I decided for my last (Benin) Independence Day that I would celebrate it at the national party, which was held in Porto-Novo (the location changes every year, last year it was in Lokossa). Since my host family is in Porto-Novo I figured I would be able to kill two birds with one stone and decided to give them a warning. My host father called me when they first received a new trainee for this year’s training and so I let him know that I would be coming on the first of August to party with him. He seemed agreeable.
My host father called me again a week later to make sure that I was still planning on coming to party with him. I assured him that I would be there. The day before Independence Day I was at Andrew’s post (which is less than an hour from Porto-Novo) and I called my father to let him know that I will be coming around 3PM the next day. He asked if I could come later, but I told him that I would need to leave in the evening to get back to Cotonou. He said okay and said he’d see me tomorrow.
After waking up, eating breakfast, and catching some zems to Porto-Novo, Andrew and I ended up at the SED/EA house (where the trainer PCVs were sleeping) and we said hi to a few folks that were shacked up there. We decided to head to a bar to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence instead of watching the parade, which usually consists of Benin’s military walking by followed with his Excellence, awesomeness, president, doctor Yayi Boni in a nice vehicle. I saw it last year so I wasn’t all that excited about it.
We spent a few hours at the buvette and then I told Andrew that I’d like to head over to my host family’s house. We arrived at the house around 3:15PM and it looked like no one was home. As soon as I passed the threshold of the main gate I heard the familiar voices of the children in my concession welcoming me home: DÈNIS DÈNIS DÈNIS! All the children were around (except one) and so was my grandmother (who speaks no French). It was great seeing all of the kids and meme, but when I asked where papa was, they could only tell me that ‘he left’. I received the same responses for my mama and my aunt. Turns out that they all went to Cotonou to party! What the heck?!
I was slightly upset, but when I thought about it it made total sense. The way things work here is that if you have some other (better) party to go to, you’ll do it. Plus, if you have other family in a neighboring town, you are gonna go there. I guess I was more surprised because I assumed my family wasn’t exactly like most Beninese families. I thought they could at least tell me beforehand that they wouldn’t be there for most of the day! Either way, it was good to see the kids and I finally took my camera out to take a few pictures, so here they are!
Andrew on a zem, leaving his post, Adjohoun.
Sitting at the buvette getting some beers and food.
Watching one of the kids make a fool of himself. With encouragement from Andrew and I.
Here are four of the kids. The two girls on the right (front) weren’t all that good at speaking when I left. Now they are perfect translators between me and meme! So cute.
That baby in the left front was a new born infant when I came in! Crazy.
Me and Andrew with the kids. Yes, my face is glowing.
TEFL and SED kids at our old stomping grounds near our school. Wow, two years already.
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