The thing about peeing

A year ago, before even leaving Philadelphia, a Peace Corps representatives’ words of wisdom included things like being flexible, adaptable, and understanding. And then there was the phrase, which made us giggle like five year olds—you will become very comfortable quickly with discussing bowel movements. 

Then there was the moment two weeks into training, where we are trained in MIF kits--how to poop into a cup, so Peace Corps doctors can determine what fun amoebas or parasites we have contracted. This uncomfortable explanation was made infinitely more uncomfortable by a six-foot Beninese man explaining the process while having a shit-eating grin on his face the entire time, as if he himself were going to burst into laughter at any moment. 

But of course there is nothing like the first time in every Peace Corps volunteers service when they have to do the inevitable--actually make a MIF kit. Needless to say all of us are quite comfortable in discussing our bowel movements as predicted. But this is not what I want to talk about, what I want to talk about is how comfortable everyone in Benin is with not necessarily defecating in public, but urinating.

One of my most common complaints is how the Beninese pride themselves on appearance, even if they are poor, they always want to put their best forward, but they have no qualms with peeing and in some cases pooping freely out in the open, and in some cases in the field outside my Maman's house or right next to my house. I can't say that many days have gone by where I have not seen at the very least one man in the standard stand-up peeing stance. I repeat, the standard stand-up peeing stance. 


It has come to my recent attention some new peeing stances for men, which perhaps I was purely just ignorant of before, because I am a woman and never felt compelled to ask. 


I am sitting on my porch outside my house on market day, which I loath for the pure fact that it is urination and defecation central, as people refuse to pay the 25 FCFA to use the latrines conveniently located within the market. I am working on grading some papers, when I turn to my right and see a man approaching the neighboring concessions bathing area. 

The bathing area is basically four cement walls not even high enough to hide from the waist up--needless to say this bathing area is used primarily by men--and a door opening. There is a hole in one of the corners inside the bathing areas, where the water drains from, and did I mention this bathing area is near one of the entrances to the market that is crowded with vendors and people coming and going. 

So the man approaches the wall furthest from the market, which is backed by a corn field, which hasn't been planted yet. I know what is about to go down, but then I see the man go into a catcher's squat position, and proceed to pee in this manner. I think to myself, perhaps he is trying not to draw attention to himself, but think it has failed, because how weird is it that he is squatting to pee?


Again, I assumed perhaps this pee stance was something I was unfamiliar with because I am a woman, but then, not even a week later, I am taking a bus down to Cotonou, and we have made one of our typical bathroom stops in front of an open field. I look out the window and see a man making to do the same peeing squat position, but no, he takes a knee. You know, like you take for t-ball photos, or like when a person gets injured on the baseball field? But it doesn't end there, he takes a knee, and then kicks out is left leg as if he is stretching his groin after running a marathon. He then proceeds to pee. 


I am baffled, and yes I know, this all probably sounds weird that I am witnessing and watching these things, but the thing is it was better than what was going on to the left of him--a big Maman, who gave up on being discrete and just let her huge butt come out of hiding from behind her skirt as she'd peed, and then gracefully returned to the bus.