It has been a long time and I am overwhelmed with all that I want to share with you. However, I would like to start this entry with a “Togolese-ism” or one of the little things that I have found striking/amusing here, that I will remember 15 years from now, that, in my opinion, are the things that make Togo, Togo for a Peace Corps Volunteer. There are numerous Togolese-isms and I hope to share many of them with you in future blog entries. Today I start with Togolese-ism #1: Dead Yovo Clothes.
I’ve been shocked nearly to death on a number of occasions by the clothing I’ve seen here. I’m not talking about the beautiful, traditional, colorful «pagne» that makes up the majority of Togolese’ wardrobes, but what I am talking about is what people here call “dead Yovo (Euro/American) clothes. “Dead Yovo clothes” can be loosely defined as our old crap that we send to developing countries. We rummage through our closets in an effort perhaps to “do good” with minimal commitment, assuage our guilt, clean out our closets, or any mélange thereof. In addition, there is no real fashion faux-pas when shopping “dead Yovo” for wearing yovo-anything is a fashion/status statement all its own. That’s to say a hot pink t-shirt, manufactured in 1980s, goes perfectly with Gap jeans of the 90s topped off with a trendy floral grandma-garden hat. In my 5 some months here I’ve seen thousands of American t-shirts, some of which make the thrift-store addict inside scream “I’ve got to have that!” others of which make me seriously assess the affects of globalization not to mention materialism. Here are a few examples:
- The infamous Nebraska Cornhuskers have, for better or worse, influenced the Groggel family’s lives. Needless to say, the first time (that’s right not the last) I saw a t-shirt in tribute to good ol’ Tom Osborne of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, I was shocked. “Hey you!” I said to the young man wearing the shirt, “that comes from my village!” I was a little offended by his response, not because he was impolite but because he was not at all surprised or shocked, instead he was like “ya, so what?” Anyway it was that day that I started to understand a little better the Togolese fashion world. The young man was not wearing the shirt because he is an avid Cornhusker fan (there is only one type of football here- the real kind), but because he found the t-shirt «jolie» - pretty. What is pretty about a middle-aged white guy (Tom) you ask- I’ll never know- but I do understand what it represents to be able to wear Yovo clothes- you have money. That’s right your material donation to “HelpAfrica.com” (not real) got sent to the coast of Togo right into the hands of crafty merchants who in turn make a mighty profit selling our old clothes in local markets throughout Togo. Still feeling good about your last spring cleaning donation?
- In addition to my Cornhusker flashback, I have seen a Stowe Vermont soccer jersey (an old family vacation spot), a Carelton College t-shirt (St. Olaf’s neighboring college), and an intramural basketball t-shirt from Millard West High School (the high school of all my siblings).
- The ironic thing about it all is that our crap is not seen as crap here which in some ways contradicts my argument against international clothing donations. If I am so lucky to make it home for a visit during my two years I am sure I will rummage through everything I’ve ever owned and bring back as much as I can for my friends and fellow villagers. Nonetheless, I urge all of you to think about the voyage your crap could potentially make the next time you make a donation, what impact that has, not only on the environment (a costly voyage), but also on the people/country on the receiving end of things. Why is it that our free-promotional Walmart t-shirt is such a status symbol here?
In other news, last week marked 3 months here in village. I attended the Peace Corps In-Service Training seminar and was reunited with all of my friends from training in Agou. I returned to village reinvigorated with a plethora of ideas for projects and advice from my trainers. Here are a few more things that are in the works:
- Demonstration field: I am working the fields a little to show those interested organic farming techniques that can seriously help the fertility of the soil. That includes the use of a cover crop called Mucuna and the incorporation of nitrogen-fixing trees. This also helps dispel the long-held stereotype that Euro/Americans are incapable of manual labor.
- Public trash system: with the help of a group of motivated young men, I am trying to plan places where we can construct public dumps. This is in an attempt to eliminate the sanitary problem here in Datcha. The details are still being worked out…I’ll keep you updated.
- Reforestation- the ongoing project of planting beaucoup (a lot) of trees. I have started with some of the primary schools to get the kids interested as well.
- Of course the larger projects of latrines and water pumps are still there are present and represent a larger goal of the village.
- The school garden is going well and I hope to get people interested in doing gardens on their own so there can be some market for fresh produce in village. I am lucky to get good tomatoes and onions in village, but there is a serious lack of edible leafy-greens in rural Togo.
In closing, I am in good health, high spirits, and in a constant state of learning/observing/questioning. Everyday brings new challenges and rewards no matter how big or small. Already, I think I have learned a lot about myself (living in a small African village by yourself can have that affect) and also that I have a lot of growing to do and a lot of patience and wisdom to acquire if I truly want to “be the change I wish to see..”
Love you all. Peace.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Du courage
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you all take time out of your day to tell someone you love them. Today I am missing all of you. I am not particularly in the mood to write a lot, but I do want to give you a quick update.
The English club is going really well, I have scheduled a match for the girl’s soccer team for next weekend and the girls are excited for that, I have continued with Environmental education courses at the CEG along with “life skills” courses that touch on subjects ranging from the importance of washing your hands to gender roles in village. In addition I have been furiously advocating for the latrines at the CEG to be emptied and seriously renovated (they have gone unused and full for about 10 years). It has been a little frustrating, after ordering a truck to come and empty the latrines, we found out that it was impossible to empty because of various objects that have been thrown down there and the fact that all the waste has congealed and, according to the workers is «comme les roches» like rock. So now we have asked a team of manual labors to come and empty the latrines by hand during the night. Once that is finished we have to renovate the cement structure and add a tin roof. After all of that, I would like to couple the newly finished latrines with training sessions for the students on the importance of cleanliness and latrine use. Anyway, it has been exhausting and the work is far from finished. A commonly used phrase here in Togo «du courage» loosely translates to "have courage," sums up nicely what I am feeling at the moment.
Anyways other than that I am trying to stay healthy and sane in the heat. Recently, I have had a few more health problems and have felt homesick more than usual. I hope that my motivation and positive attitude about the village work sticks and that I can accomplish some good in Datcha during my two years (some days I seriously doubt this).
On another note, Barack Obama’s inauguration speech was sent to me here in Togo- transcript and audio (thanks Dad and Laura) and I was touched by a few particular excerpts that I agree with and feel compelled to share with you.
“To the people of poor nation, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.”
