More October

Just a few random pics from the last couple of weeks. Did go to the Oktober fest seen here in town by us (Mainz) smaller fest but still nice. Lots of photos of the baby here try to get some more of the other kids too.


Here we are with friends at the fest.


Austin at the fest.


Austin enjoying the fest.


Austin and Alex playing around.


Austin with Lumi.

October is here

October is here, and it started about the same way as it will end, the kids getting all dressed up. The little town next to us had a big fest on Sunday and we took the children there. It was like a farmers market/applefest all rolled up into one event. The kids did get there faces painted so that made it a successful event for all.


The baby is starting to get big.


Alex as a butterfly.


Anton as a tigger.


Alex and Anton together.

Benin, Africa

As I'm sure many of you know, September Took me (Bart) to Benin, Africa for work. The U.S.A. dept of defense every year conducts drills in poor impoverished countries, giving them medical support, treating there people, and at the same time learning about there cultures and expanding our knowledge in many area of disease. This year one of the countries in which we conducted one of these events was Benin, Africa, rated #6 on the poorest country list (for now). I got to share in double duties there, first training there military in medical skills and also helping to treat there people. (got to diagnose my first ever full malaria pt.) This was perhaps the greatest trip I may have ever taken and by far the most rewarding event I have ever done with the military. This country was only known for two things Slave trade & voodoo'ism. The country loves the U.S. and the people were awesome. I can't say or show you enough about this trip. It will take three 'blogs' just to get to the tip of the iceberg here (bad phrase for africa) this first one will be from my primary duties ' training the Benin Army in Medical skills'.




This was myself and some of the fellow instructors.


When we were finished with everything we did a training exercises with the military, fire dept, and police at the airport. We set up a plane that had went down drill with 60 injured people and made them evac from plane, treat and get them to the hospital (the whole capitol city has 4 ambulances only) But our troops stold the show and out performed everybody.


This was our class graduation.


One of the students practice putting on a field dressing.


This was the ambulance that the military owns for service in Ouidou.

the people

This next part of the post is just a small bit of the culture. Photos can not do it all justice. The average wage were we were at is $3 per day, most of the soldiers we trained made $90 a month + housing (if you want to call it that) there Doctors made upwards of $110 per month.


This is a photo of 4 on a moped with a cooler, the 4th is the baby strapped on the back with a sheet. 3 or 4 is very common but the most I did see was six on a small motorcycle (125 or smaller) much like this photo but no cooler two children there instead. One day I saw 2 people on a moped hauling 2 large mattresses on there heads (smiling because it sure did seem to beat walking.



This was the local gas station.
About every 50 meters someone was selling gas out of a glass jug. They do have gas stations but they were always empty. Everyone fills up there mopeds from these guys. Lots of smog here durning rush hour.


Just had to get in one photo of someone with something on there head. This was very small load compared to what was down there just had to be very careful of picture taking there "voodoo sensitivity" I guess.


I got to be (some think had to, but would disagree) one of the guys who set up the treatment sights. On the first day some children came into the compound and 'hung out' with us, I gave them some balloons and got some photo's with them. In case you don't know me well I'm the white guy.


This was what we arrived to in the mornings for patient treatment. Our entire group was 52 people, to include 2 embassy officials, 4 vets/ vet tech's, 6 translators, 3 photographers/ news crew and 2 heads of staff. The other 35 {doctors, nurses, dental personal, opthimology personal and medics} treated over 500 people everyday. With all that work we still couldn't fit them all in, we had people comining from over 120 kilometers away. (in Africa that's about forever).

Day off

As you can imagine this trip did not leave us with a lot of time off. (I guess they sent us to work and we did) However, we did get one Sunday off to go on a small trip to the museum's and see a little bit of culture.
We also got another half day off before we left for the airport which myself and 2 friends spent with small boats paddling up through lagoons of Benin, Africa. I didn't take my camera on that trip (was scared of losing all my other photos on the last day in the lagoon, but that may have been one of the greater points of the trip as well.



This was myself and my friend Williams, at an old Portuguese fort that was used for 'slave trade' it has sense been turned into a museum. A must see if ever in Ouidou. (Benin, Africa)


My favorite soldier in the Benin Army. He is wearing my hat here. This was one of the guys that we became friends with very early durning our stay. Gave him some t- shirts and he brought everyone around to meet us. Ended up giving him and his friends over half my wardrobe but they need it way more than I ever did anyhow. Him and his friends gave me the pleasure of there friendship.


This lady is the US ambassadors to Benin (from West Virginia) the guy is me. Meet here twice while being there and had to get the photo.


This is known as the 'gate of no return'. Was set up for all the slaves who left around this area for slavery and never did return to Mother Africa.


Took this picture at 'the temple of the python' a voodoo temple across the street from the Christian church.