The ride continues.

So what has been happening. I'm still here in Benin and things are still going well. I constantly feel like my Attention Defecit Disorder only pops up around quarterly report time. It's due tomorrow. So I decided to write on my blog instead:) Work will get done trust me. I mean how long have I been here already? I've done lots of quarterly reports and turned them in. Time in my village in winding down. My home will not be replaced and I'm crushed about it. It's such a beautiful village and it's so peaceful there. Security regulations won't allow me to be replaced because my house is not in a closed in concession with a neighbors house attached. I still have people nearby though. I can fart and they'd yell to ask if i'm okay... It's really unfortunate and my village doesn't know yet. They know I'll still be in Benin for another year but they don't know that they are not getting another health volunteer in my village. My boss is currently looking at other options in the nearby area but it's nothing like what we have now.

I'm going to Brazil! Well I'm almost sure I am if Peace Corps doesn't change their mind and decide they are not going to fly me there for my home leave. I got authorization but I'm nervous that they'll decide "actually, nope..." I plan to go there for about two weeks, fly home from Rio and stay there for three weeks, and do a 5 day layover in France before returning to Benin. France might be pushing it, but we'll see what happens. If I don't go then I'll definitely get there another time. I just feel like doing my own thing. I keep hearing wonderful things about Brazil so I decided, "Why not?" I need to brush up on my Portugease though. Just the stuff that can get me by. I'm pretty good with picking that stuff up. Here's my list of phrases I want to know.

Thank You-Obrigiado (know that already!)
Please.
Hello.
Yes/No
Where's the bathroom.
Excuse me.
Could you please help me?
red wine/beer/club
Check please.
Where is a good and inexpensive place to (eat, go dancing, ect.)
It's beautiful but no thank you (vendors..)
That's too expensive.
How much?
Good night.
Good morning.
This place is beautiful/fun.
I'm so happy/excited to be here.
You are hot!
You are gorgeous!
I can't. I have a boyfriend. But you are hot/gorgeous :)

Let me know if I forgot anything else really important. I think I can pretty much get by with this.

What else is new? This weekend we had a Fourth of July party at the Ambassadors house. It was AWESOME! The music was great too. I was dancing with the Ambassador's wife. She's really amazing. There were sliders, beef kabobs, quiche, grilled corn, mini pizzas. They even open their house pool to American citizens on Saturdays. 

I've been working out. Like seriously working out. I run or do cardio three times a week, and I've been on a diet. I do crunches everyday. It's soooo hard to diet here though. The food is not very healthy in my village and when I come to Cotonou, there are way too many temptations. Like tonight there is a fourth of July potluck. Yesterday was a dinner over an RPCV's house with her husband, and the day before that was the party at the Ambassadors. I will have gained all the weight I lost BACK from THIS WEEKEND alone. I'm upset about it, but I still want to enjoy myself. When I move to Cotonou it'll be different. I'll have a membership at the gym here and things will be different since I have access to healthy foods to buy and cook at home. Eggplant casserole, soy stir-fry, and stews are a few ideas I have. That's all I have till next time.

Time for another update

So a lot has happened since my last update. Let me get all the bad news out first. My grandmother passed away and I was sent home on emergency leave. She was everything to me. A lot of people claim to know what it's like to lose a grandmother but she wasn't the typical grandmother to me.

I lived with her for the majority of my life. My first memory was her giving me a bath. And her HUGE face looking down at me smiling. Not only did I live with her, but I slept in the same bed with her. No one really knows what it was like to get home and go to the bedroom and find everything there just as she left it. My clothes still in my drawer, where she slept the bed was not made, and her favorite shoes on the floor as if she never left. Her Baby Phat jeans next to the bed as if she recently wore them. That was the hardest for me. So I just want to put things in perspective so people can understand. Gloria had style. Gloria was sassy. She had the most beautiful smile. When her picture was taken she would turn her head to the side like a model. She fed anyone that came by and was loved by anyone who got the chance to meet her. A 5'2 woman with enough attitude and PHYSICAL strenght to make anyone listen. She almost knocked ME out before! This woman was a fan of a good cognac (preferably Hennessy), red sequins bras, knee high boots, tight fitting jeans, and flashy cocktail rings. So you can just imagine! She WAS a second mother to me. She never set foot in a nursing home. This woman was independent. She took long walks. She wasn't sick. It was very sudden. A stroke took this angel.

