Hodgepodge

Chers lecteurs, maybe it’s obvious that I’ve been avoiding mikwobo. But it’s not because I didn’t have anything to say — rather, too much.

(Since my latest update, I’ve taken 913 photographs. That was before I ran out of batteries, bought four suspiciously light, bright red Tiger Head Brand Super Quality Batteries Of Guangzhou, China, from a street vendor at midnight for 40 cents and was foreseeably disappointed by their potency.)

Still, I’ve been fumbling for a way to organize my thoughts. But now I’ve decided, what the heck. I’ll just freewrite and you can wade through what you wish.

I’ve stopped counting things people carry on their heads and started counting things people carry on their heads on motorcycles: mattresses, helium tanks, TVs, computer towers, an entire living room set of wooden furniture, and (so far, the crowing champion), a refrigerator and freezer at the same time.

The rainy season has officially ended, and it’s very dry. The wind turned yesterday, from a southerly sea breeze to a northerly desert breeze. This means the dust — mixed with the pollution from the perpetual traffic jams — is particularly bad. You can’t see the sun, and all the taxi drivers wear bandannas over their mouths.

I’m madly in love with piment, the spicy pepper that accompanies most dishes that looks like a teeny bell pepper. If you plan to eat piment or tomatoes raw, they must be soaked for twenty minutes in a solution of water and chemicals that turn the water purple. The soaking kills the soil bacteria that come from human waste.

Our electricity and water go out periodically, but it’s really no big deal. I’m fortunate that we have a well for drinking water. I was out with friends the other night discussing the song the restaurant was playing. After the power was cut off, my friend quipped: “Ah! That’s how you know you’re listening to real African music!”

It has become very clear how much of the prices we pay for things in the U.S. comes from overhead, packaging, branding and regulation. Some things are cheap: Yesterday I got a pedicure up the street for 150 francs (30 cents), and I can generally get a zem (moto-taxi) from downtown Cotonou to Calavi (ten miles) for 400 francs (80 cents). Other luxuries are comparatively more: a can of Coke (which costs more than a glass bottle because it includes the price of the can) is 350 francs (43 cents). And imported things are downright expensive: four Energizer batteries cost me 1700 francs ($4.25) and a big bolt of Lebanese fabric is (after haggling) 6,000 francs ($13). If you’re really going for cheap, there are three important rules: (a) avoid air-conditioning (and even stores with interiors) (b) avoid premarked prices (c) never appear in a hurry.

My nose is perpetually red, my feet are perpetually covered in mosquito bites, and when I wipe my face with a tissue, it is perpetually brown.

I’m an auditeur (student) in the Chaire UNESCO Des Droits de la Personne et de la Democratie (that is, a UNESCO-founded Department of Human Rights and Democracy) at the university in Abomey-Calavi, a suburb of Cotonou. The campus is enormous, with about 30,000 students. The vast majority — more than 99 percent — are West African. I’ve heard rumors that there are a few German girls. I am the only documented American. Much of the campus is beautiful, with dirt roads lined with big shady fern-leaved trees, underbrush and palms. Each department is tucked away in its own little section. Fortunately, my building is only ten minutes from the gates, which means I can get to school in less than twenty minutes if I walk or five if it’s blistering hot and I take a zem. At the entrance gates, you find an animated cluster of zemijans (zem drivers), a few vendors with oranges, pineapples and plastic bags of water, maybe a bookseller or two and occasionally a Jehovah’s Witness.

My schedule is very different from that of an American college student. We have classes for just three months, ostensibly from November 9 to February 19, with one course per week for six hours per day. In addition to the classroom time, which amounts to 350 hours (about a semester and a half, but in three months!), we prepare group papers and presentations that are incorporated into the curriculum; take an exam for each course in March; and are responsible for writing and defending a memoire (thesis) of 50 to 100 pages.

I started school Nov. 9. By “start,” I mean I showed up and most of my classmates showed up. Our professor did not. He came the next day. We have no class this whole week because our professor decided to go to Gabon for the week. Class was moved to February, but not before we sat for four hours in the classroom with nothing to do waiting for him on Monday. The administrators (who definitely have a “good guy, bad guy” routine going) made us stay because they were not sure if the professor was coming or not. We had nothing to do. Jean-Baptiste, my Chadian deskmate, and I drew maps of Africa and talked about George W. Bush.

