I know that this post is it a little late but I wanted to talk about the “Take Our Daughters to Work Conference” that I organized with the help of three other Volunteers this past July. In Togo, especially the rural areas (there a lot of them), the number of girls who graduate from Middle School is extremely low. If 100 girls in a village start middle school by the time graduation role around a few years latter that number will have dwindled down to 10. It’s a sad reality in Togo, but many girls drop out of school for three reasons: pregnancy, lack of money, or lack of opportunities.
The goals of the conference was to show girls how to finance and continue their education, give them information about sexual health, and show them opportunities that exist with a high school and university degree. We invited 22 girls from 11 villages to come to Dapaong for the four day conference. The local community center or Affaires Social gave us the conference room and dorm rooms at a reduced price. During the first two days of the conference we talked about self-confidence and different ways that they could earn money and pay for their school fees. On the third day the girls were able to go around and shadow different model women in town. I took a group of 7 girls to see a female school director at one of a private school. She is charge of the day to day operations of the school and is the boss of several teachers. During the visit she talked about the obstacles she faced growing up as a woman in Togo. At the end of the day all of the model women went to the Affaires Social and took part in a panel discussion so that all of the girls could ask questions. We had a nurse, a secretary, a NGO director and businesswomen, come and talk about their experiences. I think that the girls were amazed to see so many powerful women together in one room and I think that the girls benefited from the one day they were able to spend with these women.
I defiantly feel like this was the biggest project that I have undertaken and it would not have been possible without the three other PCVs that I worked with . Peace Corps Togo, especially Team Savannes, is an awesome group and I have loved being here and working with them. Now the time has come to wind down my service and to start thinking about my life when I get back to AMERICA.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Ah bon?
“So what is it like having to speak French all the time?” is a question that I get pretty often when I talk to friend and family back home. To be honest there are good days and bad days, good conversations and bad conversations. After being here for over 20 months, I feel pretty confident in my day to day speaking abilities but it’s easy for me to get tripped up on pronunciation and sentence structure. When learning French or any new language it is best to learn from the things that are around you and what you need to be able to talk about, and I am surprised by the range of my vocabulary. I could probably list more parts of the reproductive system in French than in English, but couldn’t tell you the French word for escalator. I know the word for machete, but not fast food. I can talk the benefits of sending girls to school, but I have no idea how to talk about the benefits of sending business suits to a dry cleaner.
I am amazed at how some of the people in my stage came in to Togo with no French at all and basically fluent now. Learning languages is easier for some people I guess, but I am able to do work in Togo. On Saturday I went to a nearby village with my site mates, and I delivered and hour-long presentation in French on gender equity. If any incoming trainees are reading this and are worried about learning French all I have to say is DON’T WORRY. I find that most Togolese are very patient with us and the ones who criticize our French are not worth working with in the first place.
One of the challenges to learning French in Togo is that there is a wide range of French amongst the Togolese. French is the official language of the country and the language used in schools, so most people have a strong foundation in the language. But there are over 40 different local languages in Togo, so for most people French is their second or third language. Children don’t start learning how to speak French until primary school, and there a many older Togolese, mostly women, who can’t speak a word. So sometimes when I am having a conversation with someone and nothing is getting across I am always wondering.... “Is it there French or mine?”
I am amazed at how some of the people in my stage came in to Togo with no French at all and basically fluent now. Learning languages is easier for some people I guess, but I am able to do work in Togo. On Saturday I went to a nearby village with my site mates, and I delivered and hour-long presentation in French on gender equity. If any incoming trainees are reading this and are worried about learning French all I have to say is DON’T WORRY. I find that most Togolese are very patient with us and the ones who criticize our French are not worth working with in the first place.
One of the challenges to learning French in Togo is that there is a wide range of French amongst the Togolese. French is the official language of the country and the language used in schools, so most people have a strong foundation in the language. But there are over 40 different local languages in Togo, so for most people French is their second or third language. Children don’t start learning how to speak French until primary school, and there a many older Togolese, mostly women, who can’t speak a word. So sometimes when I am having a conversation with someone and nothing is getting across I am always wondering.... “Is it there French or mine?”
