First Post In Benin!!

July 27, 2009

The last few days have gone by all too quickly. I'm getting to know my fellow stagiers (trainees) and also some of the current volunteers. We are living in a hostel/monastery in a suburb of Cotonou; as it is an enclosed compound we don't get to go out much, so most of what I have seen of Africa is from the van going to and from our training area to the PC office for shots, various interviews, and to use the wifi! Today we have zemijohn (moto-taxi) training - don't worry Mom, we have helmets- and also interviews with our program directors (ikes!). So I don't have much time, but I will probably get a chance to call later this afternoon (morning to you). Love you all!

PS- I am going to add a sidebar with things that you should feel free to send me! Yay Packages!!




July 25, 2009 (I think)

I’M HERE!!!
Got here tonight (hopefully I’ll get to post this tomorrow, there has to be internet somewhere!!) at around 10 PM, got to our first place to stay. It’s called St. Jean Etudes and it’s a monastery/school that the PC rents for us the first few days, it’s a dorm-like situation. We meet our host families on Tuesday, so until then- it’s home!

Our flights were LONG!! With a two hour delay in Philadelphia and then another 40 minute delay in Paris. I slept off and on and as a result didn’t see one whole movie during the total plane time of 18 hours. I did however, receive a gift from the Airplane Gods- a pair of ridiculously swollen feet! I’ve never had that happen before and now my feet and even my lower legs are swollen so that my chicken ankles look like cankles!

On the ride in from the airport I got my first glimpse of Africa, and it looks good enough to eat. We were all crammed into a couple of vans and as we drove through the city every so often over the smell of burning gasoline would come a delectable snatch of something better, I can’t wait to have the chance to explore!

Time for bed now, under my mosquito net, which is both functional and aesthetically pleasing...

Love you, Miss you, Write more soon!