Greetings are very important. When someone enters the library or the classroom, he or she shakes hands with every student already there. Everyone also brings handkerchiefs or tissues to wipe off the wooden seats and desks before they sit down because of the ubiquitous, permanent layer of dust. The classroom is heavily air-conditioned, and I have to carry a fleece through the 95-degree heat so that I won’t freeze during class.

We have each course for five or six hours per day with one 15-minute break, and this makes me antsy. Most of our notes from the first class (Research Methodology) were actually dictated — that is, word for word — which is good for my language skills but really boring as a pedagogical tool. Our first professor was very kind, very funny and a little pompous.

Most students are fastidious about clothing. It’s an interesting mixture of Western business (suits, pencil skirts) and more traditional African (kaftans, vivid prints) and in an American classroom it would look clashingly ostentatious (pink prom dress with shoulder wrap of autumn reds and oranges). I already got chastised (kindly) by another student for wearing flip flops. But when I’m in class, I tend to forget I’m the only American/Anglophone/white person on campus because students everywhere are just about the same. My class is composed of — besides me — two dozen Beninese, two or three Togolese, a Chadian, a Malian and a Nigerien (that is, a woman from Niger [Nigerienne], not Nigeria [Nigerianne]). We have one police commissioner and one nun. I would guess most people are between 25 and 35.

We’ve been assigned three group projects for three different courses already, and my subjects are: the tension between women’s rights and traditional community practices, preemptive war and international law, and the laws of physical integrity (that is, people can’t hit you) in Africa. The other courses we will have are: History of the State of Law, Sociology of Human Rights, Democratic Political Regimes, Philosophy of Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, International Public Law, Human Rights and Development, International Criminal Law, Democratic Transitions, Comparative Regional Systems for the Protection of Human Rights in Africa and Europe, and the State of Human Rights in Africa.

Pocket Culinary Guide

In case you’re ever lost in Cotonou, here’s my practical guide to eating.

Achbun: A filling mixture of corn-based tapioca, ice and sweetened condensed milk served for dessert on hot days; 100 CFA (25¢). Achbun with miel (honey) also exists. It is darker in color and more expensive; maybe 200 CFA.

Aloco: Sweet plantains cut at an angle and fried in palm oil.

Ananas (pineapple): Eaten in chunks with hachettes (toothpicks); heavy with juice and very sweet (basically the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten); between 150 and 200 CFA (30-50¢), but maybe up to 300 CFA for a yovó (white person).

Arachides (peanuts): Peanuts are called cacahuetes in France. Here, they are not roasted, but rather, eaten raw. Shells are soft enough to squish open. Consistency is that of a waterchestnut, and they are slightly sweet. A bag for as little as 25 CFA (5¢) if you’re willing to negotiate.

Atchéké: Similar to cassava flour (which is called gari), but processed differently. Not quite sure what the difference is.

Bissap: The Wolof (Senegalese) name for a refreshing drink made from hibiscus flowers. Dark red or purple. Has a very peculiar, sweet taste similar to sour grape candies. 50 to 100 CFA (25 to 50¢) on the street, more in a restaurant.

Beer: Castel is ubiquitous, along with Beaufort, Beninoise (the national beer), and a non-alcoholic Guinness-brand beer called Malta. You can also find Flag and Heineken, and in the north, Tchaukoutou. As much as 1,000 CFA ($2) for a 60cl or liter-sized bottle. The alcohol of choice is palm whisky fermented with agrumes (citrus fruits). Many people mix beer or whisky with Coke or Sprite, half and half.

Chakpalo: Lemonade-like drink served on the street in old plastic bottles. 50 CFA.

Chawarma: The Lebanese version of a gyro: A lightly fried pita filled with lettuce, avocado, mayonnaise, onions, french fries and either lamb or chicken. Expensive (2,000 CFA ($4)) but worth every penny. It’s like three meals in one.

