nPostednOctober 26, 2016
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nTodaynis a public holiday in a very small African nation.
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nBeninnis a small country next to better-known Nigeria, in Western Africannext to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a tropical nation, and it’s quitenpoor. Most people are involved in simply growing the foods that theynthemselves, and their families, need. This is called subsistencenagriculture. n
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nThisnis in contrast to the sort of big-farm agriculture we find in manynadvanced nations. Many farmers around the world grow cash crops thatnthey will mostly sell to others…whether it’s oranges in Florida ornraspberries in Serbia, olives in Sparin or rice in India, coffee innBrazil or flowers in Uganda.
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nInnBenin, people might grow yams, millet, corn, rice, cassava, peanuts,nand cabbage. And they might eat all or almost all of the yams,nmillet, corn, rice, cassava, peanuts, and cabbage they grow!
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nHerenare some unusual things about Benin:
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Therenis a big business in illegal petrol!
Therenis a big business in illegal petrol!n
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nApparentlynthere are not enough licensed petrol stations in the country – andnthe licensed stations charge more for gasoline than the same productncosts in next-door Nigeria. Because of that, a bunch of peoplenstarted buying petrol in Nigeria and illegally transporting it tonBenin, where they undersell the legit product.
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nThat’sna really dangerous situation, actually, because the petrol smugglersntypically carry the flammable stuff in any old container; if theynhave an accident, the petrol often explodes!
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nPetrolntraffickers are even called human bombs because they go “boom” sonoften!
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nThenbiggest cash crop in Benin is cotton. n
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nAndncotton is made up into gorgeous fabrics, and gorgeous fabrics arenmade up into amazing fashions!!!
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nGanvienis Benin’s “lake village.”
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nGanvienis home for about 20 thousand people. Stilt houses, wading, and boatsnare all common there, and the people who live in the village fish fornwild fish, grow farmed fish, collect pineapples and other fruits, andn– most of all – welcome tourists!
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAustria’snNational Day
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nCerealnmanufacturer C. W. Post’s birthday
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nMulenDay
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nAnniversarynof the opening of the Erie Canal
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nNovembern holidays
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nNovembern birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in November
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