First Few Days in Benin

Hey guys! I'm back at Peace Corps headquarters in Cotonou. Today we have Zemi training (learning how to ride on the back of the Zemis, or motorcycle taxis), a walking tour of Cotonou, and my technical interview to determine my skills and French so they can choose a good placement for me. I'll find out where my post will be on week 4, will also spend a few days at post with another RCH volunteer, and on week 7 I will go visit my post for an overnight stay. At the end of week 9 I will be sworn in and move to post. Yay!

On day one upon arrival we ate dinner, then got our malaria prophylaxis. Had to start those right away. Got yellow fever in Philly before leaving so wasn't worried about that. Day 2, we got up bright and early and started training. Had language training (I'm in the lowest group and seem to be getting worse... eek), Peer Support Network Training (where they teach us how to contact support if it is needed), and Safety and Security training. Apparently some men here will propose to us all the time to try to get a green card and come to the states, or because they think we are rich (which, by their standards, we ARE). I guess one of the volunteers just always says "Respectes vouz, monseiur." Meaning, "Respect yourself, sir." And I guess that usually solves the problem. I haven't encountered this yet but have heard a lot of "Yovo! Yovo!" on the street when we go by on big vans. They are not being derogatory, just curious. We also had gender and development training yesterday, just and ice breaker so we could ask questions about life as a woman in Benin. Apparently smoking on the street is basically saying "I'm a prostitute," which I didn't know but would have liked to know before I smoked a cigarette on the street yesterday. Oh well. Thankfully I didn't get any offers. : ) We then had free time so we played cards and a game that I can't pronounce but it's a board with little valleys carved into it and each one has 4 stones and you move them around and try to get them all. It requires a lot of strategy and the person I was playing with kicked my butt 3 times in a row. But then we played euchre and my team one so alas, I was redeemed. After dinner I attempted to read but fell asleep. This is becoming a pattern with me, waking up an hour or two after I lay down to read, glasses on, book in hand.

The day before last (They are all mixed up. It feels like I've been here for two weeks) we came here to the office and got our bikes, helmets, all the tools and accessories for the bikes, etc. Got typhoid and meningitis immunizations. (Typhoid- ouch). Had my French interview and while I understood the questions, I answered all of them in English cause I didn't know any French. Hence my placement with the others who know no French. A lot of the other volunteers will say they have no French experience but will then admit that they actually studied in Paris or have a degree in French. I want to explain that I really DON'T know any French, but a there are a few others at the same level as me. I am studying (kind of) and showing (relative) improvement.

The food is okay. Been eating a lot of rice and a TON of bread. French bread, 3 times a day. I want some vitamins but they haven't given us any yet! It's okay, I have my medical interview tomorrow so it will be okay, I can ask for some then. I have made a serious dent in my jelly bean stash but am trying to make them last. My roommate is a recent college grad from Virginia. I love her- she is awesome. Most of the people here are fresh out of college or graduated a year ago, so I am one of the older ones here. They are all nice but have more stamina then me. Lol. I haven't had a beer since I got here but most others have visited the bar on our compound regularly.

I will probably get a phone in the next few weeks. Going to meet and live with my host family on Wed. so I will ask them to help me find a good one. Also going to have them take me clothes shopping, You pick your fabric first then go to a tailor. The clothes here are BEAUTIFUL!!! I can't wait to have some made.

This morning we had technical training after a talk about the volunteer who died (during which htey told us nothing but there are plenty of rumors circulating). During technical training we were given an overview of the work we will be doing and I am SO EXCITED!!! All of the projects are right up my alley and I will really get to create my own experience here. We also filled out another interview questionnaire type thing and it felt like I was reapplying all over again. I have my technical interview this afternoon with the APCD (associate peace corps director) for RCH (rural community health) during which she will try to guage the best placement for me. She;ll be asking if I want to live in a city with electricity and running water or a village with no such amenities. If cell phone service and internet are important to me or if these things don't matter. If I want to live close to another volunteer (which can still mean 2 hours away by public transport) or alone. To be honest, I'm not sure. I don't know if I will get more out of this if I am relatively isolated or if I can still get the "full experience" living in a city. Since I didn't have specific expectations, I don't know where I envision myself. Probably more in a village. We'll see. I might just let her decide because the PCVs who have been here for a year say they did that and it turned out their placements were PERFECT. So, we'll see. I'm going to go do my Zemi training now.

Well, today I caved and ate tuna because I hadn't had a good protein since I got here. But a lot of vegetables and bread. They have been serving bread with jam and butter for breakfast, rice, veggies and meat for both lunch and supper. But I have been supplementing with my own stash. This is just while we are at the compound where we live, St. Jean Eauds, because on Wed I meet my host family and move in with them. I filled out a form about what I like/dislike to eat and hopefully they heed it. Just had my technical interview and it went really well. She praised my work with people with disabilities and asked if I wanted to work with a government social center to improve their disability programs. I said no, that I wanted a change of pace and to try something new, and she said "Excellent! We'll broden your horizons then." Probably will get placed as janitor in the capitol biulding. Haha.

By the way, Zemi training was amazing. Zipping around a city on the back of a moto is so fun. Exhilirating, really. We do look stupid in our helmets but at least we are safe. Now all I have to do is learn French.