(written 14July2011)
So there have been a LOT of changes in Penelan! My homologue, Reine, DID have the mysterious baby! It was born the day after I left for America. Her name is Gracia (or Grace). She's adorable. Reine has like this swanky legit crib that she got in Cotonou for the baby. I don't know how she brought it up to village... so many things I'll never get.
Other big news. The little dirt road that runs from Penessoulou to Penelan used to be about ten feet wide (maybe?). Now it's like a football field! It's at least quadrupled. I think they are gonna go all the way and actually pave the sucker. Apparently this road is going to continue to the town over (Aledjo) and on to Togo so trucks can get through more efficiently and everyone can get their trade on. So they just tore down a bunch of trees to make room for the road. And they even widened it past the marche in my village, which means they took down some peoples' houses to make room for it. And now when travel the road, not only is it kind of difficult to tell where you all because all the regular landmarks have disappeared, but there are literally halves of houses lining the road that goes into village. They look like mini sitcom sets, because you can see into what used to be a room. I'll get a picture for you. I find it rather amusing. There is talk about whether or not this project is a precursor to electricity? Hmm? I give it five more years.
More news! My neighbors- the mean school director and his daughter, the slave girl- have moved! Things had gotten pretty bad with them the last couple months. He was like getting drunk and beating her all the time (she's like 9). And then she would come hang out at my house to get away, or try to get me to help her (despite there being nothing at all I can do). And it was MAJORLY stressing me out. I tried to talk to a couple people in village about it. I found out that nobody liked him (he's from Cotonou or the south somewhere) but there wasn't really anything they could do about it because he was posted there by the government. And he was buddies with the man in charge of postings so nobody could report him. Hurrah mild corruption! His wife and other kids already left him earlier in the year, because he's an asshole, but they left poor slave girl behind because she's his daughter by another wife. Anyway, I guess he decided to move a couple towns down to live on a farm he's been working on. YAY! And the best news is that slave girl has moved to be with other family in the south somewhere! So not only am I rid of him, but more importantly, she is too! Happy day! The bottom line here, is that slave girl is no longer lurking outside my door trying to get in every ten minutes, and the director isn't trying to have drunken philosophical conversations about discipline and the school environment today (which are not fun talks to get roped into). SO- I can hang out in my front yard stress free! I can play my ukulele and nobody will bother me! I can play fetch with Atticus in the yard. I can sit and read on my stoop. I don't have to hear his radio going 24 hours a day, so I can sleep at night! And I can sleep in in the mornings if I want! I can play my music loud, and have dance parties! Pretty much everything got awesome.
Last bit o' news! Me and my nice neighbor have been talking about getting me a garden for a while, and when I was in America, he and his kids built a beautiful fence for me! It's about as high as I am, and there's a jolly little gate! And I know he hoed the inside of the garden to make it more plant-able. He wants to dig out some raised beds before we get started. The rainy season has come a little late this year, and is sort of beginning to start now. I'd say we should have the seeds in beginning of August, and then we'll see what grows! I'm excited to work on it with him, and I'm looking forward to us hanging out and talking shop. Maybe I can get him to eat some vegetables for once.
So there have been a LOT of changes in Penelan! My homologue, Reine, DID have the mysterious baby! It was born the day after I left for America. Her name is Gracia (or Grace). She's adorable. Reine has like this swanky legit crib that she got in Cotonou for the baby. I don't know how she brought it up to village... so many things I'll never get.
Other big news. The little dirt road that runs from Penessoulou to Penelan used to be about ten feet wide (maybe?). Now it's like a football field! It's at least quadrupled. I think they are gonna go all the way and actually pave the sucker. Apparently this road is going to continue to the town over (Aledjo) and on to Togo so trucks can get through more efficiently and everyone can get their trade on. So they just tore down a bunch of trees to make room for the road. And they even widened it past the marche in my village, which means they took down some peoples' houses to make room for it. And now when travel the road, not only is it kind of difficult to tell where you all because all the regular landmarks have disappeared, but there are literally halves of houses lining the road that goes into village. They look like mini sitcom sets, because you can see into what used to be a room. I'll get a picture for you. I find it rather amusing. There is talk about whether or not this project is a precursor to electricity? Hmm? I give it five more years.
More news! My neighbors- the mean school director and his daughter, the slave girl- have moved! Things had gotten pretty bad with them the last couple months. He was like getting drunk and beating her all the time (she's like 9). And then she would come hang out at my house to get away, or try to get me to help her (despite there being nothing at all I can do). And it was MAJORLY stressing me out. I tried to talk to a couple people in village about it. I found out that nobody liked him (he's from Cotonou or the south somewhere) but there wasn't really anything they could do about it because he was posted there by the government. And he was buddies with the man in charge of postings so nobody could report him. Hurrah mild corruption! His wife and other kids already left him earlier in the year, because he's an asshole, but they left poor slave girl behind because she's his daughter by another wife. Anyway, I guess he decided to move a couple towns down to live on a farm he's been working on. YAY! And the best news is that slave girl has moved to be with other family in the south somewhere! So not only am I rid of him, but more importantly, she is too! Happy day! The bottom line here, is that slave girl is no longer lurking outside my door trying to get in every ten minutes, and the director isn't trying to have drunken philosophical conversations about discipline and the school environment today (which are not fun talks to get roped into). SO- I can hang out in my front yard stress free! I can play my ukulele and nobody will bother me! I can play fetch with Atticus in the yard. I can sit and read on my stoop. I don't have to hear his radio going 24 hours a day, so I can sleep at night! And I can sleep in in the mornings if I want! I can play my music loud, and have dance parties! Pretty much everything got awesome.
Last bit o' news! Me and my nice neighbor have been talking about getting me a garden for a while, and when I was in America, he and his kids built a beautiful fence for me! It's about as high as I am, and there's a jolly little gate! And I know he hoed the inside of the garden to make it more plant-able. He wants to dig out some raised beds before we get started. The rainy season has come a little late this year, and is sort of beginning to start now. I'd say we should have the seeds in beginning of August, and then we'll see what grows! I'm excited to work on it with him, and I'm looking forward to us hanging out and talking shop. Maybe I can get him to eat some vegetables for once.