I particularly like this one and feel it speaks to me, what I believe in, and my motivation for doing Peace Corps thus I will close this brief update with it…:
“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”
The English club is going really well, I have scheduled a match for the girl’s soccer team for next weekend and the girls are excited for that, I have continued with Environmental education courses at the CEG along with “life skills” courses that touch on subjects ranging from the importance of washing your hands to gender roles in village. In addition I have been furiously advocating for the latrines at the CEG to be emptied and seriously renovated (they have gone unused and full for about 10 years). It has been a little frustrating, after ordering a truck to come and empty the latrines, we found out that it was impossible to empty because of various objects that have been thrown down there and the fact that all the waste has congealed and, according to the workers is «comme les roches» like rock. So now we have asked a team of manual labors to come and empty the latrines by hand during the night. Once that is finished we have to renovate the cement structure and add a tin roof. After all of that, I would like to couple the newly finished latrines with training sessions for the students on the importance of cleanliness and latrine use. Anyway, it has been exhausting and the work is far from finished. A commonly used phrase here in Togo «du courage» loosely translates to "have courage," sums up nicely what I am feeling at the moment.
Anyways other than that I am trying to stay healthy and sane in the heat. Recently, I have had a few more health problems and have felt homesick more than usual. I hope that my motivation and positive attitude about the village work sticks and that I can accomplish some good in Datcha during my two years (some days I seriously doubt this).
On another note, Barack Obama’s inauguration speech was sent to me here in Togo- transcript and audio (thanks Dad and Laura) and I was touched by a few particular excerpts that I agree with and feel compelled to share with you.
“To the people of poor nation, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.”
I particularly like this one and feel it speaks to me, what I believe in, and my motivation for doing Peace Corps thus I will close this brief update with it…:
“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”
Saturday, January 31, 2009
The heat and the fields
For the first time here in Togo I am wondering if my body was made to withstand this climate. Don’t get me wrong, I strongly believe in the body’s ability to adapt, but the way I “suffer” in the heat in comparison to my Togolese friends makes me eager for a long-overdue, evolution-scale acclimatization to the weather. Unfortunately, the true heat has yet to arrive. According to a teacher at the CEG «l’harmattan a fini et la chaleur va arriver» (harmattan is over and the heat is going to arrive). So, now it’s official, no more of this high 80s/low 90s crap of the harmattan season, that’s for the amateurs we are looking at temperatures in the upper nineties until about midnight when I’ve been told is when you drag yourself inside your house to escape the nightlife (i.e. creepy crawlies) which can be worse than the sauna that has become your tin-roofed bedroom. So with the end of harmattan comes the “dry season” «la saison séche» that will last until April when the heat is alleviated by massive amounts of rain that commence the rainy season. Apparently, during rainy season rain falls by the bucket leaving you, at times, trapped inside for days at a time. Despite it all, it is exciting to witness a change in seasons that is so unlike what I know and am familiar with.
I’ve come to appreciate how the people there schedule their lives and activities around the agricultural calendar. Since about 90% of the people in Datcha are either farmers themselves or own land that is being farmed, it is necessary for anyone living here to be aware of the changing seasons. For example, I’ve been told it would be futile to schedule a meeting with villagers or to expect full attendance at school during the prime harvest time. Since everything is done by hand in the fields (with just a hoe and a machete) it is sometimes becomes a race against time to finish the necessary work. Perhaps a few of you can remember a time when things were done solely with the hands in the fields, but as for me sometimes when I look out behind my house into the fields, it is like I am looking back in time where the thought of a tractor or irrigation systems seem absurd.
That leads me to a concern I foresee with working with farmers here. I see how hard they work to just eat, as not many have an excess to sell. Literally, many of the people here are living season to season, day to day, meal to meal. Because of that, it is hard to speak of long-term agriculture projects. When you can hardly afford to feed your family for the week can you really afford to think of a three-year investment in agroforestry (the incorporation of nitrogen-fixing trees into certain field crop-something that has proven particularly successful in West Africa)? Furthermore, the initial start-up fees for such projects are not available and thus make talking about such things even more difficult. Further, I’ve found that some of the popular farming trends that are starting to pick up speed in the U.S. (i.e. organic, local eating, etc.) have been used in Togo for years but are now seen as out-of-date because of “Western” agri. technology (like chemical fertilizer, tractors, etc) which, like all things Western signify money and success. Whereas in the States we see organic techniques, agroforestry, composting, as sustainable, essential, and in some ways “trendy” some people here, understandable, see some of these same things as out-of-date and backward. Lastly, I am still learning so much from farmers here and am not ready to impose any ideas on them until I feel adequately informed about farming here.
I’ve found that there are times in Datcha that I really enjoy the work that is starting, the people I’m meeting, and the things I am learning. At the same time, there are times when I am overwhelmed with all of those things and have feelings of helplessness, loneliness, and guilt. Nonetheless I am confident that sorting through those emotions while trying to continue to create work for myself will in the end make me a different, if not better, person.
Thanks for all the letters and support I have gotten from all of you recently. I miss you all and think of you often as I continue on my quest for understanding, patience, and physical adjustment to my new home here in Togo.
I’ve come to appreciate how the people there schedule their lives and activities around the agricultural calendar. Since about 90% of the people in Datcha are either farmers themselves or own land that is being farmed, it is necessary for anyone living here to be aware of the changing seasons. For example, I’ve been told it would be futile to schedule a meeting with villagers or to expect full attendance at school during the prime harvest time. Since everything is done by hand in the fields (with just a hoe and a machete) it is sometimes becomes a race against time to finish the necessary work. Perhaps a few of you can remember a time when things were done solely with the hands in the fields, but as for me sometimes when I look out behind my house into the fields, it is like I am looking back in time where the thought of a tractor or irrigation systems seem absurd.
That leads me to a concern I foresee with working with farmers here. I see how hard they work to just eat, as not many have an excess to sell. Literally, many of the people here are living season to season, day to day, meal to meal. Because of that, it is hard to speak of long-term agriculture projects. When you can hardly afford to feed your family for the week can you really afford to think of a three-year investment in agroforestry (the incorporation of nitrogen-fixing trees into certain field crop-something that has proven particularly successful in West Africa)? Furthermore, the initial start-up fees for such projects are not available and thus make talking about such things even more difficult. Further, I’ve found that some of the popular farming trends that are starting to pick up speed in the U.S. (i.e. organic, local eating, etc.) have been used in Togo for years but are now seen as out-of-date because of “Western” agri. technology (like chemical fertilizer, tractors, etc) which, like all things Western signify money and success. Whereas in the States we see organic techniques, agroforestry, composting, as sustainable, essential, and in some ways “trendy” some people here, understandable, see some of these same things as out-of-date and backward. Lastly, I am still learning so much from farmers here and am not ready to impose any ideas on them until I feel adequately informed about farming here.