So when I got home from seeing her at the hospital the day before she passed and it was time for me to sleep, the room was surpisingly warm. I'm not joking. Then I heard these weird whimpers in the closet. When I went to check, two very small kittens were in there! They were so adorable. I guess they kept my grandma company. They peeped their heads out and I fell in love with them immediately. I really think they helped me heal. One of their names is Gloria. I think I stayed in the house for a full three or four days. I couldn't eat, I didn't shower, and my eyes pretty much shut closed from so much sobing. I was like a zombie. It was serious depression. My sister even thought I needed to see someone. The mornings and the evenings were the hardest. In the mornings, she always made coffee. Just enough for herself...then ask if you wanted some. You say yes then she's say, "well go boil some water and make yourself some!" lol. At night, it was her getting up in the middle of the night to have a cigarette or use the bathroom. Things are really hard on my mom. We both lived with her. I'm much better now. I managed to come back to Benin.

I also failed the Foreign Service Exam. That's not so bad though. It's pretty common like I mentioned before. I'll take it again when I return to the states. There I should have more resources to study from.

Good news. I am 99.9 percent sure I will be the next Malaria Coordinator. This means I will be extending a third year, and moving to Cotonou, the big city. I'm pretty excited about it. Plus the house I'll be moving in is REALLY sweet. I would have my own rooftop terrace and watch the planes fly over my head to the airport. Some people would be annoyed by that but I LOVE the sound of passing planes. Traveling is in my blood.

When I went home, I ate sushi, hung out with my best friends, went to the Cheesecake Factory, and took my God daughter to the Barnum and Bailey Circus. That was AWESOME!! They did some stuff this time that I had NO IDEA how they did it!!! And I had GOOD seats know what the hell I saw!!! If they are in town in your area you MUST go. I didn't do too much because the first week home was just me in the house. Is it wrong to be obsessed with the new RuPaul's Drag Race show??? That show is AWESOME!! I really am upset that I only got to see one episode. It's funny, unique, and there is genuine talent in the art. Check it out. I also brought back a ton of pasta and rice side dishes from Lipton. They are my absolute favorite because they only need usually margarine and milk which I can get. Powdered milk is what I use in village and that works just as good. Maybe I've been here too long because I can't taste a difference.

Coming back to Benin wasn't hard at all. I'm actually looking forward to getting back to my village. For the past week and a half, I've been in Cotonou working. I brought back a lot of candy to share with them. I also brought back some origami books for my art class. I can't wait to get them started on that. Me and my boss will be going up north to lead a training on malnutrition recuperation. We are very excited to be selected for that. I adore my work partner. He's the hardest worker ever!! I really think he should consider working for Peace Corps one day. I don't think I have anything else to add. Thanks to all who were there to comfort me in the hardest time of my life. I really appreciate it. Please continue to follow my blog and keep in touch. Please write me and/ or send me FOOD, FOOD, FOOD! My wishlist is magically displayed on your right. Thanks for reading my update. Until next time.....

Extension

So I decided that I want to complete another year of service in Benin. There are a few positions that I am interested in here. So I'm going to put in my applications and see what happens. I believe that if I want to have a career in the foreign service, staying overseas for a extended period of time would be beneficial. I hope to better my French speaking skills, increase my work load a little more, and gain more health work experience at the NGO level to increase my chances to get into graduate school. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is my first choice and anything that will increase my chances of getting into the program would be a help. I also am looking into Tufts, and The University of Maryland. We'll see what happens. I know I probably upset many people from home, but this is best for me. I enjoy the work that I'm doing so I might as well continue doing the things that I love. As far as I know, nothing has been promised to me at home so I might as well do what I can for myself here.

