It’s been an eventful couple of weeks for Benin. Last weekend they held elections for the national parliament, which at least in my part of the country were peaceful and orderly. Campaigning was interesting to watch, it’s all confined to a two week period before the election, and as far Read more…
The New Year is on us, and school has started back up. Harmattan is starting to finish up now, but this year harmattan has been much stronger then last year (both colder and longer lasting). With harmattan over, the hot dry season (chaleur) will be starting up before we know Read more…
It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been here for about a year and a half. Time is starting to go bye a lot faster, mostly since my schedule has been getting a lot busier since the school year started up. Got my haircut again yesterday, trimmed down to the Read more…
School is starting to get in the swing of things and things seem to be settling down. I think we’ve seen our last rain in village until April, so that’s a bummer. On the other hand harmattan is starting up, so the mornings can be kind of chilly. It’s peanut Read more…
Classes have started. Well, sort of. At least some classes have started. This last week was officially the first week of classes, but schedules and what not are more of guidelines around here. For the most part, the kids spent the week clearing the land and getting the school ready Read more…
It’s October, the rains are slowing, and the school year is hopefully right around the corner. I’ve been busy the last month or so with Peace Corps training and seeing other volunteers, and also shocking my neighbors by remaining in village when school isn’t in session. Rainy season still is Read more…
I know it’s been a while since I last wrote, but that is mostly because nothing has been happening. During the summer life slows down quite a bit in village, and not a lot of excitement is to be had. Mostly this is because people clear out during the summer Read more…
They call this time of year vacance, and since I don’t own any farm land it’s basically dead time. It’s the heart of the rainy season (more on that) so people are out in the fields all days planting. This means that the village itself is dead pretty much all Read more…
Back in village now after the Easter break. The schools here have a week and a half long break for Easter (I suspect that it is that long in part because it typically coincides with the start of the rainy season so that students can help their families plant crops Read more…
The holiday’s are over and I’m at about the 25 percent mark of my Peace Corps service (but who’s counting). Anyways, with December come and gone, I’ve learned one more thing about this country; December showers bring December dust and sand. Not catchy but I think you see where I’m Read more…