...or Happy Turkey Day!
Just incase you are worried that we are not getting our share of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, we are celebrating Thanksgivng here in Benin. Miranna has been in Parakou (a larger city in the middle of the country) with the other education volunteers in her group all week for a training. Charlie came up today to join us! Tomorrow (Thursday), after the training is done, we will be preparing a "traditional" feast...well, as traditional as we can make it here in Benin. There were a number of volunteers that killed the turkeys tonight- Miranna opted for preparing the stuffing. Even though there will be a number of substitutions of ingredients, the menu has al the traditiaonl dishes and I'm sure the meal will still be delicious!
We are well. We know many of you have sent us packages, but we have not yet been to Cotonou to check our mail. We will be able to do so in the next few weeks and we'll let you know when we get them. As they say here, "Merci en Avance!"
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Going Yaya for Boni
Two weeks ago it was announced at school that the President of Benin, Yayi Boni, was to visit Lalo. This was very exciting news- the president of the country was going to visit little ‘o Lalo?! While at first this was exciting, in the end it was a pain because academic life at school practically stopped because every day the President was going to arrive. The first few days all classes were cancelled because the students had to clean (let me note here that he was never even coming to the school directly, but the athletic field behind the school- so why everything had to be cleaned repeatedly is beyond me). The other days only half of the students showed up assuming there were no classes, there were constant interruptions by administrators coming into classes to make announcements “in case he arrives tomorrow”, and oh yeah- there was more cleaning. Everyday, we wondered, “is he coming tomorrow?”
Well he finally arrived this past Friday- two weeks after the original arrival date. So, of course all classes were cancelled because he was going to arrive at 9AM. (Side note: You might not think it is such a big deal that classes kept getting cancelled, but the problem is that many of these teachers literally began teaching classes 2 weeks ago- even though class supposedly started October 1st- because of numerous other issues in the education system here. So at this point, with only another month of school until exams before the Christmas break every class counts!!) He did not arrive until 3PM.
In the meantime, however, it was quite a site to see! There were more people in Lalo than we ever imagined possible! People were brought in from surrounding villages by the truckloads- literally! Imagine an open top 18 wheeler filled with people- because that’s what we saw! There were many different groups of women, artists, villagers, etc. all dressed in matching tissue, playing instruments, and singing. We walked around, talked with students, and took in the sites and sounds as folks danced and made use of the time while waiting.
After a few hours, we decided to stake out our spot. We were with Miranna’s friend, Judith that works at the school, and the school director’s oldest son. Judith sweet talked us into a place under the sound/technical tent which was directly to the left of the main stage/tent. We stood there for a while, when the mayor of Lalo (whom we had not yet met) noticed us- being the only Yovos in Lalo, we weren’t hard to miss! He came over to the side tent, introduced himself and then asked if we’d like to sit with him at the front. Of course, we weren’t going to refuse! The good news: he led us to 3rd row seats directly behind the President’s seat- the bad news: we were instructed that we were not allowed to take any pictures. You’ll see below we snuck one.
Well his helicopter finally swooped in around 3PM. That’s right- helicopter. In a town where not everyone has electricity or running water (like us), the president comes in, hovers around with the helicopter and lands in a nearby corn field. This is quite a site to see for many who haven’t even left their village, or seen an airplane, let alone a helicopter; it nearly caused a stampede as people rushed to follow it around and see where it would land. He made a round to greet the crowds, sat down and we proceeded to listen to local representatives of the ministries and artisan groups speak for over an hour. Finally, Boni got up to speak- for 5 minutes! And then he was gone! In the end, it was a very anti-climatic day. We sat in the heat (luckily, not directly in the sun!) for 5 hours waiting for his arrival. By the time he left it was 5PM- we were hot, hungry, thirsty, tired, and annoyed! We went home, showered, ate, and took a 4 hour nap! But, the people love him. Apparently he’s done a lot of good for the country, but we are still trying to find out what and how exactly he’s benefitted Benin. He did note how well agriculture was doing in Lalo given how he had just landed in the corn field. Oh, and the helicopter was pretty cool.
Miranna (wow- do I stand out in a crowd here?!), friend Judith, and lots of women from Lalo in matching tissue at the entrance to the school. The sign says “The population of the commune of Lalo welcomes his Excellence the President Yayi Boni to Lalo.”
Our view of Boni- just two rows away- but you could barely see him from his surrounding entourage.
Two weeks ago it was announced at school that the President of Benin, Yayi Boni, was to visit Lalo. This was very exciting news- the president of the country was going to visit little ‘o Lalo?! While at first this was exciting, in the end it was a pain because academic life at school practically stopped because every day the President was going to arrive. The first few days all classes were cancelled because the students had to clean (let me note here that he was never even coming to the school directly, but the athletic field behind the school- so why everything had to be cleaned repeatedly is beyond me). The other days only half of the students showed up assuming there were no classes, there were constant interruptions by administrators coming into classes to make announcements “in case he arrives tomorrow”, and oh yeah- there was more cleaning. Everyday, we wondered, “is he coming tomorrow?”
