So I keep wanting to compare Benin to my time in Alaska last summer. You wouldn't think it at all to look at them, but they do have quite a bit in common. Or maybe it's just my reaction to living in a wild west, frontier, remoter than remote situation.
So last summer, when I first got to Denali, I was so gung-ho about running, especially in the picturesque-ity of Denali. But after about my first week, a quite pessimistic higher-up told me a story about a young woman who had been running somewhere in Alaska (not in my neck of the woods) but she had been listening to her ipod, jogging along (as you do) when a pack of wolves stalked her, killed her, and ate her. Eek, how am I supposed to run in Alaska when there are wolves about with the taste of man flesh?? Haha, obviously it was not quite so dramatic as all that, but it definitely put me off running for a bit. And now, here I am living out in the picturesque-ity of West Africa, with the beautiful trees and the fields and the sunsets, and when I had decided to sign up to run a race (in February, yay!) my program manager told me to exercise caution and exercise with caution, since I'm so close to Nigeria. Not that I ever see any signs of danger, being waaaaaaay off any main roads and in a tiny tiny village. But still, I always seem to end up in these gorgeous places and with a desire to run with the odds just stacking up against me. (Don't worry Mom and Dad, I am very very safe!)
Also, I find that I am quite accustomed to living off the barest essentials and being able to throw whatever I have in my cabinets (or, in my present case, on some bricks stacked up on the floor) to turn it into a delicious meal. Surprisingly, I live much closer to a grocery store now than I did when I was in Alaska. (Isn't that actually crazy to think about? I was an 8 hour ride from the closest grocery store when I lived in Denali, and now here I am in a land of few grocery stores.) It is still quite a chore to get to any kind of well-stocked (and that is well-stocked with a grain of salt, mind you) supermarche -- the hour long zem ride to Nikki, the waiting for a taxi, then the 2-4 hour taxi ride to Parakou. From there it's quite easy, there are 2 nice supermarches to choose from, with quite a selection of tasty and sometimes odd things to choose from and spend all your money on. The best thing is when you get back to village and have the weirdest collection of things with which to cook: soy sauce, peanut butter, ginger powder, balsamic vinegar, regular vinegar... et cetera. And then I get the fun task of putting things in a pot and watching what happens. (It usually turns out pretty well, but it might the desperation talking.)
When I was in Denali, we were super aware of the risk of forest fires and what a threat that could be for... well, I guess everyone. But now that I am here, people just set everything on fire at the end of the planting season. So last night, I was on my bus to Nattitingou (where I am for Christmas, more on that later!) and we were just driving along and we would crest a hill and everything would just be on fire and spewing smoke everywhere. Its odd and ridiculous and unhealthy and bad for the land (like so many other things here), but its what they do here.
And now it's Christmas and I realize I haven't told you about how the Beninese celebrate any of these holidays we've passed to get to this point, Christmas Eve! Eek, well never fear my little ducklings, all that (and more!) to come! As stated, I'll be in Nattitingou, with all the internet and electricity and Christmas cookies my little heart can handle. (I've definitely already started on the Christmas cookies, don't you fret!) More to come, my friends! And I hope this finds you happy, and well, and surrounded by friends and family and puppies and kittens and Christmas trees and cinnamon brooms and those cute little porcelain villages and all the other lovely things of the season.
So last summer, when I first got to Denali, I was so gung-ho about running, especially in the picturesque-ity of Denali. But after about my first week, a quite pessimistic higher-up told me a story about a young woman who had been running somewhere in Alaska (not in my neck of the woods) but she had been listening to her ipod, jogging along (as you do) when a pack of wolves stalked her, killed her, and ate her. Eek, how am I supposed to run in Alaska when there are wolves about with the taste of man flesh?? Haha, obviously it was not quite so dramatic as all that, but it definitely put me off running for a bit. And now, here I am living out in the picturesque-ity of West Africa, with the beautiful trees and the fields and the sunsets, and when I had decided to sign up to run a race (in February, yay!) my program manager told me to exercise caution and exercise with caution, since I'm so close to Nigeria. Not that I ever see any signs of danger, being waaaaaaay off any main roads and in a tiny tiny village. But still, I always seem to end up in these gorgeous places and with a desire to run with the odds just stacking up against me. (Don't worry Mom and Dad, I am very very safe!)
Also, I find that I am quite accustomed to living off the barest essentials and being able to throw whatever I have in my cabinets (or, in my present case, on some bricks stacked up on the floor) to turn it into a delicious meal. Surprisingly, I live much closer to a grocery store now than I did when I was in Alaska. (Isn't that actually crazy to think about? I was an 8 hour ride from the closest grocery store when I lived in Denali, and now here I am in a land of few grocery stores.) It is still quite a chore to get to any kind of well-stocked (and that is well-stocked with a grain of salt, mind you) supermarche -- the hour long zem ride to Nikki, the waiting for a taxi, then the 2-4 hour taxi ride to Parakou. From there it's quite easy, there are 2 nice supermarches to choose from, with quite a selection of tasty and sometimes odd things to choose from and spend all your money on. The best thing is when you get back to village and have the weirdest collection of things with which to cook: soy sauce, peanut butter, ginger powder, balsamic vinegar, regular vinegar... et cetera. And then I get the fun task of putting things in a pot and watching what happens. (It usually turns out pretty well, but it might the desperation talking.)
When I was in Denali, we were super aware of the risk of forest fires and what a threat that could be for... well, I guess everyone. But now that I am here, people just set everything on fire at the end of the planting season. So last night, I was on my bus to Nattitingou (where I am for Christmas, more on that later!) and we were just driving along and we would crest a hill and everything would just be on fire and spewing smoke everywhere. Its odd and ridiculous and unhealthy and bad for the land (like so many other things here), but its what they do here.
And now it's Christmas and I realize I haven't told you about how the Beninese celebrate any of these holidays we've passed to get to this point, Christmas Eve! Eek, well never fear my little ducklings, all that (and more!) to come! As stated, I'll be in Nattitingou, with all the internet and electricity and Christmas cookies my little heart can handle. (I've definitely already started on the Christmas cookies, don't you fret!) More to come, my friends! And I hope this finds you happy, and well, and surrounded by friends and family and puppies and kittens and Christmas trees and cinnamon brooms and those cute little porcelain villages and all the other lovely things of the season.
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