From Before Christmas, Take 2

a.  I apologize for the layout of this page -- I can't get the alignments to work out because the connection here sucks.  Oh well.

b.  In case you watched/have heard about the 20/20 episode on Kate Puzey's death in PC Benin a couple of years ago, don't worry.  After she died, Peace Corps restructured the entire Safety and Security structure and staff here.  They briefed us about the situation within the first two days of being in country, and they have emergency action plans for each of us (Benin is incredibly stable as far as an African country goes, so we likely will never need them).  Don't worry, I am safe, and I'm thrilled that I have the chance to live and do positive things here. 

c.  More pictures to come! But see the full albums (links two posts ago), because there's no way I could load all of my pictures onto here.

 

My Porto Novo host papa slaughtering goats or sheep (can't remember) at Tabaski. Delicious.

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This is the mosque next door to my house -- somehow always really picturesque. 

When I visited Elyse in her village, Challa-Ogoi.

Elyse took me to eat ignam pilee (pounded yams). Usually there are three women who beat the yams in perfect rhythm with those club things, but they let me try... pilee-ing is definitely not my culinary forte.

Piment (spicy peppers) drying in the sun on Elyse's colline (hill).

Elyse and I at our official Peace Corps sponsored training conference in Parakou. The first thing we did there? Go to a Beninese beer festival.

This is Scott, who acts as my personal bodyguard, and Elyse, my travel buddy for the week. 

TEFL family picture!

At Beerfest, I made friends with a Japanese volunteer, Rika.  She invited us over to her gorgeous mansion (NOT fair) to make sushi and have a girls' night.  Fun!



TEFLgangers party -- everyone drew a name and dressed/acted like that person for the rest of the night. I was Sam (who I'm standing next to), and Sam was Michael.



Jared was me! I think he rocks this modelle better than I do... scary.

I got my hair tressed again! This time I actually really liked it...







... except when I took it out, alarming amounts of hair fell out. It's fixed now -- I'm back on multivitamins, eating more protein, and switched malaria medications. I will try very hard not to come home bald.







 

This is out of the window of a taxi right after it rained.