Recipe - Wahala Ni Cocktail
This recipe is inspired by the warm nights in Cotonou, and the abundance of tropical flavors to be found in the markets.
When I lived in Cotonou I would visit my favorite citron vendor, who would squeeze each lime by hand into recycled plastic bottles for takeaway. A little further down was a vendor who sold fresh lemongrass in bundles, and mounds of dried hibiscus flowers. I’d grab some of both and continue on my merry way.
Once I got home I’d make a little simple syrup with local cane sugar (which is darker and more fragrant than refined sugar) and toss in a handful each of hibiscus and lemongrass. The syrup would turn a lovely pink color that got deeper with every minute. The lemongrass adds a fruity flavor, and the hibiscus has a tart note. Every once in a while I’d throw in some ginger for added complexity.
If I was lucky, my husband would have just been in town for a visit, and he would have brought me a bottle of vodka. I’d find a couple small ice cubes in my mini-fridge and put them in a glass, then pour in equal parts simple syrup, fresh lime juice, and vodka. It was perfect for the end of a long day, or the start of a long night Skyping with my husband.
Oh and the name? Wahala means trouble in the Yoruba language, and Ni means here. We named the drink Wahala Ni, or here comes trouble. These are delicious so don’t have too many or there will be trouble! 😂
(If you have one of our Happy Hour Gift Sets you’ve got the ingredients for the Hibiscus Lemongrass Ginger simple syrup. We’d love to see your version of the Wahala Ni!! Tag us on Instagram @threesistersbenin)
New Year, New Team (Members)
It’s our first post of 2019! We hope everyone has been having a safe and happy new year.
We kicked off the new year with some new, exciting things. We’re so excited to share them with you all! In the mean time, we’d like to introduce our newest team member - Berkley!
Berkley is a student at Michigan State University in the Residential College of Arts and Humanities. She’s been studying French since she was 12 and has just begun studying West African French.
She joins us as a Monitoring and Evaluation Intern who will be working primarily alongside Judith to translate all our academic reports.
We’re so excited to have you on the team, Berkley! Bienvenue!
Get sustainable in the New Year!
Hello TS Friends!
Our last sustainability blog post focused on some of the things we are doing to contribute to sustainability in the packaging industry, especially during the holidays. This week we’d like to highlight a couple companies we rely on to make our sustainability goals a reality.
All of our stickers are paper rather than BOPP plastic film. There are great recycled options through Moo and Vistaprint.
https://www.vistaprint.com/?GP=12%2f18%2f2018+11%3a00%3a22&GPS=5265633138&GNF=0
On our Instagram we shared a bit about our information cards.
“Using MOO prints, a sustainable brand, we are able to put a note in with our products to describe the sustainability that our artisan partners practice - while also staying sustainable in our packaging...A couple of MOO’s sustainability practices and options are: 100% cotton paper that reuses fashion industry waste and an option for sustainably sourced, Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF).”
It’s important to us to communicate our mission to our customers, and with MOO printing we can do that without being wasteful. It’s also important to us to work with brands that have similar values and priorities as TS.
Vistaprint is also a great option as they are cutting carbon emissions, practicing responsible forestry, and installing greener technology in order to reduce their carbon footprint. On their website they state, “We’re committed to reducing our emissions in line with science-based targets established by the 2015 Paris Agreement. That means reducing our carbon footprint by over 50% by 2025.”
Check out this link to a video on their website that explains how their brand is in line with the Rainforest Alliance Certification, or FSC.
“Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization that certifies forestry operations, ensuring that they meet rigorous standards for the conservation of natural resources and the rights and welfare of workers and local communities.” -Vistaprint Website
https://sustainability.vistaprint.com/responsible-forestry/
If you’re a small business owner, consider supporting these brands as well!
From the team at TS, we’d like to wish you all the happiest and safest of New Years. See you next year!
Sustainable packaging is the name of the game
Hello TS friends!
Happy Holidays to you all. If you are celebrating the holidays this season, it’s beginning to be the time of year where you notice the exorbitant amount of packaging.
How we package our Sikart Teardrops!
Whether it’s the wrapping paper on the presents, or the boxes on people’s porches, packaging is something that stands out when we think of this season. It’s a shame how much of it goes to waste. Fortunately, this is an issue that companies are starting to think more about - and we, at Three Sisters, are excited to share with you, through our next couple sustainability posts, how we are contributing to change in holiday packaging.
Reduce - We have invested in stronger shipping boxes that we can use for years (instead of continuing to collect more). This way we can move up the R Chain from Recycle to Reuse and Reduce.
Reuse - We reuse our shipping packages, including ones we use to ship between the US and West Africa. We also ask friends and colleagues to save the boxes they get (Blue Bottle Coffee Subscriptions, anyone?) and send them our way so they can get a second life.
Recycle - It’s important to us at TS to use recycled paper in our packaging. We got our recycled Crinkle paper from ULine. And the individual paper we use to protect our soapstone cups is newsprint from Niger. Want to know who was running for President in Niger in 2016? Order a handcarved soapstone cup and you’ll find out!
We hope you consider supporting sustainable companies this season! Keep asking questions and demanding transparency. Stay tuned for our TS Sustainability post next week, highlighting a couple of the companies that help us make our sustainability pursuits possible.
Staying social with Three Sisters: Meet Mackenzie!
Hello all! My name is Mackenzie and I’m currently working as the Content Management Intern for Three Sisters. I am a junior at Michigan State working toward my B.A in Social Work. Ethical and sustainable products have always been important to me. I always seek out Fair Trade labels and buy from as many companies as possible that are trying to make the world a better place; much like Three Sisters! I was told about this internship by Marcy herself while I was a student in her Human Rights course. I jumped at the opportunity! In my chosen field, managing information of any kind is extremely important therefore this internship allows me to hone that skill.
