Welcome to Cotonou

"Bonjour!" "Ca va?" Kisses on each check! Another round of "Bonjour" and "Ca va" with "Enchante" thrown in! And another, and another and another! I am here at the Cotonou Airport in Benin. I could explain how or why I got here, but just enjoy the story for now.

The airport! The activity! The bustle of families greeting and kissing and "Ca va"-ing, alive and colorful in African dress! The airport building is modest, but its inhabitants make up for it. The Royal Air Maroc plane landed on the tarmak and we got off on stairs set up next to the plane. We walked directly into the airport. I was one of the first off and gave my passport to the clerk and we had a brief, successful exchange in French. My luggage was one of the first out. My friend was waving wildly at me from the crowd, just beyond the secured area. The crowd seemed to sway with the sounds of the airport, almost dancing to the sounds of life and greeting family and friends who had travelled from far away.

I grabbed my bright red suitcase and my friend began to introduce me to his home country and the bustle of his family and friends, gathered in the airport. And the "Bonjours" and "Ca vas" and kisses on each cheek quickly became mine, the "Enchantes" meant for me, this white girl in jeans, sneakers and a simple black t-shirt amidst this sea of bright print dresses, headdresses, bright bags, scarfs, formal African suits on the men, leather shoes, beautiful jewelry, and loud, vibrant voices speaking rapidly in French, Fon and Yoruba.

For now, we had enough "Bonjours" and "Ca vas" and "Enchantes" to go around. We emerged from the airport to the dusty parking lot that was essentially the red clay earth. It was early morning; dawn had broken only a couple of hours ago. The air was still cool. I had been in the country a total of four minutes and thirty seconds, but had received a resounding welcome.

"So, what do you think?" my friend excitedly asked, eager for my answer. "Umm... maybe you can ask me again in five minutes?" I said. "I just got here."

But I could tell this was going to be good.