A Successful Week

I normally find just “summarizing” my week.. really boring. Maybe that's just me... that being said THIS week was just one of those weeks where I kept thinking “Why isn't every week this awesome?!”

Then again, if every week was this successful then I really wouldn't appreciate it nearly as much. :)

This week: I ate, I danced, I greeted, I rested, I worked.

A few weeks back I received sample seeds from Songhai for my gardening groups to try out and give feedback on. We decided to use these seeds to make an educational plot in each groups field were we can grow new vegetables and test out natural insecticides and what not. That way the women can see how things work before they do them in their own garden plots. (aka if anything fails on the first try it won't really affect their livelihood)

This week I worked with the two farming groups in Blewan and we started planting three different varieties of tomatoes, some radishes, a couple types of carrots, cucumbers and okra. In two weeks I am going to do the same with the groups who work at the next farm over (and by end of April we will be transplanting seedlings and building trellises). There is even discussion of field tripping some of the women farmers over to the other fields so they can see what is and isn't working for each other. After months of doing what felt like nothing – I am really excited to see that some of the preliminary work is starting to pay off. There was even an intern with us who took some pictures!! I am going to have to try and get them.

Of course in Africa its a give or take.. because while all of these great things were happening with the farming groups in Blewan.. things were dieing in my school garden. The tomato and peppers seem to be sprouting well, but we had to re-start a whole seed bed of African greens (it is possible they weren't watered over the weekend – sigh) and we are also having some fungus problems.. (ew.)

The BEST part of my week however fell into the cultural aspect of the work that I do here (and did not contribute quite as much to my constant sunburn).. I went fete-ing with Mama!!

This month is Women Awareness Month. Mama is an important political woman in the Porto Novo area, and she was hosting the “Fete de Femmes” for the women who are in her region of Porto. There were lots of really important people there. She had an awesome dress made for me (in the same fancy tissue that all of the women in the group and all of the special guests were wearing). It started with important people getting up and giving speeches (and me just sitting there looking lost) everything was in local language so I just smiled an clapped when other people clapped. My Mama gave a speech too. They had a doctor come and give a talk on how to self examine for breast cancer, which I thought was interesting because that is something that, in the US, would always be part of a “Jour de Femme”.. but it is not something I have seen talked about a lot here. Some skits were also preformed (that is really popular here).

Once everyone was finished talking it was time to eat and dance! My Mama had prepared a vegetarian dish for me and one of her friends brought out the dish to me shortly before everyone else was given the go ahead to get up and get their food from the buffet tables (they were serving fish). I (of course) felt super awkward that I was the only one eating and that I was being served special food... but I really appreciated it, and when I tried to wait, I was told to start eating while it was still hot. I really am lucky to have such a caring and understanding family here in Porto Novo, I feel like some families in America wouldn't go out of their way like that. We finished with some dancing and then pictures.. at that point I was exhausted but it was great to spend the day with my host family, eat some good food and have a great cultural experience.

Some of the important people in the area overlap with my commune as well and I know I have seen them at multiple events. I really need to start learning who they are.

Lots of Love

Z

Some Things Grow On Trees

Moringa.

Known to some as “The Miracle Tree”

Known to skeptics as “too good to be true” -- Time will be the judge. 

Moringa is a tree that grows easily in the tropics.. and surprisingly.. in all parts of the world where malnutrition is a real issue. AND the reason this tree is known as the miracle tree is that has the potential ability to combat and eventually rid the world of malnutrition. Native to the Himilayas.. Moringa Oleifera can now be found growing throughout most of the developing world. Trees for Life, a non-profit that works with Moringa has a map on their website (here) showing how closely the places where Moringa grows and the countries that are malnourished coincide.

The leaves, seeds, seed oil, and roots can all be eaten and all have high nutritional value. While the leaves can be eaten raw or lightly cooked, most often I see leaves sold in a powdered form here in Benin. Moringa is known to be rich in A, B, and C Vitamins, Calcium, Protein, and Potassium as well as providing other vitamins and minerals (depending on what part of the plant you are eating). 

image from treesforlife.org

Aside from just being a food source, the cultivation of Moringa can aid the economy, the trees are grow very fast, they have been noted to (however it is not yet proven) enrich the soil, and also show potential in water purification as well. They are not the greatest shade trees.. but they are great for making living fences (especially for protecting gardens from roaming goats and cows).