Chances are if you’ve seen a post on any of our social media this summer, you’ve seen a post from me! At the beginning of the summer, I made it my goal to build on Three Sisters social media presence with as much creativity as possible. I hope that message got across to you all and you’ve enjoyed it!
My favorite part of the internship by far has been getting updates from Marcy about how the kids are doing in their school programs to congratulate them. It always fills my heart with joy knowing that they are moving forward and succeeding in their education. It means so much to me to have even a small part in that.
Our biggest project came when it was time to officially launch Books that Bind. Myself and our small team spent significant time during our weekly meetings finalized what kind of content we wanted to post, when we wanted to post it, and where we wanted to direct our audience. All throughout the month of July we posted #ThrowbackThursday posts pertaining to Books that Bind, student features on the key actors in the books, and official photo content from the US Embassy in Benin to publicly commemorate our time at the launch.
Here's an example of one of the posts created during the Books that Bind launch!
On Facebook, we began a series of five videos that would feature some of the kids (usually whomever was going to be a featured student that week in out student spotlight) teaching our audience how to say the titles of the books in one of the five native languages in Benin. These proved to be a massive success and were a fun, lighthearted way to introduce you all to some of our students as well as our Books that Bind project.
This summer with Three Sisters has been unforgettable and I can’t wait to keep working with this company as the school year begins. Stay tuned to this blog for more updates to come from me and our other team members!
Making connections at the Detroit Book Fest
Many people had stories about how they were somehow connected to Benin or do similar work and a couple of them really stood out to me. One woman was sharing how her son in law and grandson recently traced back all of their ancestry to Benin, Africa, so her young grandson is currently learning French. She was so excited to bring a copy of this children’s book to him.
Sarah Sparkman Sustainability Intern Update
Marcy at the Detroit Festival of Books in the Eastern Market. Photo credit: Sarah Sparkman
As sustainability intern I’ve loved getting the chance to look at the ‘behind the scenes’ of the products that the Three Sisters artisan partners hand make. This past week at the Eastern Market Book Fair I was honored to work the Three Sisters booth selling the Books that Bind. While working the table, I was also able to hear about Marcy’s trip to Benin to visit with the artisans and hear about the process of finalizing the books. The books are folktale stories from Benin that have been passed down from the elders to the children and are the first children’s books in this community that the kids can read in their own language. They are all trilingual and when you purchase one, one is printed for the free library in Benin that Three Sisters set up. The Books that Bind project was produced through a grant from the United States Embassy in Cotonou, Benin with the goal of creating local language reading materials for people of all ages. Each of the stories in the series were first recounted by storytellers, and then translated into five of the Beninese languages as well as French and English.
Our biggest seller of the day - The Guinea Hen and the Crocodile
Marcy had just gotten back from Benin the night before the book fair. In Benin she was able to get every copy signed by those who directly worked on them. I loved having the opportunity to explain this process and our mission of funding the tutoring program to those who passed by. And I was also so excited that my family stopped by to buy a few things! Many people had stories about how they were somehow connected to Benin or do similar work and a couple of them really stood out to me. One woman was sharing how her son in law and grandson recently traced back all of their ancestry to Benin, Africa, so her young grandson is currently learning French. She was so excited to bring a copy of this children’s book to him. Another woman shared that she had been a Detroit Public School teacher all her life, and a couple years ago she decided to move to Khartoum, Sudan to teach Kindergarten. She bought a book to share with the kids there and was fascinated with the idea of Bloom, a website that translates all kinds of books to the language you speak. She was interested in translating this book to Sudanese Arabic for her students because we will soon be adding the books to the Bloom website.
Overall, it was a successful week of bringing awareness to the causes we care about, making more money to fund the tutoring program and connect with people who care about similar things!
A young customer who wanted to find out about the Amazing Adventures of Auntie Ashanti - a book by our friend Melissa Kreek.
My Benin Wedding
First things first, I am now Mrs. Marcy Hessling O’Neil!!! At the beginning of the month Stu made his fourth trip to West Africa, and his second trip to Cotonou. Everyone here was very excited for his arrival. After a harrowing trip of delayed flights, sleep deprivation, and a 13-hour layover in Casablanca, he arrived in Cotonou around 3am. Keface, the night guard at my apartment building, and I came to pick him up at the airport and waited impatiently for his arrival. In true Cotonou fashion, all 3 of us hopped on Keface’s motorcycle (along with Stu’s luggage) and rode back to the house. We were quite the sight!
Eight years ago today, my husband and I got married in Ouidah, Benin. At the time I was living in Cotonou as a Fulbrighter and Stu was living in the U.S. We had been doing the long-distance thing for about six months and really wanted to get married before I made my way back to the States. Here is an update that I wrote back then to tell family and friends about our wedding day. I hope you enjoy it (spoiler alert: you'll find that many members of the Three Sisters family were there, long before TS officially existed).
Hello everyone and Bon Dimanche! (Happy Sunday)
It’s been far too long since I’ve taken the time to write an update, and it’s about time that I get you guys caught up on what’s been happening in these parts. Once again I fear that this may be a long one, so grab a cup of coffee, a cold beer, or a glass of wine (depending on what time of day or what kind of mood you are in) and let’s begin.
So much has happened since the last time I wrote an update that it’s hard to figure out what will make the cut. If I write everything you’ll still be reading this by the time I get back.
First things first, I am now Mrs. Marcy Hessling O’Neil!!! At the beginning of the month Stu made his fourth trip to West Africa, and his second trip to Cotonou. Everyone here was very excited for his arrival. After a harrowing trip of delayed flights, sleep deprivation, and a 13-hour layover in Casablanca, he arrived in Cotonou around 3am. Keface, the night guard at my apartment building, and I came to pick him up at the airport and waited impatiently for his arrival. In true Cotonou fashion, all 3 of us hopped on Keface’s motorcycle (along with Stu’s luggage) and rode back to the house. We were quite the sight!
