Some things I've learned along the way

Amazingly, we're almost 11 months into our service (not counting the 6 months of practice I got in Niger).  I thought I'd share some lessons learned thus far. 

• Living without running water isn’t that much of an imposition.
• The limits of non-refrigeration. Reheating only goes so far.
• How to drink water or bisap out of a plastic bag with minimal spillage
• That only you can prevent diarrhea, which mostly means eating food only you have touched
• The meaning of the phrase “shit show,” as related to Peace Corps parties (or, let's be honest) anything organized by the staff
• How to put a Beninese man in his place and that responding to “Viens ici!” never ends well
• How to dodge motos at the marche
• How to ride a motorcycle (always with a helmet!), particularly over terre rouge (dirt roads)
• How to make a toddler cry just by being white; this happens more than you might think, my friends
• In theory, how to change a bike tire
• All about the music of Akon, unfortunately
• How pile 11 people plus a few babies into a Subaru-sized station wagon, or 20+ into a minivan
• That the roofs of those cars can hold a whole lot of stuff, like motorcycles and cows
• How to urinate on the side of the road
• How to dehydrate yourself to avoid going on the side of the road
• The crazier the print on the fabric, the better
• Pajamas can absolutely be worn as work attire
• Never travel in anything but pants
• Take the estimated travel time and double it; really, just plan to go a day early
• (Reminder): Having a bad day? Your life could a lot, lot worse
• Pretty much anything can be transported via motorcycle: a couch, a half-butchered steer, three or four car tires (worn by the driver), or up to five children
• Never, ever take diet soda for granted
• Do not believe the neighbor’s kids when they tell you a large flock of birds broke your porch light
• There is actually a season for chicken eggs, and for puppies.
• Mango tree blossoms smell a lot like lilacs
• The worst place for mosquito bites is the arch of the foot
• Holidays with friends can be just as good as with family
• Nigeria exports some pretty decent snack food
• Breathing camion/semi-truck exhaust makes you run a lot, lot slower.
• The world can be made good again after a good night’s sleep or a letter from home.
• There’s always time for an egg sandwich when waiting for a car to leave the taxi station.
• Always expect the unexpected. This is Africa. 
• When in doubt, take a deep breath. Soyez calme!
• If a boy comes by and offers to carry your 25-liter bidon of water, just forget your pride and let him.
• Why pay for Possotome (bottled water) when you can have water in a sachet for a fraction of the cost?
• Shea butter fixes everything
• "Every victory has the same value," a direct quote from our amazing training manager, Gisele.  Sometimes just leaving your house to buy tomato paste constitutes an accomplishment.
• The ethical and economic implications of foreign aid are much, much more complicated than I ever imagined.
• It's okay to read guilty-pleasure novels or only books with happy endings. Life is stressful enough.
• I am not very good at hand-washing my clothes.