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 them a lot- the first one is the boys' and girls' teams, the second is of the basketball court on the day of the regional school tournament, looking its best.... read more

This is late, but these are photos of Kate and Tina's visit in June. ... read more

This is an entry I have posted on the Peace Corps website, but I am publishing here because I want to add pictures. The pictures with this entry actually have no relation with the writing. Following entries might or might not have the same pictures/writing relationship. I have kept a journal for along time; since third grade, with only a few months missing here and there. Usually writing, especially journal writing, flows easily from my brain to my pen-controlling hand, as easily as one foot follows the other while running. Lately I have had many false starts- the 18th of March, again the 25th, and the 26th- attempts to interest a larger audience in my only occasionally interesting life. Was I stressed, trying too hard? Maybe. But this evening, sitting on the front porch steps ... read more

Because I have some time on my hands...... read more

Harmattan has arrived. Harmattan is a wind that blows from the north, from the Sahara desert. The wind carries dust, and it’s the dust that blocks the sunlight and creates “winter” in equatorial West Africa. To me, Harmattan is as close to winter as I will get for some time still to come. I am colder than I was during the rainy season, and more regularly. I close all the doors and cover with a sheet every night. I sleep all the night through, no dripping sweat to awake me, and I get out of bed slowly, wearing two pagnes and socks, or pants if they’re clean, and heat my water for coffee and a warm bath. And I still shiver, until 10h or so, when the sun has sufficiently heated the porch to be warm ... read more