Canne (à sucre): Sugarcane. Great big sticks to be chewed and spit out. The width of an umbrella handle. Cost depends on size. Up to 125 CFA if the seller skins and chops the sugarcane for you.

Eau (water): Varies greatly. I have drunk the well water of the family with whom I am staying and had no problems. Clear plastic bags of purified water are everywhere. They look like the cold packs for sprained muscles. They are about 50 CFA (10¢). You can also buy liter bottles of eau simple or eau gazifiée (sparkling) for between 400 and 600 CFA (85¢ to $1.50).

Frites: Fries really are everywhere, and sometimes served here with hotdogs.

Gari: Cassava (manioc root) flour. Often with beans, in a Mexican-rice-and-beans kind of way. Kind of crunchy-chewy. Gives beans a nice texture.

Gumbo: A vegetable that resembles an okra. In fact, it might be an okra. They are not commonly pickled. Instead, they are boiled to produce a collant (sticky) sauce, and served with pâte. The sauce looks pretty unappetizing, like algae slime. But it just tastes like okra. Gumbo can be added to seafood soup to produce what we know as gumbo, too.

Habulo (pronounced just like the Spanish “I speak”): A slightly sweet, thick, rice-based muffin served with spicy tomato sauce. One of my favorites.

Ignames pilées (mashed yams): Not like American sweet potatoes, but rather tan and sticky, boiled, then mixed with water and mashed; served with oil-based sauce de tomates (tomatoes) or sauce d’arachides (peanuts); ordered by cost, about 200 to 300 CFA. Also common, ignames frites. Yam-mashing is awesome. Three or four people, usually women, stand around a big bucket and crush the boiled yams with big poles. Children are taught a yam-mashing song in school to help them learn the pum-pum rhythm.

Lait caillé (lit., curdled milk): Cold, sweet yogurt eaten from a bowl with a spoon, like ice cream; you can order some sweetened Bonnet Bleu lait condensé (condensed milk) to put on top; 100 to 150 CFA (25¢).

Milo (mee-low): Nestle’s version of Ovaltine. Served to children for breakfast in bowls with added cubes of sugar and/or sweetened, condensed milk. Tear off a chunk of pain sucré (like those Hawaiian rolls) to mush in it.

Noix de cajoux (cashews): You know what cashews are. They are just more delicious here. Bought in old whiskey bottles for between 1,500 and 3,500 CFA.

Noix de coco (coconut): Served many different ways, including râpée (shredded). At some étals (stands), served directly from the tree. First, the thick, waxy greenish-brown skin is whacked off by a man with a hatchet, then he cuts a hole in the top and hands it to you to drink out the milk, which is watery and savory. After the milk is gone, the man chops the coconut in half and separates the flesh from the shell. If the coconut is young, the flesh is soft, with the consistency of flan. As it ages, it gets harder. Contrary to popular belief, not all coconuts are sweet. Some vendeurs will soak coconut in salty water and chop it up for a savory snack. Between 100 and 300 CFA (30-60¢).

Oranges: Are usually green. They are not meant to be eaten, but sucked. Usually peeled by the maman who sells them, leaving the white stuff. Ouvert (open) means that she cuts the top off, so you can suck out the juice. They’re peeled to make them easier to squeeze. Four to six for 100 CFA (25¢). Also, citrons (lit., lemons), though yellow, are generally not lemons, but limes. The only orange fruit you’ll find are mandarines (which are not madarin oranges but tangerines). These other fruits are about the same price. Don’t buy pommes (apples) here: They are imported from South Africa, and therefore relatively expensive, 600 CFA ($1.25) for a bag.

Papayes: Papayas. Thick, waxy green or slightly brown skin, which makes them hard to cut. Sweet, juicy flesh that I don’t particularly like. Good raw or cooked. Mangues (mangos) are not in season, so I haven’t tasted them yet. (Update: mangoes are now in season, that is, beginning to fall off the trees behind the house. They are every bit as delicious as you might imagine.)

