Questions #1

How do the Beninese celebrate birthdays, or do they at all?
Well, other volunteers might have a different answer for this one. In my village of Kalale people most times don't know the year they were born, let alone the birthDAY. The easiest way to find the year someone was born (esp. a child) is to ask them (or their parents) how many chaleurs (the REALLY hot season) they've been through. But often times you'll talk to an older woman (80 or so)who will assure you that they are at least 120 - probably older. That being said, right before I left my host papa (who lived in the capital and came from an affluent family) was celebrating his 50-something by going out to see his family. Most parties here consist of a lot of food, dancing, and alcohol (unless you're religious!). Funny though - my host mama knew she was born on a thursday in September in the year 1956, but didn't know which one. And the family thought it was funny that I cared so much as to try to figure out what the possible dates could be.
What holidays do they celebrate?
I feel like that would be a better question to answer after I've been here an entire year. The word for celebration/party in french is fete and people here love any reason to fete. Most of the big ones are religious fetes (voodoo in the south, muslim in the north, and catholic spread around a little bit everywhere). Coming up sometime in the next month or so is Tabaski. I don't know much about it except that it's muslim and they're fattening up a considerable amount of goats to sacrifice (then eat!). I guess the streets run with goat blood for the next few days, but it's a delicious holiday. And Ramadan (the muslim fasting time) just finished not too long ago. There's also whipping fetes, and rights of passage fetes into adulthood for men. In those, a boy/man is whipped by an older person in the community and if he winces in pain at all, he hasn't made the passage into manhood. Whipping fetes aren't the same as the right of passage fetes (though they involve whips), but the big whipping fete is in february, so i'll be better to explain it after I experience it. In the south, the voodoo has crazy dancing fetes, but they also have spirits like the time of "Aura". And Aura (or auro... can't remember) is a spirit (or man in a costume) that travels the streets at night for a week or two in specific areas. And it's necessary to not travel during that time or be out in the streets. If you are, the aura beats you until you give him enough money... or you die. I'm not around any of that and Peace Corps gives fair warning of when that time is.
What "cause" has touched you the most over there (ie: what do the Benin people need the most that we Americans could help with, or are they doing just fine without us thank you very much?)
Another good question, I'm not sure exactly. I like that you added that they're doing just fine without us - because I've learned a lot since arriving about how aid is making Benin (and all of west africa poorer). I'm not sure if I told you all when I learned this, but 70 - 80% of the money in the Beninese government is foreign aid. Only 20-30% is actually revenued by the government. Which is absolutely wild! I'm happy to be here and happy to be helping, but nothing has hit me too hard yet. The one thing I'm excited to work with is Small Enterprise Development. Because if people can make their own money and they're making more on selling bread than they're spending on supplies, the economy will go up. It's hard though because there's no sense of competition at all. No one wants to do any better than their neighbor (And I don't think it's because they'd get ostracized, I genuinely think it's just people don't have a desire to make more than a dollar a day). Also the Beninese people know that they can't do too well, because if they do, they wont get more aid in the future. And if a kid is getting an allowance of 5 dollars to do the dishes, it doesn't make sense for the kid to do the dishes and the laundry and only earn 3 dollars.
A story that I think sums up aid in Africa really well was told to me by my friend, now 2nd year volunteer, Tony. He told about an NGO (Non-government organization) that came in, gave a lecture, and had the great idea to give out soccer balls. The NGO came in talked about health, nutrition, and staying active and distributed the soccer balls (some to older kids, some to younger kids, and some to parents/families). No sooner had the NGOs van left the village did grown men come out and literally beat up the kids to take their soccer balls - to the point that there were young children hurt and laying on the ground while older men took the soccer balls for themselves, their families, or to sell... or just break and treat like crap. The NGO had already left and after thinking they did such a good job will never know the tradgedy they caused as soon as they left. It's SO SO important to understand a culture when you go in to help them, and that's something I've really realized. Tony managed to get his hands on about 100 soccer balls given to him by the NGO that he's been giving out to anyone in his community that can prove they did a project to help the environment. He's found that when someone EARNS something, it's a lot more respected as their possession, AND they take much better care of it.
Another interesting story I read is about NGOs coming in and giving away rice and beans to malnourished/impovershed places. It seems like a great idea, how could it go wrong? But you have to think that when you give away something like rice, all the mamas who make their only money at the little boutique selling rice are now completely put out of business. So it creates a new group of poor, hungry people and doesn't take any groups out -- nor does it support local economy.
I kind of went off topic a little bit - and all this being said, it just gives me a new outlook to aid. I'm still more than ever interested in International crime. I'm seeing new avenues I can help with that and really figuring out the advantages and limitations of justice in small villages.
Have you seen any wild animals like lions or tigers?
I have not. Unfortunately tigers are only native to Asia. As far as Lions, when people came and really started building up Benin, they started at the coast and pushed the animals north. So, while I'm pretty far North the only places you could go to see all the awesome big game is at a HUGE safari park spanning part of Benin, Niger, and Burkina Faso called Parc W (on the east side) or Parc Pendjari on the west. Parc Pendjari is much more built up and because it's inbetween mountains the animals can't get out and there's a much better chance you'll see all the animals you came to see. It's about $150USD to get a guide and go on a few day safari though.
What else can we send you? Do you need anything?
You guys have been so so awesome about sending packages! It's pretty ridiculous. Thank you! There's really nothing I need right now. And I've gotten almost everything I've wanted. If anything comes up though (like for thanksgiving preparations), I'll let you guys know right away. Thank you so much again!


If anyone has any other questions, please ask! It's a lot easier to write this if I know what you guys want to hear. I'm getting used to living here now and the everyday stuff really has become... just every day stuff. But I want to explain what I can!