Summertime, and the livin's easy... ?

Been moving around a lot recently, which is definitely not a bad thing, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to explain to my community that I'm actually working when I'm away from post. Anyway, it's now been about a month without a single day off, barring the one day when we played the Germans in soccer (which resulted in a tie, which is as good as a victory in my book), and we all ended up so torn up from playing on a concrete/dirt combo terrain that I'm still feeling broken up two weeks on.

My cryptic and cynical recent post about the hurdles facing girls has been remedied. While many hurdles still exist, this one particular instance that got me so worked up is now a nonissue. In short - I'm happy. I had the great chance to work during the 1st ever Boys Camp in Benin in Ouake, a post on the border with Togo. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I had some great company from volunteers that I'd previously not gotten to know. We focus so much on the empowerment of girls that we'd previously neglected to share our experience/knowledge with the male half of the population. And while there are definitely fewer hurdles facing males here, in general, they are FAR from perfect, and display an equal need for some extra attention as the girls. Anyway, I want to thank the volunteers in that region (Heidi, Rut, Sarah) for recognizing this disparity. It was a pleasure.

Now down in Cotonou for PCVL training. I feel... clean. Going to be moving around quite a bit as I work during the first two weeks of stage, which is always busy, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again. This much is sure: it is going to be a shocking moment when I see myself, one year back, in the 60 new arrivals this Friday. It's been a bumpy ride, but everything is right at the moment. The road ahead is by no means smooth, but it's worth the troughs to get to the peaks. These are my thoughts at this landmark moment, when we become the experienced volunteers and welcome the freshies to their new life.

I love the Peace Corps. I encourage any listless graduates to seriously consider this path.

Then again, my opinion may be entirely different by the next time I post to this blog.

Ya never know! See you all soon!

Facebook Pictures

Since I can upload facebook photos much easier, just follow this link for a more in depth view of some of the events I've been describing here. Just click the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2538044&id=901097&l=f97d1397bd

And that's it! Happy summer, everyone! I'm in Cotonou right now for PCVL training, then the new stage arrives on Friday. Can't wait!

May/July Pics con'd.

Yoga led by PCV Norah in Ouake. This was the first boy's camp ever held in Benin, as far as we know. Crazy, but true, and an overall success.

This is the result of a good day's work at my friend Obden's post in Tchaourou. I'll be conducting the same project at my school in a couple weeks!

Borgou Bike Tour 2010!

Bike Tour. This was an awesome weekend during which we hit about 10 villages to teach them about water sanitation, hand washing, and general hygiene. Skits, information sessions and community participation were a must. The ride was long and beautiful. Here are a couple pics! For more pictures of my life, I would suggest logging onto Facebook and checking out the photos I uploaded there. The uploading process is way faster. To upload a couple photos here, I literally have to wait about a half an hour.

Mark and I with a man, with a coin.

One of the villages along the way.

Nobody Said it Was Easy

The end of teaching. The first of the summer camps. Goodbyes. Hellos. Periods of transition are always difficult.

But I've been caught off guard.

I participated in my first Camp GLOW last week (Girls Leading Our World), and I was honored to have met so many capable and driven young students from all across the region. To have so much energy and ambition concentrated in one place, it was truly a spectacle. We quite literally NEVER stopped singing, so you know that I was content. :) We talked of health, sexual harassment, AIDS, and support networks. Of Moringa trees and Planet Earth. Hectic, exhausting, and one of the most touching weeks of my life.

But for every successful monument built there's always a shadow cast. I truly do not yet understand the Beninese manner of collaboration, compromise, and adherence to rules. As far as I can tell, anything goes, and things that were certain one day will be cast into doubt the next. The end of the school year is a time for relief for those who successfully pass onto the next grade. For those who repeat a year, however, it's a trying time. If they don't pass after the second year, they will be unable to return for a 3rd year. What this means is their schooling is over. But some professors lack a backbone, and tribalism still weighs heavily on people's decision-making processes.

I know I was warned about this, but when a girl is told she will pass into the next form one day, and she comes to school the next day to find all the scaffolding has crumbled...

God bless this country, but life really just straight up isn't fair sometimes.

Sorry for being cryptic. I don't know how better to describe this situation without making accusations that shouldn't be made. I have a heavy heart today, and am trying to keep busy.

No need to be concerned, but life can be frustrating here. Thank God I'm keeping (really) busy over the next couple months, and then I'll get to see the majority of you during my trip home in August. In the mean time, happy summer! And happy 4th of July! And, of course, congratulations to my mother for FINALLY reaching the end of her teaching. There's always plenty of kids over here that could use a dedicated educator like you!