Med Unit Friday, Aug 31 2007

Med Unit is Hevean

The peace corps takes pretty good care of us. So when I asked one of the peace corps doctors for some ear drops she said no porblem and looked into it. Then when I called to tell her I had insomnia, she asked me to come down to the Cotonou to see her. I thought it was a little over zealous of her, but she then explained she wanted to look into my ear before giving me
any drops. Fine. So I hoped on our shuttle Friday afternoon. It was a treat. I got to use the high speed internet, watched season one of Gray’s Anatomy and enjoyed the undeniable luxury of a flushing toilet. Did I mention the icy chill of pleasure one can get from air conditioning? PLus I ate some great food qt Cafe Malaria across the street from the bureau. They made great spaghetti. It was great, especially since I wasn’t actually sick. Because I was there I was finally abvle to post a few pictures. Sorry there haven’t been many… the internet is just so slow in Lokossa.

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Post Visiting Thursday, Aug 23 2007

When I got back to Lokossa we got the do the post visit processing. Everyone got to share about their exciting adventure. Some things I left out about ours: both bush taxis broke down on the way home. The first taxi got a flat tire just past Allada and teh second taxi… welll the back wheel feel off. Yep the bolts just came out the tire thing and the car skidded to a halt along the bush on the side of the road. Luckily, we were so well packed in there that we didn’t budge as car skidded. Although to be honest it wasn’t a violent skid… fairly calm to be fair. The annoying part was waiting for a new taxi to stop and take the us the final 10 minutes to Lokossa. But we made it home safely. At least I didn’t have to Zemi for over an hour like some other people. Most people seem happy with their placements although some people aren’t that excited. One poor girl with asthma got placed next a highway and had trouble breathing due to all of the fumes.

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I love almonds and chocolate Thursday, Aug 23 2007

Hey someone asked… so I had to respond. I also love See’s… you can’t even get that in Massachusetts.

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Post Visit Friday, Aug 17 2007

Jeff qnd I had an exciting post visit. My director drove us from Lokossa to Houegbo. Houegbo is on the main paved road that runs north from Cotonou up to MAlanville. It’s a small town that stretches along the road. The college is pretty nice. They have a library and a computer room. While there we got to walk around town. Our host mother fed us lots and lots of pate… I’ve tried them all now. Highlights of our visit include a chicken hiding in the latrine and jeff trying to find the artisans.

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Our Post Thursday, Aug 9 2007

Jeff and I received our Post! We will be posted/living in Houégbo, which is a 2hour drive north of Benin. If you look on a map it is about half way between Cotonou and Abomey. Jeff and I get to visit the post soon and will see where we will live. People in that area speak Fon. I don’t know anything else about the area.

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Mini Adventure Saturday, Aug 4 2007

My new friend, Megan, says our evening adventure is worth telling so here it goes. It all started yesterday evening with the fashion show in which our facilitators dressed us up in Beninese clothing. We finished later than usual at 7:20 and by the time me and my three friends  had biked home it was gettting dark. We decided we didn’t want Erin to continue on her own, so we walked her home another 30 minutes. By the time we got to her house… which is out in the lonely cornfields, it was after 8pm. The three of use continued on in the pitch blackness.  We were alone, we are girls… or more accurately scared girls. The paths are rutted from rain and our lights did little to light the way. It was eeerily quiet until we heard an odd hissing sound. Our place then tripled. The sound occured again and Megan and Emily would probably describe my new pace as a run… what can I say. Turns out two guys were behind us having a little fun with us Yovos. Happily, we made it home to the comfort of our mamans who were really just unhappy that we wouldn’t be eating the dinner they made.

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