I am a Peace Corps TEFL Volunteer in Benin. I teach English in Kêmon, a small village in the Collines region. I grew up in northern California and studied English and history at the University of California, Davis.
The blog title is from Seneca: “Life is long if you know how to use it.”
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Contact Info
Because internet availability is limited in Benin, I may take a while to respond to comments.
The best way to reach me is by mail. Letters can take from two weeks to a month to travel between Benin and the US. Please date all letters. On the outside of the envelope, write “Air Mail / Par Avion,” and “Dieu te regarde.” The latter means “God is watching you” and is supposed to deter Beninese postal workers from opening American letters and looking for money. My mailing address is:
Michael Bolin, PCV
Corps de la Paix Américain
01 B.P. 971
Cotonou, Benin
Afrique de l’Ouest (West Africa)
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Official Disclaimer
The comments and opinions in this blog are mine and mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of the Peace Corps, the U.S. Government, or anyone other than myself.
Hi Mike,
Congratulations on this new adventure. I’m curious as to why “no care packages”?
I pray that this assignment will be an amazing blessing in your life and that you have safe travels and good health.
Brenda
(Steven’s Mom)
Hi Brenda, Thanks. I’m asking for no care packages for a few reasons: due to the perception that all Americans are wealthy, packages from the US may be stolen en route; I’d like to avoid living with luxuries that the people around me don’t have; and volunteers often have to pay steep fees to get foreign packages out of the post office.
Bien fait. Bonne chance y bon voyage, mon ami. Mark
Sorry about the Spancais. “et”, not “y”. Take care, M.
Godspeed to you, Michael. We love you and are here for you.
Thank you for the updates on Kate Puzey. I am a former Benin TEFL PCV (01-03) and my heart aches for the loss of this young women. From all that I’ve read; it seems like better communication could have prevented it.
Thank you for finding me. You still write as beautifully as I remember. I am in awe…of more than your writing. Well done, young man.