17 Aout 2007So I am sitting on the plane waiting to head to our next leg, Paris. I can’t really believe that our 14 days are over.
So yesterday, I left off with some pretty bitter feelings towards Chris and his actions. Luckily, things went better in the afternoon when we headed to the drum market. I sat in the back with Sushil. We talked a little bit about the morning and switched writings. It was pretty fascinating to read Sushil’s thoughts. They were pretty philosophical, but generally on the same line as mine. One thing he said that I thought was pretty right on target is that if we don’t form a relationship with the Beninese then doing things like Chris did is just another form of the shackles of slavery.
Our ride to the drum market may have been the bumpiest of our journey, and that includes the
back roads on the way back from Abomey. At one point we were driving around huge piles of dirt in the middle of the road. It was a little like doing a slalom ski race in a bus. When we arrived in Adjara, we were led out of the main drag to a house where they make the drums. That was pretty amazing really. We were followed by a bunch of children who stayed with us at the drum place. Sushil played soccer with a couple of them. We saw a drum being made and other drums in various conditions, including a man scraping a man preparing a hide for a drum top. Our classmates (Crystal, Sushil and I stayed outside) “played” the drums creating a noise that I suppose we can call music! Everyone played something, but really tried many instruments. The men at the market were willing teachers for anyone who wanted to try. I think just about everyone brought an instrument there. They just kept p
ulling out more and more drums! I got a small djembe myself. I really wasn’t planning on getting anything, but after playing and seeing them, I had to! Thanks for the help Kayla! Mine cost 5 mille, barely more then $10. Again, amazingly cheap when you think about it. I keep coming back to the question of how right is it to barter when I know that it is worth so much more in America? I know that money has different values in different economies, but are we helping to perpetuate the economic condition when we take advantage of the difference? I don’t think there is any easy answer here and I’m a bit too tired to think it through, but something to come back to another time.Anyway, I ended up with a small djembe to accompany the many purchases. I have to admit I’m most jealous of Alex’s; the color of his djembe and the carvings of Africa and an elephant was the one I would have bought if I wanted a big one. It truly is beautiful. I think the drum market may have been my favorite outing that we took as a group.
After we returned back to Porto-Novo, Crystal and I went over to our tailor, Elsibet, to pick up Brad’s shirt. We spent a good hour and a half waiting f
or it to be finished. It was fun sitting on the porch and talking with them. I will definitely miss the laid-back pace of Benin. Our leave-taking was a little bitter-sweet. We made friends with these women. After bidding us bon voyage, I knew I couldn’t go back. We were able to leave them some school supplies and photos as a thank you (as well as some Polaroids). In return we got some gum for the journey and a picture each of Maurelle, a treasure indeed!
Thank goodness for experiences like these to level out the bad ones. We ended our evening with some music and dancing performed by some Beninoise. It was so kind of Augustin to arrange that for us. I feel that it was another show of the relationship that has been built between Gonzaga and Songhai. We were there to work together for a better, healthier Africa,
not prove our superiority over them. I think this could only have worked in the way it did: we came not just to give, but to learn and the respect that accompanied our learning, as well as our interactions with all who we met, has given those at Songhai a different perspective of both Americans and yovos. But truly, I got much more these two weeks then I gave.
A year abroad is definitely in the works for my teaching growth!
or it to be finished. It was fun sitting on the porch and talking with them. I will definitely miss the laid-back pace of Benin. Our leave-taking was a little bitter-sweet. We made friends with these women. After bidding us bon voyage, I knew I couldn’t go back. We were able to leave them some school supplies and photos as a thank you (as well as some Polaroids). In return we got some gum for the journey and a picture each of Maurelle, a treasure indeed!Thank goodness for experiences like these to level out the bad ones. We ended our evening with some music and dancing performed by some Beninoise. It was so kind of Augustin to arrange that for us. I feel that it was another show of the relationship that has been built between Gonzaga and Songhai. We were there to work together for a better, healthier Africa,
not prove our superiority over them. I think this could only have worked in the way it did: we came not just to give, but to learn and the respect that accompanied our learning, as well as our interactions with all who we met, has given those at Songhai a different perspective of both Americans and yovos. But truly, I got much more these two weeks then I gave.A year abroad is definitely in the works for my teaching growth!