I’ve found that there are times in Datcha that I really enjoy the work that is starting, the people I’m meeting, and the things I am learning. At the same time, there are times when I am overwhelmed with all of those things and have feelings of helplessness, loneliness, and guilt. Nonetheless I am confident that sorting through those emotions while trying to continue to create work for myself will in the end make me a different, if not better, person.
Thanks for all the letters and support I have gotten from all of you recently. I miss you all and think of you often as I continue on my quest for understanding, patience, and physical adjustment to my new home here in Togo.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Le travail commence...the work starts
Here goes another attempt to share a little more of my life here...Thanks for your patience as I sort through my thoughts, feelings, and emotions on this public internet domain (perhaps not the most appropriate place).
Things have been moving faster and in different ways than I’ve ever imagined and I’m thankful for all your support recently. I am optimistic about my new life in Datcha and very eager to start certain projects. I attribute this change in attitude to many things but largely to the fact that I have received furniture from another Close of Service (COS) volunteer. Now, when I return back to my compound, I feel more and more like I am returning home rather than to a strange, empty quarters. In a place where everything can seem foreign, it is nice- at the end of the day- to return to something familiar (I promise pictures of my new home are soon to come). Another commodity that I graciously inherited and has equally added to my quality of life is a gas stove. It has enabled me to begin preparing meals for myself with a somewhat familiar device (as opposed to the wood/charcoal cook stove that everyone else uses). Those of you who knew my culinary skills (or lack thereof) before, would be proud of some of my Togolese culinary creations. With limited “western” ingredients, my palate has expanded to include many of the Togolese staple foods and spices including, but not limited to: millet, maïs, dried fish, and piement (hot pepper).
I’ve also managed to start some work that I have found very satisfying. I’ve been working a lot in the CEG (the Togolese equivalent to a Middle School) and have made fast friends with many of the students and professors. It started with me sitting in on classes and then gradually gaining courage to help with the English lessons and then, seeing the students passion and excitement for the English language/American culture, starting an English club. My primary goal is to dispel many of the stereotypes of Americans and U.S.A-centric ideas of the English speaking world in general. I have officially had two meetings both of which, in my opinion, were very successful. I had over 100 students at both and was moved and frightened by how easily they accepted exactly what I teach. The first week we talked about Barack Obama, how yes he is the U.S.’s first black president, and yes how his grandmother is Kenyan, and how yes, in spite of how we view those things here in Togo, he is through and through 100% American. The class ended with a grand round of 100 plus Togolese students chanting «Oui, nous pouvons» “Yes We Can!” in French. Perhaps the students left a little more empowered than when they came.
You may be asking why and English club when I am here for Natural Resource management? Well, it is the one thing I feel comfortable and confident teaching…I’m proud to say now, though, through my contacts with the English club, I have been able to lay the foundation for a community garden (all that remains is the rainy season to come, a successful compost cycle, and reliable seeds). I’ve also launched the beginning of what I hope becomes a Moringa tree nursery (for info. on Moringa see previous post’s link). The community members are very excited about the tree’s potential and so, trying to stay true the community’s interests, I have made a trip to the chief’s house to make arrangements. Lastly, and perhaps most ambitiously, I am very interested in beginning a project for public toilets in Datcha. I have talked with health officials from the area who have informed me that is perhaps one of the most pressing public health, environmental, and quality-of-life concerns in the village. Hopefully after careful consideration, community consultation, and Peace Corps support I can begin that work as well.
As the work begins other, less welcoming, things remain. I am in a constant struggle with my stomach here. No matter how much care I take in treating my water and watching what I am eating, at least once a week for a few days I have serious disagreements with my G.I. tract. On a quick culture note: when you are sick everyone knows and will come and visit- for better or worse. They will bring you food, fetch water from the well, and offer any help they think might hasten your recovery. It is a cultural practice that has been comforting. Like many things, I am becoming accustomed to my health problems while at the same time finding creative ways to make myself feel better. One day this past week when I had a fairly high fever and a stomach ache, I was feeling particularly sorry for myself I pulled out my viola and started playing “Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen” (melodramatic, I know). A few neighbors came to visit and started humming along (thinking that is what their sick Peace Corps Volunteer/friend wanted). I took it as far to teach them the lyrics as well (the CEG students are always eager to learn new English songs). It was therapeutic and I felt almost instantly better after a few choruses…I was hesitant to translate the song, however. In all honesty I have truly not seen nor experienced the troubles of Togo, poverty, etc. like all of my new friends and community members have seen and experienced. Nothing like an old American folk song to put things into perspective.
It is time for me to leave you once again. Since I am still new I hate feeling like I’m wasting opportunities to go see, learn, and talk with/from new people and places. I’ve discovered that you never can predict when you will discover, meet, or observe important things here that will help in your adjustment and work (case in point- my American folk song experience). With that said, I am so happy and eager to hear from all of you and what is going on in your busy lives. In fact, sometimes I prefer to hear about you all rather than to attempt to share all that is going on here. Perhaps, if find any enjoyment at all from these musings, you too will send me news (email or snail mail) of your lives in the U.S. which I miss and think of often.
In closing I would like to leave you with a quote that I have thought a lot about that I ran across when I was excessively analyzing the politics of the church here in Togo. It comes from an essay by Gandhi on service to others. It has become meaningful to me and I hope you will appreciate it too:
It is through service of humanity that I am endeavoring to see God. For it is not in heaven nor below that God lives, but in everyone.
Things have been moving faster and in different ways than I’ve ever imagined and I’m thankful for all your support recently. I am optimistic about my new life in Datcha and very eager to start certain projects. I attribute this change in attitude to many things but largely to the fact that I have received furniture from another Close of Service (COS) volunteer. Now, when I return back to my compound, I feel more and more like I am returning home rather than to a strange, empty quarters. In a place where everything can seem foreign, it is nice- at the end of the day- to return to something familiar (I promise pictures of my new home are soon to come). Another commodity that I graciously inherited and has equally added to my quality of life is a gas stove. It has enabled me to begin preparing meals for myself with a somewhat familiar device (as opposed to the wood/charcoal cook stove that everyone else uses). Those of you who knew my culinary skills (or lack thereof) before, would be proud of some of my Togolese culinary creations. With limited “western” ingredients, my palate has expanded to include many of the Togolese staple foods and spices including, but not limited to: millet, maïs, dried fish, and piement (hot pepper).
