June 25th

VACATION

Published on June 25, 2005 By Beninian Annie In Humor

Hello, hello!

I am officially on vacation. School ended with a blister of loose ends to tie up. Mainly because I will be gone for a month and a half. This meant finding someone to feed the cat, finishing our mural of the world, entering all the grades of my students, finishing up work for three PC projects: a teacher training session I am doing in October, a camp for girls in August promoting their empowerment - two of my students are going, and finally getting the budget for a school construction project. Yeah, I bit of a little too much in typical Annie fashion, but it all turned out fine and Iam extremely optomistic about the projects and their success. By the way during this time, I finished Nelson Mandela`s authobiography - Long Walk to Freedom. Such an amazing book, I highly recommend it.

I will be in email contact basically for the next month off and on. I will be in Cotonou from Sunday to July 9th. On the 8th we get our next batch of volunteers so, thay should be exciting. Then I am off to Togo and Ghana before I work the training myself. So, I promise to write often ans should be posting more pictures soon.

Quick story that I think expresses something inate about the people of Benin.
So, I have to ask this woman who I have met only once to do a camp with me. I randomly show up at her house at 7:30 in the morning, because that is when my ride could takeme. She has clearly just woken up, but drops everything and chats with me and serves tea and breakfast. And yeah, there was nothing culturally wrong with it, try doing that sometime in the US!

Alrighty, love you all!

Comments

Dad

on Jun 26, 2005

Just three projects?! My, you are slipping in your old age!!! My Dorsey gig went just fine, although the music was hard to read and there was no rehearsal. At the end of one tune, the trombone section had to go out in front of the band with no music and play a solo in unison. (of course, I had no idea what we were supposed to play) SO, I just listened to my neighbor and watched his slide; I don't think anybody in the audience noticed I was faking (hope not anyway). Seeing Door County was weird; I left early and visited Kangaroo Lake, Wagon Trail Resort, and Peninsula State Park (where the bike trail was), as well as driving by the restaurant with the Goats eating the grass on the roof. It's amazing how little has changed in the 10 years since we were last there. We have, though, haven't we?!!!
Love,
Dad

Uncle

on Jun 29, 2005

Great to see that you've got time for some reading on top of all the projects. I like the perspective on life you're acquiring from this experience. The story of the woman who just got up, is priceless.

So I had my physical exam scheduled for last week. They drew blood for some tests in advance. Then the doctor's office called and said they were concerned about one of the tests, and could I come in to have blood drawn for a more advanced test before seeing the doctor. I did that on Thursday. Friday, at 8:00 a.m., the phone rang. It was the doctor's office. The woman said: "Father, we have BAD news for you." My heart skipped a beat and I was about to ask if they wanted me to go straight to the hospital, when she told me that the doctor's father-in-law had just died and he had to cancel my appointment! Anyway, I saw the doctor today (Wednesday) and the second test came back normal. Everything is fine. But they nearly gave me a heart attack Friday morning!

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