Updates....

I was a trainer for the In Service Training last month for the 1st year volunteers. It was really nice getting a chance to see all of the volunteers from health, environment, and small business enterprise. I missed them a lot. We got to catch up on what's happening in our villages and I needed the time to hang out with them. It was refreshing.

I have been studying for the Foreign Service Officer Exam which will be on Feb. 28th. A week earlier than I was expected. I'm extremely nervous because many people don't pass. But I'll still give it a shot. You never know. It is a test on EVERYTHING! Math, economics, world history, U.S. History, computer technology, communications, cultural sensitivity, American Government, U.S. Society and Culture, world politics, geography, and grammar. Damn right? The worst part about it is that we dont have the resources here to study like we could in the states. Tips to do well on this test include reading the New York Times for six months straight.....and where will I find this newspaper here? Watch the news daily....what TV? So just wish me luck....I need it. If I fail it, I won't be too devastated. Apparently 10-40 percent pass....I know, I know. I don't sound very confident. Who would be when everybody, including the Embassy keeps reminding you about the stats?

I was a presenter at the 1st snnual stakeholder's meeting. The meeting showcased Peace Corps and the work we are doing in Benin. It went very well. The US Ambassador of Benin and the Minister of Foreign Affairs was there. So it was pretty high profile. I was very happy to be one selected to give a presentation. My workparter also got a chance to present the benefits of having a volunteer which worked out well in my favor. Good thing I do work in village. I plan on going to the Gender and Development dinner next month. The dinner is really good and I look forward to eating vegetarian lasagne. I ate the steak last year and ended up regretting it. The steak was good but not as good as the lasagne. So I decided to change my order this year.

I got some packages! I recieved an AWESOME package from my friend Kaitlin. She sent me EVERYTHING. Or at least close to it. Granola bars, beef jerky, nutrigrain bars, mac and cheese (Kraft AND Velvetta), ear plugs, Ebony and Essence magazines, a notebook, GOOD pens, gum, peanut butter and cheese crakers, and INDULGENCE trail mix. OMG!!! I think I gained five pounds alone off this package. I couldn't stop eating all of the delicious goodness! I still have some trailmix, granola bars, and my Velvetta left over. I plan to hold onto that as long as I can. The kids LOVED the magazines. They rip out the pages and put them on their walls in their homes. It's so strange to walk around in the bush, enter a mud hut and run into a picture of Beyonce on the wall. I find it to be a very interesting site to see. That's all for now.

Another XMAS in Benin....*sigh*

Greetings to all friends, family, and anyone who has found interest in my blogs. Happy Holidays to everyone in the states and in other parts of the world. I hope you are enjoying the cold weather in the states because I really miss it. I would kill to eat some snow....I've been doing it every year since I was a kid. It's a habit that I just can't break. But since I've been here, I don't have a choice other than deal without it. I miss home. A lot. Last Christmas, I gave candy to all the children in my village. NOTHING was happening there for the holidays. People were just working and chilling like a normal day. I didn't even get a bonne fete (good holiday/party)? I don't think I have ever been that depressed. I went to my house and just cried pretty much all day. Not to mention I didn't get any phone calls. Not one. Sooooooo, you know I was feeling pretty down. Maybe I will get lucky tomorrow and someone will think about me. Okay. Enough with the guilt trip and sob stories. Things are going awesome nonetheless for me. I have started studying for the Graduate Record Exam and for the Foreign Service Exam that I will be taking in March. I have decided that I want to get into the Foreign Service as an actual career doing public diplomacy, be a consular at an embassy, or do international public health. Right now I am thinking about schools to apply to when I get back. I'm looking at Johns Hopkins or the University of Maryland at the moment. However things can change before I get back. The Foreign Service Exam is INSANE. A majority of people who take the exam fail it multiple times before they pass it......so we'll see what happens. I will be willing to take it more than once if I have to so I'm not fully discouraged. The questions in the study book are absolutely obsurd!!! Do YOU know what model plane hit the twin towers during 9/11??? That was a random question. I know it was a plane. And I know it happened in New York City. Soooo, I got the question wrong. I have been encouraged by my work partners to take the exam. So I'll give it a go. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME!!!

