sickness strikes again

i went to nikki this past week. there is a very big festival that is based around these kings from history. there is one king and alot of princes and they all ride in on horses. i helped in designing banners for a tourism booth in which we were promoting alot of the tourist sites in benin that people who came to the festival could visit. i was not able to see the main activities because i was passed out on my friends couch or running to the latrine for the entire day saturday. it is suprising how comfortable peace corps volunteers become in talking about diarhea and other sicknesses that i may have felt embarressed about in the past. i wont go into the other details but i am on some pretty strong antibiotics and taking oral rehydration salts. i feel better already but still get exhausted really easy. i cant wait to get back to post and sleep.

tomorrow i have my first meeting with a groupment in Toffo. we are talking about starting a savings and loans club. i love the nuns there that i work with. they are very compassionate and always have their hands d0ing something for the people who come to the center. we may be adding a health aspect to the group in which my friend, another peace corp volunteer, and/or her homologue would help in giving seminars on basic health or teaching the women about moringa. moringa is a plant that has alot of nutritional benefits that when used in food can help older people fight diseases and rehabilitate children who are malnutritioned.

in a couple weeks we are having a memorial for a volunteer from the previous group named kate who was killed at her post. i actually found out about this before leaving for benin. it is very sad and although i did not know kate i can tell she was loved by the way the volunteers and the staff hold her in memory.

at the end of the month i will be going to the GAD dinner. there will be a talent show, where i possibly may be swing dancing with a friend, the dinner, and a date auction. i am excited about that and may be getting a special dress made. it is interesting how cheap it is for people to tailor clothes here as compared in the states. anyways, until the next time friends, hopefully soon.