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!