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This last trip to Cotonou was much more enjoyable than any previous. I left Athieme the Tuesday before Easter to visit family in Aplahoue until Wednesday, when I went to the All-Volunteer conference in Cotonou. The 24 hours with Family Asse did not do a very good job of filling the space between then and Christmas, but I told them I would be better about going to visit.
This Trip to Cotonou
Erika Kraus2006-08-28 19:29:11
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This last trip to Cotonou was much more enjoyable than any previous. I left Athieme the Tuesday before Easter to visit family in Aplahoue until Wednesday, when I went to the All-Volunteer conference in Cotonou. The 24 hours with Family Asse did not do a very good job of filling the space between then and Christmas, but I told them I would be better about going to visit.
I figured on two-three hours of travel to get to Cotonou by stop-and-go taxi from Aplahoue, so I planned on leaving by 15h. I anticipated my family’s reaction, so when asked, I said 16h. I left the house by 16h20, with Papa. We had a beer before he dropped me off on the side of the road and told me “see ya next time!” I left Azove, the town next to Aplahoue with more taxis, by 17h30. Hm. I arrived in Cotonou by 20h, immediately surrounded by zemidjans knowing by the helmet that I would go to the Peace Corps office. I found my hotel and some other volunteers and passed the evening pleasantly.
The next two days were the conference itself. Another two days similar to the conference in Porto Novo in that I felt, in comparison to the other volunteers, that I mostly play a lot at post. But, working with that, I am again motivated to do more projects by working with what I like; the other volunteers’ activities combined with some of my own thoughts might create a few projects that I will really enjoy. One might be basketball related…
We celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Peace Corps with some excellent cake. The administration did an excellent job feeding us lunch- we had ham and cheese sandwiches with a bag of chips and a canned pop the first day, and an entire pizza the second day. My goodness, it was strange to be sitting in air conditioning, eating an American meal with a bunch of Americans. My toes got cold, so I sat on the front steps outside with other sensitized volunteers and felt the effects of a non-pate meal. I am worried about
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Benin Gallery