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Hot Season
Hot season is upon us again here in Savannes. It is usually about 110-115 during the day and cools down to about 85 at night. Because of the heat not much work is done between 10am and 4pm during the day. I generally try to avoid moving around too much this during this time also because heat exhaustion is not much fun. I generally just hang out on my front porch and read or listen to the BBC World Service on my short wave radio. After it cools down a bit and people start to move around a little more I try and stay productive. A few days a week I teach English at the S.O.S Children’s Village in Dapaong, and other days I try to help out with some kids clubs in my area. I recently meet a woman who started a committee that focuses on improving the lives of women in the region, and last week we held a discussion at a local middle school on the importance of gender equity and the splitting of domestic tasks between brothers and sisters. In most Togolese families the girls are burdened with more responsibilities then boys. Doing laundry, watching the infants, cooking and cleaning are jobs set aside only for girls. I know that stigma remains to some extent in the U.S, but nowhere near to the level that it does in Togo. Because of these extra burdens that girls face they have little time to do their school work at home. So during our discussion we challenged the boys in the group to think about ways they could help their sisters succeed in school and how they could help out more at home. It sounds well and good but there are many men and boys in Togo who are resistant to this idea because they will like it will emasculate them. There also a lot of men and boys who want to marry an American woman and live a life of leisure in the states, “well because everyone is rich over there.” I say fine but can you cook? Can you clean? Can you take care of yourself? They usually just shake their heads and laugh.
Many Togolese are amazed at how I am unmarried at 25 with no kids, and that this is a normal way of life in the States. I always try and share stories about my life growing up in America. Like how when my mom was in night classes dad would cook us dinner, how my sister and I both did dishes, and how I would help mom out with laundry when I was in High School. That always gets some wild reactions. “It doesn’t work like that in Africa,” they say, but I always try and remind them that their chances of living a life of leisure in America are pretty slim so how about we try and improve things here in Togo, and we can start by liberating the woman.
Many Togolese are amazed at how I am unmarried at 25 with no kids, and that this is a normal way of life in the States. I always try and share stories about my life growing up in America. Like how when my mom was in night classes dad would cook us dinner, how my sister and I both did dishes, and how I would help mom out with laundry when I was in High School. That always gets some wild reactions. “It doesn’t work like that in Africa,” they say, but I always try and remind them that their chances of living a life of leisure in America are pretty slim so how about we try and improve things here in Togo, and we can start by liberating the woman.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Eating in Togo
I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season. Team Savannes had a lot of fun. We got together at our new transit house for a couple days and watched our favorite Christmas movies, cooked up some great food, and went to the NRM Program Directors house on Christmas day for more food and drinks. Good times were had by all.
Getting together to eat is a big deal here in Togo. Whenever you are invited into someone’s house they feel as if it is their life’s work to make sure you eat more than you can handle. There are small variations in the types of food depending where you are in Togo, but there is usually a starch and a sauce and if you are lucky a meat. The starches are either rice (self explanatory), fufu or pate. Fufu is basically Yams that have been pounded in a mortar with water added, and has the consistency and look of mashed potatoes. The same thing goes for pate, but instead of yams they use maize. On their own fu fu and pate have a VERY bland taste, which is why the sauce is key. There is always sauce de tomate (tomato sauce) or sauce d’arichede (peanut sauce). These sauces are very thin but full of flavor and spice. Most volunteers are more partiale to sauce d’arichede but I am more of a sauce de tomate fan myself. The other types of “street food” that are common in most of Togo are Kolico, which is deep fried yams that resemble french fries, and sodja which is pretty similar to tofu. As you can see protein is hard to come by here in Togo. Malnutrition is a major problem in Togo especially in Savannes. It is not necessarily because people are not getting enough to eat. It’s more so that they are not getting enough protein and other nutrients. Volunteers are always talking about how nutrition Togo, and many community health volunteers do home visits and talk about how feed a family, while keeping in mind that that most families have a tight budget for food.