Most of the locals that I am currently working with are aware of, and have access to Moringa already. However, within the next few months I am looking forward to receiving training on both the cultivating of Moringa, and on how to teach the nutritional benefits more effectively (especially in a country where most leafy greens get cooked until there is no nutritional benefit at all). I am also looking forward to learning more about building living fences (I think that would be really great for a school garden where the Moringa leaves could then be used by the women who make lunch!).

***

Completely Unrelated to Moringa :

While we are on the subject of things that grow in Africa.. there is this fruit. This strange orange fruit with big black seeds. That my close-mate and I have dubbed sticky fruit. I would love to tell you what it is called. BUT quite frankly I don't know.

A few weeks ago my close-mate showed up one afternoon on her way home from the market. With these weird fruits that we had been seeing everywhere and decided it was time for us to try them. (I had already tried them once and found them somewhat frightening but figured I would give it a second go) Anyway this fruit basically tastes like a warhead... if there was an apricot flavored warhead. By the way.. I mean the warheads from when I was a kid.. not the tamed downed ones that you buy in the candy stores these days. THE REALLY SOUR ONES. When you are finished eating said fruit, your lips feel like you just had a bubble gum mishap (there really is no other way to describe it). We joked over the way they made our mouth feel.. and compared our facial expressions to the babies eating lemons video that was big on youtube a few years back.

Yesterday, I was visiting the host fam, and my mama gave me one of these fruits to eat. Apparently if you know how to pick out a ripe one they are actually a little bit sweet. She showed me the proper way to eat them.. but she only knew what they were called in local language not in french. I now know however that the best part of the fruit is stuck to the seed (something we had previously been discarding). After eating the fruit she made a point to tell me that the final step in properly eating this weird African fruit -- is washing your lips.. since it makes your lips feel funny. Glad to know that wasn't just an American thing.

Later my close-mate informed me that the local language name for this fruit translates to “Hurt-Baby” – so basically we were spot on with our description -- and I have decided the local villagers would probably get a kick out of watching babies eat lemons.

Love and Sticky Lips

Z

Its Official!

Today was Swear-In for Peace Corps Benin.

Tomorrow everyone is moving to post!! However, I will not be moving to post until some time next week -- My house is not yet ready for me, SO instead I am going to spend a few days with the volunteers in the Mono-Couffo region seeing what EA work is done there. It really makes very little sense (since I will be traveling about 4 hours in the wrong direction -- a few hours past my workstation where i could also easily stay) but hey! it's the program they made for me.. and it will be nice to see another part of the country.

love from your [favorite] PCV
Z

A New Dress

Today I got a new dress... We had our first language placement interviews today (since we started out language classes) and my host Mama had a new dress made for me to wear. And.. like all of the clothes here... It is pretty awesome.

Photo Courtesy of Sarah A. 

The couturier came over on Wednesday to take my measurements... which was really exciting because I have been wanting to go get clothes made, and I was starting to think it wouldn't happen until I got to post (since I NEVER go anywhere here). I wasn't expecting to have something made for me and it was a very very nice gift.

On Thursday, my class went to the Grande Marche and picked out fabric so the four of us could get class outfits made. (I know that sounds super geeky but one of the other classes did it and it was really adorable). We picked out a green and blue tissue and we are having outfits made to wear on Friday when we get our Post Assignments. (I went from zero.. to TWO new outfits like magic)...

The tissue here (that is what the fabric is called) is absolutely fabulous.

Otherwise nothing exciting to tell this week. Like I said we had our LPIs today... so it was a lot of studying and being exhausted and being very very sick of speaking french all the time. Very excited to get my post assignment on the 27^th and I can't wait to let everyone know about where I will be living for the next two years!!!

Love

Z

Later Notes: I tested Intermediate-Low for my first Language interview (not sure how I feel about that)... but considering I was not able to explain that I needed my new outfit for the 27^th (I thought I made that clear) I guess that's a fair language assessment. Then again everyone here speaks a different language than their neighbor, so you never know who is going to understand french.