I’ve also managed to start some work that I have found very satisfying. I’ve been working a lot in the CEG (the Togolese equivalent to a Middle School) and have made fast friends with many of the students and professors. It started with me sitting in on classes and then gradually gaining courage to help with the English lessons and then, seeing the students passion and excitement for the English language/American culture, starting an English club. My primary goal is to dispel many of the stereotypes of Americans and U.S.A-centric ideas of the English speaking world in general. I have officially had two meetings both of which, in my opinion, were very successful. I had over 100 students at both and was moved and frightened by how easily they accepted exactly what I teach. The first week we talked about Barack Obama, how yes he is the U.S.’s first black president, and yes how his grandmother is Kenyan, and how yes, in spite of how we view those things here in Togo, he is through and through 100% American. The class ended with a grand round of 100 plus Togolese students chanting «Oui, nous pouvons» “Yes We Can!” in French. Perhaps the students left a little more empowered than when they came.
You may be asking why and English club when I am here for Natural Resource management? Well, it is the one thing I feel comfortable and confident teaching…I’m proud to say now, though, through my contacts with the English club, I have been able to lay the foundation for a community garden (all that remains is the rainy season to come, a successful compost cycle, and reliable seeds). I’ve also launched the beginning of what I hope becomes a Moringa tree nursery (for info. on Moringa see previous post’s link). The community members are very excited about the tree’s potential and so, trying to stay true the community’s interests, I have made a trip to the chief’s house to make arrangements. Lastly, and perhaps most ambitiously, I am very interested in beginning a project for public toilets in Datcha. I have talked with health officials from the area who have informed me that is perhaps one of the most pressing public health, environmental, and quality-of-life concerns in the village. Hopefully after careful consideration, community consultation, and Peace Corps support I can begin that work as well.
As the work begins other, less welcoming, things remain. I am in a constant struggle with my stomach here. No matter how much care I take in treating my water and watching what I am eating, at least once a week for a few days I have serious disagreements with my G.I. tract. On a quick culture note: when you are sick everyone knows and will come and visit- for better or worse. They will bring you food, fetch water from the well, and offer any help they think might hasten your recovery. It is a cultural practice that has been comforting. Like many things, I am becoming accustomed to my health problems while at the same time finding creative ways to make myself feel better. One day this past week when I had a fairly high fever and a stomach ache, I was feeling particularly sorry for myself I pulled out my viola and started playing “Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen” (melodramatic, I know). A few neighbors came to visit and started humming along (thinking that is what their sick Peace Corps Volunteer/friend wanted). I took it as far to teach them the lyrics as well (the CEG students are always eager to learn new English songs). It was therapeutic and I felt almost instantly better after a few choruses…I was hesitant to translate the song, however. In all honesty I have truly not seen nor experienced the troubles of Togo, poverty, etc. like all of my new friends and community members have seen and experienced. Nothing like an old American folk song to put things into perspective.
It is time for me to leave you once again. Since I am still new I hate feeling like I’m wasting opportunities to go see, learn, and talk with/from new people and places. I’ve discovered that you never can predict when you will discover, meet, or observe important things here that will help in your adjustment and work (case in point- my American folk song experience). With that said, I am so happy and eager to hear from all of you and what is going on in your busy lives. In fact, sometimes I prefer to hear about you all rather than to attempt to share all that is going on here. Perhaps, if find any enjoyment at all from these musings, you too will send me news (email or snail mail) of your lives in the U.S. which I miss and think of often.
In closing I would like to leave you with a quote that I have thought a lot about that I ran across when I was excessively analyzing the politics of the church here in Togo. It comes from an essay by Gandhi on service to others. It has become meaningful to me and I hope you will appreciate it too:
It is through service of humanity that I am endeavoring to see God. For it is not in heaven nor below that God lives, but in everyone.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Hello all and Happy Holidays!
First off, I hope all of you have had a good holiday season thus far and that you are all with loved ones enjoying a relaxing vacation. I have taken a few days to celebrate here myself with a couple of other volunteers in my nearby regional capital (Atakpamé) and thus have internet access. I do have to say, however, that it just doesn’t feel like Christmas without freezing windshields, snowmen, and an overweight jolly white man (all of which are hard to find here in Togo). Despite the lack of that “Christmas feeling” I am accustomed to, we gave a valiant effort to make an Americanized Christmas dinner…the menu consisted of a pasta with red sauce (a.k.a canned tomato paste), cheese sandwiches (we splurged on the cheese), salad, and cookies! It was successful but needless to say I overate and got sick (I think it was the cheese- the first dairy I had had in a few months).
I am now at post by myself trying to cope with the many stresses (emotional, physical, and psychological) of living on my own in an African village. My Togolese Village is called Datcha and is actually not as villageoise as most. It is located directly off the route nationale (Togo’s main highway) that transverses the country north to south. Because of its location to the highway and its mere 10 km distance from Atakpamé, it has electricity and the amenities thereof (like cold drinks). Datcha was also once home to a pagne (or cotton clothing material) factory that employed more than 1,000 Togolese and was a relatively stable economic influx for the community. Unfortunately, the factory has since been shut down, and although Datcha has enjoyed some lasting benefits from the factory’s economic development, it has also left certain populations in Datcha devastatedly unemployed.
The integration and familiarization process in my community has been slow-going and stressful but not altogether futile. I have made a few friends and have felt a little more comfortable than when I first arrived. The hardest part of my first three weeks has been the realization of just how hard my service will be (and that realization hasn’t even been completely fulfilled). All I can do is take one day at a time and hope for an eventual successful integration that will facilitate community organizing and development work I am passionate about starting. Another difficulty is the understanding that the work here will not be at all what I’ve expected- in fact, all I can expect is the unexpected. I’ve realized that a shift of what exactly counts as work is in order as well. There will be some days that having conversations with villagers and eating Togolese pâte (corn mush) with my hands will be the only “work” that I am tangibly accomplishing.
It hasn’t been any help that my home is not at all a comforting place to return home to…yet. It is three cement rooms that have the potential for comfort except for the fact that I have no furniture. I have been forced to start from scratch setting up a home in Datcha, Togo. It’s nothing like the U.S. where one trip to target or a furniture mart could make things a little homier. Instead I have to order things from the carpenter, haggle prices, and in some cases help find quality wood for construction. Actually, that is a decent portrait of how things work here in general. Even the most straightforward things (or the most taken for granted tasks) have accumulated numerous steps. For example, going to the bathroom consists of the following steps:
1. A good ten minutes in advance is needed to prepare for the task.
2. Find bucket and make your way over to the well.
3. Fetch a bucket of water from the well and carry 50m over to the latrine.
4. If needed find toilet paper (or the equivalent) for sanitary needs.
5. Throw away toilet paper as the latrine toilet is not equipped for any unnecessary excess material.
6. Do your business…but don’t walk away quite yet.
7. Take the bucket and place over your head and pour, with force, into the latrine toilet to create a flush reaction.
8. Repeat steps 2,3, and 7 until the resulting water in the toilet is clear and sure not to attract out-of-the-ordinary pests.