On the day of our wedding (July 3) we had rented a bus that would seat 25 people because our ceremony was to be held in the city of Ouidah, about 20 miles west of Cotonou. We both wore matching outfits made with the cloth that Annie had chosen for her father’s funeral, a vibrant blue pattern. I must admit we looked pretty good! Our driver, however, was unimpressed. As a matter of fact, he was downright ornery.
Love that cloth!
At about 10:30am we loaded up the bus with items we needed for the wedding and started on our way. We stopped at a little kiosk down the road to pick up our flowers (gorgeous) and then tried to get the driver to stop at the supermarket to greet the guard who had been eagerly awaiting Stu’s visit. Unfortunately, the driver would only slow down, so the guard had to run alongside the car to shake Stu’s hand out the window as we rolled away.
Gorgeous flowers for sale in Haie Vive, Cotonou.
As the wind (accompanied at times by noxious fumes and dust) blew through the bus we drove east to pick up Maman Eli and her family. It was beautiful and sunny that day, but it had rained heavily two days before. As a result, Maman Eli’s neighborhood was completely waterlogged. At one point we almost got stuck in a massive puddle, had to back up and try another route with a 10 year old boy as our guide. We determined that it would be impossible to get to their house with the bus, so we called up Maman Eli and told them to come on foot and meet us at a Church where they had put bricks and stones through the water for people to step on and cross.
Maman Eli, her younger sister, and their kids walked up and were quite a beautiful sight. Eli and Manu were dressed in matching cloth, everyone had their hair done, and Eli was wearing makeup (including eyebrows drawn in with pencil). Très jolie!
Manu looking fine in his pagne (cloth).
From there we headed over to Annie and Bienvenu’s place to pick them up. Once again, we couldn’t get all the way through because of the water in the road, but Bienvenu had come on his motorcycle to greet us. Stu and I walked to the house, left everyone in the bus and said we’d be right back. For some reason we were really under the impression that everyone would be ready and we could continue on our way in a timely fashion. Alas, that was not the case!
When we walked in the courtyard we were greeted by lots of people in the household with calls of “felicitations!” (congratulations) and “ekaabo!” (welcome). Stu had been there in February too, so everyone was excited to see him again. We were ushered into the living room and they immediately brought out some beers for us to drink. Extended family members started coming in, and as I was smiling and nodding and enjoying my beer I was also doing some quick calculations in my head and beginning to panic. This was not to be our last stop on the road to Ouidah, and there was no way we could fit everyone in the bus.
Annie emerged and she looked just amazing. She and the kids had spent the day with me on Thursday (the day before Stu was to arrive) and we had discussed outfits, hairstyles, and the ceremony. She had put a lot of thought into her outfit and it showed. We had asked her to play an important role in our wedding, a combination ring-bearer/maid of honor/emcee. She took that role seriously and wanted to match the wedding party in her attire.
Anie and Bienvenu at the wedding.
Anyway, back to the story. We were all having a good time catching up (meanwhile I’m wondering how everyone is doing back in the bus, remember them?) and Bienvenu told me that he was looking for other options for transport since it was obvious we would not all fit. Minutes stretched into close to an hour, or even more than an hour. Stu and I seemed to be the only ones concerned about those who were waiting in the bus. Eventually Bienvenu found another bus and we all hit the road. As we got back to the bus Maman Eli and family were all still there, a bit bored, but understanding. Thankfully a frozen yogurt guy was walking by with his cart and we bought yogurts for everyone who had been stuck in the bus. One by one as each person finished their yogurt they threw the plastic container out of the window, including Eli who expertly reached over Stu and lobbed her plastic sachet toward the innocent bystanders on the curb without a second glance.
As our caravan took off, I got a call from Bienvenu. There was some kind of wahala with the bus, I asked our driver to stop but he said no. According to Stu, I began waving my hands around and telling him to stop. I put the phone to the driver, he talked to Bienvenu and then we started going again. Apparently what had happened is that there were so many people in the other bus that Bienvenu was left behind. His neighbor ended up getting out and catching a ride with her husband who had a car (why was she not in that car in the first place? Good question, who knows!). This neighbor is a very nice woman, but is not the smallest in stature. In fact, she had been used as a stand-in for Stu when we had the tailor come over to have his outfit made. No lie.
Eli sat on my lap and we were both in the front seat next to Stu as we set out for our next destination. The driver was getting even less friendly by the second. He was not happy to hear that we had another destination other than Ouidah. I told him we needed to stop by Tokpa (the huge market) to pick up Kastro, a friend of ours who does my nails over here and is on the lookout for a husband who is not Beninois (“I’ve gotta get out of this place. Can you find me a man in America? He cannot be too fat and has to like black women.”). Unfortunately, she forgot her phone and had to go back to her house to get it and by then the driver started going again and wouldn’t wait for her. Don’t worry, she catches up with us later…
Kastro! She made it after all. But will we? Keep reading to find out.
You should have seen the look on the driver’s face when I told him we needed to stop by our apartment again. “Cadjehoun, encore?!?” Waiting at our apt in Cadjehoun was the band who would play at the wedding, Keface and his daughter, and Kastro, who managed to catch a zem to join the bus. Ok, what I should say is that we thought everyone would already be there since we were really late already. But the band members were not all there. They had dropped off their motorbikes someplace and were walking back. Some of their instruments were there, however. We realized it would get even tighter in the two buses.
The lead singer of the band belting it out, while Bienvenu (left), Keface, and his daughter look on.
Enfin, all of the band members arrived and we set out again. Just a couple more stops to go! But at least from this point on it was direct to Ouidah and no diversions. Katrine’s daughter Anita was to be waiting for us on the side of the road by a supermarket. Unfortunately, she had been there for a while and was then called by her father and had to go someplace in 45 minutes so she and her cousin went back home. I got a call from one of the students that I am working with, she and a friend were waiting by a roundabout on the way. I told the driver we needed to stop at the Carrafour Godomey. He said fine. And then proceeded to speed right through it.
