Emily, Benin Style

I woke up early the first morning at Post. I felt restless. There was so much for me to do in my house, and I wanted it to be done as quickly as possible. So at 6 a.m. I went into my bathroom area and set to cleaning the toilet and floor. I also washed all my dishes from the night before. It started getting light outside around 6:30 a.m. I heard a meowing. I looked out my window, and saw a black and white cat. Big deal? Yes. One of my most beloved possessions happens to be my black and white cat in the States, Emily. While admittedly black and white cats are common, the markings of these two cats were markedly similar. The major difference being Emily is plump to say the least, and this cat, like most Beninese animals—except those that are pregnant—was not.

Since being here I have found there have been several odd moments that make me think perhaps the world is really small. Furthermore these coincidences urge me onward. Reminders that I am in the right place at the right time. The first weeks in Benin I felt strongly, not quite like I have ever before, that I was doing exactly what I was suppose to be doing at this time in my life. As time passes and new challenges arise, and at the same time life becomes habitual that feeling does not resonant as it once did—that is until the next black and white cat appears.