9. After several toilet visits it is then necessary to burn your TP and other trash you have accumulated because unfortunately it is the only alternative to proper waste disposal (the other being lleaving heaps of toxic waste sitting at your doorstep).
In other, more exciting news, Peace Corps volunteers made an obscure media appearance after our swear-in ceremony at the U.S. ambassador’s house a few weeks ago. Check out the link below and look for me in the picture…I am turning to my left and have short hair (it was way too hot) with a colorful Togolese complet (dress).
http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=9&s=0&d=3&i=2803
Hopefully soon I will be able to put up a few pictures and tell you a little more about my daily life in village. I am still figuring out life myself, however, and once I have a little more of a grasp on things (and emotional stability) I will attempt, once again, to enlighten the masses.
Thanks for all the emails and letters- you all have become my inspiration here in Togo. I love and miss you all.
First off, I hope all of you have had a good holiday season thus far and that you are all with loved ones enjoying a relaxing vacation. I have taken a few days to celebrate here myself with a couple of other volunteers in my nearby regional capital (Atakpamé) and thus have internet access. I do have to say, however, that it just doesn’t feel like Christmas without freezing windshields, snowmen, and an overweight jolly white man (all of which are hard to find here in Togo). Despite the lack of that “Christmas feeling” I am accustomed to, we gave a valiant effort to make an Americanized Christmas dinner…the menu consisted of a pasta with red sauce (a.k.a canned tomato paste), cheese sandwiches (we splurged on the cheese), salad, and cookies! It was successful but needless to say I overate and got sick (I think it was the cheese- the first dairy I had had in a few months).
I am now at post by myself trying to cope with the many stresses (emotional, physical, and psychological) of living on my own in an African village. My Togolese Village is called Datcha and is actually not as villageoise as most. It is located directly off the route nationale (Togo’s main highway) that transverses the country north to south. Because of its location to the highway and its mere 10 km distance from Atakpamé, it has electricity and the amenities thereof (like cold drinks). Datcha was also once home to a pagne (or cotton clothing material) factory that employed more than 1,000 Togolese and was a relatively stable economic influx for the community. Unfortunately, the factory has since been shut down, and although Datcha has enjoyed some lasting benefits from the factory’s economic development, it has also left certain populations in Datcha devastatedly unemployed.
The integration and familiarization process in my community has been slow-going and stressful but not altogether futile. I have made a few friends and have felt a little more comfortable than when I first arrived. The hardest part of my first three weeks has been the realization of just how hard my service will be (and that realization hasn’t even been completely fulfilled). All I can do is take one day at a time and hope for an eventual successful integration that will facilitate community organizing and development work I am passionate about starting. Another difficulty is the understanding that the work here will not be at all what I’ve expected- in fact, all I can expect is the unexpected. I’ve realized that a shift of what exactly counts as work is in order as well. There will be some days that having conversations with villagers and eating Togolese pâte (corn mush) with my hands will be the only “work” that I am tangibly accomplishing.
It hasn’t been any help that my home is not at all a comforting place to return home to…yet. It is three cement rooms that have the potential for comfort except for the fact that I have no furniture. I have been forced to start from scratch setting up a home in Datcha, Togo. It’s nothing like the U.S. where one trip to target or a furniture mart could make things a little homier. Instead I have to order things from the carpenter, haggle prices, and in some cases help find quality wood for construction. Actually, that is a decent portrait of how things work here in general. Even the most straightforward things (or the most taken for granted tasks) have accumulated numerous steps. For example, going to the bathroom consists of the following steps:
1. A good ten minutes in advance is needed to prepare for the task.
2. Find bucket and make your way over to the well.
3. Fetch a bucket of water from the well and carry 50m over to the latrine.
4. If needed find toilet paper (or the equivalent) for sanitary needs.
5. Throw away toilet paper as the latrine toilet is not equipped for any unnecessary excess material.
6. Do your business…but don’t walk away quite yet.
7. Take the bucket and place over your head and pour, with force, into the latrine toilet to create a flush reaction.
8. Repeat steps 2,3, and 7 until the resulting water in the toilet is clear and sure not to attract out-of-the-ordinary pests.
9. After several toilet visits it is then necessary to burn your TP and other trash you have accumulated because unfortunately it is the only alternative to proper waste disposal (the other being lleaving heaps of toxic waste sitting at your doorstep).
In other, more exciting news, Peace Corps volunteers made an obscure media appearance after our swear-in ceremony at the U.S. ambassador’s house a few weeks ago. Check out the link below and look for me in the picture…I am turning to my left and have short hair (it was way too hot) with a colorful Togolese complet (dress).
http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=9&s=0&d=3&i=2803
Hopefully soon I will be able to put up a few pictures and tell you a little more about my daily life in village. I am still figuring out life myself, however, and once I have a little more of a grasp on things (and emotional stability) I will attempt, once again, to enlighten the masses.
Thanks for all the emails and letters- you all have become my inspiration here in Togo. I love and miss you all.
Monday, November 24, 2008
The First
I hope my first ever Togo blog post finds you all in good health, high spirits, and friendly anticipation. My access to internet has been limited/non-existent these first two months but I hope to be in better communication in the next few weeks.
My life here thus far has been very busy. Officially, my days are filled with language, technical, and cultural training. Unofficially my days are filled with scrambling with French/Ewe/Kotokoli, learning about natural pesticides (or the technique du jour), and eating fou-fou (pounded manioc) with my hands and my host mother. My French is coming along and now I have progressed to learning a local Togolese language (one of 40-some) that will hopefully help with integration in my future village. Overall, I am happy, well-fed, and healthy...however, there is a constant sense of overwhelm-dom with what I've learned/experienced, what I still need to learn/experience, and all I want to share with you.
Before I start I would like to offer a general disclaimer/promise for my future blog-posts:
In no way will these public musings be consistently grammatically and/or politically correct, insightful and/or intelligent, nor funny and/or thoughtful, though at times there should be some of each. I am confident, nonetheless, that they can give a glimpse into my life here in Togo or as a 1960s tourism poster so lovingly called it: "L'afrique en miniature."
