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Damian:
Becky: Damian snapped this picture below and I think out of the hundreds of photos we brought home from this trip, it is my favorite. I think it is Taffa's daughter-in-law, pausing to rest by the well. It was late afternoon and the heat was starting to abide and we had just come out of hiding from the afternoon sun.
Taffa's Family House
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Damian:
Becky: Below are a couple of shots Damian took of Taffa's house. There are two buildings that have bedrooms and living rooms, and then a smaller building that serves as the kitchen. Below the house pictures are Damian and Taffa resting and chatting in the shade where we hid out from the sun in the mornings. Damian took that really nice close-up of Taffa.
Little Mosque
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Damian:
Becky: This is the front view of the little mosque in Barei. Very rustic looking, don't you think?
Camel Humps---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damian:
Becky: If there are camels in Benin, I didn't see them. I thought this road sign was funny, though, and that it looked like camel humps. It is obviously to warn for bumps, which is also funny, because the terre rouge, red road, is bumpy all over.
Tree Worship-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damian:
Becky: I think if I were to practice animism, I'd worship the trees. I caught Damian's affection for Baobabs.
Fieldwork--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damian:
Becky: Because the ground is so dry, they harvest plants in mounds of soil, so that when the rains finally come it doesn't all wash away. It is really quite a beautiful sight. It was also a stark contrast to the lay of the land - long and flay, as shown in the picture below.
Dick the Doggie
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Damian:
Becky: Damian had a dog while he is in Peace Corps who had puppies, and Dick is one of her puppies! Dick looks just like his mother. It is quite remarkable that Taffa's family kept Dick on as a domestic animal rather than letter him run free, or even eating him, as is the fate of most of the wild dogs in Africa. Taffa remarked that Dick was great at gaurding the henhouse, and also that he was basically a great security system for their home. They don't exactly cuddle up to them like we do here, but they do tap him on the head affectionately and feed him well. Below Dick's picture is one of Damian and Taffa hanging out right after we arrived in the village. Damian's sporting the African garb.
Cow Dung---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damian:
Becky: I tried really hard to be open-minded throughout this trip, and I think I got by pretty well but the one thing that really grossed me out was this thingy. This structure is in the middle of this family's yard, and I'm not sure what it is for, but it is made out of mud and in order to preserve it they are spreading cow dung all over it. The mom had her arms elbow-deep in a bowl of green-colored cow dung and it was splattered all over the ground and little kids were playing nearby... they said it helps keep the structure safe from the weather but man! This moment pushed my limits.
Side Streets---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damian:
Becky: Just a woman and a baby walking through the village, quiet in the early afternoon. Below that, a construction scene. I am not sure what they are building here... another wall? Most of the structures in Barei were made out of cement or mud from the ground. Below that is a goat in a window. I just thought that was funny.
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