Days go by...enjoy that breeze!

Days are just flying by here in Benin! I have heard so many people say life is a roller coaster around here and they are so right! I study everyday for French and try to practice as much as I can at home with my family! Lately, it has been quite interesting, now that I can help around the house and understand what is being said for the most part! There are more laughs and happy times as compared to before where there was frustration and tears..I mean it is still difficult on a daily basis, but there is progress. I have a rough time with doing things the WRONG way! Just different culture, I guess. I have to learn how to do things the RIGHT WAY to fit into the Beninese culture! I have started model school where students come to learn some English during their summer vacation. It is a lot of fun, but a ton of work on top of all the studying I do...oh well life goes on...ONE DAY at a time...sometimes hour by hour! I have enjoyed each day of teaching and have fun with the students for the most part! YAY!!! I am doing all right! I just cant wait to get to my post so I can have my own classes and get with the program there! I take time to enjoy each and every breeze that comes through here and listen to the bugs chirp at night even though there will always be the crazy nightmares that I have about ants and cockroaches in my bed because of the malaria meds. But hey, you just have to take time for yourself--ME TIME!! A wise woman once told me, "all you can do is your best, that has to be good enough, take time to rest your brain, it is a lot to take in...it's like a marathon race, not speed that matters, but endurance!!" Thank YOU MOM! :) Just a couple more weeks of training, I can do this!

Closer and closer :)

Well, Benin, Africa is getting better with just a little communication here and there. I am still sweating every drop of water I drink out right after my bike ride to school in the morning. AND YES IT IS THE RAINY SEASON! Haha I hate to say it, but I might miss the snow….oh not yet!! I am making a lot of new friends—we are def. a big family here. We are full of all kinds of excitement and great ideas. We will be model teaching soon which is where the trainees will be practicing teaching with a friend and getting some feedback….I got this covered…haha so I hope! ;p Went and hung out with some of the stagiers today after school. It was tons of fun. I actually had my first beer from Benin. Everyone was like IT IS ABOUT TIME!!  Been a little sick lately in the bathroom situation, but I believe it will get better. I am determined not to get sick….ugh I know I know it will happen. I think I am just going to cut back on the spicy foods and drink MORE WATER if that is even possible! I get to see my post soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Taking it one day at a time….served my mama dinner, did the dishes, brought in my bike from outside, and took out the trash….moving up in the world…I guess tomorrow I am going to be preparing DINNER!! YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think they are in for a  dinner. Haha I will prepare with my sister so no one gets sick…miss everyone!! Xoxox

MY TRIP TO AN FROM LOKOSSA!

The day has come that I have visited my post. It was an amazing experience. I travelled by taxi to Lokossa with my director, three other TEFL volunteers and their directors. Yes, all of us in one taxi. If you could only imagine how sardines feel? Haha It took approx. 3 hours to get to my post. We stopped along the way so our driver could pee behind the car, pay people at various stops for some reason I do not know, and to buy fish, bread, and some other stuff from street vendors. They would just shove the raw fish in my face like I would want it more if I can smell it and see the eyeballs staring back at me saying EAT ME EAT ME!! I was a little woozy! My host family was nice. I had to stay in a room where there was a dead bolt that worked well, but I could not open it back up…It broke constantly…I had to have my little brother come free me from this outside room which by the way was far away from the bathroom (shared with gramps). Interesting having to pass through his room to use the bathroom and shower…I ate pretty well, saw my house—where I will be staying for the next 2 years—went to the market which only happens every four days..there was live crab, yes, more fish, and anything else I will ever need to survive. There are lots of cybers with internet around town and even other Americans. If I need anything, I can go visit the American missionaries that feed my mint choc. Ice cream. I have no idea where they bought it, but they have it! I will learn my way around town pretty quick, I am sure. Sleeping is also kind of hard there. There are baby goats crying all night, roosters and chickens everywhere and I was worried about lions and hippos. I guess I can go see some hippos somewhere close to my post. Heard they like to follow you around. Oh crap, first it was birds, now hippos!!! Haha I might pee my pants and not even care. I mean who cares, people pee wherever they want here anyways. After a couple days at my post, I travelled back to Porto Novo all by myself. The taxi driver actually brought my straight to my house! I must be ok with my French esp. if it a matter of being lost in Africa! I was packed in the taxi like a sardine again and this time there were chickens in a shopping bag just chilling on the floor behind me. Yes, chickens—in the taxi--! I get to have cake again tomorrow bc it’s my host sisters 23rd birthday! Oh, and I had a petit go and buy me a Coca Cola today. It’s great! So, yes, I am surviving and yes I am going to have a ton of stories to tell when I get back—but just know—noone can really understand the life here if you do not live it! Miss and love you all!!! XOXOXOXO p.s. look @ pics on FACEBOOK! 

GOT MY POST!!!!!!!!!!

My days in Benin get more and more interesting everyday!!!! Throughout my days, I go to school, learn a ton of French even though it is so tough with this Spanish accent of mine, ride my bike and sweat to death even though it is the rainy season....I go out to get a Coca Cola once in awhile but have to ride a Zem moto...have the burn on my leg to prove it...lol its healing ok...life would not be so much fun without a little craziness hahahaha ANDDDDDDDDD I GOT MY POST!! I will be living in Lokossa in the southwest part of Benin!!!!! It is located in the dept. called MONO! I am two hours from my work station Cotonou..and I believe I am replacing the best volunteer!!! She is amazing because she is leaving me tons of stuff!!!! Such things as school supplies, household things, a fridge, and movies! Thank you Michele!! I am pretty close to the best beach--Gran POPO as well!!! Come visit me you are more than welcome...miss and love you all!!! xoxoxo

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