You Say Tomato...

Today I experienced the grocery store.

We occasionally go to the marche during lunch break at class... that is the outdoor market where you can buy most things. However, grocery stores do exist in Benin... they are not as commonly frequented as the marche (where you can buy fresh vegetables, beans and most grains)... and they are very small.

This weekend one of my brothers that live Cotonou was visiting, and today Mama, knowing that I had asked multiple times that week to help her cook, and that I like to cook, asked him to bring me to the grocery store so that I could pick out something to cook myself for dinner. Now, I knew full well even before stepping into the grocery store that the food was going to be different and that I wouldn't have the variety that I am used to. I have been asking to help cook... so that I can learn to cook the food that is here. The thought that I was going to cook myself a Beninois meal without ever getting to help her in the kitchen was a little overwhelming. But I am the girl who can make a meal out of anything... Right Mish?

I told Mama that the store was going to be different than what I am used to but I would see what I could come up with... and we were on our way.

Set the scene: A grocery store in Benin looks more like a 7-11 during the looming threat of a 10 day blizzard... not the NJ kind, the kind that sells liquor... Only in this version its mostly liquor... some toiletries... and 2 or 3 (very small and very very picked over) aisles of packaged foods. In these 2 or 3 isles you can buy: cous cous, pasta (only spaghetti and elbow macaroni), white rice, oats... cans of mixed vegetables.. canned olives...and you can stare hopelessly at a lot of empty shelf space. If you have the money the fancier of the two grocery stores we went to also had canned tomatoes and canned brussel sprouts.

We went to the fancier one first.. and I think since I looked so overwhelmed my host brother offered to take me to another store (little did I know that I was in the better of the two). In the second store I ended up buying a bag of macaroni and a small jar of olives. I honestly had NO IDEA what to do. In the first store I probably could have thrown together what I would refer to at home as an “end of the week meal”. I brought home my findings... and when I got home I showed Mama what I bought... and with what was probably the most defeated look ever on my face all I could say to Mama was “Je ne sais pas.” I think she felt bad for me.. and she made beans and rice for dinner.

THAT BEING SAID Its not all bad in the food world... as much as the grocery store was my inner chef's worse nightmare. The marche is pretty nice, aside from the tomatoes. You can buy many fresh vegetables: peppers (spicy I have yet to see bells), eggplants, carrots, zucchini, onions, cabbage and greens... many types of beans... oranges, pineapples, ginger root, fresh coconuts, lemons, bananas, and mangoes during mango season. I have even heard rumors of beets.

I am still trying to think of a name for the tomatoes.. because tomatoes they are not. They are small and pale and do not contain juice... kind of like juice-less plum tomatoes with no flavor.

Side note: The smaller grocery store was selling one very surprising product: There was a mystery product labeled “Vegetarian Protein”... It was dried,, being sold on the shelf in a plastic bag, and resembled pork rinds. I wouldn't know how to cook what ever it was. Maybe an adventure for another day?

Happy Belated Birthday Mom!

Dreaming of Jersey Fresh,

Z  

The First Week

Still Surviving in Benin. 

This week has had a lot of Ups and Downs. Mostly downs to be completely honest, but I think that is almost expected for a PCT's fist week of intense language training and host family immersion. 

I know everyone's biggest question is how is my host family? So I will start there. Luckily my host family, while obviously a  big adjustment, is not one of the downs. They are tres gentil. I have my own little apartment area in the back of the house, with a bedroom, a small bathroom, a little living room, and a small kitchen where I can boil my drinking water. There are a lot of communication difficulties, which I was really overwhelmed by earlier in the week (I think Mama was too).. but we are working through it. We get along well, it is usually just me and Mama around, and while we can't really speak very easily to each other we have enjoyed our attempts... and have done a lot of looking at photo albums.

My big story this week however is not my host family, it is my bicycle. Mon Velo.

I have a funny story to share, at least funny to anyone who knows me.. and how timid I am with a bike. There is this major road that runs through Porto Novo where I am currently living. On Tuesday we were given our bikes... and expected to ride them home.. through a city I don't know... down a road that I never imagined biking on in my worst nightmares... in the heat.. with impending downpours. I can do this right?