I lost it. Arrete! Arrete!!!! (waving my hands wildly in the air once again) Mon amie est la? Pourquoi tu as fait comme ca? (with my terrible French I yelled “stop, my friend is there. Why did you do like that?”) “Because there was traffic. Tell your friend to take a zem to Ouidah” “Oh hell no! Stop here and she’ll take a zem here.”
Despite the intentions of the driver, Sandrine and her friend made it to the wedding.
He turned off the car with an angry flourish and we waited. Sandrine and her friend arrived, greeted everyone in the increasingly sardinish van, and we took off again. Well, we tried to take off again. The driver turned the key and nothing. Absolutely nothing. He turned to me and glared, then tried again. Not a word, and he pulled some wires out, tried to work some magic. Nothing. He got out, slammed the door, and walked away.
I turned back to everyone and smiled, squeezing Stu’s hand. Wahala ni! At this point it was around 2:50 or so. The wedding was to start in Ouidah at 3pm. Pas possible. I sent a message to our hosts telling them to give everyone who was already there a drink and some food to pacify them while we tried to figure out the bus situation. And here’s the real kicker – the second bus, filled with Bienvenu and his family, sped by us merrily on their way to Ouidah. Vraiment! It was at this point that the band told us we needed to pick up their manager a few kilometers down the road. Their manager?!?
Stu and I were really beginning to wonder if we would ever make it there (and yet were not surprised that we were late to our own wedding…) when the driver walked up with a young mechanic. They pulled the driver seat up and back, and began to work some magic with the wires down below. It definitely smelled like something was burning, or had been recently. The mechanic used his teeth to pull off some of the plastic covering on wires, felt them to see if they were active, and in a matter of less than 5 minutes had the car running again. African mechanics are truly miracle workers, as Stu has seen on several occasions (funny enough, the last time he witnessed something like this was in Togo when he was carrying the engagement ring in his bag and our taxi broke down. Nothing like a little car trouble to add to the excitement of a big day!).
We set out once again, and I instructed the band members to tell the driver that he had to stop again. I wasn’t going to be the culprit this time! My phone rang seconds later and it was another student telling me he was in Ouidah but he couldn’t find the location. Completely lost. I kept telling him the directions, but the noise level in that bus was incredible. “Je ne comprends pas!!!” I shouted in frustration. Which didn’t seem to make any difference to him.
Guests having a good time while they wait for the bride and groom to arrive. C'est normale.
We barely rolled to a stop to pick up the last passenger, everyone squished in for the last stretch to Ouidah. Eli, Stu, and I fell asleep in a happy bundle in the front seat and chose to ignore the back of the van for a little while. Half an hour later we reached “Chez Maman V” the home of our friends and hosts, Willy and Evelyne. She is French and he is Beninese, and they just moved from Cotonou to Ouidah to open a buvette, or small outdoor bar. I’d been there the Saturday before for the inauguration of the bar, and they were very excited to host our wedding. As we pulled up we saw friends out at tables enjoying a drink and awaiting our arrival. “Vive Les Mariés” (Long live the married couple) read a colorful sign on the wall.
Evelyne and a friend at Chez Maman V a week before our wedding.
Stu and I, with Eli in tow, made our way across to greet everyone. A tent had been set up in the courtyard with chairs lined up in rows for our guests. We quickly made our way inside to the room that Evelyne had set up for us to get ready in. Everyone who had been in the van made their way to the chairs to join those who had already been waiting around an hour and a half for the ceremony to begin. We, however, felt that we deserved a little down time before the big event and so we took a shower to wipe off the grime of the road and refresh ourselves. Our guests waited in the chairs outside. They had no choice.
After a brief, but very intense, period of panic during which I thought I had forgotten the jewelry that Annie made for me, we emerged into the foyer, ready to go. Annie and Eli were brought inside with their flowers and I explained to Annie once again what she needed to do. Bienvenu was our videographer – he and Annie disagreed about what her role was. I explained it once more and we were on our way.
Well, almost on our way. Just then Annie’s shoe fell apart. It was a pretty shoe, too. We called out to her friend who was one of our guests. She had super glue in her purse. Or she thought she did. Turns out it was in her other purse, in the van. We called out to Annie’s domestic, who had to run to the van, find the purse, bring it to us, and then go back to watch Heather again. Meanwhile, Willy is running back and forth trying to find one of Evelyne’s shoes that might fit Annie. He told her she had huge feet, and not to mess up his wife’s shoes (I think it was supposed to be a joke, although I’m not quite sure).
Throughout all of this little Eli is just standing there with her flowers, a bouquet that is about 3 times as big as her, with her eyes wide open in fear, wondering when this personal nightmare is going to be over. Thankfully, it would be soon.
Eli, the reluctant flower girl, wondering when this living nightmare will end.
We waited for the superglue to dry and finally we were ready. Bienvenu and Annie’s friend went back outside, everyone quieted down, and Annie emerged with her beautiful bouquet and a gorgeous smile. “Soyez le bienvenu!” Welcome everyone!
Anie welcoming everyone to the wedding!
Annie was followed by Eli, who was directed by Bienvenu to stand still for some photos, and then she quickly made her way to her seat in the front row. It was then time for Stu and I to emerge. We held hands, smiled at one another, and walked out the front door to the sound of wild applause and cheering. Stu looked absolutely amazing in his white bazzin (a type of cloth worn on special occasions) with black embroidery (done by the Senegalese who are known for being great embroiderers) very regal. It was a wonderful feeling being next to him and seeing the joy on our friends’ faces! We stood there, basking in the moment, and then sat down in front of the desk. The man who was to marry us came up a minute later and sat down very solemnly. He waited for the crowd to shut up. They did not shut up. He waited a bit more, our friends had gathered around to take photos of us close up. They waited for him to start. He waited for them to go away. Eventually he indicated that he was not going to start anything with such a production beside him, and they all reluctantly headed back to their seats.