World AIDS Day in my village on December 1st was a smashing success. Lots of volunteers came up to participate in the program. Male and female condoms were given out as well as HIV/AIDS awarness magazines and World AIDS Day t-shirts. They learned a lot and enjoyed the event. Also 200 people got free HIV testing in village that day. Also the US Ambassador was really impressed with my village and how organized things were. So things are looking good on this end. Apparently, the embassy here was so happy about it, they invited a girl from the states who works at the US state department to my post also. She came with the US embassy consulate. They were really impressed with my work in village and the consulate gave me the rundown on working for the foreign service. He was soooo helpful. I really want to do it. I really think the foreign service is my destiny. We'll see.

Yesterday, I treated myself to a holiday dinner and a silver ring. I made garlic pepper steak cooked in red wine with melted goat cheese on top. Served with a side of spinach and baked pototes. I had a split bottle of bordeaux wine from France and a big juicy mango for dessert. It was absolutely amazing. To top it off, the mother of a volunteer who I was very close to sent me a Christmas package!!! I got italian pasta sauces, scented candles (which I was always secretly envious of Steffi for getting often in her packages), cosmopolitan and trash mags (which i LOVE), tons of crystal lights and other cool stuff. That was soooooo nice of her. I needed the love. That's pretty much my update for now. Happy holidays everyone!!!!

Work, Work and more Work : )

Things are going great. Busy but great. Just finished the 12 day PD hearth Nutritional Recuperation program in a nearby village and it went fantastic! The children are looking better than when they first came to the program. During the program different porridges were made each day and the women were very motivated. Most of them made it to every class. They made various porridges with crushed dry fish, soybeans, moringa, eggs, bananas, tomatoes, onions and peanuts. They were all mixed with sugar and oils to add calories and taste. They all came out tasting pretty good and sweet. They also were given information on various topics on malnutrition and child feeding practices such as handwashing, diarrhea, vaccinations, and the food groups. Here are few pics of the program.

This is an added image to the health mural.

Learning about the food groups.

Adding moringa to the porridges. You know I love moringa!

Bonne appetit!

A mother placing an energy food in it's proper food group.

Explaining the recipes and the importance of adequate nutritional content.

The head nurse taking the roll call of the women and their children in the program. Taken at the end of the program to ensure they stay through the whole session.

The pavilion is pretty much finished. I just have to put a sealer on the paint now to make it last. We already use the pavilion to give health formations during our womens' group meetings and other events at the health center. It pretty much is a collection of health topics such as the food groups, malaria prevention, vaccinations, handwashing, sanitation and water borne illnesses including diarrhea. I left out HIV/AIDS prevention for two reasons, I didn't have the authority to promote condom usage and safe sex in the mural. Most of the funding of the heatlh center is through a catholic monestary in a nearby town. No sense in mentioning HIV/AIDS if I can't talk about prevention. So instead, I have health education sessions on the subject in the village without the monetary support of the church. I was a little disappointed at first but we have to be flexible when we are talking about health. Since I am a rural community health volunteer, the information will always be readily available if the people themselves are looking for it. People in my village have been buying the condoms at the health center so that is encouraging. Here are some updated pics on the pavilion. Hope you can understand it. No words are added yet we hope the meaning is captured in the images.

World AIDS Day is coming up on December 1st and I am planning a big event on awareness. It will be a complete and comprehensive day on HIV/AIDS education that will include films, a presentation from a person living with HIV/AIDS, a discussion on HIV/AIDS stigmas myths and facts, condom demonstrations, songs, HIV/AIDS testing and counseling for people with positive results, and a question and answer dialouge. Soooooo, it will be a big day. And guess who will be in my village during the event?? The US Ambassator of Benin!!! WOW RIGHT!!?? I will be sure to put up pics later on. So right now, I'm in Cotonou working on a grant to fund my event. I'll be heading back tomorrow because I have to bring back mosquito nets for my village. They came up with the money upfront to purchase them and I'm soooo encouraged about that. They are taking charge of their health and are not depending on someone to give them something for free. The sad part is there are no mosquito nets in the region for people to buy at subsidized prices. At least not his time of year. So I feel fortunate to know of an organization where I can purchase them to bring back to my village. I can't buy enough for the whole village at the same time but this is my third trip so far with purchasing them.

