Happy New Year everyone and Meilleurs voeux pour la nouvelle anee (figures I am on an American keyboard and can't find the accents). Also, if i putz up typing it is because of the American keyboard too so my apologies in advance.
I am in Cotonou today for a little break from post and to do some business at Headquarters and the med unit. Nothing too exciting has been going on because the weeks of 'the fete' no one worked and everyone partied it up all the time. Hopefully the ball will get rolling again because I tend to go stir crazy. I have a meeting with my homologue tomorrow to start planning out some work so I am looking forward to that.
I had just gotten back to post for New Years and did not feel particularly compelled to hop back in a brush taxi and travel so it was a pretty boring affair, and then the next day I ended up getting sick so it was probably better that I was at home anyway. So I pretty much spent the weekend in bed and then it was starting to hit me how much I was in Yovo withdrawal after my month of constant contact in December, coupled with my missing home for the holidays, so I decided to come to Cotonou to do some stuff that had to be done anyway (ie-clear out my locker since the headquarters office is moving from the Cotonou red light district to the jazzy too-expensive-for-volunteers expat district in a few days) and spend the night in Porto Novo with a friend there. Hanging out was great but I'm pretty sure that it might make it worse if I do it again soon so I am forcing myself to stay at post for the next few weeks and just get used to being alone again. I did get to see my host family for a few before heading out this morning which was great, especially Marianne and Matthieu who had just gotten back from school for lunch and freaked out when they saw me.
So now I am just waiting for repose (the hours between 12 and 3 when life in benin--or at least all of the supermarches in cotonou shuts down) to end so that I can pick up some stuff that I can't get back at post, and then head off to Dogbo so I can hopefully make it back before dark. I won't be back down here I don't think until February.
Saturday is National Voodoo Day, and I am pretty curious to see how that manifests itself. Part of me wants to head down to Ouidah for the day since that is like the Vodun capital of Benin, but my area has a lot of voodoo as well adn I've heard it is sometimes better to stick to the smaller villages because Ouidah can get to touristy. I guess I have a very few days to plan...we'll see. Either way I'll be back soon for a longer update. Hope all is well stateside.
13 years ago
2 comments:
Hey buddy! Ooooh I'm the first to comment, yay! How are you? You sound ok, guess a little homesick. Me sorry! Well I think as you say you'll just have to get re-adjusted again. Once things get back to normal for you, bet it will all ease. It's always hard in the beginning so I send you a virtual hug :=: - no idea what those symbols are supposed to mean just had to put something hehe. Anyways, let me know about Voodoo day, I'm sure that's a story to tell. Hoping to call you soon! Well take care of yourself buddy and talk soon! Miss ya! Cath
Hello and Happy New Year. I'm sorry my comments have been "light" lately, but I've had much going on in my life and I've just been very down and out. Christmas seemed to come out of left field this year and although it came and went, I'm still waiting for that "Christmas" feeling to hit me and it hasn't. I think it just passed my by this year so I hope it's better next year. So, please know that I haven't forgotten about you. I've just been preoccupied. Any hooooooo, I love you and miss you more then you know. I hope you enjoy Voodoo day and my colleague, Betty, and I can hardly wait to hear all about the Voodoo day celebrations and happenings so please take lots of pictures and fill us in on your next post. Love you to the moon and back again …………… Aunt Loretta
Post a Comment