So I call papa... and he comes with the Moto... (The plan being for those who don't know the way home yet to follow someone home). Now I am doing pretty good over all considering there are giant ditches.. I am barely breathing.. sweating up a storm.. can't figure out how to switch gears on this bike (that I have never ridden before), and on the verge of tears because I am absolutely terrified. In fact at this point I have made it more than half way home with out dieing. Only stopping to walk the bike once for a little bit (because I thought I was going to pass out from fright). I get back on the bike.. excited because I am almost home.. and next thing a I know I have to swerve out of the way of a Zemi. I lose control of the bike and fall off. YES I FELL OFF THE BIKE ON DAY 1. 

So I know how to fall of a bike, I landed on my feet, didn't get hurt, am bareing the fact that there are many people laughing and yelling YOVO the local word for “look its a white person” and trying to decide my next move.. When all I see is Rachel running towards me. Why on earth is Rachel running towards me?? Oh. The Peace Corps bus full of health trainees going back to Dangbo saw me fall and pulled over to come save me. So now my slight misfortune has become a spectacle. Lots of Yovos... and me sobbing out of fright and embarresment and just everything from the week coming out all at once.. and Papa looking absolutely ?terrified?. They collective decision was to load my bike onto the roof of the bus, and have Papa take me home on the Moto, the bus followed us back to drop off my bike... and everyone got off the bus to give me hugs one by one and wish me a happy belated birthday (another spectacle... although much appreciated). And now... I am not allowed to ride my bicycle (says Papa). So glad I took those classes. 

While at the time I was absolutely horrified and embarresed I am actually really glad this happened. After about three straight days of wanting to give up and come home (between home sickness and actual sickness and just feeling lost) I realized that the worst that has really happened thus far... is I fell off my bike. And really, that isn't that bad. I also realized how supportive everyone is in my training class, and within just a few moments, I went from feeling like I had nobody to feeling (as Mama put it later that evening) that I have “many many brothers and sisters.” 

If I had written this post before the bike incident.. my outlook would have been very bleak.. but I am optimistic now. I have a lot to learn, and while I am not the best with my French or my bike riding and yes I am also afraid of the Motos... I have come to realize I also have a lot of positives... experience in my field, the desire to learn, and the endurance to go through with what is probably going to be the most difficult (and rewarding) two years of my life. 

As we say here at Peace Corps Training..

Du Courage! 

Z 

When 4 Days Can Feel Like a Month

Hi Everyone!!

So Since the 24^th and staging and Philadelphia my life has been a whirlwind of change and information overload... and I don't think that is going to stop for awhile. 

Staging in Philadelphia was very overwhelming LOTS of new faces.. Information... and the weirdest part was for me, that I hadn't really even left home yet. Even just walking to dinner with some of my fellow stagees I ran into Erik. Which made me very happy.. but also a little sad. 

On Monday morning we left the hotel early in the morning the PC stage facilitators loaded us onto our buses for JFK and thus commenced the many hours of travel. Our flight from NYC left a whole hour late (after we had already boarded).. the flight out of Brussels was right on time, but I did not like the Brussels airport at all. We arrived here in Benin in the evening on the 26^th collected all of our bags (with I believe 67 of us.. there are a lot of bags) and then loaded up on to buses to head to St. Jean-Eudes where we stayed until today. I wasn't able to get to my camera at the time... but I really wish I had been able to take a picture of what I mean by “loaded up on the buses.” Very crammed. 

Once at St. Jean-Eudes we ate dinner and found our rooms and went to sleep. The 27^th was full of information sessions literally all day long. Really just lots of information, on everything. Thursday was interviews, we were at the PC Headquarters in Cotonou and met with our doctor, our sector manager, had a language level interview, a bike session, and had time to connect to the work station WIFI to check emails and send some messages home :)

Last night was our last night at SJE which means starting tonight we are living on our own (with our new host family) away from all of the other volunteers/ our support network from the last few days. We meet our host families later this afternoon... I am not at all prepared for this. My family has 3 people in it Mama, Papa and a Sister who looks to be in her teens. Wish me luck!!

Z