As much as we love fufu and pate, when volunteers get together we always seem to be cooking our favorite foods from back home. About once or twice a month several volunteers in my region and I get together and have family dinner at the transit house. We usually debate the menu for a couple hours, and then we head to market to buy all the ingredients. Some of my favorite memories here are all of us in the kitchen making everything from scratch. Pizza, Fish Tacos, Bean Burgers, Fried Chicken, Ice Cream Cake, and pot roast are just a few of the things we have made entirely from scratch with very limited recourses. On the Fourth of July, we even grinded the meat ourselves for the burgers. We are pretty much McGyvers in the kitchen. It seems like everyone has their specialty in the kitchen. I guess I am pretty famous for my pancakes and crepes, but I have also gotten pretty good at making tortillas. During training we were given a cook book that has been put together by volunteers in Togo over the years, called Where there is no Whooper (It’s a play on the health manual Where there is no Doctor) Funny title aside The Whooper has been one of the most important things that I have here in Togo. Own my own I have made Poptarts, Pancakes, Pasta Sauces, Calzones, veggie wraps, tuna cakes, coffee cake, and egg drop soup. Cooking in Togo is a great way to pass the time, and when I get back I will be able to share all the tricks I have learned in the kitchen.
Getting together to eat is a big deal here in Togo. Whenever you are invited into someone’s house they feel as if it is their life’s work to make sure you eat more than you can handle. There are small variations in the types of food depending where you are in Togo, but there is usually a starch and a sauce and if you are lucky a meat. The starches are either rice (self explanatory), fufu or pate. Fufu is basically Yams that have been pounded in a mortar with water added, and has the consistency and look of mashed potatoes. The same thing goes for pate, but instead of yams they use maize. On their own fu fu and pate have a VERY bland taste, which is why the sauce is key. There is always sauce de tomate (tomato sauce) or sauce d’arichede (peanut sauce). These sauces are very thin but full of flavor and spice. Most volunteers are more partiale to sauce d’arichede but I am more of a sauce de tomate fan myself. The other types of “street food” that are common in most of Togo are Kolico, which is deep fried yams that resemble french fries, and sodja which is pretty similar to tofu. As you can see protein is hard to come by here in Togo. Malnutrition is a major problem in Togo especially in Savannes. It is not necessarily because people are not getting enough to eat. It’s more so that they are not getting enough protein and other nutrients. Volunteers are always talking about how nutrition Togo, and many community health volunteers do home visits and talk about how feed a family, while keeping in mind that that most families have a tight budget for food.
As much as we love fufu and pate, when volunteers get together we always seem to be cooking our favorite foods from back home. About once or twice a month several volunteers in my region and I get together and have family dinner at the transit house. We usually debate the menu for a couple hours, and then we head to market to buy all the ingredients. Some of my favorite memories here are all of us in the kitchen making everything from scratch. Pizza, Fish Tacos, Bean Burgers, Fried Chicken, Ice Cream Cake, and pot roast are just a few of the things we have made entirely from scratch with very limited recourses. On the Fourth of July, we even grinded the meat ourselves for the burgers. We are pretty much McGyvers in the kitchen. It seems like everyone has their specialty in the kitchen. I guess I am pretty famous for my pancakes and crepes, but I have also gotten pretty good at making tortillas. During training we were given a cook book that has been put together by volunteers in Togo over the years, called Where there is no Whooper (It’s a play on the health manual Where there is no Doctor) Funny title aside The Whooper has been one of the most important things that I have here in Togo. Own my own I have made Poptarts, Pancakes, Pasta Sauces, Calzones, veggie wraps, tuna cakes, coffee cake, and egg drop soup. Cooking in Togo is a great way to pass the time, and when I get back I will be able to share all the tricks I have learned in the kitchen.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
One year in....
One year in……
Wow, I have been a volunteer for over a year now. It’s weird saying that out loud and it’s even weirder to look around and not see the volunteers who just completed their service. Instead there are almost 60 new faces in Togo that swore-in in August and November of this year. It has been great having them around and showing them the ropes of PCV life and I had a great week of being a trainer in October, but it was comforting to have the 2nd year volunteers around and ask them questions about projects or just how to get by in Togo. Now that I am in my 2nd year I will try and be as helpful as the volunteers who just left. It’s sad to see them go but they have been here since September 2008, and most of them were more than ready to go home.
