Trip to Calavi University

Hello again

On Wednesday this last week one of my translator friends Daniel invited me and two of my friends Maggie and Bonnie from the ship to go and visit him at the university that he attends here in Cotonou and I would have to say it was one of the best trips off the ship that I have had here so far. It was a really great insight into real life for someone that lives here. He took us on a tour around the university which is similar in many ways to any university anywhere in the world but then so different at the same time. He showed us around and inside some of the lecture halls and thru the library, plus inside the student radio station. What we saw was only a fraction of the campus as it is actually really big. Parts of it were well kept grounds but then other areas were just covered with litter everywhere, it made me sad to think that such well educated people would think nothing of just dropping their rubbish on the ground and I said so to my friend Maggie and she said but if thats all they have ever known then why would they change? I guess it makes sense but it bothered me and it still does.

After touring around the campus and meeting various friends of Daniels along the way plus a proposal from one of them I might add! Daniel took us to meet one of his best friends who lives in some of the student accomodation just off the campus. We walked around with him and one of his friends and sister for a little while before heading to Daniel's house. His house was simple but clean and tidy (he admitted later that he had spring cleaned for us!) It consisted of just two rooms, a front room with a dining table in it and then his bedroom, it also had a small out house type room out the back but no running water, or toilet. I wanted to ask about that but decided it wasnt such a good idea. We sat and chatted with him and his friends who spoke ''small small english'' for a while then Daniel decided we should go and have dinner before we returned to the ship. He took us to a small open restaurant on the campus and we ate a meal of Alche ke which consisted of something similar to cous cous with a spicy sauce and then fish (for those of you who know me well you would know I hate fish so you can imagine I wasnt overly happy about his choice of food for us!) But I graciously tried it and for the most part it was pretty good I have to say!

After dinner he ushered us into a taxi and waved us off to the ship. It was one of the coolest days I have had here and his hospitality was awesome, so thank you Daniel for a lovely day!