Weekly Update: 12/17/10

- 150 Days. Sunday was my 150th day in Benin – almost at 6 months! Was thinking about what I’ve learned/how I’ve changed since I got here, and I’m kind of amazed at how comfortable I now am… it’s not exactly home here, but I don’t freak out every moment of every day now. Things are starting to seem normal. Even French.

 

- School = Fun! Had a lot of fun with classes this week – improvised a spelling bee, which they loooved, made them sing American Christmas carols, and tried really hard to find the balance between fun teacher and strict teacher. I think I’m failing a little on the strict teacher part, but I’m working on it.

 

- …But Also Sad. One major negative of the week was that I saw corporal punishment for the first time at my school. Several boys had been eating breakfast while flag ceremony was going on, so the SG (vice principal) took a thick stick and hit their hands at full force multiple times. If they pulled their hands away after the hit and didn’t put it back fast enough, they got more strikes. The boys were about 15 and trying their hardest not to cry… I had to look away, or I would have been in tears, too. Corporal punishment like that is illegal, but really common in Benin… and even though I want to, it’s not a good idea for me to try to stop it.

 

- Niger Visa: Happier note: I finally filed for it! Got all the way to Cotonou WITH my passport AND my money AND the photos… I win. I pick it up on the 22nd, and head out the 23rd.

 

- Tissu! I just got my camera cord, so I’ll post more tissu pictures soon (I keep getting emails about this, which is hilarious). I took two outfits in this week (pink/green capris set and a brown dress), and just got back a new modelle that I had made – green with turquoise swirls on it. Pretty!

 

- Break Plans: I think I wrote about this earlier, but in case I forgot, here’s the plan:

• 22nd – Cotonou (meet Dione and Sam)
• 23rd – Parakou (meet Bevin and Bridget)
• 24th-26th – Malanville (stay at Matt’s house)
• 26th-28th – Niamey, Niger (see giraffes!)
• 29th-30th – Sori (stay at Jenny’s house, go barhopping with her coworkers)
• 31st-1st – Parakou (party with other PCVs)
• 2nd – head home, start teaching on the 3rd

- I’m Loved! Thank you so much to everyone who’s sent me packages! It feels kind of like real Christmas thanks to you (but hotter and with more bugs, thanks to Africa). I now can live on only chocolate for three months… chocolate has protein in it, right? The PC office is mad at me because I keep clogging up their space with mail – yaaay! Love yall!