Sorry it has been sooo long.....

Well I have survived my first couple of days at the my host family! Benin is nothing like I expected! Nudity is not a problem when in the house, there is trash everywhere and motos are going every which way without a problem for the most part. People are all talking in French all around me…Yovo..yovo is all I hear on the streets. It is quite the experience to be here. I am learning more and more French everyday. Hope I get the hang of it before long. My host family is very helpful; they do not let me really do anything around the house though. My sisters and mama do the work. It is hard because I like to help out and clean all of the time! Haha I am doing okay with the food. Eating a lot of bread, rice, water with Special K drink mix that I brought from home. Protein is hard to come by around here. I have to make sure I ask for some fruit and vegetables. I got my water filter going and my stove put up for boiling the water. I got to go to a Fashion Show one night and hang out with two friends of my sister. Had to ride a moto so guess what? I had to lugg my moto helmet around!!! It is attached to me already. I have limited internet time here. Hopefully when I get to post, it will be better!! One can only hope!! Miss and love you all! Call me if you can! I always have my phone on…xoxoxox

Well, things are going better everyday. I am learning the language slowly but surely and meeting new people all of the time. I am def. living in another world here in Benin. I have to watch my every step just in case I might step in a hole in the sidewalk or even come across the occasional boulder that is resting in the way. I have travelled to many different ATM’s and they are either not in service or do not accept the USA cards. Through the days, I have learned to bathe from buckets, use the restroom without sitting on a seat or in a latrine…a BIG hole in the ground…you have to really watch your aim! Some people miss all the time….I will just let your imagination wonder….GROSS!!! My host family is great. I live with a mama and two sisters. I actually was riding to school with my mama on a moto and she proceeded to go a bit too fast up a pile of sand and we had a little accident….we will be laughing about it for awhile….all is well—she just had to get her plastic cover fixed because it was cracked. I just sit outside sometimes and I hear the occasional trumpet sound, motos in the streets, children singing the YOVO YOVO song, and the different churches praying…it’s a whole new world and I am def. coming home a whole new person….if it hasn’t happened to you…it WILL happen to me…it’s like I cant live a calm life..there is always some kind of crazy thing happening to me…I love every minute of it! XOXOXO

Today is August 1, 2010—The 50th Anniversary/Independence Day of Benin. I wanted to go to the parade and to see the President arrive to speak, but instead I watched it on television. My sisters stay at home and prepare food and clean the house all day and my mama is not feeling very good. So, I have used my time wisely and uploaded pictures on my computer and charged up all of my electronics. I am kind of bored here at my house. We just eat, clean, and sleep, but my weeks go by pretty fast because I have school all day everyday Monday-Saturday. Well Saturdays are only until 12 but it is better than nothing. I am tired a lot because my brain is taking in so much. While in class on Saturday (July 31st) the voodoo parade went by a couple of times. It is just a bunch of music and a man in a BIG BLUE trash bag like dancing around. I thank God for the technology of today. Without it, I would probably go crazy lol!!  I have about 7 more weeks here in Porto Novo. I get to see my post at the end of this week I believe. I am super pumped!!!!! I really hope I am replacing someone, but hey I am just happy to be here and do my part for the Peace Corps. Time is flying by…I forget what feeling cold is…haha soooo hot here and it’s the rainy season….until next time!!! Miss everyone! XOXOX