Work in Dapaong has been going well also. I have been working with peer educators. Peer educators are generally high school (Lycee in French) students, who get class time set aside to talk about different themes such as HIV/AIDs prevention or gender equity. It’s a great way to spread a message and it is one of the more sustainable projects a PCV can take part in. They stop by my house a few times a week and normally we talk about different ways we can make an impact in schools. One of the main things that I have been trying to stress to them is how gender and sex affect the spread of HIV/AIDs. For example young girls in Togo have a much higher chance, compared to girls in the developed world, of being victims of sexual violence. Most girls don’t even understand that they have a right to say no. With this high level of sexual violence, there are more girls in Sub-Saharan Africa with HIV/Aids than boys. Also girls in Togo are much less likely to step foot in a class room than a boy, and therefore less likely to learn about HIV/AIDs. As a GEE volunteer it is my job to promote sending girls to school, and to promote gender equality. Working with peer educators is a great way to do this. I primarily work with the same 10 students, 5 males and 5 females, and they work together to make Dapaong a better place. The female peer educators are great examples of educated females who are making a difference in Togo and hopefully more girls will follow in their footsteps as a result.
This is now my second Christmas away from home and I miss you all. I will be home next year so get hype. It’s going to be a real good time here though. A real good time. (Sorry Platauex. I just stole your joke. Savannes…You’re Welcome. We just moved in to our new transit house/work station, and we will be cooking up some great food and watching our favorite Christmas movies. I will be sure to write about it. Hope you all have a happy holiday season, and be sure to give a hug to the ones you love.
Wow, I have been a volunteer for over a year now. It’s weird saying that out loud and it’s even weirder to look around and not see the volunteers who just completed their service. Instead there are almost 60 new faces in Togo that swore-in in August and November of this year. It has been great having them around and showing them the ropes of PCV life and I had a great week of being a trainer in October, but it was comforting to have the 2nd year volunteers around and ask them questions about projects or just how to get by in Togo. Now that I am in my 2nd year I will try and be as helpful as the volunteers who just left. It’s sad to see them go but they have been here since September 2008, and most of them were more than ready to go home.
Work in Dapaong has been going well also. I have been working with peer educators. Peer educators are generally high school (Lycee in French) students, who get class time set aside to talk about different themes such as HIV/AIDs prevention or gender equity. It’s a great way to spread a message and it is one of the more sustainable projects a PCV can take part in. They stop by my house a few times a week and normally we talk about different ways we can make an impact in schools. One of the main things that I have been trying to stress to them is how gender and sex affect the spread of HIV/AIDs. For example young girls in Togo have a much higher chance, compared to girls in the developed world, of being victims of sexual violence. Most girls don’t even understand that they have a right to say no. With this high level of sexual violence, there are more girls in Sub-Saharan Africa with HIV/Aids than boys. Also girls in Togo are much less likely to step foot in a class room than a boy, and therefore less likely to learn about HIV/AIDs. As a GEE volunteer it is my job to promote sending girls to school, and to promote gender equality. Working with peer educators is a great way to do this. I primarily work with the same 10 students, 5 males and 5 females, and they work together to make Dapaong a better place. The female peer educators are great examples of educated females who are making a difference in Togo and hopefully more girls will follow in their footsteps as a result.
This is now my second Christmas away from home and I miss you all. I will be home next year so get hype. It’s going to be a real good time here though. A real good time. (Sorry Platauex. I just stole your joke. Savannes…You’re Welcome. We just moved in to our new transit house/work station, and we will be cooking up some great food and watching our favorite Christmas movies. I will be sure to write about it. Hope you all have a happy holiday season, and be sure to give a hug to the ones you love.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Il faut me donne ca......
One of the most frustrating parts about being a Peace Corps Volunteer is that we are constantly being asked to give money. Almost every day I am handed a pamphlet from someone who would like funds to do a project in the area. This sounds great but the budgets are always inflated to a large degree and the person will refuse to do the project for anything less than the stated amount. For example a few weeks ago a teacher at one of the local middle schools handed me a three page handout with information about a month long HIV/AIDS workshop he wanted to do at the school last year, but was not able to because he could not find the funds. I looked over the handout and all of the information seemed great, until I looked over the budget on the last page. It called for the equivalent of about 615 dollars which is a lot more money then what a lot of Togolese make in a year. After reviewing the information again I figured that we could do the same project and achieve the same results for about 20 dollars. This is just one of many stories.