Well he finally arrived this past Friday- two weeks after the original arrival date. So, of course all classes were cancelled because he was going to arrive at 9AM. (Side note: You might not think it is such a big deal that classes kept getting cancelled, but the problem is that many of these teachers literally began teaching classes 2 weeks ago- even though class supposedly started October 1st- because of numerous other issues in the education system here. So at this point, with only another month of school until exams before the Christmas break every class counts!!) He did not arrive until 3PM.
In the meantime, however, it was quite a site to see! There were more people in Lalo than we ever imagined possible! People were brought in from surrounding villages by the truckloads- literally! Imagine an open top 18 wheeler filled with people- because that’s what we saw! There were many different groups of women, artists, villagers, etc. all dressed in matching tissue, playing instruments, and singing. We walked around, talked with students, and took in the sites and sounds as folks danced and made use of the time while waiting.
After a few hours, we decided to stake out our spot. We were with Miranna’s friend, Judith that works at the school, and the school director’s oldest son. Judith sweet talked us into a place under the sound/technical tent which was directly to the left of the main stage/tent. We stood there for a while, when the mayor of Lalo (whom we had not yet met) noticed us- being the only Yovos in Lalo, we weren’t hard to miss! He came over to the side tent, introduced himself and then asked if we’d like to sit with him at the front. Of course, we weren’t going to refuse! The good news: he led us to 3rd row seats directly behind the President’s seat- the bad news: we were instructed that we were not allowed to take any pictures. You’ll see below we snuck one.
Well his helicopter finally swooped in around 3PM. That’s right- helicopter. In a town where not everyone has electricity or running water (like us), the president comes in, hovers around with the helicopter and lands in a nearby corn field. This is quite a site to see for many who haven’t even left their village, or seen an airplane, let alone a helicopter; it nearly caused a stampede as people rushed to follow it around and see where it would land. He made a round to greet the crowds, sat down and we proceeded to listen to local representatives of the ministries and artisan groups speak for over an hour. Finally, Boni got up to speak- for 5 minutes! And then he was gone! In the end, it was a very anti-climatic day. We sat in the heat (luckily, not directly in the sun!) for 5 hours waiting for his arrival. By the time he left it was 5PM- we were hot, hungry, thirsty, tired, and annoyed! We went home, showered, ate, and took a 4 hour nap! But, the people love him. Apparently he’s done a lot of good for the country, but we are still trying to find out what and how exactly he’s benefitted Benin. He did note how well agriculture was doing in Lalo given how he had just landed in the corn field. Oh, and the helicopter was pretty cool.
Miranna (wow- do I stand out in a crowd here?!), friend Judith, and lots of women from Lalo in matching tissue at the entrance to the school. The sign says “The population of the commune of Lalo welcomes his Excellence the President Yayi Boni to Lalo.”
Our view of Boni- just two rows away- but you could barely see him from his surrounding entourage.
Two girls selected to greet Boni. One girl is holding a cup of water- it is a Beninese custom to offer water to visitors. The other girl is holding flowers.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
A Few Good Questions
Our good friend, Matt, called us last week. (Matt, thanks for calling- it was great to hear from you!) He asked us a few questions that we thought other people might be thinking as well, so we decided to expand upon them on the blog.
Do you experience racism?
Well yes- but not in a negative way. In Benin, the word “Yovo” means “white person or foreigner.” We are constantly called “Yovo”- which would be like walking down the street in the US and having someone call you by your race- like “black” or “white.” But I should also preface this by saying that here everybody is referred to by their title or job. For example, you call the carpenter “Carpenter” or the school director “Director,” etc. Names are not so important here- pretty much everyone is often referred to as “brother” or “sister” even if they are not brother or sister. This is a very bizarre concept for us coming from a society where there is such an emphasis on individualism. Can you imagine just calling your teachers “teacher” and not “Mr. and/or Mrs. So and So”? It has taken some getting used to, but now being referred to as “Madame”, “Monsieur,” “Teacher,” or “Yovo” is normal and by the end of the two years, we might even forget our own names (c said he still might call m yovo)!
When kids see us here they start singing a song:
Yovo, Yovo bon soir
Ca va bien, Merci!
This is left over from Colonial times where the colonialists taught the Beninese children this song. The children would sing the song for the Colonialists and then they would be given treats and candy. They are not singing it to get gifts, but just because that is what they have been taught to do when they see a white person. They are not singing it to be malicious, but usually because they are super excited to see us- someone so different from them! Also what’s interesting is that often times the kids actually don’t even know French and our merely singing the song just to sing it to us not even knowing what they are saying- most obvious when they sing the song first thing in the morning saying bon soir “good evening” and not bon jour “good morning.”