--------------------------------------------------
Take comfort in the fact that as the seasons change in the U.S from cold to colder (especially my boos in Minnesota), here in Togo it is a consistent "really hot & humid." Although I think I have adjusted slightly to the climate I am continually amazed at my ability to sweat through a t-shirt within seconds. The sweating and perpetual drinking of water by the "yovos" (as us foreigners are lovingly referred to here) are always two things that make the locals chuckle.
The end of my training is coming to a close and on December 8th I will officially swear in as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). Everyday that passes I feel more at ease with life in Ago Nyogbo (my training site village- north west of Lome). The people there know "le corps de la paix" and are friendly and receptive to our mission here in Togo. It will be sad to leave the village not only because of my fellow peace corps frieds, but also because I really enjoy my host family (hopefully soon I can put up photos). I live with a woman who is known around town as "Afrikiko" which is also the name of the local bar she owns. She is a big woman (in size and grandeur) and well respected in the village. In our compound is the bartender (Kodjo), her "brother" (Christoph), two other young girls (Ellie and Evelyn) who do the domestic work (one of which has a 1 year old child Alfredo), and the numerous villagers and/or passer-bys who stop in for a cold drink or a quick shot of the local "boisson" sodabi. Afrikiko runs a tight ship and by tight I mean she won't let me do anything on my own. It was an upward battle to tell her thatI am perfectly capable of getting my own water from the well and washing my own laundry...the more I persisted the more they thought it funny and absurd that I was willing to do the work. I finally finagled ways around her rule by getting up really early to do my laundry or sneaking off to fetch water on my own. Now my family is very excited about my self-sufficient Togolese ways and I am feeling more like a part of the family than ever.
Togolese culture is very different than American. Later, when I hope to have more free time/access to internet, I am planning on writing about the culture here as I have experienced it. The aspect I have become increasingly aware of here is how the relaticely recent history of the country has shaped both its culture and relations/reactions to foreigners. Togo has a unique and complex past (not unlike many African countries), in that it has been colonized by both the Germans and the French...Colonization has forever affected Togo for better or worse- there is absolutely no way around it- and that history will inevitably influence my service here as a white American.
I had my firs serious bout with illness last week . It was not fun. Serious excretion of bodily fluids resulted in a 4 hour stint in my nearby latrine (about 25 meters from my room), followed by a fever and stomach pain. The whole mess didn't last more than 24 hours making me believe that it was just something I ate and nothing long-term or very serious. However at the time all I could think of was "I'm going to die and if not- I want to..." Being sick, even for a short bit, has been one of the hardest things here. Life is emotional and exhausting enough that an illness of any sort s enough to make even the most dedicated of us to say "get me the hell out of here." Nonetheless I am thankful to have experienced my "first time" and now hope that other volunteers in my group who are sick have fast and quick recoveries.
Last week we had a Natural Resource Managment (NRM) field trip all the way up north through the country. The country varies vastly from North to South and it really reinforced the idea that no one peace corps volunteer here in country will have a similar experience in country. In the north something called "harmattan" has just started with the end of the rainy season. The vegetation has become brown and the problem with water conservation and use has quickly followed. We learned as saw a lot including: beekeeping, traditional soap making, grafted mango trees, contour lines (to prevent soil/land erosion), solar cook ovens, and a women's weaving cooperative. All of these technical training sessions are for our knowledge to use in our future posts. One of the most exciting things we have learned about is the moringa tree- please take a look at the link as there is way too much to say about the tree here.
I have barely scratched the surface of my experience thus far but I am exhausted and tired and ready for a repose (rest). Those of you who know me well would be very surprised/astonished to know that here I have trouble sleeping past 6am (due to the animals, sun, schedule, and fact that I go to bed at about 8:30pm). Anyway, my first post must come to an anti-climactic close, without any grand conclusion or poetic flow.You are always in my thoughts and I miss you all. Thanks to those of you who have written to me- letters literally make my day (and take about 3 weeks). Get excited for future posts and leave me feedback (or requests/ questions).
Love and Peace.
My life here thus far has been very busy. Officially, my days are filled with language, technical, and cultural training. Unofficially my days are filled with scrambling with French/Ewe/Kotokoli, learning about natural pesticides (or the technique du jour), and eating fou-fou (pounded manioc) with my hands and my host mother. My French is coming along and now I have progressed to learning a local Togolese language (one of 40-some) that will hopefully help with integration in my future village. Overall, I am happy, well-fed, and healthy...however, there is a constant sense of overwhelm-dom with what I've learned/experienced, what I still need to learn/experience, and all I want to share with you.
Before I start I would like to offer a general disclaimer/promise for my future blog-posts:
In no way will these public musings be consistently grammatically and/or politically correct, insightful and/or intelligent, nor funny and/or thoughtful, though at times there should be some of each. I am confident, nonetheless, that they can give a glimpse into my life here in Togo or as a 1960s tourism poster so lovingly called it: "L'afrique en miniature."
--------------------------------------------------
Take comfort in the fact that as the seasons change in the U.S from cold to colder (especially my boos in Minnesota), here in Togo it is a consistent "really hot & humid." Although I think I have adjusted slightly to the climate I am continually amazed at my ability to sweat through a t-shirt within seconds. The sweating and perpetual drinking of water by the "yovos" (as us foreigners are lovingly referred to here) are always two things that make the locals chuckle.
The end of my training is coming to a close and on December 8th I will officially swear in as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). Everyday that passes I feel more at ease with life in Ago Nyogbo (my training site village- north west of Lome). The people there know "le corps de la paix" and are friendly and receptive to our mission here in Togo. It will be sad to leave the village not only because of my fellow peace corps frieds, but also because I really enjoy my host family (hopefully soon I can put up photos). I live with a woman who is known around town as "Afrikiko" which is also the name of the local bar she owns. She is a big woman (in size and grandeur) and well respected in the village. In our compound is the bartender (Kodjo), her "brother" (Christoph), two other young girls (Ellie and Evelyn) who do the domestic work (one of which has a 1 year old child Alfredo), and the numerous villagers and/or passer-bys who stop in for a cold drink or a quick shot of the local "boisson" sodabi. Afrikiko runs a tight ship and by tight I mean she won't let me do anything on my own. It was an upward battle to tell her thatI am perfectly capable of getting my own water from the well and washing my own laundry...the more I persisted the more they thought it funny and absurd that I was willing to do the work. I finally finagled ways around her rule by getting up really early to do my laundry or sneaking off to fetch water on my own. Now my family is very excited about my self-sufficient Togolese ways and I am feeling more like a part of the family than ever.
