We have gone through so many cooks….
Cook/Steward 1 – didn’t show up after we gave him his first paycheck. Heard he went back to Cotonou for another job
Cook/Steward 2—had attitude. Thought he was too big to replace the plastic bags in Maylee’s trash can
Cook /Steward 3 – Didn’t show up on first day of work. He sent a text message saying he needed more money and that he didn’t want to do laundry.
Cook/Steward 4 – Was a drunkard. Screwed up too many things in the house and ultimately we thought he threatened our safety and hygiene. The final straws were pissing on the toilet and not knowing how to clean it properly, and very dirty dishes after he apparently washed them
Cook/Steward 5 – We liked him, but after day 2, he got a call that his father was going mad and he had to go to the village to take care of him.
Cook/Steward 6 – our current guy – so far so good – let’s see if he sticks.

After I fired #4, he kept coming by the house because he didn’t have enough money to eat (we hadn’t paid him his final salary yet – he was supposed to get it at the end of the week). So I gave him some money to eat until he picked up his full salary – and he promptly shared it with the security guards at my gate. Stupid as he was the one with no money for food and they were the ones with jobs, but quite touching that he would share what little he had. I gave him large bills, too, so he was sharing a considerable chunk of what I gave him.

Here’s a local drink – called a Chapman. It’s made with a concoction of drinks – Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Bitter, I don’t know what else. But it is very refreshing. Note the Holy Bible in the background.