Photos

Goat.

Here are some of the yams I’ve recently been gifted, in front of a fake outlet in my house.

Here’s my house after the addition of a bit of furniture. It’s coming along nicely.

On safari, where it was actually pretty chilly!

Family of lions that we saw right by the road

Here, kitty kitty kitty

Sleepy lion

Lions crossing the road

Baboons

The elephants were cool, but I didn’t get great photos of them

Crocodile. Om nom nom.

At the watering hole

Drinking traditional beer in the Glazoue market with other volunteer friends

Market

Market/taxi park

At school

More school

Me with the teachers at the primary school

Dancers at church

The youth group giving the parental units their gifts

Night market

One of my favorite marche mamas

Me with my little buddy

Happy child

I love the expression of the baby on her back

New and improved catface

Students using the hand-washing stations I helped install at the primary school

My two little concession brothers. The little guy is a year old, massive, and nicknamed “The Hulk” by the parental units.

Me and the concession kids hanging out in my salon. Pretty typical moment in my life.

Carrying water back from the pump. The sun is in my eyes, but the thing is also heavy.

The village preschool class

Christmas 2012–kids getting the presents from their pen pals at St Stephen’s

Christmas 2012–made Christmas cookies with PC friends at Ali’s house

Christmas 2012–Ali’s house decorated for the holidays

Our chef du village (village chief, left) and my supervisor (a primary school teacher) outside the school.

Dressing Beninese-style more often these days as all of the clothes I brought from the US are wearing out and fading from hand-washing and the sun. Everyone loves this particular outfit and they said i had to take a picture so my people at home could see.

Primary school kids playing football during PE class.

I went to the fields with a friend a few weeks ago. I thought the yam fields were very interesting–each yam gets its own little bump and a “hat” of straw or leaves on top to protect the new sprout from the sun.

This might be the cutest baby in the world. His parents have offered to let me take him back to the US with me. It’s tempting.

Rafiki has found a new favorite place to sleep: on top of my mosquito net. I guess it’s like his own little cat hammock.

The “veranda” outside my house doubles as a slip-and-slide in heavy rain.

Here are some of my zemidjan friends. The orange shirt is for those who are registered in Aklampa (the town north of mine) and the purple is for those registered in Glazoue (the city south of me). And a motorcycle for good measure.

Two teachers at the primary school singing with the students. Teachers can begin at a higher pay grade if they undergo military training and serve as “military personnel” in the school for their first year. After this year, the man in the military uniform will become a regular teacher.

Getting ready to head to Savalou with my zem driver. I left my helmet off for the photo, but don’t worry, I always put it on before riding.

Taken en route to Savalou. I stare at this helmet and shirt a lot as we go different places. This orange jersey is the uniform for all the zemidjans registered in the neighboring town of Aklampa. The zemi jerseys are different colors in each town and the numbers are very helpful when you are trying to memorize who different people are.

Goats are everywhere here, and I find them really funny. This one has invaded the classroom on the weekend.

A small garden alongside the makeshift classroom

Encountered some traffic on our way to Glazoue. This is the work of the aforementioned Fulani/Peuhl people. I still find it really cool to see things like this.

My young friend took this photo during mass. Thought it was kind of cool.

My concession sister cooking lunch for the family.

Here’s one of the “gas stations” in my town. And on the far right of the photo is one of the phone charging stations, though i generally use another one now. The young man pictured here operates both those businesses.

Here’s a church i came across on one of our vaccination outings into surrounding villages. Just thought it was interesting.

At church a few weeks ago, they did an event called “Action de grace” (a huge celebration of thanks). Everyone gave something to thank God for all he had done for them that year. Some people gave money, others gave food (you see here bananas, live chickens, manioc, etc)

Here are the donations beginning to be brought up to the altar during the “Action de grace.” And though you can’t tell, the line of people carrying the donations is actually dancing. It was really fun to watch.

I left my camera to charge at the charging station, and the guys who supervise the charging were playing with it a bit. But they got me a photo i otherwise would not have, and it’s pretty interesting, no?

My little buddy took this photo so i can’t take credit, but is it not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?

My friend the carpenter (the one on the roof) working on a new house. The roof starts out so shiny but it rusts so quickly.

My friend the tailor. She is always smiling! Love it.