It’s frustrating for volunteers because from the day we have arrived in Togo we are told by Peace Corps that it is more important to share our knowledge rather than our money in part because we don't make much. Many of the “development organizations” that volunteers work with are not self sustainable and never will be as long as they are funded by organizations like Churches in Europe or the U.S, or large international NGO’s like Population Service International, Rotary International or CARE. About once or twice a year a small group from these organizations will come to Togo for two weeks or so and see the progress that has been made. The people from these groups are put up in air conditioned hotels, driven around in Land Cruisers (land colonizers as we call them in Peace Corps), and have western food prepared for them. After their stay is over they hand over a very very large check and head back on a plane back to France. This just makes our job that much harder because we have no money to give and even if we did we are skeptical that the money would be put to good use, because we are here long enough to see how mismanaged the finances are here. I know that Peace Corps is not an option for most people and they prefer to do a small stint in a developing country through their Church or some other organization, but please don’t ever tell me that you did something like, “oh I did something like Peace Corps, and I just loved every second of it. Everyone was so nice and friendly.”
First off…. No. It was not like Peace Corps. Not even close.
Second… Yes, Everyone was friendly to you because you gave them a big check or help them build a church or school and then left.
Third… You were not there long enough to go through the hard parts.
When I flew home in August to go to my cousin’s wedding I flew from Accra, Ghana because it is cheaper but when I was on the airplane I could not count how many groups I saw, who were on their way home after doing their “development work” for a few weeks or less. They are easy to spot. The girls have their hair braided, the guys have their knock off sunglass on, (which they over paid for 3 fold because they can’t bargain), and chances are they are wearing the t-shirt of the church they belong to or some form of “traditional” African clothing (again they over paid for this). Oh and there is always some jackass in the airport lounge who is playing the African drum he bought on the trip
This is by far my most cynical post so far, but I am still very happy here. It is frustrating but I don’t let it keep me down, and I always feel good when I can convince someone that they don’t need a ridiculous amount of money to do some good for Togo. There is also some hope for funded projects in Togo. Another volunteer in a small village close to me is building a school, and I have no doubts that she will be involved in every step of the process making sure that all the money that she raises is not wasted or stolen. Like me she has been here for over a year and has done the research and found that her village could benefit from another school, and she will also be here long enough after the school is finished to see that it is being used properly. Her name is Rachel Gundacker and if you want you can make a tax-deductable donation to her school through Peace Corps Partnerships at peacecorps.gov.
It’s frustrating for volunteers because from the day we have arrived in Togo we are told by Peace Corps that it is more important to share our knowledge rather than our money in part because we don't make much. Many of the “development organizations” that volunteers work with are not self sustainable and never will be as long as they are funded by organizations like Churches in Europe or the U.S, or large international NGO’s like Population Service International, Rotary International or CARE. About once or twice a year a small group from these organizations will come to Togo for two weeks or so and see the progress that has been made. The people from these groups are put up in air conditioned hotels, driven around in Land Cruisers (land colonizers as we call them in Peace Corps), and have western food prepared for them. After their stay is over they hand over a very very large check and head back on a plane back to France. This just makes our job that much harder because we have no money to give and even if we did we are skeptical that the money would be put to good use, because we are here long enough to see how mismanaged the finances are here. I know that Peace Corps is not an option for most people and they prefer to do a small stint in a developing country through their Church or some other organization, but please don’t ever tell me that you did something like, “oh I did something like Peace Corps, and I just loved every second of it. Everyone was so nice and friendly.”
First off…. No. It was not like Peace Corps. Not even close.
Second… Yes, Everyone was friendly to you because you gave them a big check or help them build a church or school and then left.
Third… You were not there long enough to go through the hard parts.
When I flew home in August to go to my cousin’s wedding I flew from Accra, Ghana because it is cheaper but when I was on the airplane I could not count how many groups I saw, who were on their way home after doing their “development work” for a few weeks or less. They are easy to spot. The girls have their hair braided, the guys have their knock off sunglass on, (which they over paid for 3 fold because they can’t bargain), and chances are they are wearing the t-shirt of the church they belong to or some form of “traditional” African clothing (again they over paid for this). Oh and there is always some jackass in the airport lounge who is playing the African drum he bought on the trip
This is by far my most cynical post so far, but I am still very happy here. It is frustrating but I don’t let it keep me down, and I always feel good when I can convince someone that they don’t need a ridiculous amount of money to do some good for Togo. There is also some hope for funded projects in Togo. Another volunteer in a small village close to me is building a school, and I have no doubts that she will be involved in every step of the process making sure that all the money that she raises is not wasted or stolen. Like me she has been here for over a year and has done the research and found that her village could benefit from another school, and she will also be here long enough after the school is finished to see that it is being used properly. Her name is Rachel Gundacker and if you want you can make a tax-deductable donation to her school through Peace Corps Partnerships at peacecorps.gov.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Summer in Togo/I'm a Volunteer Trainer!
