Sara,

I'm surprised you are already there. Thought you were leaving Philadelphia today. Guess you made it with your bag? Any other issues traveling?

I called AT&T and they are closed until Monday. Do not worry about the phone expense. I'm sorry I made that comment when you called from Italy at Easter. I call China regularly and those calls are not near as important to me as you are. Remember, I don't do phones very well, particularly when emotions are involved. However, Andrea does well.

I forgot to mention I expect you to come back with a strong neck and very good posture. Always has amazed me about how much Africans can move on their head. Bags of cement, buckets of water, piles of wood, etc. You do realize that it has been less than 100 years since it was "dirt everywhere" streets in most of the United States.

I was pleased to read: "there are 115 PCVs in Benin right now and 38 people in our whole group. The staff and everyone we've met so far have been absolutely amazing." Folks who go into the Peace Corps tend to be idealistic, and this easily translates to amazing. The disagreement with business folks like me comes up when the concepts of entitlements and morals are broached. Maybe you will be able to change my perception of this generalization over the next two years.

There is one message on your dialog page, from Mark Twain, whom I assume is a pseudonym for your Mom. While you have access to e-mail let me know how you want me to handle transfer and backup of the dialog pages. Also, as a test for your review, I have created a page I call "Letters from Sara," on which I will post your e-mails and letters. It is located at: http://www.walden3d.com/benin/letters/index.html. I will connect it to the Benin and Dialog pages when you give me the go ahead. Do you want my responses posted? I think it is best to just have your letters, which gives your friends access to your thoughts and they don't have to read my bigoted and judgmental responses.

I am worried about you. However my friend Jude assures me you are safer than here in the states. With 114 support folks, I do feel better.

Love,

Dad