So yes, the name “Yovo” does get old, as we would prefer Madame or Monsieur. However, we have been assured many times over by friends here that it does not carry a negative connotation. While we hate to be constantly referred to by our race, in Benin “Yovo” is a prestigious term because they see “Yovos” as the superior race, who are more intelligent and have more money. Even though they are not only referring to Americans- but basically everybody not from West Africa- we hate to be thought of in this manner. We have expressed that we don’t see ourselves in that way and our friends and colleagues that see us everyday don’t use the term “Yovo” we’ve just come to accept that there is no way we can change the mentality and history behind this word in the two years that we are here (or for the 40 years that Peace Corps has been here, as a matter of fact!). So, yes, by US terms, the fact that we are called by our skin color everyday- that is racism. But, in Benin- c’est la vie!
How much do things cost there?
The easy answer: a lot cheaper than in the US! Things in Cotonou and Porto Novo (the 2 largest cities) are, of course, more expensive. But, here are a few examples of costs here in Lalo:
Lunch (rice, beans, fish) for 2 and 2 cokes in a buvette: $2
beer: $1
8 oranges: .25 cents
bunch of bananas: .25 cents
½ dozen eggs: $1
baguette: .30 cents
pile of tomatoes: .50 cents
Charlie’s haircut: $1
water (refilled every other day, about 30 gallons): .40 cents
That is about all we spend our money on in Lalo. So, our day to day expenses are next to nothing which is nice! While you are loathing how much you just paid for that fruit you bought or the lunch you ate out today- just remember the difference in how much money you are making at the same time!
Please send us questions that you may be wondering about our life here- others might be thinking the same thing!
Do you experience racism?
Well yes- but not in a negative way. In Benin, the word “Yovo” means “white person or foreigner.” We are constantly called “Yovo”- which would be like walking down the street in the US and having someone call you by your race- like “black” or “white.” But I should also preface this by saying that here everybody is referred to by their title or job. For example, you call the carpenter “Carpenter” or the school director “Director,” etc. Names are not so important here- pretty much everyone is often referred to as “brother” or “sister” even if they are not brother or sister. This is a very bizarre concept for us coming from a society where there is such an emphasis on individualism. Can you imagine just calling your teachers “teacher” and not “Mr. and/or Mrs. So and So”? It has taken some getting used to, but now being referred to as “Madame”, “Monsieur,” “Teacher,” or “Yovo” is normal and by the end of the two years, we might even forget our own names (c said he still might call m yovo)!
When kids see us here they start singing a song:
Yovo, Yovo bon soir
Ca va bien, Merci!
This is left over from Colonial times where the colonialists taught the Beninese children this song. The children would sing the song for the Colonialists and then they would be given treats and candy. They are not singing it to get gifts, but just because that is what they have been taught to do when they see a white person. They are not singing it to be malicious, but usually because they are super excited to see us- someone so different from them! Also what’s interesting is that often times the kids actually don’t even know French and our merely singing the song just to sing it to us not even knowing what they are saying- most obvious when they sing the song first thing in the morning saying bon soir “good evening” and not bon jour “good morning.”
So yes, the name “Yovo” does get old, as we would prefer Madame or Monsieur. However, we have been assured many times over by friends here that it does not carry a negative connotation. While we hate to be constantly referred to by our race, in Benin “Yovo” is a prestigious term because they see “Yovos” as the superior race, who are more intelligent and have more money. Even though they are not only referring to Americans- but basically everybody not from West Africa- we hate to be thought of in this manner. We have expressed that we don’t see ourselves in that way and our friends and colleagues that see us everyday don’t use the term “Yovo” we’ve just come to accept that there is no way we can change the mentality and history behind this word in the two years that we are here (or for the 40 years that Peace Corps has been here, as a matter of fact!). So, yes, by US terms, the fact that we are called by our skin color everyday- that is racism. But, in Benin- c’est la vie!
How much do things cost there?
The easy answer: a lot cheaper than in the US! Things in Cotonou and Porto Novo (the 2 largest cities) are, of course, more expensive. But, here are a few examples of costs here in Lalo:
Lunch (rice, beans, fish) for 2 and 2 cokes in a buvette: $2
beer: $1
8 oranges: .25 cents
bunch of bananas: .25 cents
½ dozen eggs: $1
baguette: .30 cents
pile of tomatoes: .50 cents
Charlie’s haircut: $1
water (refilled every other day, about 30 gallons): .40 cents
That is about all we spend our money on in Lalo. So, our day to day expenses are next to nothing which is nice! While you are loathing how much you just paid for that fruit you bought or the lunch you ate out today- just remember the difference in how much money you are making at the same time!
Please send us questions that you may be wondering about our life here- others might be thinking the same thing!
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