School started again and I have spoken to the teachers in a nearby town about having health talks in their classrooms. They are on board and i start my first one in this village on Wednesday. The topic will be on handwashing. They will learn the proper way to do it (with soap and or ash, and washing BOTH hands, not just the right hand that they eat with.) They will learn about microbes and worms and it's relation to improper handwashing and the lack of. They will demonstrate handwashing in the classroom and learn a song. I am very excited about it. The children really enjoy this lesson and I look forward to working with a new school.

Soooo, things are going great! Busy but great! Sorry I haven't been online lately to update my blog. Hope people are not discouraged by the absence and are still gaining from my online journal. I could still really use your encouragement and prayers. Keep in touch and thank you for all the support.

More pics and an update....

Training has gone really well. I really love the trainees so far. Peace Corp quote~"In an effort to increase the exposure of dedicated Volunteers in the field, and the work of the Peace Corps, the Press Office has developed a “Volunteer Matrix” of star volunteers from all over the world." Guess what. I was selected to be the spokesperson for the health sector in Peace Corps Benin! So I might be on the website and other places. Cool right?! My bestfriend is coming to see me in less than two weeks!! I am so excited. Jealous that she will be in Nigeria while I am not allowed. It's all good though. We'll figure a way to see each other since she's sooooo close. Like and hour and a half. So Nia (volunteer from the north) came to my village for a day and we took some VERY interesting pictures.

So one of my friends went through my trash and found this Peace Corps article. And he speaks minor French so he wanted to keep it to remember me and my role as a volunteer. Next to Tom Kat. Isn't that cute?!

Yes that is what you think it is. A friend wanted to sell it to me. This is NOT agouti, the bush rat that I usually eat. However, regular rat is pretty good too : ) Don't knock it till you try it.

Group picture with some friends. The boy closest to me with his leg up is my "boyfriend." He is such a sweetheart. When people ask me where is my boyfriend or husband and I need to have one, he's my backup. Everybody gets a kick outta that. But eventually, people stopped asking me. Surprisingly, his french is really good and he's been taking English lessons with me.

Yes it is what you think it is. Good thing they weren't used. This is what happens when people go through your trash. I have a latrine to put the others but I totally forgot to get rid of the broken ones I had. One woman's trash is another man's treasure. Should I tell him what they are??

Me and Nia. The pic was taken in my house. I use a sheet as a door to seperate my two rooms because it gets hot. People respect the barrier so it's all good.

Stage

Training is going very well. They are adjusting to the culture here very well. It's also great to be with my host family again in the same town. Hopefully we can go out tonight. Coming back to Benin has been a good experience. Spending six weeks in the states really had me missing my second home. I went back to my house and I found it termite infested. Lovely right. Good thing I brought back a huge can of Raid. It seems to work better. I was expecting a package to come so I could start a cultural exchange program but it has yet to come after over a month. I don't know what's up with that. There are 56 new trainees and I already feel like some of them will be my new best friends. Peace Corps volunteers I feel in my own opinion are the coolest people on the face of this earth. If any of their family are reading this they are being taken VERY care of. We have been waiting forever for them to show up and it has truly been a breath of freash air. It's great to actually be about to give advice now and talk people through their problems. When I was new I didnt know ANYTHING and it is great to see how much I have grown in a year. I will be 26 in about a week and I feel soooooo old. But I guess it is great to be celebrating another birthday in Benin. I will try to make the best of it. Dont really know what to say besides I miss Nat already while she is away for two weeks, my village is still awesome, and I couldnt be in a better place. I'll write again soon. Aizande (later)