Germany

Hi Chris,
this is the first and only resource I found for learning some of Fon language. I have been to Benin last year for the first time, and I will return this year, not without knowing some Fon words - thanks to you.
A huanou ka ka.
Sophia

France

Bonjour,
Ce site est absolument étonnant. Il vaut de l'or, et je vous félicite pour le sérieux, la méthode, la rigueur, la sympathie du ton. J'adore tout. Le site et le Bénin.
Je cherche à me procurer le pacte de sang au Dahomey de Paul Hazoumé (en version française), quelqu'un peut-il m'aider ? Je prends aussi les photocopies et les occasions... Merci ! [:)s

Vermont, U.S.

I was just wondering if you could direct me to any website with Angelique Kidjo lyrics and translations. I've always been into her music, and I teach music to kids. I would love to teach them a tune or two of Kidjo's to sing, but I want to make sure of the meanings of the lyrics. Can you help me? Thanks, Jay

Italie - ****za

merci pour l'amour qui tu as pour le pays de ma femme, on a creè ensemble une maison d'aide a Ouidah

BENIN

Hello, hello!

I was looking for an Firmine HOUEMAVO 's email adress that will help me take contact with her so long time we met in Benin ( PORTO - NOVO ). I must tell you that I am really impressed by the quality of the information one can find on the site. Being from OUIDAH myself and having grown up in Porto-Novo and Cotonou, I am proud to have pictures since I live here in Scandinavia : NORWAY.I am Firmine's flatt mate
Mi blo dessou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
to remind me of my home town.I think Firmine will answer....Houemavo oun do te kpon reponse to we....
Sincerey yours,
Gilles DOSSOU - GOUIN

Benin

Oh my God! This is huge!! I am so glad to read about my lovely native language. I live in Phialdelphia.Thank you very much for what you are doing.God Bless...

Ohio, USA

Hey there, I had a browse through a fair bit of your page and I found it interesting and also relevant. I have just about finished the peace corps application process (medical clearance in process) and will be a business advisor somewhere in Africa, likely NW. Please share any advice you have for me via e-mail if you have time. I am extremely excited and if all goes well will be leaving in September!

I am so glad you had a great time and share a passion about culture.

Take Care

Claire

Un grand MERCI pour votre site car dans les librairies on ne trouve pas grand chose sur le bénin! je savais que les béninois avaient un grand coeur.Quand on regarde les photos ca donne encore plus envi de decouvrir ce beau pays magnifique

France

Mariée à un Béninois je suis désireuse d'apprendre le fon . il faudrait un paragraphe pour la vie de tout les jours et des phrases pour apprendre au petit la langue de son père. Justine 2 an 1/2 C'est un plaisir d'être sur votre site grand merci
olum

Rome (Italie)

A fon à!This web site...great!Un bravo, Chris!après mon séjour à Cotonou ce Janvier je suis revenue avec une énorme envie d'apprendre le fon, surtout parce que je me ressentais mal à l'aise quand mes amis parlaient en fon avec les autres beninois ...Et puis j'en aurai besoin la prochaine année: je m'installerai sans doute au Bénin, ce pays m'a volé le coeur, je vais le chercher ...Merci d'avoir apporté ta contribution et...édabo !

BENIN

great

u.s.

Chris, thank you for sharing your expereinces. your story is like reading my current life situation. I'm of Afrikan descent, born in America now living in Cape Coast, Ghana, West Afrika for almost 3yrs. thank you again!
you have truly inspired me to share my story, and perhaps like you it will enlighten others as you have enlightend me.
sincerely,
Ngone Aw
http://community-2.webtv.net/AW-RA/ABABIO
http://community.webtv.net/SacredSpaceWithin/WAKEUP

Paris, France

Je suis mariée à un béninois et j'aimerais vraiment parler le fon pour être intégrée à 100% au bénin !! Alors ce site me permets, petit à petit, d'apprendre au moins les bases ! Merci, c'est une aide réelle !!

US

Thanks for the memories. I spent 3 years in Niaouli and looking at your site brought back some great memories.

Benin, West Africa

Mr. Starace:

I was looking for a site that will help me prepare an orientation paperwork for US citizens that newly arrived Benin. I must tell you that I am really impressed by the quality of the information one can find on the site. Being from Allada myself and having grown up in Porto-Novo and Cotonou, I am proud to have pictures to remind me of my home town. Thank you so very much for this magnificent work.
Sincerey,
Firmine

Canada

Je quitte dans trois semaines en direction de Cotonou. Votre site me donne donc de bons trucs et éléments de base qui me seront très certainement utiles sous peu. Merci!

