Mom and Dad,

Please print out this email and keep it in a safe place...it will have lots of information on it!

If there is an emergency from my side, Peace COrps/Benin will notify the Office of Special Services at Peace Corps in Washington and they will call you.

If there is a family emergency, you should contact the Office of Special Services in Washington. 1-800-424-8580 x 2285, or 2286, or (202) 692-1470. After working hours,the Peace Corps Duty Officer can be reached at (202) 638-2574.

If you have an important quesiton regarding a news report on Benin, you may contact the Country Desk Unit. 1-800-424-8580 x 2319/2320, or (202) 692-2319 or (202) 692-2320.

Mail will take a minimum of three weeks and up to several months. When sending packages, use bubble envelopes, not boxes. Express mail is pointless, don't send express. Always send via airmail. Again my address is:

My direct address will change after the three months of training, but mail may be sent here during my entire service.

I will get an AT&T calling card which can be used at some places in the capital and in Contonou, but it is several times more expensive to call from Benin than it is to call from the states. So at times, I may call, leave a number and wait for you to call me back. I don't know how y'all did it with Paul, but they recommend setting up an international calling plan or get a good calling card.

Peace Corps encourages visitors, but not during training or during the first three months at post or during peak times. I don't know what 'peak times' are yet, but I figure if you come, Dad, the timing wouldn't really be up to you anyway, but rather up to work. So we'll handle it as it comes. If you do come, I have a packet to copy and pass over to you with suggestions and information.

I think that's all for now. Love you, Sara