Gimme! Gimme!

I recently returned from my second mandatory training during my Peace Corps service (hence the severe lack of blogs). Four days in air conditioning filled with lectures on school gardens, latrine building, food security, malaria and hand-washing stations (these are the classes I take now) were followed by two days at the office in Cotonou, followed by two days in the north at Natitingou. It was the longest I have been away from my village yet.

I have never been good at the careful dance that balances not spending your entire budget, not hurting people’s feelings and not spending your whole vacation hunting for presents that is giving souvenirs.

The dance is simpler here. If you’re gone, you should have brought me something. End of story. Even if I’ve only talked to you once, even if our entire relationship revolves around buying fish for your cat, even if you are one of 135 students.

As a previously selfish child, I had numerous flashbacks to my childhood based on the number of conversations I had when I got back to my village that stated with the question, “What did you bring me?”

I don’t know that I would say that the people of my village are greedy. I do live at a much higher standard of living than they do and have access to many more things than they do. When you have next to nothing, it’s hard to not ask for whatever you can get.