January 8th

Boys go home

Published on January 8, 2006 By Beninian Annie In Misc

The holidays are over and sadly, so is my vacation with my family.

The boys are back safely and I am headed up North again to start the second quarter of school. A week late, but I am sure they understand. Let me fill you in on our trip.

December 26th-27th
Boys got in incredibly tired. Mike had to check his bag in order to provide lighting for the entire trip, feel free to ask him, thus his bag took a little longer. I kept on jumping off my tippy toes to catch sight of them. I finally did and I wildly moved my hands to no avail. About an hour later, they finally emerged. We spent the next two days relaxing and eating around Cotonou.

December 28th
We took a taxi from Cotonou to Ouidah where we saw the door of no return and visited the slave museaum. We then headed to Lokossa and met my homestay family for the first three months. By three we were in Abomey and the boys and I walked around the market.

December 29th
The grandson of one of the traditional kings took us on a tour of "riuns" and a traditional doctor who could tell the future, but just not day anything out loud. Yes, the boys also know what the rock looks like that will eventaully kill them.

The cool part was the museum afterward complete with a really cool guide who told really funny English jokes. We then headed off to Parakou and took come volunteers out to dinner.

December 30th - January 2nd
BADJOUDE!!!!! Yes, we spent three nights and four days in my village. The old mayor took us out to dinner, we tied as a family at beer pong, and the guys received traditional Lokpa clothing during a dance festival to bring in the New Year. For me it meant so much for them to see just a little piece of how I live my daily life.

January 3rd
Mike and Tom jumped off waterfalls in Natitingou and Dad enjoyed seeing the mountains of Benin. The mud hut bar on the cliff under the stars was perhaps our favorite restaurant on the trip.

January 4th -5th
Beach Resort time in Ouidah. Much needed rest, because we all were a little sick and tired.

January 6th
We chilled in the air and pool side digs in a Cotono hotel. Said goodbye at the airport.

All in all it was an amazing trip. Pictures to be put up soon!!!!!!

Comments

Dad

on Jan 09, 2006

Annie, it means so much to me to now have a visual image of almost all of your traditional haunts and to have met so many of your students and fellow villagers. Your remaining time in Benin will be that much more rewarding for me as well. Thanks so much for the great trip planning! You are the best!!!

Mike Reifsnyder

on Jan 09, 2006

Hey Annie

Just wanted to thank you again for a great time in Africa. I was impressed with your knowledge of Benin and enjoyed the tour of the country. I am glad you are doing well there, especially because i wouldn't be able to handle it. Generally if i can't do something then no one can, but i guess you're an exception. Good luck and see you next December.

Mike

P.S. Believe it or not i lost 13 pounds while i was there.

Tom

on Jan 13, 2006

Hey Annie, hopefully you know my last name (cough Mike cough), Anyway, with each international trip I go on I try to find something different on the trip or something new about myself. I am glad to say that I was able to do both of those. I was pushed to my limits in new food, waterfalls, greetings, gin, and especially pillows. If nothing else, it made me appreciate what I have much more than I previously did. In addition, I had been to Africa and South America, but never to the third world. On those trips we mostly saw the fake, beach resort during the last two days world. How it will effect me is uncertain, but it made me realize the world has more to offer than what the tour guides show.

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