How I spent my Summer Vacation.
It’s been a great summer here in Togo. By the time I got home from Camp U.N.I.T.E school had ended and I started to look for other projects to do in Dapaong. I went to the women’s weaving organization, called C.E.D.A.F, that my site mate works at and helped them in their garden. It was a great experience. We planted melons, sun flowers, cucumbers and carrots with the hope that the women will be able to grow and sell the food. I looked pretty ridiculous working in the garden with traditional Togolese tools, and the women all had some good laughs at my expense. In my defense I had a minimal amount of garden/agriculture experience during pre-service training. The Savannas Region has several Natural Resource Management (NRM) Volunteers, and they gave some good advice. Working in the garden at C.E.D.A.F was an enjoyable experience, but I was still looking for more things to do with my time. Then my site mate introduced me to another organization similar to his called C.A.F.P.E.S. It’s a great organization of female apprentices who are learning how to be seamstresses. The director of the program has worked with PCVs in the past, and I have gone there several times to work with the girls. I presented Like Skills lessons as well as how to make skin crème to sell. On my last day at post, before leaving for my vacation to the states for my cousins wedding, I brought three kids from one of the schools where I work, and they presented two sketches in Moba for the girls because their French is not as strong. My counterpart from the school also came and gave a speech as well.
I had a great time back in the States in August. I ate good food, saw my friends and family and went to my cousin’s wedding in Ohio. It was very overwhelming walking into the Target with my mom on my first day back, but I quickly feel back in to my old life in Chicago. After having to travel in Togo for almost a year I will never complain about the inefficiency or cleanliness of public transportation in America again because riding the Metra and El’ in Chicago was a very enjoyable experience compared to riding with 18 adults, 5 crying babies, 4 chickens and 2 goats in a bush taxi in Togo.
Shortly after I got back from the States it was time to go to Mid-Service Conference (MSC). At MSC all of the PCVs who arrived in 2009 talked about their successes and failures during their first year of service in Togo. We also talked about future project ideas for the next year of service. During MSC I also found out that I will be a Volunteer Trainer for the new GEE/NRM stage that arrives in less than two weeks. I’m leaving post in a few days to go to the training workshop with the 9 other volunteer trainers. I remember how excited and nervous I was before I left for Togo, and how well my volunteer trainers prepared me for service so I hope I can be a good example for the new stagiers.
If you guys are reading this here is my take on the Peace Corps packing list….
Solar Chargers are great for those of you will be in the bush (NRM that means you I would guess 50 percent of GEE has electricty) but don’t expect them to charge anything more than your phone and i-pod.
Rechargeable batteries are great. If you don’t have electricity you will be close enough to a place where you can charge them.
You defiantly do not need dress shoes. I understand you have to dress business casual at the staging event before you depart but that might be the only time you wear them. It’s a tough call but if you think your shoes will pass at staging then you can leave the dress ones at home.
As far as other shoes go, chacos are great but I would also bring a good pair of flip flops also. No one here really wears shoes.
I would suggest brining your laptop. I have never heard of anyone saying they wish they hadn’t brought it. It may just sit around for a while, but the PCV lounge in Lome has wireless.
I brought way to many collared shirts. It’s fun and easy to have shirts made here. I guess it depends on your personal style. Just keep in mind that the Togolese people you will be working with generally don’t have more than 3 or 4 shirts total. Also guys leave the tie at home.
Exiffico makes great t-shirts. They are comfortable, easy to wash and lightweight. Nike makes a similar dry-fit model. They are a little more expensive than some other t-shirts but that last longer and are great for Togo.
You don’t need to bring sun screen or bug repellant (unless you have a particular brand). The med unit will give it to you on the day you arrive. They will also give you your water filter.
