Visiting Benin by Lissa's mom



July couldn’t come too quickly for me as my sister Barbara and I prepared to visit our Lissa in Benin, West Africa! Excited for the first hug and to see her, but also excited to experience Benin!

The Beninese people that we met were outstanding- hospitable and wanting us to enjoy their fantastic country!! To give you an example, even the zem motorcycle drivers were asking us how our visit in Benin was and when we answered that it was very beautiful and the people were wonderful, they all agreed with us and were very happy.

In Lissa’s area of Benin, the common language is “Gún”, but many people learn French in school. Lissa doesn’t know Gún, but she has learned an amazing amount of French in one year and was able to translate non-stop even very subtle ideas... our questions and those of the people we met never stopped!






The first two days, Lissa took us sightseeing we drove to Ouidah (pronounced wee-dah) to visit two important things... the Voodoo python temple- it was a very powerful place in the Voodoo religion, but we declined the offer of a special ceremony by the Voodoo priest there. We did hold a python- I was surprised by how squeamish Barb and I were about the snakes- they were boa constrictors and well fed so lazy-- not harmful but still! We could hardly get near them!

 Ouidah is also the first place from which slaves were exported to the Americas. Sadly we visited the tree where most slaves were sold and went down the long long road that they had to walk in chains to the waiting boats. I wondered why the Beninese didn’t run and hide or move away when all this started, but the driver told us that the warring tribes would take prisoners and sell them... so sad!

But happiness awaited! We stopped at a fresh fish restaurant- YUM! and had our first taste of “pâte”. It’s corn mush- mine was “pâte rouge” so red with tomato, I think. It’s served in a huge plop with a sauce. Great if you are trying to carb-load!
Then onto the ocean in Grand Popo- Lissa and two Peace Corps friends, Dione and Sam, Barb and I had a WONDERFUL time- see the beautiful rooms with the mosquito netting... the undertow is so strong you don’t dare even wade, but the waves were incredible and the breeze perfect for sleeping.

The “gas station” -- “real” gas stations are closed due to the huge number of these black market stands selling gasoline from Nigeria. They filter the gas with the black cloth and pour it through a funnel into the gas tank.


Henry, our taxi driver, stopped to fill up. He’s educated but couldn’t find a job, so he drives a taxi. His wife is finishing her bachelors degree.
By now Barb and I had been soaking up the different sights for a couple of days and we were amazed at what we’d seen.


Lissa's student selling lunch...rice and beans I think



So many people carrying heavy, huge loads on their heads!



notice the suitcase on the gas tank?

So many zem motorcycle taxis- they carry EVERYTHING- we saw motorcycles carrying a refrigerator, and another with a huge stack of tires, one with a casket and lots with up to 5 people on them!


Zem



We once hailed a van type taxi. Since there were five of us, we got the entire back seat to ourselves! You don’t have to pay for children who sit in your lap- there were 6 or 7 passengers in the middle seat and at least 3 or 4 in the front seats... once Dione got out to head back to her town, an old man climbed in the back with us- at least he looked old- people there age very quickly!

The poverty seemed everywhere to us. People in dirt or palm branch huts... many buildings either not finished or without windows...but really they seemed like they were having a good life, too. So many waved and were friendly and welcoming to the “yovos”- white people. I came away thinking that the people deal with their circumstances just like we do- they try to have the best life possible given what life has dealt them.



In order to have a Peace Corps volunteer, the village or at least the person who requests a volunteer, must provide a place to live that’s not a hut and a has private bathroom. That’s it, that’s the requirement-- the bathroom could be a latrine and the water doesn’t have to be indoors or even running- some of the volunteers have to get their water from the local well.



end of part 1