So, I'm Buying Blood Right Now

A few days after getting back to post after vacation in February, I was walking home after school with two of my favorite girls.

As we're walking, Adeline asks me, "how much does blood cost?"

"Umm, what? Cow blood?" (I thought maybe they wanted to drink it??)

"You buy cow blood?!" - Ruth (pronounced Root)
(giggles from Adeline)

"What? No! I don't buy cow blood, I don't know how much blood costs, why?"

"But, you buy blood when you leave?" - Adeline

"No....I don't buy blood when I leave, who said that?"

"The village."

"What? Why? No, I don't buy blood, that's not true!"

"They said you have to buy blood because you walk in the sun."

(Sidenote: Apparently I'm the first volunteer that walks to the markets that are in the two neighboring villages, and walk to school every day, even all during the hot season. I often get free rides from professors and other villagers who think I'm insane.)

"I don't understand.? No, I don't need more blood."

"But..you run out, because of your white skin, you need to buy more." (Said something like but your blood is finished because you're colorless, I can't remember, it was funny directly translated into English though)

"No, seriously, I don't buy blood, I don't need blood. The sun makes my skin different, but I don't lose blood." (People here ALWAYS touch my moles, freckles, tan lines, burn lines...quite funny.)

"oh." (totally didn't believe me.)

AND, when I left on Friday, this really old lady who doesn't speak French said something about my health, and did like a drinking motion....oh jeez


Some other funny things my village does/thinks
- Women can't butcher animals, men have to kill them
- Women cannot eat cats, it's intredi
- Men and women don't eat together
- Children and adults don't eat together (Also, in my family at least, youngest to oldest eat. We wait until all the kids have eaten, then we eat)
- People CANNOT whistle at night!! It calls snakes. (I've gotten in trouble for this)
- Lots of people want to eat Harrison, (he's so big!)....so I've been spreading rumors that I put gri gri in his collar (it's a normal American collar), and they totally believe me. People from village just joke about how big he is, but I am a little worried about strangers.
- palm oil gives you better eyesight
- moringa powder cures malaria
- twins are awesome/dangerous/wanted/cool
- alcohol is good for you (like moonshine), people drink all day

I can't think of anymore, there are so many funny things I hear everyday. I'll start writing things down.

Asking for money....for an EXCELLENT cause!! The Future of Benin's Girls!

I'm working at and bringing three girls to a Girl's Empowerment Camp - Camp GLOW, in August! Want to help out? Donate! The girls I'm bringing have never been out of the village, and the camp is in a city, with electricity and showers!! We have several impressive Beninese women speaking and working at the camp (businesswomen, doctors, nurses, teachers, etc.) and awesome activities and fun programs for the girls!

Donate here: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=680-200

Things My Students Say PERFECTLY in English.

Just a disclaimer, I’m the only professor that does not beat children. I also don't punish them with other physical punishments, such as forcing them to kneel in the hot sun in gravel, or making them leave class to work in the orchard (missing class!). I also don’t ask the principal or vice principal for help in punishing because they just beat the children. Last week, one of the girls was knocked out by a professor when he punched her on the head when she fell asleep in class. TOTALLY uncalled for…she went to the hospital. I consider myself to be really lenient with late and/or tired students. They have so much work to do at home and a really long walk to school. I have a really easy life here, compared to the Beninese in my village, especially children, and I try to be flexible and understanding as a result.


- Good Morning Teacher!

- How are you today?

- Fine, thanks. And, you?

- You see?

- Copybooks IN your desk!

- WHY are you talking?

- Stop talking.

- Who is talking?

- Shut your mouth!

- Verb to be and all its conjugations (I am, You are, He/She/It is, We are, They are)

- Verb to have and all its conjugations.

...that's about it, oh: dog, boy, some other random nouns

Madame Elyse


Also, I love teaching. I love my students and the challenges the present me, daily. :) I'm seriously considering pursuing teaching when I get back to the states because I love the job so much. We'll see in two years.