Make sure you have some U.S Dollars to change into CFA. Peace Corps pretty much expects you to buy a cell phone during you first week. They are about 30 dollars for the phone and SIM Card.
My i-pod has been a life saver and i-home makes great portable speakers that run on batteries.
Du Courage.
It’s been a great summer here in Togo. By the time I got home from Camp U.N.I.T.E school had ended and I started to look for other projects to do in Dapaong. I went to the women’s weaving organization, called C.E.D.A.F, that my site mate works at and helped them in their garden. It was a great experience. We planted melons, sun flowers, cucumbers and carrots with the hope that the women will be able to grow and sell the food. I looked pretty ridiculous working in the garden with traditional Togolese tools, and the women all had some good laughs at my expense. In my defense I had a minimal amount of garden/agriculture experience during pre-service training. The Savannas Region has several Natural Resource Management (NRM) Volunteers, and they gave some good advice. Working in the garden at C.E.D.A.F was an enjoyable experience, but I was still looking for more things to do with my time. Then my site mate introduced me to another organization similar to his called C.A.F.P.E.S. It’s a great organization of female apprentices who are learning how to be seamstresses. The director of the program has worked with PCVs in the past, and I have gone there several times to work with the girls. I presented Like Skills lessons as well as how to make skin crème to sell. On my last day at post, before leaving for my vacation to the states for my cousins wedding, I brought three kids from one of the schools where I work, and they presented two sketches in Moba for the girls because their French is not as strong. My counterpart from the school also came and gave a speech as well.
I had a great time back in the States in August. I ate good food, saw my friends and family and went to my cousin’s wedding in Ohio. It was very overwhelming walking into the Target with my mom on my first day back, but I quickly feel back in to my old life in Chicago. After having to travel in Togo for almost a year I will never complain about the inefficiency or cleanliness of public transportation in America again because riding the Metra and El’ in Chicago was a very enjoyable experience compared to riding with 18 adults, 5 crying babies, 4 chickens and 2 goats in a bush taxi in Togo.
Shortly after I got back from the States it was time to go to Mid-Service Conference (MSC). At MSC all of the PCVs who arrived in 2009 talked about their successes and failures during their first year of service in Togo. We also talked about future project ideas for the next year of service. During MSC I also found out that I will be a Volunteer Trainer for the new GEE/NRM stage that arrives in less than two weeks. I’m leaving post in a few days to go to the training workshop with the 9 other volunteer trainers. I remember how excited and nervous I was before I left for Togo, and how well my volunteer trainers prepared me for service so I hope I can be a good example for the new stagiers.
If you guys are reading this here is my take on the Peace Corps packing list….
Solar Chargers are great for those of you will be in the bush (NRM that means you I would guess 50 percent of GEE has electricty) but don’t expect them to charge anything more than your phone and i-pod.
Rechargeable batteries are great. If you don’t have electricity you will be close enough to a place where you can charge them.
You defiantly do not need dress shoes. I understand you have to dress business casual at the staging event before you depart but that might be the only time you wear them. It’s a tough call but if you think your shoes will pass at staging then you can leave the dress ones at home.
As far as other shoes go, chacos are great but I would also bring a good pair of flip flops also. No one here really wears shoes.
I would suggest brining your laptop. I have never heard of anyone saying they wish they hadn’t brought it. It may just sit around for a while, but the PCV lounge in Lome has wireless.
I brought way to many collared shirts. It’s fun and easy to have shirts made here. I guess it depends on your personal style. Just keep in mind that the Togolese people you will be working with generally don’t have more than 3 or 4 shirts total. Also guys leave the tie at home.
Exiffico makes great t-shirts. They are comfortable, easy to wash and lightweight. Nike makes a similar dry-fit model. They are a little more expensive than some other t-shirts but that last longer and are great for Togo.
You don’t need to bring sun screen or bug repellant (unless you have a particular brand). The med unit will give it to you on the day you arrive. They will also give you your water filter.
Make sure you have some U.S Dollars to change into CFA. Peace Corps pretty much expects you to buy a cell phone during you first week. They are about 30 dollars for the phone and SIM Card.
My i-pod has been a life saver and i-home makes great portable speakers that run on batteries.
Du Courage.
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