A quick look at life in Benin as a Peace Corps Volunteer from yours truly.
A: Animism – the technical word describing the traditional religious practices in Benin. Also called Voodoo, or Vodun. Based on the belief that everything, living and not living has a spirit. In my experience, the locals are not very open about showing and talking about it. They assume that we would not agree with it or think it is evil. The visible signs of it are fetishes made out of mud, clay, cement, straw, etc. that represent different deities. You can find them in outside of peoples’ homes and even in markets sometimes. Some markets also have a fetish section where you can buy all kinds of items used in ceremonies, sometimes unidentifiable and weird-smelling. Some include cowrie shells and animal skins.
B: Babies- Benin loves its babies. You will never hear me say I am being deprived of seeing babies. The birth control idea hasn’t really taken flight yet, especially among poorer populations. Because women are so physically active here, babies become part of that action by being tied to their mother’s back. They also adapt to breastfeeding in odd positions so that the mother doesn’t have to stop what she’s doing (this is not always the case, but if the child is hungry they figure out how to get it!)
C: CFA franc- Or franc CFA. It is the official currency in Benin and seven other West African countries. It is guaranteed by the French treasury. CFA stands for Communauté financière d’Afrique (“Financial Community of Africa”).
D: Discuter – The French word meaning to discuss. In the Beninese context, we use it to mean to barter or bargain. Just about anything can be discute-ed from zemidjan (see below) rides, to produce, to fabric. It is obligatory for anyone, but especially for foreigners. If we didn’t, we could easily pay triple the price.
E: Elephant- The only elephants wandering around Benin are in the two national wildlife parks in northern Benin (Parc Pendjari and Parc W).
F: French, Franglais, and Fon- French is the official language in Benin, used in the government, schools, and businesses. Franglais is what many Peace Corps volunteers and staff end up speaking either because we don’t know how to translate a word, or just plain get lazy. When I first arrived to country, I was confused listening to the current volunteers speaking a strange mélange of languages (whoops). Fon is the main ethnic group in Benin, concentrated in the south. They can be found throughout the country, and many times if someone speaks more than one local language, Fon is one of them. It is also one of the “Gbe” languages, a cluster of about twenty related languages, including Adja(gbe).
G: Gendarmerie- The most prevalent group of authorities that enforce the law in Benin. Includes the commisariat, brigade de recherche, and the brigade territorial. Not to be confused with the police force.
H: Humid- The main way to describe the weather in southern Benin (with the addition of hot and sunny).
I: Ice- Sold in clear plastic bags from people’s homes for 25 CFA. Can be frozen tap water (filled by hand) or frozen treated water (massed produced in a factory, then bought and sold as water or ice).
J: Jewels- Used to bedazzle women’s tailor-made clothing. Come in all colors and styles.
K: Kings- Many towns have a king that is follows a blood line on the father’s side. Kings are not considered by the government as official authorities. However, they are highly respected and people are expected to pay them.
L: Là-bas- What some Peace Corps volunteers call the United States of America. Literally means “over there” in French. In conversation, the Beninese also refer to it as where we come from, for example “do they have malaria là-bas? “
M: Malaria- One of the top health issues in Benin (and Africa). It is the number one killer in Africa and one of the top reasons children do not reach their fifth birthday. The Beninese government, in partnership with a number of organizations, distribute treated mosquito nets, and provide health centers with rapid diagnostic tests, preventative medicine for pregnant women, and treatment.
N: Neem- A tree found throughout Benin that’s leaves and seeds have insect-repelling properties. Peace Corps volunteers teach people how to use them as an insecticide for plants and mosquitoes.
O: Obama- You can tell that the Beninese love Obama by the number of paraphernalia they have with his name. You can find Obama shirts, underwear, stores named after him (ex. Obama barbershop), soap, and beer!
P: Pagne- Translates to “loincloth“ in French. In Benin it is a 2-meter long piece of material. The number of uses for a pagne is endless. Some include a baby-carrier, wrap skirt, blanket, sheet, and towel.
Q : Questions- Refers to the stream of questions asked during any salutation. Did you arrive? Where did you go? How are your work, health, wife, children, and day?
R : Repose- Means “rest “ in French. Refers to the mostly respected three-hour pause from the hours of 12PM-3PM. Ideally, people will take this time to eat lunch, take a nap, and shower. In reality, some people continue to work during this time, but most understand that they should put off work matters until 3PM. Businesses and schools are closed during these hours.
S: Snakes – There are variety of snakes found in Benin from harmless to poisonous.
T: Taxi- One of the main forms of travel around the country. Most larger towns have a taxi depot where passengers go and find one going to their destination. When you show up, men will start calling out town names trying to find passengers. They will also try to help you with your luggage, so you have to make sure it goes with the right person! Prices are usually reliable, but still need to be negotiated before departure. The amount of time you have to spend waiting before the taxi leaves depends on how many other passengers are there when you show up. If you’re lucky and you’re the last one you won’t wait at all. If you’re not as lucky, you could wait one hour, or four hours depending on the situation. Sometimes it is faster to find one on the side of the road where prices can also be cheaper. Taxis are almost always old cars, such as Peugeots that have refurbished seating. The two taxis sizes available are a 5-place and a 9-place. A five passenger taxi really means a six-person with two passengers in the front seat and four in the back. A nine passenger means two in the front, four in the middle and three in the back. It’s important to establish your personal space right away; otherwise you will find you don’t have any! If you do this well, you will have a little wiggle room to use when you start getting stiff from sitting in the same position. Without air-conditioning, the windows are always rolled down to keep the heat down. Some of the roads in Benin are not well-maintained meaning drivers have to maneuver over pot holes, puddles, and dirt patches. Taxis also get stopped a lot by the police and other toll stops. If you want to simulate this experience in America, stuff as many people as you can into an old car, turn off the air-conditioning, make sure it’s a hot, humid day, and drive on a dirt road for about four or five hours, making frequent stops!
U: Underwear- Since there are no washing machines available, all laundry is washed by hand. If you hire someone to wash it for you, you need to provide the soap and a basin. It is not culturally appropriate to include your underwear in your laundry. These need to be washed at home and hung where no one can see them. I had a table with a hole in it to hold a basin built for my small kitchen in the back. I use it as a sink to do laundry and the dishes. The Beninese way is to do it all on the floor and bend over or sit on a small stool.
V: Village- Where most people in Benin live. Village life is very different from life in the larger cities. Many do not have electricity or running water and most of the homes are made from local materials. The main source of income is farming and product transformation out of items like manioc and peanuts. You are more likely to see young children running around with very little or no clothing. The level of education is much lower in villages and parents are more likely to send boys to school over girls. Every village has a chief who is considered the head of the village. There is also a village crier who goes around informing people about important meetings and events.
W: Wells- Most people get their water from wells. They come in all different styles, but one of the most common has a long rope with a plastic container tied at the end. Another type takes two people to use and uses a crank-type handle. Benin has many different types of water sources besides wells thanks to projects that the government and other organizations have done. These include manual pumps that provide clean water.
X : Xa vas (Ça vas)- The text message version of writing ça vas. In English it means things are good/fine. It is sometimes used as a question to ask how things are going.
Y : Yovotomey- In Fon, “the home of the yovos (foreigners)” . If you haven’t had any education, you might think that all yovos come from the same place.
Z : Zemidjan- Zem for short. The Fon word for a taxi moto, meaning “get me there fast”. Used throughout Benin. Distinguished from other motos by the driver’s shirt. Every town’s zemidjan drivers wear a different colored shirt. Drivers register with the town and receive a number, which is painted on the front pocket and back of the shirt. Prices must be discussed before getting on.
