The king and I

A few days ago I walk into the cyber cafe and a friend of mine who I havent seen in awhile due to my constant traveling, is there. We say hi I tell him about the training in cotonou and why I was there. He then asks what my current projects are and since Ive been traveling a lot I dont have anything set up or any on going projects. But my PC supervisor is currently looking for more posts to put incoming environmental volunteers, they basically cant invite people unless they have posts. So I explain to my friend that I was thinking of helping out my supervisor and look into some villages near me as there arent many environmental volunteers in the Donga region. My friend knows the chef du village, local leader, in one of the villages that I listed, were going to call this village x from now on. He says that he would take me to visit village x and that we could speak to the chef du village about whether or not they would actually like a volunteer, weve sceduled this meeting for later that afternoon without even speaking with the chef du village. I think that were going to have a little chit chat with the chef du village about what it means to have a volunteer, the things that a volunteer does, what the village is responcible for which is finding and paying the rent on adequate housing, and that the volunteers will arrive in September and does the chef du village after hearing this information still want a volunteer. So we visit an organization that would be a potential work partner, really cool stuff going on there with environmental stewardship and training. they have a rabit farm, they expirement with different types of agriculture, a volunteer would fit right into this organization. Good start. Then we go to meet the chef du village at his house. As we pull up to his house I notice that there are a lot of important people all in a circle a bunch of chairs are set up looks like there is an important meeting going on, and Im crashing it, damn way to make a good first impression interupt a big important meeting. So I take off my helmet and say hello to everyone feeling extreamly rude barging into this meeting with the chef du village, the local leaders in the village, the womens group head, the king and all the kings men, really no exageration. I then sit down and I see that everyone is looking at me, normal as Im probably one of a handful of white people the villagers have ever seen. Then I realize nobody is talking I turn to my friend and ask should I just start talking? He says yes this meeting is for you. WHAT?!?! Everyone important in the village has come to hear me speak about the potential to have a volunteer? Doesnt the king have anything more important to do? Apparently what happened was when my friend called the chef du village the chef called the king and all the kings men to come to this meeting and there were 50 people there all with important titles and leaders in village x. Ok so I give them my speech, I introduce myself, say why im here what I do in my village, and what Im doing here I give them the rest of the info they listen intently and then I ask them if they would like a volunteer. The King answers Yes this is a good place for a volunteer and it would bring us much pride to have one. Everyone agreed because the king has spoken. But I really got the feeling that everyone wanted a volunteer and got really excited when I told them after viewing their village I thought that there was work and that if there continued to be work if they got approved from peace corps they could potentially have a volunteer in their village for 6 years, or 3 volunteers. I was really surprised by the amount that these people really wanted a volunteer I could see that it was going to be a source of pride for the village. I then went to a bar as the king invited me and my friend out for a beer, the king bought me a beer, and I stayed at the bar drank my beer and shot the shit with the king. This was one of the cooler things that has happened to me in Benin is being the person that all the important people came out to see and then the king bought me a beer! It was also really good for me to see just how much the village wanted a volunteer I didnt get to see when the meeting where happening to see if my post was going to be a good place, and its good to see just how much the peace corps volunteers are respected.
Another story that happened to me that I thought was pretty funny was I was in the market of my village and my girl who I buy all my faberic from was showing me some new cool faberic that she got in not too long ago. I bought some and then explained that Im bringing it home for my Aunt in July. She then got this look on her face that was of pure worry, and asked me are you coming back, I laughed, of course I am. She responded extreamly relieved, oh good, hey can you bring me back something from the states?
I can do that if you trade me some cool faberic for it.
Yea Id be willing to do that
What would you like
She thinks.... I would like an american pagne, the wrap skirt that everyone wears
There arent pagnes in the states, sorry
I think youre lying thats weird theyre so useful
Yea I know its strange but its true no pagnes.
We decided I would bring her back a T shirt that had writing on it. But I agree with my friend, Americans need to get on the pagne bandwagon, they are so useful I dont know what I would do if I didnt have at least 2.