Hospitals, Funeral, Dinners and Kia

I am starting to be an expert on Beninoise hospitals. The hospital in grand Popo turned out to be useless, again. So, this time I got to ride a fast speeding ambulance that had the sirens on all the way to Cotonou with two Finnish stipendiates that were in terrible condition. One had malaria + some infection and the other had a serious infection. I also got to spend the night at the hospital with them, as support and translator. Luckily they are both feeling better now. Now I Hope I am done exploring hospitals. Time to explore the next thing. I have also been taking Nisse to the local hospital basically every day as if the tyre isn’t loose then half of the bodyparts are loose or missing. The mechanists like me though and don’t charge me a yovo price anymore. Today I have to say that Nisse is a happy camper and spins like the king of the hill, which makes me smile and invite everyone for crab dinner.

Last weekend I got to attend a voodoo funeral which for me mainly meant eating a big meal, times four, and drinking lots of sodabi. Doesn’t help to say no thank you as it is a tremendous offence if you don’t taste the family’s food or sodabi. So with a smile on your face and very full stomach you say oui oui and gladly eat some more and take another sip of the burning palmbooze. It was a great experience though to visit the village of Adjaha and all the very warm, friendly and welcoming people.

I have been attending lots of lunches and dinners lately, never a dull moment. If there isn’t a spontaneous drumming session in our garden and a huge dinner afterwards then someone comes by and invites me over. I have enjoyed it a lot lately and my need for own a time seems to have disappeared entirely. I was also glad to hear that the article I wrote for Hufvudstadsbladet Volt was published the 5th of April and was well appreciated. Jeah.

Kia is coming over soon (beginning of June) which makes me very very happy. As no members of my family will make it over, it is nice that my favourite travelling buddy comes to visit and at a perfect time when I have finished work so that we can travel around for 6 weeks. Now the plan is to go up north, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali and perhaps Niger. Suppose to be a great area to travel, safe and friendly people. I am so much looking forward to meeting Kia again. It will be another trip of a lifetime.