Not for us – not yet – but close. Meanwhile: Don’t try to order anything here without expecting them not to have it. Is that too many negatives? Expect to be told: there’s no more, it’s “finished.” Management of stock – or anything else – is not an artform that has taken [...]

… but who’s counting? As you’re probably aware Phoebe has written a great post about our recent visit to the Tata Sombas. Petit à petit, we’re coming to the end of our service.  I’m trying to finish up all my projects in the next couple weeks, and Phoebe’s, for all intents and purposes, done.  Expected date of [...]

By now, you may have heard, thanks to an overeager press, that a volunteer here in Benin has died. (If you knew her, you’ll know her name. If you happened upon a news story, you’ll know the circumstances of her death. I’ll let the press do the reporting.) That volunteer was our friend. It [...]

See Jeff’s PicasaWeb for photos of Revenants/Egun in Houègbo. See Phoebe’s PicasaWeb for Houègbo Spelling Bee photos. A post on the Revenants/Egun to come next week.

Curious what we saw in the park?  Here’s the list of mammals, as best as I can tell from the field guide I found at the workstation: Chacma baboons (aka, trash thieves) Tantalus monkeys Elephants Hippopotamuses Common warthogs African Buffalo Duikers (cephalophus) Waterbucks Hartbeest Roan antelope

Well, expect to be underwhelmed. My digital photos from the park leave a lot to be desired. Not unexpected, given I was operating with two cameras (one film), neither of which had an appropriate zoom lens.

I (Jeff, seul, thanks to Phoebe having to work in Porto Novo this week) just got back to the Natitingou workstation from a trip with a few friends to the Pendjari National Park in northeastern Benin.  Apart from a guide who was essentially an overpaid taxi driver, and no lions or hyenas, we had a great [...]

I was ambushed the other day by my next door neighbor, Daniel, and his friend, Angelo. As I walked into our concession, the two of them asked me over to help them with their English. I acquiesced. An hour or two later, I had to cut them off. After all, I hadn’t eaten [...]

‘Tis the season of “la Fête.” As we’ve mentioned before, Beninese folks like to celebrate from about Christmas Eve through to sometime around February. The New Year, at least, is probably the closest thing they have to national, secular, non-patriotic holiday such as we have so many of in the States (Thanksgiving, Valentine’s, [...]

Well, for starters, we just had Thanksgiving in Cotonou.  Our second Turkey Day in country went well.  Everything from turkey and cranberrry sauce to pineapple juice and watermelon were on the menu.  We had a good mix of volunteers from our stage and from the newer one, as well as a couple non-Peace Corps friends.  [...]

Halloween isn’t really celebrated in Benin, but it’s one of Phoebe’s favorite holidays; so, we decided to fête.  As you can see from her photos on the Whipping Fete page, we found some papayas and carved Jack o’Lanterns. The kids next door loved it.  François even disappeared for a little while and came back with his [...]

By far the most interesting – apart from being nearly the only – cultural phenomenon we’ve experienced here in Benin is La Fête de Chicotte, or Whipping Fête. Phoebe and I went at the invitation of another volunteer, who is in Badjoudè, and had a great time. Pictures are up on her picasaweb [...]

I’ve mentioned to a few folks back home about the weather’s – specifically, the rain’s – effect on daily life here in Benin, but I think it bears repetition and amplification. First, let’s set the stage.  Outside of the major thoroughfares of the major cities, Benin has, effectively, one paved road that winds its way up [...]

To everyone who has sent us a package – even those that customs or Air France or the Peace Corps seems to be holding onto – thank you!  It’s always appreciated, and much looked-forward-to. And, for those of you from whom we haven’t heard in a while, we miss you and look forward to seeing y’all [...]

Actually, just one. Rima brought our new pet, Tiger (aka “Killer”), this weekend.  We mainly got her as pest control– Roaches and rats, look out!  – but, I have to admit, as she sat purring in my lap, attempting to rip my shorts to shreds, she’s kind of cute.  A little.  So, we’ll see how it [...]

 am putting out a plea for assistance! My friend Rima (another English teacher) and I are organizing free eye exams for our students. Over the past year, we’ve noticed that many kids struggle to read the board clearly. I remember, when one student, Angelot, actually got up from his front row seat to walk up to [...]

New “care package” items. Today is swear-in for the new volunteers, plus the 40th anniversary celebration.  More on this later…

At this point, I suppose I haven’t much more to say about our trip.  I’m glad we took it, and I’d recommend seeing a good lot of the things we saw; though, I’d also recommend taking more time to see it all and, budget allowing, hiring a car and driver. While on the road, I did [...]

First, let me say that Mopti’s Ya Pas de Probleme Hotel is a great place where, only a little surprisingly, there really aren’t any problems without solutions.  We had good food and comfortable lodging, and the price was not exorbitant.  Perhaps the best impression was left when the French owner presented us two solutions to [...]