Our wedding officiant, an elder from Ouidah.
The whole ceremony was done in French and English, and he began by asking Stu and I to explain what we understood family and marriage to mean. He and I had discussed this the week before, so we were not just put on the spot without prior knowledge. Stu gave a very thoughtful response, and the monsieur became very impatient to know what he was saying so he demanded a translation halfway through. Stu was never able to finish his comments, and mine were glossed over with “Marcy and I discussed this last week so I know she is of the same understanding as Stu.” I, however, appreciated the sincerity and care that Stu took with his words and squeezed his hand to let him know I felt the same.
He then went on to discuss several items from the civil code of Benin regarding family, some of which were so important that he looked at the audience and said, “Pay attention, this applies to all of you.” Pretty funny. I think Stu and I were both afraid that he’d read the civil code in its entirety. Fairly soon after, but not soon enough, he asked for the rings. Annie came up and gave them to us, we exchanged rings, kissed and were pronounced Mr and Mrs O’Neil. We were immediately pelted with rice! As a surprise, Evelyne had made little packets of rice and instructed our guests to throw it at us when we were pronounced husband and wife. Based on the velocity of the rice, I’m pretty sure they viewed it as ammunition and payback for being stuck in the van for several hours.
The rest of the evening was great; we enjoyed live music from the band, nice food and drink, and the company of our friends. It was the most wonderful day of our lives. Especially the moment when we bid adieu to all of our friends who were going to take the buses back to Cotonou, and we stuck around to begin our honeymoon at a little auberge on the beach.
Group shot - say cheese!
Although that, too, was an adventure in itself. For you see, when I told Willy and Evelyne that we had reservations at Au Jardin Helvetia they were under the impression that I just got the name wrong and we were really staying at Au Jardin Bresilia. I had told them we needed a taxi, and as we were preparing to leave they came joyously into the room and said they were going to take us themselves. It turns out that Willy’s sister overheard him calling for a taxi and said they could take her car. I said it was too far and we could get a taxi. Evelyne said it would be romantic, taking the newlyweds to their honeymoon hotel. I bet she’s still regretting that offer.
And then we started the journey. Keep in mind that night had fallen, I had never been to said hotel before, and I was just about out of credit on my phone. Add that to the fact that the road makes bumpy cake look smooth and, you guessed it, wahala ni. The hotel that they thought we were staying at was just outside of town. Very close to their house. But no matter how many times Evelyne said “Au Jardin Bresilia” and I corrected her by saying, “Non, Au Jardin Helvetia” we still kept driving on. I tried to call the hotel to get directions, but the number that I had wasn’t working. There is no “411” in Benin, so calling information was not an option.
As we drove on slowly, tumbleweed began to blow by the car, and Willy’s conversation turned to bandits. “Bandits love this road. They’ll stop you, make you get out, take the car and your money, and leave you by the side of the road.” Wonderful. Just what we needed to end the lovely day! Once again our thoughts turned to the fact that we may not reach our destination. Willy told me to call the hotel. I told him I tried and it didn’t work. He told me to try again, and added, “this is far!” He continued driving, turning off the lights every once in a while (whether this was to determine distance from other lights or to scare Evelyne, I’m not quite sure – although I think it was a little of both).
“We’re driving all the way to Cotonou!” said Willy. “I know.” I thought… “I tried to tell you it was between Cotonou and Ouidah..” I desperately sent out a text message to Emily, hoping she was home and could check the internet for the phone number. Turns out she was still on the road too. Next in line was Iffy. I sent her a message and within 2 minutes got a message back with several numbers to try. Enfin! One of the numbers worked and I passed the phone to Willy. As he attempted to navigate the enormous potholes, look out for bandits, and talk to the woman on the phone, Evelyne kept shouting something about Au Jardin Bresilia! Stu and I looked at each other, squeezed one another’s hands, and contemplated jumping out of the car and going on foot instead.
Beautiful road in the day. At night, a little dark and creepy. Especially with talk of bandits.
Thankfully by that point we were actually very close to the hotel. We turned in to the grounds and saw a beautifully manicured lawn that Willy tried to drive over until he was stopped by both Evelyne and Morenike, the proprietor. A smile returned to both of our faces when Morenike came up to the car and said, Madame O’Neil? We took our stuff from the trunk, Willy and Evelyne high-tailed it out of there, and we were led to our bungalow with the offer of some fresh fish brochettes, French fries, and cold beers. They were so welcoming that they also stocked our fridge with cold beers and told us they would bring our dinner to the terrace and we wouldn’t even have to leave the room. It’s like they already knew us.
As we tore the gold foil caps off of our Castel beers, Stu and I looked at one another and smiled with the realization that we wouldn’t have to drive anywhere for at least two days. Besides that, we were finally married!!! Ten and a half years from the day that we first met, and it was about time!
Don’t worry, that’s all this update is going to consist of. And just think, that is just one day (albeit one fantastic, extraordinary day)! Life here is never boring, although I miss everyone at home greatly. And I even miss the Michigan roads! Enjoy the day and know that I am thinking of all of you constantly.
O digba!
Mrs. & Mr. O’Neil
The joy of finally making it to our own wedding! Lauren, Iffy, and Abdou helped us celebrate.
Beautiful view at Jardin Helvetia
Maman Eli, her sister, and the kids helped us celebrate this amazing day.
Reliving the past, looking forward, and enjoying the moment
This fall I'll be teaching a new course (teaser, I'm not going to jinx it by talking it up too soon) and the process of thinking about old problems in new ways brought me back to a blog post about yoga that I wrote a few years ago on Medium. It's a bit of a #longread (13 minutes) so I think if you've got a nice cup of coffee or glass of wine you may enjoy checking it out. Please do let me know what you think.
