The Beninese people have an incredible culture that is all their own.  I did not realize that voodoo has its origins in Benin.  There are signs of voodoo almost everywhere.  Many people have small scars (usually three short vertical scars on the cheek) to protect them from bad health.  There are also large Muslim and Christian populations in Benin.  I am told that many people who are Christian or Muslim still believe in Voodoo as well. 

Last weekend we met with the King of Porto Novo.  As we entered his palace, we removed our shoes as a sign of respect.  Only the king can wear shoes on the palatial grounds.  We all bowed when he entered the room.  We were only able to meet with the king because Dr. Sylvain Boko is also a prince here of a region called Pobe.  It turns out that Sylvain is bit of a man of mystery.  The king spoke with us about the history of Benin and Voodoo.  Our meeting with the king will go down as one of the most interesting experiences I have ever had.

Beninese food is also quite interesting.  In some ways it is similar to food I have had in other developing countries (fried fish, rice, and the ubiquitous french fry).  However, this area has its own traditions.  Amiwo is a starch dish made from corn that is unlike anything I have ever eaten.  You grab a scoop of amiwo (with your right hand) and dip it into the sauce of the meat dish.  It is polite to eat only with your right hand.  I have found that eating with one hand can be quite difficult when trying to finish a meal including crab.  You just have to bite into the crab shell and all and then separate the meat and shell in your mouth.  Fun stuff!

Presentation is extremely important here.  It seems like everyone is always dressed up.  Most men seen on the street are wearing button down shirts and nice slacks or the traditional Beninise attire.  Many women wear traditional Beninese dresses that are brightly colored and quite formal.

Flexibility is the name of the game in preparing for small business seminars in developing countries.  Dr. Boko informed Neela and I that there will likely be two government officials giving opening remarks at our seminar.  Dr. Boko, with the help of his assistant Sylviane, sent letters to the appropriate officials requesting their presence and participation in our seminar.  In Benin, it is important to notify any government officials that work with the small business sector if you plan to interact with the small business community.  So almost immediately upon our arrival here, we quickly began adjusting our schedule.  It's funny, but changing plans makes me feel comfortable in this setting.  If everything went to plan, I would be worried.

 Today we went shopping.  Dr. Boko's sister, Bernadette, and Sylviane helped us pick out (and negotiate prices) for the Beninese outfits we will be wearing during the seminar.  Burnadette just happens to be a talented seamstress that has offered to use her skills to make beautiful African dresses for the women of our group and stylish African shirts for the men (picures yet to come).  I actually ended up buying material for three dress shirts during our trip.  The fabric is beautiful, the craftsmanship is outstanding, and the prices are low. 

We are excited to see Ajay when he arrives tomorrow.  The importance of having the support of such a great leader cannot be understated.

 The rest of our group (James Russell, Serena Rwejena, Sherry Moss, Zach Forward) will arrive on Sunday.

 As promised, above I have attached some pictures from the trip.  Starting with the before and after pictures of Dr. Boko's snake experience seems like an appropriate start.  He looked calm and collected for the first picture.  But once the snake was taken away, his true feelings came out.