Kate

As you may have heard or read, A PCV here in Benin was murdered last week. This sad news has been devastating to the local PCV community. Kate Puzey was an exemplary volunteer and a fantastic woman.

I had the great honor to spend two months of training with Kate. We were two of nineteen TEFL volunteers arriving in Benin on a two year commitment to serve. Over those first two months and the 18 that followed I knew Kate as an indefatigable source of positivity and energy. What was it about this woman that allowed her to shine so lively? Where will that force come from now, if not from Kate? I hope it will, in part, come from those of us who had the good fortune to be touched by her spirit.

Kate's blog reflects her zeal. Its a nice read; though as I miss her, I wish there was more of it. My heart goes out to her family. I can't imagine how they are coping with the loss of their daughter.

Pride and Patriotism

Patriotism might be on the rise in the US, but its not the only nation feeling a surge of national pride. In my week in Ghana, I was struck by where and how often the national flag surfaced. Everyone from the smallest baby to the most elderly grandmother seems to be sporting the flag or colors of Ghana these days. Every telephone booth is painted with the red, gold, and green. The black star can be spotted in company logos, on tee shirts, and just about any place else. Teenagers are walking down the street in silly Ghanaian hats and Ghanaian tee shirts. Everyday in Ghana rivals the most intense Fourth of July celebration I have ever witnessed.

Perhaps the most striking example is the number of young couples that can be seen taking wedding photos at the memorial to the first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, every weekend. While Nkrumah may not have a perfect political record, he certainly led Ghana into a new era and new beginning. Perhaps this is what draws so many young people to his monument on such an important day of their lives, hope for greater things through unity. In an hour or so I counted 4 couples that came to the museum, park, and monument. They took photos with the structures and toured the museum; looking at photos of Nkrumah with every world leader from Castro to Kennedy.

The only thing more prevalent in Ghana than Ghana is God. Christianity is overt and on display everywhere, from "Blessed be thy Light Tailor" to "His Grace Butchery." I find it a little devisive in a country with a large Muslim population, but I suppose the spirit moves some people.

Returning Home

As I climbed out of my cab into the practically visible, polluted Cotonou air after 10 hours of travel from Accra, the stale smell of exhaust and sewage hit my olfactory like a glass of wine turned to vinegar. As the zems ran up to the car jockeying for position, joking with one another, I knew I was home. It is good to be back. Cotonou is a city known only to those who've weaved through her traffic on a zem driven by a slightly (one hopes) intoxicated maniac. The city and her people simmer in a cauldron of sweat, tar, and trash. While the ingredients of the stew are essentially the same as most underdeveloped metropolies, the bouquet is specific to this city and this city alone. Over the last year and 8 months, I've become accustomed to its rhythm and tune. I know how to talk to people, engage them or brush them off. In short, its home.

Ghana was a wonderful experience, but it was difficult to reconcile that I was just another foreign traveler, forever out of step with the local dance. Of course there are details I liked more about Ghana than Benin. One might say the same thing when comparing a family member to a friend; but when it comes down to it, family is family. For now I'm Beninois, and I'm proud.