Audrey's brothers hanging out in their courtyard in Abomey, Benin doing the "Superman" pose that was so popular earlier this year.
As many of you know, in addition to working with TS, I'm also an assistant professor of anthropology. It's a job that I love - despite the fact that I basically fell into it after I finished my PhD and someone else had just left the position unexpectedly. From the very beginning it's been both challenging and rewarding.
This fall I'll be teaching a new course (teaser, I'm not going to jinx it by talking it up too soon) and the process of thinking about old problems in new ways brought me back to a blog post about yoga that I wrote a few years ago on Medium. It's a bit of a #longread (13 minutes) so I think if you've got a nice cup of coffee or glass of wine you may enjoy checking it out. Please do let me know what you think.
Click on the photo below to be taken to Medium.
Me doing a little bit of tree pose at the Togo/Benin border back in 2016. Image captured by my friendly Nigerian seat mate on the bus.
Towards a plant-based diet, what I’ve learned from Benin
Like so many others today, I am leaning towards a plant-based diet for several reasons. Turns out that in a list of top 100 ways that individuals can reduce global warming, numbers 3 and 4 relate to food! Number 3 is reduce food waste, and number 4 is a plant-rich diet.
Now I never want to waste food - I mean, who does - but somehow I still find myself cleaning out the fridge and throwing away bits of this and that. Sometimes I’ve been overly eager when grocery shopping, other times I make something that doesn’t turn out right. And I love to cook. Really love to cook. I find it an enjoyable pastime as well as a means of nourishing both body and soul. So this month I’m taking some cues from my friend Anie who loves to cook, can stretch a dollar, rarely wastes food, and eats a primarily plant-based diet (with the addition of some fish, eggs, and meat). Here’s what she’s taught me.
A (mostly) plant-based happy hour with the family at home.
Like so many others today, I am leaning towards a plant-based diet for several reasons. Turns out that in a list of top 100 ways that individuals can reduce global warming, numbers 3 and 4 relate to food! Number 3 is reduce food waste, and number 4 is a plant-rich diet.
Now I never want to waste food - I mean, who does - but somehow I still find myself cleaning out the fridge and throwing away bits of this and that. Sometimes I’ve been overly eager when grocery shopping, other times I make something that doesn’t turn out right. And I love to cook. Really love to cook. I find it an enjoyable pastime as well as a means of nourishing both body and soul. So this month I’m taking some cues from my friend Anie who loves to cook, can stretch a dollar, rarely wastes food, and eats a primarily plant-based diet (with the addition of some fish, eggs, and meat). Here’s what she’s taught me.
Roasted eggplant with a beautiful mole sauce at Hartwood in Tulum, Mexico.
- Use cash when shopping. One of the ways in which I’m going to try to reduce food waste is by doing some meal planning. Would I love to make 7 really interesting meals every week? Sure! But most recipes serve between 4-8 people, and many nights it’s just my husband and I who are eating them. How to truly keep myself in check? I’m going to try the envelope method for my groceries. This may curb some of my impulse purchases and help me stick to my meal plans.
- And now, what to cook? How would you describe your favorite meal? If you’re a meat-eater like me, you probably lead with the protein. Chicken and rice. Meat and potatoes. Fish and chips. What if we flipped it, and looked at the protein as the supporting role rather than the star? Almost every night Anie makes a dish called pâte. It’s very common in southern Benin, and is made by taking corn flour and water and cooking them together to form a stiff porridge. Once it’s cooked you can let it sit in an insulated container and then scoop it out when you want to eat.
- Sauce is key. Anie typically cooks two different types of sauce each night, and both can be used to accompany the pâte. One is a sauce des legumes, a green leafy vegetable that is cooked with onions, spices, and chilis. The other is called krinkrin, a sauce of a leafy green that when chopped finely becomes similar in texture to okra. You can add some dried or smoked fish to either sauce, but the average serving size of the protein is much smaller than I typically serve. And yet, when I’m done eating I am very full.
- Save the epic meals for when you are having company. It’s fantastic to make an epic meal. And Anie excels at those. But for the most part she is making plant-based meals with a little splash of fish or meat to round them out.
The beautiful aftermath of a mostly plant-based Vietnamese meal.
I’m going to try to be more mindful this month, and would love to hear if you have any suggestions to reduce food waste and incorporate more plants into your diet.
A great cup of coffee and a coconut macaroon at the Auberge in Grand Popo, Benin.
Onions and garlic to make palm nut soup with my friend Mary in Tema, Ghana.
Have you ever tried a Beyond Burger? They’re vegan and they’re insanely good.
10 phrases I wish I'd known on my first trip to Benin
2) Tu as fait un peu? (Have you done a little?) - The first time someone said this to me I felt kind of irritated, because I had been doing more than a little. It’s another one of those phrases used to acknowledge that someone has just come back from doing something or maybe has been working on stuff earlier in the day. The “un peu” doesn’t mean that they think you’ve not accomplished anything or that you are lazy. (They may very well believe that, but this phrase isn’t used as an insult.)
Mary (left) and Marcy hanging out in the dorm back in 2005. Vous etes la?
1) Tu est la? / Vous etes la? (Are you there?) - This phrase is generally used when you happen to see someone hanging out and you just basically want to acknowledge their presence. The anticipated response is Oui. Nothing more, nothing less.
2) Tu as fait un peu? (Have you done a little?) - The first time someone said this to me I felt kind of irritated, because I had been doing more than a little. It’s another one of those phrases used to acknowledge that someone has just come back from doing something or maybe has been working on stuff earlier in the day. The “un peu” doesn’t mean that they think you’ve not accomplished anything or that you are lazy. (They may very well believe that, but this phrase isn’t used as an insult.)