Togolese culture is very different than American. Later, when I hope to have more free time/access to internet, I am planning on writing about the culture here as I have experienced it. The aspect I have become increasingly aware of here is how the relaticely recent history of the country has shaped both its culture and relations/reactions to foreigners. Togo has a unique and complex past (not unlike many African countries), in that it has been colonized by both the Germans and the French...Colonization has forever affected Togo for better or worse- there is absolutely no way around it- and that history will inevitably influence my service here as a white American.
I had my firs serious bout with illness last week . It was not fun. Serious excretion of bodily fluids resulted in a 4 hour stint in my nearby latrine (about 25 meters from my room), followed by a fever and stomach pain. The whole mess didn't last more than 24 hours making me believe that it was just something I ate and nothing long-term or very serious. However at the time all I could think of was "I'm going to die and if not- I want to..." Being sick, even for a short bit, has been one of the hardest things here. Life is emotional and exhausting enough that an illness of any sort s enough to make even the most dedicated of us to say "get me the hell out of here." Nonetheless I am thankful to have experienced my "first time" and now hope that other volunteers in my group who are sick have fast and quick recoveries.
Last week we had a Natural Resource Managment (NRM) field trip all the way up north through the country. The country varies vastly from North to South and it really reinforced the idea that no one peace corps volunteer here in country will have a similar experience in country. In the north something called "harmattan" has just started with the end of the rainy season. The vegetation has become brown and the problem with water conservation and use has quickly followed. We learned as saw a lot including: beekeeping, traditional soap making, grafted mango trees, contour lines (to prevent soil/land erosion), solar cook ovens, and a women's weaving cooperative. All of these technical training sessions are for our knowledge to use in our future posts. One of the most exciting things we have learned about is the moringa tree- please take a look at the link as there is way too much to say about the tree here.
I have barely scratched the surface of my experience thus far but I am exhausted and tired and ready for a repose (rest). Those of you who know me well would be very surprised/astonished to know that here I have trouble sleeping past 6am (due to the animals, sun, schedule, and fact that I go to bed at about 8:30pm). Anyway, my first post must come to an anti-climactic close, without any grand conclusion or poetic flow.You are always in my thoughts and I miss you all. Thanks to those of you who have written to me- letters literally make my day (and take about 3 weeks). Get excited for future posts and leave me feedback (or requests/ questions).
Love and Peace.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Letter to Family and Friends from Peace Corps
Dear Families,
Greetings from the Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to the Togo training program. Over the years we have received many questions from Volunteers and family members alike regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages and mail, etc. As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest they be handled.
1. Irregular Communication.
(Please see #3 for the mailing address to Peace Corps' office in Lomé the capital of Togo).
The mail service in Togo is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service. Thus, it is important to be patient. It can take from three to four weeks for mail coming from Togo to arrive in the United States via the Togolese mail system. From a Volunteer’s post, mail might take up to one to two months to reach the United States depending upon how far the Volunteer is from the capital city, Lomé. Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and mailed through the U.S. postal system. This leg of the trip can take another several weeks as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.
We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer family member to give an estimate of how long it takes for him or her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other. Also try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if he or she missed one. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office.
Peace Corps Togo has established “The Lomé Limo” which runs up and down the country monthly, delivers mail, medical supplies, and sometimes volunteers or staff to central sites along the national road.
Volunteers often enjoy telling their “war” stories when they write home. Letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, etc. While the subject matter is often good reading material, it is often misinterpreted on the home front. Please do not assume that if your family member gets sick that he or she has not been attended to. The city of Lomé has medical and dental facilities, and there is a Peace Corps Medical Officer there as well. Most Volunteers can reach Lomé in less than one day’s time. Many Volunteers also have access to a telephone so that they can call our Medical Office. In the event of a serious illness the Volunteer is sent to Lomé and is cared for by our Medical Unit. If the Volunteer requires medical care that is not available in Togo, he/she will be medically evacuated to South Africa or to the United States. Fortunately, such circumstances are very rare.
If for some reason your communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for at least one month, you should contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) at Peace Corps in Washington at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470 (or direct: 202-692-1470). The OSS will then call the Peace Corps Director in Lomé, and ask her to check up on the Volunteer. Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call OSS immediately, so that the Volunteer can be informed by a member of Peace Corps/Togo staff.
2. Telephone Calls.
The telephone system in Togo has fairly reliable service to the United States. In the interior of the country, where most of our Volunteers are located, the system is less reliable. Most Volunteers have access to a telephone in or nearby their site.
When dialing direct to Togo from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code) + 228 (the country code) + the number. Volunteers generally set up phone calls with people in the U.S. in advance, and have the distant party call them, which is much less expensive than calling the U.S. from Togo. Many volunteers decide to purchase cellphones once they arrive in Togo, but they may not always have regular reception at their site.
The Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. usually calls the Peace Corps office in Lomé at least once a week. However, these calls are reserved for business only and we cannot relay personal messages over the phone. If you have an urgent message, however, and have exhausted your other means (regarding travel plans, etc.), you can call the Desk, and the message will be relayed.
3. Sending Packages.
Parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due the high incidence of theft and heavy customs taxes. You may want to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. Even though many Volunteers sometimes choose to get local post office boxes, you may always use the following address to send letters and/or packages to your family member:
Laura Groggel, PCV
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 3194
Lomé, Togo West Africa
It is recommended that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently. Packages can be sent via surface mail (2-3 weeks arrival time) or by ship (4-6 months). The difference in cost can be a factor in deciding which method to utilize. For lightweight but important items (e.g. airline tickets), DHL (an express mail service) does operate in Lomé, but costs are very expensive. If you choose to send items through DHL, you must address the package to the Country Director, s/c Corps de la Paix, 48 Rue de Rossignols, Quartier Kodjoviakopé, Lomé, Togo. The telephone number for the Peace Corps office in Togo is (228) 221-0614, should DHL need this information. If you send the item to the Country Director, no liability can be assumed. For more information about DHL, please call their toll free number, 1-800-CALL-DHL, or visit their web site at www.dhl.com. Please be aware that there is a customs fee for all DHL packages sent to Volunteers. For each DHL package, the Volunteer will be taxed 10,000 CFA (roughly US$20).
Sending airplane tickets and/or cash is not recommended. Certain airlines will allow you to buy a prepaid ticket in the States; they will telex their Lomé office to have the ticket ready. Unfortunately, this system is not always reliable. Many airlines (e.g., KLM, Air France, Ghana Airways, Air Togo) fly into Lomé or Accra, but each has its own policy on pre-paid tickets. Please call the airline of your choice for more information. You could also send tickets via DHL as mentioned previously. However, Peace Corps will assume no liability in the event of a lost/stolen airline ticket.
