Tchegbenton is a Fongbe expression from Benin, West Africa, loosely meaning “I come for myself.” It speaks to agency, self-direction, and living a life not assigned by others. I was given the nickname Tchegie in 1993 while living in Benin, and the meaning has stayed with me through more than twenty years of moving, adapting, and building a life across countries and cultures. This blog is a quiet showcase of what I’ve seen and noticed along the way — photographs, short reflections, and small stories from a global life lived beyond titles. I’ve been an expat, a partner, a parent, and now an empty nester, but above all, this is a space where I arrive for myself.