3) Bon Appetit! Means the same thing as it does in the US, but it is not only used by the person who has made food when they present it to the table. The phrase is used as a greeting for people who are eating. So if you walk into a restaurant (particularly a small one), you will greet people who are eating by saying Bon Appetit! It’s spoken in a sing-song way, with the Bon a bit lower, and the Ap-pe in a rising inflection and then ti (the last t is silent) on a downward inflection. I’ve also seen the phrase directed toward babies who are breastfeeding. Makes sense, right?
Enjoying a meal of pate noir at a funeral in Abomey in 2008. Bon appetit!
4) Bon travail! (Literally: Good Working) The phrase is used as a greeting when you encounter someone who is working hard, typically people who are doing some sort of manual labor. I’ve not really heard it used to say “Good Job” for a job well done. This is another way of acknowledging that you may be walking right by someone who is exerting some sort of effort.
5) Cho! (A Fongbe word, means something like “seriously!” or “can you believe that?”) You’ll hear this word sometimes when you listen to a conversation between two Fon speakers, one may be telling a story or relating an experience about something that irritated them. It’s almost like saying “can you believe they did that?”
![You posted this photo with my crazy hair? Cho! [Photo taken in 2013 with students/alumni of the University of Abomey-Calavi. From left: Venance, Sandrine, Rose, Jocelyne, Marcy, Gratien, Nadège, Sidonie, Yves, Abed-Nego, Cedrick, Geneviève, Paul]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54f61b4ce4b065a0fa00d988/1527624883497-K6HT6K4OG5DM0M4V29HM/IMG_1365.JPG)
You posted this photo with my crazy hair? Cho! [Photo taken in 2013 with students/alumni of the University of Abomey-Calavi. From left: Venance, Sandrine, Rose, Jocelyne, Marcy, Gratien, Nadège, Sidonie, Yves, Abed-Nego, Cedrick, Geneviève, Paul]
6) Mawo! You’ll hear this in conversations between Fon speakers, it’s an expression similar to “Jeez” or “Oh God”
7) Petit a petit (Little by little) This expression can be used to celebrate the little wins while acknowledging setbacks. If someone talks about how difficult something was, and that they were only able to get a little bit done, you can say “Petit a petit” so they don’t get discouraged.
We make progress in our studies petit a petit. Yves working hard with Rachelle and Florence back in 2016.
8) Chauffeur! (Driver) Ok, so I did understand this as the word in French is often used in the US. However, I didn’t realize that people will just yell “Chauffeur!” at the driver if they want to get his attention, or yell at him for his terrible driving. It’s not an insult, it’s just like a title. Well, there may be insults added on “Imbecile, fou, etc” but just calling someone Chauffeur is not super rude. You could also say Monsieur, or Fofo (the Fon word for Uncle).
9) Vous êtes une volontaire? (Are you a volunteer?) - Since Americans are pretty rare in Benin, it is likely that you will be asked if you are a volunteer if you are there for any extended period of time. This typically refers to Peace Corps Volunteers. My response was typically “Non, je suis une étudiante en anthropologie.”
10) Maman X (X= name of their child) Most adults are referred to as Maman X or Papa X rather than by their first name in everyday conversation. You typically call them the name that relates to the child that you know; default to their eldest child if you don't really know any of their children. Family is very important in Benin, and parenthood is a respected role so it makes sense that once a person becomes a parent their title reflects that status.
Evelyn (right) and her husband Willie were wonderful hosts for our wedding in Ouidah back in 2010. They opened a little buvette called Chez Maman V and we were the first customers.
Love foreign languages? This is what Fongbe sounds like.
Heather and Rachelle had a great time learning how to read the language they have spoken since they first learned how to talk. Like most kids in schools in Benin, they learn how to read French but don't typically find too much reading material in their first language. Check out the fun they had reading "A Love Story" (Books that Bind, Volume 1) in Fongbe.
7 folktales, 2 countries, & you.
"Today oral storytelling is disappearing. Children learn their lessons through workbooks at school instead of from their elders...So I am happy to participate in this book project. Even if I one day leave this world, the story will remain."
Photo from the folktale "Love All Children" - Photographer: Judith Vlafonou
When we started this journey a few years back we had no idea how long it would be or where the road would take us. All we knew was that there were some great kids who had such potential but faced many challenges in their day-to-day lives. Our vision was to reduce the likelihood that they would live in poverty.
Photo taken in PK11, a neighborhood in Cotonou. Photographer: Stuart O'Neil
But how to accomplish that vision? It started with concrete steps. We arranged for teachers to provide after school and weekend tutoring, we hired local anthropologists who would visit the families regularly, and we met with talented artisans who created beautiful pieces of jewelry to finance our operation. And we talked about it to everyone we knew.
And we found out that we're not the only ones who want to make the world a better place. We found you. Each of you has been a part of this journey, whether it has been purchasing jewelry or art, donating directly to our TS Education Fund, volunteering, modeling, editing photos or giving us shoutouts on social media. Thank you so much!
Because of your help we have been able to start our "Books that Bind" project with storytellers in Benin. Michigan State University students are currently working with teams in Benin to create a volume of 7 folktales and an accompanying website that will include audio, video, and maps to help readers outside of Benin understand the context of these stories. Some of the children in our program have acted out the scenes and Judith has done a fantastic job taking photographs. Anie has done some of the drawings, and several kids have colored them in.
But that's not even the most extraordinary part of this story. You see, the reason we took this side trip on our journey is because none of the children had ever seen a storybook in their own language. Think about that for a minute. They have seen books that are donated from Europe or the United States, that feature lives much different from their own, in languages that are not spoken in their homes. Yet storytelling has long been a way for elders to teach young people in Benin. And many of the elders do not know how to read, and do not speak French. One of the storytellers is 87 year-old Mémé Vlafonou who told MSU students, "Today oral storytelling is disappearing. Children learn their lessons through workbooks at school instead of from their elders...So I am happy to participate in this book project. Even if I one day leave this world, the story will remain."
