The Streets of Porto Novo

I was walking down my street today on the way to class when it suddenly occurred to me that there were goats and chickens randomly wandering around. Funny how after only 3 weeks that seems so normal. If a goat doesn't come up to my mid-thigh in height, it definitely does not even get noticed anymore. I'm still puzzled as to why they don't wander too far from home, but yesterday I did see a goat dodging motos on a main street. I didn't stick around to see what happened though...

The word road or street sort of begins to take on a new meaning here. Most of the main roads (what we might call busy streets) are either paved or bricked, but all of the side streets are just a red dirt/sand substance. Some are smooth (ish), but most are very bumpy with frequent rocks and puddles acting as barriers to both walking and driving. It's amazing to watch motos and cars figure out how to navigate them. It took me about 4 or 5 days to find the flattest, least rocky, least muddy streets around my neighborhood for my morning run.

I wake up around 5:30 or 5:45 everyday to hear the first call to prayer. It was so new to me that it woke me up the first few weeks, but now I generally rely on my alarm clock. If it didn't pour during the night (which it frequently does now that we're in a short rainy season), I try to head out at around 6:15 for my morning run. At 6:15 its still dark outside and it's actually quiet -- trust me, calm and empty streets are a rarity here, even at midnight. There are no goats or chickens or children out yet, just about one or two early risers outside sweeping their dirt.

Beyond the lack of usual commotion, this morning calm is also so precious becuase I don't have people shouting the word "Yovo" at me. The word "Yovo" is one I've already heard thousands of times and it's what they call white foreigners. All of the children know a little song that goes "Yovo, yovo, bon soir! ça va bien, merci!" (Yovo, yovo, good evening, I'm good, thank you!) Many older people also use yovo to address me on the street or to try to get my attention. I've been working on teaching the older kids on my block my actual name, so now I get "Bonjour Madame Kristin!" instead of yovo! It always makes me smile, and I can't wait to teach the kids in my village.

By the end of my run at 6:45 it's already completely light outside and the streets are filling up. Vendors are setting up their tomato or bread or candy stands outside of their homes and motos are starting to take people to work. It's always towards the end of my run that I get the first "yovo!" of the day. With that I know my little time for peace and quiet is over, and I get charged up for the day. Overall I'm so happy that I've been able to take these runs fairly regularly. Beyond enjoying the exercise, it's nice to just have the place to myself for those first few minutes. It makes me feel like I'm not such a foreigner, and like I have some time to really connect with this place, rather than be incredibly overwhelmed by it.


P.S. post assignments tomorrow!! and ill try to post pictures as soon as i can figure out how to do it!!