Bight Makes Right

(Sorry, this Benin-themed pun thing might have gone too far with that title...it doesnt even make sense really, but I'm hungry and short on time)

A very smart lady just chastised me in a letter for not updating my blog, so here we go. Not that I have any readers left, since I’m sure you’ve all got better things to do than check if I’ve gotten my act together and updated this thing.

As I turned on my computer to write this, the power cut so I’m typing in the dark by lantern light, which is all a bit strange. I just came back from an art opening at the Finno African Cultural Center – an exhibition of the cover art of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, in English, French, and Finnish. What it has to do with Finland or Benin , I’m not quite sure, since the books are by a Scottish guy raised in South Africa and all take place in Botswana . But these are the little mysteries that keep my life interesting (like why the heck is there a Finno-African Cultural Center across the street from me?)

Life in Grand Popo goes well. I’ve been here three weeks, and I think I have received nearly 100 marriage proposals so far. At this point, I’ve woven an elaborate tale of the fiancé I’ve left “la-bas” (back home), who was sad to see me go but understands that this is what I need to be doing right now. He’ll probably come visit, so if anyone wants to pretend to be my fiancé, I could really use some help before two years is up. It is a bit frustrating though – no matter who I talk to or how un-romantic our conversation seems to be, it always turns to whether I’m married and whether the person can drop by sometime to see me. The poor, stuttering water meter reader got the brunt of my frustration the other day as he struggled to hit on me despite his speech impediment. I rolled my eyes and said “Do I owe you money for my bill? Because if I don’t, you should go.” To his credit, he did turn around and go. Hopefully he doesn’t jack up my bill as a result (really, if I’d been thinking ahead, I could have gotten free water for the rest of my time here. Hindsight…)



Despite the marriage proposals (or maybe because of them?) people here are really welcoming and generally helpful. For example, the woman who sells me fruit every week stopped me as I left the house last week and essentially said, “You’re wearing that shirt with those pants?” She phrased it as, “When a sister sees another sister making a mistake, she has to say something.” I went back in and changed. Now that I don’t have Kate or Sophie to tell me when things don’t match, I’m at a loss, and must rely on the kindness of strangers (or fruit sellers…this fruit seller is actually a midwife from Ghana who couldn’t find medical work here and so has to sell fruit instead…I’m overwhelmed sometimes by the unfairness of life).

Now, I’m waiting to head out to a Ramadan party, or rather, an end to Ramadan party. There aren’t many Muslims in Grand Popo, but apparently they go all out for the end of Ramadan. And it’s a national holiday, so the mayor’s office wasn’t open and I got to hang out at home and do laundry and go to bizarre art openings across the street from me. So all in all a good day, and as good a place as any to end this update. Continue to write letters and emails and make phone calls, if you all can afford to in the wake of the economic disaster that apparently is the US right now. I only hear the worst, so you should call to reassure me that I’ll be able to find a job in two years when I get back (or will I be better off learning how to work the land here instead?)