Mémé Vlafonou, one of the storytellers. Photo credit: Judith Vlafonou
So our books will be in two languages, in the language that is spoken by the storyteller (Fongbe, Goun, or Mahi) and also in French or English (both will be available). We hope to have them available by June of this year in the US, and will offer them on our website. In the meantime, please be sure to join us on Facebook and Instagram as we post more sneak-peeks into the process. If you'd like to donate directly to the book project, you may do so here.
Meet our Three Sisters family in Benin
We're big fans of cultural exchange over here, and know that you are too. So we asked our TS family in Benin to tell us little bit about themselves. Next week you'll get to meet the artisans - this week you'll meet everyone at the TS Education Fund.
We're big fans of cultural exchange over here, and know that you are too. So we asked our TS family in Benin to tell us little bit about themselves. Next week you'll get to meet the artisans - this week you'll meet everyone at the TS Education Fund.
Why I love Castel beer
You know that feeling when you meet new people and you don't quite know the protocol? Like you don't want to order a beer and then find out that everyone else abstains from alcohol entirely? Or is that just me? Anyway, when I visited Benin it was pretty hot. Ok, really hot.
Castel beer and roasted cashews at a buvette in the Stade de l'Amitie in Cotonou. Photo: Marcy O'Neil 2016
Just over ten years ago I visited Benin for the first time. It wasn't my first time to Africa - that had been a trip to Tanzania right after 9/11. This time I was going for a french language intensive course and some research for an undergraduate project through the McNair Scholars Program. I went by myself, as there were no organized trips from my university that year.
For one month I stayed in Cotonou, a large city of nearly 1 million people on the coast. I rented a room at Codiam, a modest guesthouse where I had a small bedroom and a bathroom that was adjoined to the room next door. My professor at Wayne State had put me in contact with some of his colleagues in Benin and they were very gracious. Bienvenu, Fidel, and Sourou took me to see the Temple of the Pythons in Ouidah, to choir practice at the Bon Pasteur catholic church in Cadjehoun, and to a zoo near Porto Novo.
Bon Pasteur Catholic Church in Cadjehoun, Cotonou. Photo: Marcy O'Neil 2005
You know that feeling when you meet new people and you don't quite know the protocol? Like you don't want to order a beer and then find out that everyone else abstains from alcohol entirely? Or is that just me? Anyway, when I visited Benin it was pretty hot. Ok, really hot. I had arrived in May and stayed into June and so even though it was getting into the rainy season the heat was intense. Plus, I had opted for a room at Codiam that did not have air-conditioning and the small fan in the room didn't do much to penetrate the mosquito net over my bed.
So there were times when I would get up in the middle of the night and take a shower, and by the time the water had rolled from my head to my feet it would be warm. (And there was no hot water there, it was so cold that it would take my breath away as it hit my body initially.) In addition to getting used to the hot weather, I was new to some of the food in Benin. For instance, I didn't realize that it is common practice to take really hot chili peppers (piment) and leave them whole in a dish of rice or sauce to flavor it. For some silly reason one day I decided to eat one (whole) while dining by myself at the canteen at Codiam.
My eyes began watering immediately, and I started to cough. I felt so silly, and didn't want to cause a commotion but still there were nice people who came by to see if "the American" was ok. At the time my French was really terrible, and so I had a hard time letting people know what had happened, and I eventually showed them the piment that I had eaten whole. There were some chuckles at that, and someone offered me a beer.
No beer has ever tasted better. (Ok, maybe another one has, but this one was monumental.) It was a Castel, a brand that was really popular at the time and produced locally in Cotonou. The top of each bottle is wrapped in a gold foil that to me is the essence of Castel. It is a gift to be unwrapped and enjoyed, to be celebrated.
Looking down on the street from the balcony in French class. Photo: Marcy O'Neil 2005
Not long after the piment incident, as I like to call it, I told the guys what had happened. And that I had "discovered" Castel beer. They loved hearing that I liked the beer, and that I was trying Beninois food. Turns out they were erring on the side of caution with me, too. They didn't know how accepting I would be of the Beninese culture but had still wanted to fulfill their side of the bargain of showing me around.
So towards the end of the trip Bienvenu took me to two separate places that really had an impact on me. First, he brought me as his guest to a funeral ceremony in Abomey where he grew up. I'd never been to anything like it in my life. Because the person who died was an elder the ceremony was a celebration of his life and his legacy. Yes, the family shed tears at the loss of their loved one, but the whole day was spent enjoying wonderful food (plate after plate arrived during the day), great drinks (Castel!!), and music and dancing. Bienvenu told his relatives that I liked Castel, and they didn't hesitate to bring me as many cold beers as I could drink that day.
In the taxi on the way to Abomey. Photo: Marcy O'Neil 2005
I met Bienvenu's parents, aunts and uncles and extended family. I met his in-laws, and Bienvenu showed me the path that he used to take to sneak over and visit Anie when they were dating. Their collectivités (essentially large family compounds) had been adjacent and so they had known each other since they were kids.
On our way out of town we visited the Royal Palaces of Abomey, a reminder of the powerful kingdom and lineage of 12 kings who ruled from the 14th century to right around 1900. The palaces are designated as world heritage sites by UNESCO. There is a beautiful mango tree in one of the courtyards, and the groundskeeper allowed me to pick a couple to bring back to Cotonou. I may or may not have snuck one in my suitcase on the way home.
Right before I left Cotonou Bienvenu and Anie invited me to dinner at their house. It was the first time that I met Anie and their son Kevi, who was just 2 or so at the time. The food was amazing, grilled pork and some delicious rice and sauce. And yes, you guessed it, plenty of cold Castel beer.
Castel is no longer the most popular beer in Benin, but it will always be my favorite.
Me trying to think of a French word, probably. Photo: Bienvenu Azehoungbo 2008