US

hello,
it's been two weeks since I came back from Benin. Out of curiosity, I googled "Porto-Novo" and it led to your website. I've read one of your essays talking about how you felt you were rich with 6 dollars a day and how you felt about the special attention you got because of your skin color. I stayed in Porto-Novo for two months, and while I was reading your essay, I felt like someone knew exactly how to word those feelings that I had. I won't say it was the same experience since everyone is different, but I found myself deeply identifying with your experiences. I was the only asian girl there and was frustrated that I couldn't really tell who really wanted to be my friend purely for the sake of getting to know me. Somehow reading your entries helped me to face those things that I let upset myself, and gave me a courage to go back there in the future. I'm attending college in Middletwon ,CT. I'd come back to your website to read other entries and meanwhile, I'd be very glad to hear from you.

WI/TN

Wow! Your website is great. I became interested in learning about Benin and esp. the fon language because I have several friends from Benin here in the US (and they didn't all know each other first!) I'm an RPCV from Zambia and it's amazing to see the similarities between culture, language structure and such despite the fact that the 2 countries are so far apart geographically and fall under such different spheres of influence. (The Tonga people's greetings are almostly exactly the same, "are you here?" making you want to be like "what do you think!") Thanks for providing so many resources in one place!

France/Benin

Hello
your website is really great I feel impatient to read it.
Votre site est vraiment super et j'ai hâte de le découvrir. Moi qui suis d'origine béninoise je suis réellement impressionnée par la qualité de votre travail et la passion qui s'en dégage. Encore merci

France

Hello,

Je voulais vous remercier pour votre site. Mon amie va au bénin la semaine prochaine pour un mois dans le cadre d'une mission humanitaire. Je l'ai aidée pour préparer son voyage. Et je me suis aidé de votre site pour lui préparer un petit guide sur la langue " FON ". Votre site est très enrichissant et bien utile. j' ai appris plein de belle choses.

Merci beaucoup. Bonne continuation.

Alex

France

Dear Friend of Dahomey (Benin),

J'ai été très sensible à votre regard sur la vie au BENIN et sur les BENINOIS. J'ai vécu 22 ans à Porto-Novo et à Cotonou. Je connais le Dahomey du Nord au Sud et de l'Est à l'Ouest. Je parle le Yoruba, le gun et le fon. Mais je suis établi en France. C'est la première fois que je lis des commentaires sur le Dahomey avec tant de sensibilité. Vous avez vraiment été à la rencontre des Dahoméens.... et je suis touché par votre générosité de coeur. Tout ce que vous écrivez est si juste mais il fallait le voir avec le coeur.
Je serais heureux de conserver un lien avec vous.
Cordialement,

Michel
micheldib@numericable.fr

Benin living in Belgium

Congratulation for this site. I am from Benin and I have been searching for a website to show to my girlfriend. Regarding fongbe I might let you know that your site is great.
Keep goin on like that

USA/Washington, DC

Dear Chris,

I was thrilled to see that a DVD of Benin is available for purchase. I teach ESL at Georgetown University, and I've used segments of your journal, the One-Week Death Defying Chicken, with my reading classes. It's not only interesting and fun, but it also gives us a chance to talk about cross-cultural issues. And now I see there's a DVD available. This will be a wonderful companion to the reading. Please email me your mailing address, and I will send you a check. My full name and mailing address is:

Bennett Lindauer
2500 N. Van Dorn Street
Apt. 707
Alexandria, VA 22302

By the way, a colleague and good friend of mine, Louise Krumm, was P.C. Country Director in Benin from 2002-2004. I wonder if you've met her. She's coming to my class next week to talk about her experiences in Benin. (This is turning into a multi-media instructional unit.)

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
Bennett

Canada

Bonjour! :)
Hi, I'm Yulia
I had a project in my french class to do a research on Benin. (we got to choose a country that speaks french, so guess what. i got benin.)
First, I couldn't get much information on google about this tiny country called benin, so i was pretty disappointed that ive chosen a country that seems like it didnt even exist.
well then just yesterday i found this great site called fon is fun !
so i just watned to thank you for a great info on Benin, and benin looks like an amazing country, (i was fascinated by their tata somba houses:D!)
Anywho, just wanted to drop by and say thank you... ;)

france

un grand MERCI pour votre site étant d'origine beninoise je suis trés heureuse et flatée de voire l'interet que vous porter a mon petit et beau pays.merci pour tout et bonne continuation votre site et splandide