Trying to send cash or airline tickets is very risky and is discouraged. If your Volunteer family member requests money from you, it is his/her responsibility to arrange receipt of it. Some Volunteers use Western Union, which has an office in Lomé. Volunteers will also be aware of people visiting the States and can request that they call his/her family when they arrive in the States should airline tickets need to be sent back to Togo.
4. E-mail.
There is fairly reliable e-mail service in Togo with cyber cafes in most large towns. Connections can be very slow and time consuming as well as costly. E-mail, however, may become the preferred method of communication between you and your family member in Togo. Not all Volunteers have access to e-mail on a daily basis but they should be able to read and send messages at least once a month. As with other means of communication, do not be alarmed if you do not receive daily or weekly messages. Unless in Lomé at the office, Volunteers have to pay for internet time at cyber cafes and this can be a slow or expensive process depending on the connection at the café.
We hope this information is helpful to you during the time your family member is serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo. We understand how frustrating it is to communicate with your family member overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guideline. Please feel free to contact us at the Togo Desk in Washington, DC, if you have further questions. Our phone number is (800) 424-8580, ext. 2326/2325, or locally at (202) 692-2326/2325.
Greetings from the Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to the Togo training program. Over the years we have received many questions from Volunteers and family members alike regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages and mail, etc. As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest they be handled.
1. Irregular Communication.
(Please see #3 for the mailing address to Peace Corps' office in Lomé the capital of Togo).
The mail service in Togo is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service. Thus, it is important to be patient. It can take from three to four weeks for mail coming from Togo to arrive in the United States via the Togolese mail system. From a Volunteer’s post, mail might take up to one to two months to reach the United States depending upon how far the Volunteer is from the capital city, Lomé. Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and mailed through the U.S. postal system. This leg of the trip can take another several weeks as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.
We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer family member to give an estimate of how long it takes for him or her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other. Also try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if he or she missed one. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office.
Peace Corps Togo has established “The Lomé Limo” which runs up and down the country monthly, delivers mail, medical supplies, and sometimes volunteers or staff to central sites along the national road.
Volunteers often enjoy telling their “war” stories when they write home. Letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, etc. While the subject matter is often good reading material, it is often misinterpreted on the home front. Please do not assume that if your family member gets sick that he or she has not been attended to. The city of Lomé has medical and dental facilities, and there is a Peace Corps Medical Officer there as well. Most Volunteers can reach Lomé in less than one day’s time. Many Volunteers also have access to a telephone so that they can call our Medical Office. In the event of a serious illness the Volunteer is sent to Lomé and is cared for by our Medical Unit. If the Volunteer requires medical care that is not available in Togo, he/she will be medically evacuated to South Africa or to the United States. Fortunately, such circumstances are very rare.
If for some reason your communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for at least one month, you should contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) at Peace Corps in Washington at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470 (or direct: 202-692-1470). The OSS will then call the Peace Corps Director in Lomé, and ask her to check up on the Volunteer. Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call OSS immediately, so that the Volunteer can be informed by a member of Peace Corps/Togo staff.
2. Telephone Calls.
The telephone system in Togo has fairly reliable service to the United States. In the interior of the country, where most of our Volunteers are located, the system is less reliable. Most Volunteers have access to a telephone in or nearby their site.
When dialing direct to Togo from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code) + 228 (the country code) + the number. Volunteers generally set up phone calls with people in the U.S. in advance, and have the distant party call them, which is much less expensive than calling the U.S. from Togo. Many volunteers decide to purchase cellphones once they arrive in Togo, but they may not always have regular reception at their site.
The Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. usually calls the Peace Corps office in Lomé at least once a week. However, these calls are reserved for business only and we cannot relay personal messages over the phone. If you have an urgent message, however, and have exhausted your other means (regarding travel plans, etc.), you can call the Desk, and the message will be relayed.
3. Sending Packages.
Parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due the high incidence of theft and heavy customs taxes. You may want to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. Even though many Volunteers sometimes choose to get local post office boxes, you may always use the following address to send letters and/or packages to your family member:
Laura Groggel, PCV
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 3194
Lomé, Togo West Africa
It is recommended that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently. Packages can be sent via surface mail (2-3 weeks arrival time) or by ship (4-6 months). The difference in cost can be a factor in deciding which method to utilize. For lightweight but important items (e.g. airline tickets), DHL (an express mail service) does operate in Lomé, but costs are very expensive. If you choose to send items through DHL, you must address the package to the Country Director, s/c Corps de la Paix, 48 Rue de Rossignols, Quartier Kodjoviakopé, Lomé, Togo. The telephone number for the Peace Corps office in Togo is (228) 221-0614, should DHL need this information. If you send the item to the Country Director, no liability can be assumed. For more information about DHL, please call their toll free number, 1-800-CALL-DHL, or visit their web site at www.dhl.com. Please be aware that there is a customs fee for all DHL packages sent to Volunteers. For each DHL package, the Volunteer will be taxed 10,000 CFA (roughly US$20).
Sending airplane tickets and/or cash is not recommended. Certain airlines will allow you to buy a prepaid ticket in the States; they will telex their Lomé office to have the ticket ready. Unfortunately, this system is not always reliable. Many airlines (e.g., KLM, Air France, Ghana Airways, Air Togo) fly into Lomé or Accra, but each has its own policy on pre-paid tickets. Please call the airline of your choice for more information. You could also send tickets via DHL as mentioned previously. However, Peace Corps will assume no liability in the event of a lost/stolen airline ticket.
Trying to send cash or airline tickets is very risky and is discouraged. If your Volunteer family member requests money from you, it is his/her responsibility to arrange receipt of it. Some Volunteers use Western Union, which has an office in Lomé. Volunteers will also be aware of people visiting the States and can request that they call his/her family when they arrive in the States should airline tickets need to be sent back to Togo.
4. E-mail.
There is fairly reliable e-mail service in Togo with cyber cafes in most large towns. Connections can be very slow and time consuming as well as costly. E-mail, however, may become the preferred method of communication between you and your family member in Togo. Not all Volunteers have access to e-mail on a daily basis but they should be able to read and send messages at least once a month. As with other means of communication, do not be alarmed if you do not receive daily or weekly messages. Unless in Lomé at the office, Volunteers have to pay for internet time at cyber cafes and this can be a slow or expensive process depending on the connection at the café.
We hope this information is helpful to you during the time your family member is serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo. We understand how frustrating it is to communicate with your family member overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guideline. Please feel free to contact us at the Togo Desk in Washington, DC, if you have further questions. Our phone number is (800) 424-8580, ext. 2326/2325, or locally at (202) 692-2326/2325.
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