems to lack tourists this time of year. I think we were the only ones staying at the beautiful Auberge de Grand Popo; they were so desperate for our business that they invented a 25% Peace Corps discount. The Auberge has a beautiful beach with thatch shade huts and a swimming pool. It also has a beautiful outdoor restaurant that we couldn’t afford, but we found some great seafood in town. There are several kinds of fish and lots of lobster available. Each day we could watch see fishermen, 20 or so people working together to slowly tug a giant net up on to the beach. After a few days of ... read more

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 a metal stick). Singing is a way of gathering the children and often they chant their songs before starting working, incredible energy can be felt in the songs here. Everyone always greets each other when ... read more

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 Togo and Nigeria, a long thin club shaped country. Cotonou is where I flew into and where I am right now, but where I have spent the last five weeks is about half way up ... read more

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 into a fish trap and the man just assured us that there was "no problem, no problem." When we arrived in Ganvie we all sat in shock for a bit. It's like something you'd see ... read more

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 qualified of a resource on the American system, but I do my best. As a Peace Corps Volunteer I am apolitical, but I am interested in the comparisons between the two systems. Thus I do a little ... read more