http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Erika/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Erika en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:54:03 +0000 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:54:03 +0000 Being at home is busy. For the past two months I have been tour guide and tourist in my native land. My friend Mathurin whom I call Mr. KnowitAll traveled with me to Kansas. As he left his family friends and mother tongue for a month longer than he has ever left them before I returned from my version of a similar departure. I ended my Peace Corps Volunteer service and am officially looking http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kansas/Scranton/blog-315026.html 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 befor http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-281076.html I attended my third AllVolunteer 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 airconditioning 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 lo http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-264416.html 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 donrsquot 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 poli http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-264406.html Athim celebrated International Womenrsquos Day on the 8th of March at the secondary schoolrsquos playing fields. The basketball and handball teams the two sports with girlsrsquo 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 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-264399.html I hadnrsquot slept well and still woke up early. I decided to go to morning mass at 7h as a means to get out of the house and in search of motivation. Arrived at the church I discovered there was no mass for some reason so I turned to walk home. I decided to take the short path that passes through light brush from the river to the church. As I passed a smaller path that lead away from town in http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-239283.html I never expected to eat a chicken head but as I studied the bone structure of my meal in the twilight of the 2nd of January 2008 I discovered that chickenhead meat is pleasant. I refrained from gnawing on the eye sockets but everything else went down well. Since December 25th 2007 I have more often than not only needed to eat every other day finished with a cup of coffee for digestion whil http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-239281.html When I was a little kid I spent a lot of time playing in the dirt. I eventually had a backboard to shoot hoops but it was on our gravel driveway to this day I can make a basket like an ace but I dribble like my only fingers are lefthand thumbs though not said to be ungrateful Dad. I was able to make do up to a point but I only really learned the game of basketball when I joined the junior h http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-233046.html For a change I am reporting and commenting on observations I made in the school yard of the central primary school in my town. There are two schools in one compound and my good friend Mathurin is the director for one school and the superior of the second schoolrsquos director. There are about 400 students in my friendrsquos school divided between six classes and eight teachers. Roughly doub http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-229240.html I awoke from my nap thinking lsquoI might like some coffee.rsquo My next thought was lsquoCoffee Are you ill Erika Itrsquos the middle of the afternoonrsquo A third and more coherent thought was lsquoOh the breeze picked up. I feel cooler. Thatrsquos why I dreamt of coffee.rsquoI stretched woke up Bubs who was lying beside me and kicked us both off the mat. The best nap sp http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-229239.html My youngest host brother Feujus is the cutest sixyear old monster. His eyebrows even turn up a little like horns. He beat me twice at UNO he gave himself all the wild plusfour cards before dealing. I hadnrsquot been to visit my host family since my return from vacation so I stayed the weekend. I watched a lot of TV Papa had bought a small satellite and my host brothers and sister were sk http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-229238.html lsquoSit in your yard and watch the leaves fall.rsquo Dove Dark Chocolate Promise.Yes the front porch with a book and a breeze is all well and good until yoursquove done it for a week. Sorry Dove I donrsquot mean to be bitter but all I have been doing is sitting. I wish I only had a moment to watch the leaves fall rather than that being my main activity. This first week back at post af http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-226607.html Working with students at the local library on the history of Athieme eventually led to a field trip to Abomey to tour the royal palace and the statue of the last Danhomeian king Danxome being the previous name for the country of Benin who resisted French colonization. We had a lot of fun looking at stuff and hearing blood and guts stories of ancient times. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-205730.html These pictures are of the flooded Mono river during the first two weeks. After the first two weeks the river went back to its bed but only stayed there for a week before flooding again. When we were drying out the air reeked of rotting vegetation but now that we are wet again I have a fresh breeze off the water. I am told that the third time the river leaves its banks in its flooding season http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-205718.html These pictures are more of running around Benin as I know it. A mixture of everything. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-204474.html I visited another friend of mine in the Collines region or in English the Hills region. It's beautiful up there and a drier climate much like the north. These people fleeed the Fon by living in the hills during the time of slavery because the Fon would take prisoners to trade with the Yovos. The pictures show a little of the life in the hills.The basketball pictures are there because I like http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/blog-204470.html These pictures are also from a while ago... The HIVAIDS awareness bike trip was in April 2007 and covered the enitre MonoCoufo region and followed the old train tracks. It was a wonderful trip. See www.peacecorps.govvolunteerjournals to read more about the trip. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/blog-204465.html This is late but these are photos of Kate and Tina's visit in June. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-204223.html Oh this site is so neglected Pardonnezmoi beaucoup Here are some pictures maybe that will help... http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-196793.html The Weather I was sleeping on the porch as normal and was still hot as normal though the porch is many many times cooler than any other place in the house. The breeze can always find me there so that is where I sleep. When I say hot I mean that candles donrsquot hold their upright position and if I were to sleep inside I would sweat so much that I would wake up often to drink water and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/South/Athieme/blog-153808.html