Stars and Stripes

After meeting the needs of the workforce of host countries, the second goal of the Peace Corps is sharing American culture with host country nationals. What better occasion to embrace Goal 2 than the Fourth of July? A few months ago, I approached my work counterpart and local friends about the prospect of a Fourth of July party. Thinking about ways to attract a broad range of people, we put our sights on a night of sports, food, and media. Instead of calling it a Fourth of July party, it made more sense to emphasize Goal 2 through a Jour de l'Amitié, or Friendship Day.

We were fortunate that the Fourth fell on a Wednesday, meaning that students would be off of school. We coordinated four teams across two villages to compete for men's and women's soccer championships ("Coupes de l'amitié"). The players trained weekly and selected their jerseys before taking the field in front of hundreds of spectators. The terrain and goals were smaller than regulation, so only five players per team could play at a time. While all events were held in only one village, it was a joy to see families I knew from the other village attend the party. And they certainly made it a party with food vendors, cheers, and dances.

The women's teams played first. Girls don't often play soccer where I live, though there used to be a few active teams. Their game was fast-paced and heavily defensive. The defenses were so strong and the goals so small that neither team scored, forcing a penalty kick shootout. Pulling the goalies, the shootout occurred at centerfield. The resulting strategy required deft aim and the right touch instead of speed and deception. The first two kickers scored, followed by a miss, a score, a miss, and a score. The last kickers took their place. The first one missed, and the second one barely made it into the net when the hometown crowds flooded the field. 

The boys played with much more physicality and -in the spirit of soccer- pompous acting. Their offenses were more fine-tuned and aggressive, but their defensive strategies on the small nets kept the game scoreless once again. The hometown team missed their first shot, which gave the visitors' first goal our first glimpses at potential revenge. They went scoreless with their next three kickers while the hometown team scored once, missed, and then kicked the game-winning, walk-off goal. The crowd went wild and continued their high spirits as they marched down the hill, poured into the village, and congregated at the podium. The superstar athletes were hailed as heroes.

My language tutor and I had written a speech in local language that detailed the events of the day and why we celebrate cultural exchange. My program manager from Peace Corps was there and spoke on the Peace Corps mission of technical assistance and the history of the Fourth. Finally, local authorities talked about the importance of the day and my counterpart (who heroically managed much of the event preparations, much to my gratitude) talked about my host organization. No Beninese gathering is complete without a banner and a group photo, so we indulged ourselves in these formalities and then dished out the all-American gourmet meal of hot dogs.

Close to sundown, I worked with the A/V guy to play a nutrition instruction video and "The Lion King." One problem after another hobbled our efforts from file types to not being able to scroll down the menu. The crowd dwindled as our efforts failed, though that can also be attributed to the rapidly approaching dinner time. We eventually settled for connecting my laptop to the audio system and playing only "The Lion King." The kids were glued to the drama until Scar died and the known resolution of the conflict meant all could go home with peace of mind.

The Fourth of July provides Americans not only the chance to hang out in the summer heat and enjoy good food, company, and pyrotechnics, but also an opportunity to reflect on our country's history, values, and current events. The events of this year challenge us to consider the sincerity of our commitments to the boldness of "Liberty and Justice for All" and the charitable inclusion of "Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." On this day and many others, it has been hard to share the American narrative with a positive attitude in Benin. It seems like each time someone asks about life in the U.S., the only thing on my mind is the latest national tragedy or political headline. I approached this event as a chance to share that part of the Fourth about good food and company as well as American values when they act as aspirations. At least, that's what the Peace Corps has always been about. It's the kind of spirit of friendship that makes service all the more rewarding personally and effective professionally. It's the kind of attitude that keeps me talking at site when things Stateside get tough to discuss. I don't know if it's worth anything to my American readers, but I hope sharing my time in Benin grants perspective and a chance to reflect on America and its values this holiday. The chance to forge a new path, to earn our stripes.