You’ve never heard of Benin, and have no idea where in Africa it is? That’s cool because it means most other guys suffer from the same lack of knowledge.
This small (by African standards) country is on the west coast of Africa, tucked away between Togo and Nigeria, sharing its northern borders with Niger and Burkina Faso.
It was originally a French colony and is the birthplace of voodoo (vodun). No, really voodoo was “invented here”.
Although it’s starting to prosper, Benin still ranks as one of the poorest countries in the world.
The Great Benin Dating Boom
In the African country of Benin dating western men is something that many of these sexy Africa women are eager to experience.
Known officially as the Republic of Benin this small African nation shares boundaries with Niger, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria.
Benin extends over a landmass of 42,000 square miles and is presently home to more than 9 million people.
While it’s true that International dating has taken longer to reach the African nations than it has to reach other parts of the world, in the past 5 years African girls have started to jump on the bandwagon and Benin has become a great place to look if you are seeking an African bride.
This African dating boom is driven by several factors, the most important of which is that the larger international dating agencies like Anastasia International and Cupid Media have started aggressively facilitating and marketing their services in Africa with sites like Africa Beauties and AfroIntroductions.
The second factor driving the African Dating boom is the fact that more African girls are gaining access to the internet.
While it is true that most of the females living in the rural areas of Benin do not have computers in their homes there are still some city settings that provide internet access.
A small percentage of Benin girls even own laptop computers, but most of the women who are interested in communicating through Benin dating sites will need to access the internet at schools or city office buildings, so your communications will not be as fast-paced as if you were courting a Filipina or a Colombian girl.
Beautiful Benin Girls Are Looking For a Guy Like YOU!
As is the case with many African countries, women in Benin are looking to improve their own lives by becoming part of yours.
It’s worth repeating here that they’re not materialistic, so the majority of women here aren’t looking for a sugar daddy to whisk them away to another country.
With that being said, your current Western lifestyle is so different from hers that you’ll appear to be a millionaire in comparison to how she lives.
Benin is also a country where women are still struggling to establish their rights as equals alongside men.
But they know that Western men already see women as being equal, so that’s another major attraction point for them when it comes to North American, European or Australasian men.
So, while it might seem logical for her to date a local guy instead of a foreigner, she knows that marrying a local guy means all her dreams and goals will take second place to whatever he wants from life.
They also know that most Western men will come from either Catholic or Protestant backgrounds, so this is another strong vote in your favor. You don’t need to practice the religion you were born into, but it won’t do any harm to mention it.
Why You Should Meet, Date & Marry a Benin Mail Order Bride
Certain African countries have a serious issue with sex tourism, but Benin isn’t one of them. That’s good news for you because you know that scams are less common, and the women you meet are usually genuinely interested in you.
In the West conservative and traditional values are now frowned upon, but that’s not something you’ll get with Beninese women.
They’re quite happy to become wives and mothers to a family – it’s what’s considered normal here, which is probably why birth rates in African nations are booming, while birth rates in “modern” countries are dropping off to dangerously low levels.
Another reason for dating women from this part of Africa is that Internet access is becoming widely available here, simply because it’s not as big as some of its neighbors.
That means more and more Beninese women are getting online for the first time and beginning their search for Western guys.
Everything You Need to Know About Benin Girls
Benin women have begun to find their voices along with their new rights as citizens. Even though many Benin girls are still restricted from many civil liberties times are changing.
Today these individuals are being helped to discover their potential through education and career programs.
For the women of Benin, dating is something they would consider, especially if they feel that it would benefit their status in life.
These women are not materialistic by nature but most are interested in providing a good home and being an attentive wife. They are often very eager to start families and Benin women are known as devoted mothers.
For the most part, Benin girls are conservative, traditional and tend to follow the lead of their male family members. Although matriarchal ties are very strong this has long been a country steeped in tradition and ruled by men.
Women in this country are expected to cook, clean and take care of their children. Females handle some of the duties on the farm, weave cloth and are active in the trading and selling of baked goods, cloth, and vegetables.
Benin dating and marriage generally follows a traditional path involving close relatives, parents, and friends.
It is customary for a woman’s family to arrange her marriage to a man of their choice. However, today more single Benin women are choosing the man that they want to marry.
Even if a woman becomes a widow or is granted a divorce most will remarry again within a very short period of time.
More of the younger Benin girls do not want to agree to a polygamous marital arrangement and they understand that western men are looking for a monogamous relationship.
Her Personality
In a region of Africa that’s gotten a name for materialism, Benin women aren’t even remotely materialistic. The desire to be more like a Kardashian is a growing problem in some of the more affluent African countries, with Nigeria being just one example.
And that’s one of the problems with living in Benin – people treat it like it’s basically an extension of Nigeria.
Beninese women are very conservative and traditional in their outlook on life and dating, so she’ll expect you to behave like a gentleman before, during and after a date.
