Noah's Peace Corps Blog

I recently returned to site after a two-week training on small animal husbandry, village savings and loans associations, and project design and management. While these are a few of my favorite things, what I really want to write home about is my recent shopping trip. Nothing was particularly special about it. In fact, what made it special was returning to something that has become so normal. I attend my local market every four days to buy what necessities I need until the next market day. Each visit proves a great opportunity to practice my local language skills, chit-chat, and think creatively about food and life in Benin. I was thrilled this past Tuesday to bike the 10-15 minutes it takes to get from my house to the market. While occasionally sandy with sharp lakeside turns, the ride to market brings me along a windy dirt path just above the crests of the lake. The views are breathtaking and quite distracting when I need to navigate turns and oncoming motorcycle traffic. I pass

The odor hits me before I arrive, Stench of dung and decay greet my entry. Lizards abound as though sprung from a hive While cockroaches below wriggle in sentry. The cement is cold, toilet paper old, And sometimes not quite enough to finish. But ah! The relief when done was untold When I was too busy being squeamish. Be it resolve or compulsion that brought Me to the pit and relieve what I felt, I know I am privileged to never have thought, “But where can I poop and promote public health?” It was never as bad, or as gross as it seemed. I must appreciate having my own latrine*. -- *Because I’m one of the few who do.