Post Porto-Novo city center visit

16 Aout 2007

I’m frustrated by what happened in Porto-Novo today when we came out of the museum. This was the first time I saw children beg in Benin, and I am upset because Chris created it! When we arrived, the children were the same as everywhere else we’ve been: a little friendly, a little shy, a lot curious. They waved and yelled yovo and the really brave ones shook our hands. After the museum, we came out to find Crystal upset (and Sushil), and Chris in the middle of a mob scene.

He did everything we were asked not to do this week in one hour and changed their expectation of yovos. And he did it all for himself, not thinking about them at all. He started with just one or two children and ended with more then 20 because he bought them things. Chris took curiosity and a cultural exchange and turned it into a Santa Claus situation. He bought them sugar cane and gave them his water, and pen and paper, something they were asking for. Crystal said she saw some of them fighting over his water bottle. Instead of setting ground rules for the 5 Polaroids he took so that he could hand them out fairly, it was a fight for the photos.

His decisions didn’t just affect him either. When we returned to the bus, we were mobbed by children begging. Two boys climbed a pole next to my window while we waited for everyone to return to ask me for money. The calls of yovo weren’t friendly and interested anymore, they were pleading and insistent.

I am so disgusted by everything that this morning became. It has tainted a really lovely experience in the museum learning about the culture and history of the royalty and people of Porto-Novo.

Crystal and I have been so patient in cultivating an understanding with the people we pass on the way to the tailor. It took us a week of hellos and smiles before they trusted us enough to let their children come up to us, and another couple of days before we asked for a picture. We gave copies of the photo as a thank you and because we promised. Only now at the end of our two weeks do they say hello first. It was such a joy for us to have earned that, and still they ask for nothing in return.

Sadly, today was something ugly and makes me feel dirty by extension.