We mentioned the whole idea of voodoo (also known as juju) earlier on, and it’s something you need to pay serious attention to.
Why?
Benin is very different from most other African nations in that the population is made up of about 20% Christians, 20% Muslims and the rest are either following old native traditions or voodoo.
Do not date a girl who practices voodoo.
It’s not that she’s going to put a spell on you, but women who practice it tend to be hard work and the most tribal of all women in Benin.
Overall, Beninese women are very pro-Western, so you’ll find them warm, welcoming and open to the idea of dating and marrying foreign guys.
Her Looks
Benin has been visited by men from a number of European countries over the last few centuries, including France, Portugal, Holland, and England. It eventually became a French colony from 1904 to 1959, when it gained independence.
What this means is that Beninese women vary in their looks from completely West African in appearance, to women with caramel-colored skin and blue or green eyes.
Language Barriers
Benin was a French colony from 1892 until 1960 and the official language is French, although most people outside of the major cities speak one of the native languages in daily life such as Yoruba or Fon.
Fortunately, many of the young African women who sign up for African dating sites speak passable English, so if you are doing your courting exclusively online you may never need to worry about a communication gap.
If however, you are planning on traveling to Benin to visit your Benin bride, it couldn’t hurt to have a passable knowledge of French before you visit, because it will make everything a lot easier.
Just keep in mind that even if you are reasonably fluent in French you might want a translator if you go to visit a French-speaking Benin girl.
The difference between the French of the French Academy, the French you learned in high school in Alabama or Arizona, and the French as spoken in Benin might be so different that you need a translator for your first few days.
This is often the case if you are visiting a country where you know the language, but did not learn it from someone with the local accent and pronunciation as the country you are visiting.
Religion in Benin
Benin is predominantly Christian as far as spiritual beliefs are concerned. The main religion is Roman Catholic but there are Protestant and Muslim groups who also live in Benin.
A western man with a Catholic background would be looked upon favorably by families of women who are signing up for Benin dating sites.
Dating in Benin
What will come as a bit of a shock to a Westerner is the fact that a caste system still exists in Benin.
If you’re not familiar with the idea of a caste system, it basically means that a person’s position in society is decided by the ethnic or tribal group they’re born into.
What this also usually means is that women born into a specific caste are not allowed to date or marry outside that caste. In some situations, a girl can be disowned by her family for dating and marrying outside her “traditional” level.
French is the native language here, but English is the secondary one. It’s advisable to learn at least some French because there’s no guarantee your date will speak English fluently enough for you to talk to her in a meaningful way.
You won’t find many references to “mail-order” brides in Benin simply because the country is so traditional.
But, let’s not forget that most Beninese women are actively looking for a western man, and preferably a white one.
Visiting Your Benin Bride
Benin has about eight million people and for many guys, Benin girls are attractive because the country has developed a booming tourism industry in the last decade.
However, it’s not Las Vegas, so don’t expect five-star resorts. Still, it has a more highly developed tourism industry than many of the other small nations of West Africa which are still really backpacking destinations.
The Benin beach resorts are a great value and might remind season travelers of Thai resorts in the late 1980s or early 1990s – before the big resort chains ruined the Thai Island culture (no, I’m not bitter!)
One issue worth considering before booking a flight to Benin is that you probably want to avoid visiting your Benin bride during either of the two separate wet seasons.
The first rainy season is from April to July and the other starts in September and continues through October.
You probably want to avoid visiting your Benin girl during these periods, because of the discomfort, but also because the torrential rain makes traveling around the country much more difficult.
Political Climate for Visitors
Benin receives high marks for its efforts to establish and maintain a western-style democracy. It is considered to be one of the Top 15 African countries as far as government, safety, and human rights are concerned.
There is a low crime rate in Benin, but thefts are still a major problem.
Benin is an agricultural nation and cotton is a mainstay crop. Changes are being facilitated by the government to diversify the country’s exports and tourism is another area that is helping to improve the economic outlook.
Life in Benin
Even the children who are born into a Benin family are taught obedience and respect at an early age. Unfortunately, there are not many books and toys available to the majority of families.
This means that young children are assigned duties and chores to help the family, and nearly 10% of children aged 13 and under are forced to work as house servants or plantation labor.
Free schooling is provided for children between the ages of 5-12, but it comes with certain stipulations. If the family cannot afford to pay for the required uniforms or books then their kids simply do not go to school.
Polite etiquette is observed by Benin’s citizens including the custom of shaking hands with everyone in a room.
Outward displays of public affection are modest but kissing on the cheek is permitted if the individuals have an established relationship.
There are some major divisions in society that separates rural citizens from those who have been well educated and now live in the city. Social status is also reflective of your family history.
Many people in Benin still consider a government job to be one of the highest posts to which one can aspire.
Most of the Benin brides of today freely equate western-style clothing; the French language; western and European food; a tin roof on their home and modern-day music as attributes which denote more civilized people.