One of my zem buddies sleeping on his motorcycle while waiting for clients to arrive

The little girl who lives next door, all dressed up for church. She is one of the lights of my life.

Hanging out under the mango tree at the health center

Me with the gifted chicken. Obviously also still in my pajamas…

Us eating our Thanksgiving dinner: stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato fries, and vegetables

Talking to my dad on “Thanksgiving.” Ali was bored and took photos of me.

Me and Rachel cooking Thanksgiving dinner at Ali’s house

The cinnamon rolls we made for Thanksgiving. Legit, right? And all in a dutch oven! [Also, photo credit goes to Ali for this and all the Thanksgiving pictures]

This is building 1 of the health center (the maternity is a separate building across the yard)

This is where we get water in the village. Not actually the pump I usually use, but they’re all like this one.

I decorated the walls of my salon with photos, postcards, etc. Now you’re all here with me in a way:)

The pharmacy tends to look particularly sad towards the end of the month

This is where people can stay for a night or so while receiving IV medications

This is where most of the care given at the health center happens–with the patient sitting in that sole chair

The maternity building at the health center [And the mango tree under which 80% of my letters and blogs are written/drafted]

Table on which women give birth at our health center

One of the kids who lives in my concession, trying on my bike helmet. That smile makes my day every time:)

Me standing in the salon of my house [photo taken by a 12 year old]. Behind me are my cookstove and my stocks of food (it looks like less than it is because it is all hidden cleverly away from mice, bugs and /or my cat

No description needed

I don’t have a mirror in my house, so when i took this picture was the first time i had seen myself in awhile, but i think this is generally how i look these days–slightly sunburned and slightly sweaty, but mostly happy/amused. The kitty is sleeping on my shoulder. Isn’t he cute?

Here’s my new kitty. I think his name is going to be Rafiki.

Here he is with my Peace Corps passport for a size comparison

Here’s a shot of the road going through the village, and a random child who really wanted to be in my photo

Here’s a photo of the village

Here’s my concession–the mango tree and the wall/gate that encloses my house

Here’s another shot of my house (my section is the far side of the house, where the green screen is on the window)

Side view of two people’s stuff heading up country

This is the taxi that took me and a friend to post being loaded up outside of my host family’s house

Here’s a pile of trash burning outside my host family’s house; one of their household help boys is posing with the pile

Me and two friends at the swear-in ceremony. Dressed in matching tissu because we are all health volunteers. We’ve been nicknamed “trios” because we are usually together. Cute.

Me with my host mom and sister at the swear-in ceremony. I missed the memo about it being a Beninese-style photo (no smiles–serious faces)

I feel so official

Everything that I’m packing, laid out on my bed

Ready to leave for two years

5 thoughts on “Photos”

bonny says:

October 12, 2011 at 4:59 am

Someone took pointers from her ipod world picture app. GREAT PHOTOS CHRISTINA ❤

Reply
bcarande says:

October 17, 2011 at 12:40 am

nice post and great pics! Awesome cat, hope he learns to kill mice quickly. Hilarious that he’s only slightly larger than the passport though. BTW, letters en route.

-Bryce

Reply
Papou says:

December 17, 2011 at 7:25 pm

Great To see more of your present life. Rafiki seems too small for a cat. Are you sure he’s not a terrorist mouse in disguise?
Love
Papou

Reply
Sue says:

December 19, 2011 at 4:23 pm

Love seeing these pics — and you in them! And your kitty is adorable. 🙂

We’re getting ready for the smallest Christmas Eve dinner in ages. You’re away, Matt will be in New Jersey with Annie and her family, Michael has to work and Helen will be in Santa Fe. We’re trying to get your grandma to join us, but she’s not budging (so far).

Merry, merry Christmas, my little penguino. I set up a new Christmas tree in the “lobby” in your honor. I’ll send you a picture of it soon. I’m also trying to find a suitable partner to make potica, but that’s turning into SOME task.

Sue
{~.~}

Reply
Granny Kathy says:

March 24, 2012 at 1:06 pm

Beautiful pictures, wonderful blogs. I just finished a time of steady working on my new novel and have shipped it off. So now I can do other things which will include writing to you!

Here it is spring now with trees breaking into blossoms and the forsythia everywhere! And you must be about to eat mangoes right off the tree in your yard!

Take care. Love from everyone. All my love, Granny Kathy

Reply

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