Pâte blanche (lit., white dough): Corn-based lump of starch meant to be dipped in a palm oil-based sauce of tomatoes, onions and piments (chilies); some kinds of pâte are slightly fermented and therefore sour. Pâte is everywhere. Pâte noire and pâte rouge are also very common. I haven’t tried pâte noire yet, but rouge includes red peppers and is a little spicier. Usually bought in plastic baggies, so it ends up with sort of a cone shape. Very cheap: 50 CFA (10¢).

Petits pois (peas): Well. I ordered petits pois and instead got round, red beans in a delicious meat-based sauce, covered by a fried omelet. Who knows? 800 CFA ($1.60).

Piments (chilies): Served with everything. Delicious fiery flavor. It’s the seeds that are so spicy, so if you remove all the seeds before adding it to a sauce, it’s fairly mild. Each maman makes her piments herself, and if not added to a sauce, it’s all mushed up with water. The sauce is also called piment, and can be red (if the chilies were mûrs [ripe]) or green, if they were not yet ripe. Now I constantly crave it. If you buy them raw, they look just like green peppers, but teeny.

Poisson (fish): Served with everything, all the time, at any time of day. There are, of course, many species, but I don’t know what they are. Usually, poisson is fried, head, tail, bones and all, and you eat the whole thing. The bones are just crunchy, post-frying. If the fish is brisée (filleted), you just eat around the bones. Often served with rice: but a little fish and a lot of rice, because protein is expensive and starches are cheap.

Poulet bicyclette: Small, whole roasted chicken. Called such because of how chickens look when they run. Often coated with a powdery red curry. 600 to 1,000 CFA ($1.25 to $2.25).

Qom: Fermented pâte blanche with spicy tomato sauce and piment.

Ragù: A French food with an African twist. This is stew: Mashed ignames simmered over low heat with tomatoes, onions, piment and shrimp, fish and/or meat.

Salade: Lettuce, macaroni or spaghetti, oeufs (eggs), avocats (avocado), sometimes fish or tomatoes. Can be pricy: 600 to 800 CFA ($1.25 to $1.75).

Sodabe: A strong home-brewed whiskey.

Spaghetti: Usually served with a thin, fried omelet on top, or with whole hard-boiled eggs; cost depends on amount. Couscous is also very common.

Talitali (pronounced tally-tally): Deep-fried bananas cut into coin-sized rounds. Totally delicious. 200 CFA (40¢) for a big bag. Still haven’t worked out the difference between bananas and plantains. The names seem to be interchangeable. Either can be sweet or savory. Bananes (bananas) can be fried hard and served as chips or eaten raw. There are two kinds: finger-sized (three to six for 100 CFA) or the huge, forearm-sized plantains.

Viande (lit., meat): Refers to beef. Fat and bones always included. Tougher than American beef, but more flavorful. Usually boiled, then quickly fried.

Wagase (pronounced wah-gah-she): Cheese produced for protein in northern Benin, since they are far from the ocean and don’t raise cattle. Looks unappetizing when sold, because it floats around in buckets of grayish water, and has a reddish rind in spots. Must be boiled because it is made with unpasteurized milk. After it is boiled, it is often also fried. Pretty good.

Youki: The only other ubiquitous soda brand besides Coca-Cola. Flavors include mixed exotic fruits, apple and Moka, which is cola mixed with coffee. Often called fizzy, not because of its carbonation but after a former brand (like calling Pepsi “Coke”). There are also more flavors of Fanta (owned by Coke) here: apple, pineapple, and my favorite, lemon. 200 to 500 CFA. Served in 30 or 60 centiliter bottles, usually glass.

Miscellaneous:
Everything sold outdoors is cheaper, because there’s literally no overhead.

Crabs and shrimps are sold live at markets.

There are also many other common foods whose names I don’t know yet, including a carrot-shaped tan vegetable (parsnip?) It is peeled, cut into four long strips and eaten plain, with the consistency of a cooked potato, bland and a little bitter. About 60 CFA (15¢). I like it very well.

Children often are given pieces of bread, thin sweet breadsticks or long wax beans to chew on during Mass or family parties.

There are many maquis (stands) with various amuse-gueles (snack foods): little crunchy cakes, varieties of peanut brittle, doughnut holes, croissants, gum, suckers and malted milk balls.