ust as it is here in these United States so it goes in the country of Benin, news years eve celebrations that is, according to our resident do-gooder Christine Meeuwsen. Meeuwsen left our northern state of Wisconsin to travel to Benin Africa and do her work in the Peace Corps. The daughter of Richard and Mary Meeuwsen Chrissy as we call her traded in her snow boots for flip flops and plans to live in the developing nation for the next two and one half years.
Meeuwsen was amazed at how anticlimactic the whole Beninese New Years celebration is, although the buildup is hyped the actual outcome is in her words "no big woohoo." Meeuwsen was so tired that day that she almost missed the big moment when the the hollowed out
coconut drops down the bamboo pole on top of the main hut in Cotonou. She arrived just in time at her friends house to welcome in the new year with eating drinking and general merry making.
After New Years Meeuwsen was headed to Parakou for a week of training and sent a few photos to her shutterfly account where the photo on this page came from. Evenings in the large city proved to be more fun than was imagined when the group discovered a dance club and stayed out all nignht dancing.
Local residents arrived an hour after our group did and Chrissy says literally 75 people walked in together sat down at tables and 45 minutes later all 75 got up and danced.
Meeuwsen says the locals are all blacks and minorities but after some thought concluded that in Benin they seemed to be the dominant people and not the minority leaving questions in her mind just who might be the minorities are in Benin. More photos from Benin can be seen by clicking here.
JUSTIN SOBIECK DATING NEW GIRL
Little time has passed since the breakup of the first J&J couple Justin Sobieck and Janel Englebert, but since the bad news broke it seems that both members of the couple have found new acquaintances of the opposite sex. Little is known about Justin's new girl other than she is a cocktail waitress and is an identical twin.
Chrissy Meeuwsen
One of Chrissy's many tasks is to drink from the bowl before the village wise man to ensure it is not poison
A Chrissy Meeuwsen photo
SOBIECK ANNOUNCES WEDDING DATE
Brittany Sobieck and Jeremy Rezek announced their wedding date as October 1, 2010. While many of the arrangements are yet to be made Sobieck did also state that the reception will be held at the Swan Club at it's new location.
Sobieck has already booked the hall and the next time she enters the door at the establishment she will be Brittany Rezek.
Sobieck revealed the news at the home of Rezek's parents where a birthday party was in progress for Jeremy whose birthday was on Tuesday.
Brittany Sobieck
TIM LADE LOSES SISTER
Tim Lades sister Mary passed away on Wednesday January 21 just two weeks before her 61st birthday. Mary Wakup was the mother of two, grandmother to 5 children and great grandmother to one child. Mary was one of four children raised by Bud and Bernice (Bunny) Lade. Bud Lade lives with Tim and Joanne while Mary's mother Bernice passed away several years ago. That's all the news that is news, see ya.
