Blogs from Togo, Africa - page 10

October 14: For the first time, I have stepped off Ghanaian soil and ventured into the confusing yet utterly charming borders of Francophone Africa. Crossing the border from Aflao (in Ghana), my travel companions and I were greeted with the same bustle and cocaphony we had come to know in Ghana, but with a decidedly different twang. Mototaxi drivers courted us with eloquent French, and aside from the fish and texiles that crowned the heads of women in Ghana, baguettes and brochettes waded above the crowded streets of Lome, the capital city of tiny Togo. We quickly settled on our accommodation for the evening, and rested in the room to the sound of French announcers enthusiastically calling a French Premier League match on the tele. October 15: Woke early and devoured a breakfast of baguettes, chocolate ... read more

Eight full months it has taken us to traverse this huge region (the size of the contiguous U.S. without Texas.). From entering Mauritania on the first of February, to leaving Cameroon on the last of September. A region of strong religious belief, poverty and corruption. But also a region of great happiness, striking colours and wonderful music. West Africa has some of the worst governments in the world, and the only two ways of getting somewhere in the political jungle; is to hack and bribe your way upwards, or stage a coup d'etat. The latter being the method of choice among the present so called "presidents" of the region. Words like justice and liberty means nothing to the ruling elité. Justice and liberty are things that will never be given for free to the masses. Justice ... read more

On Thursday my training group all swore in as Peace Corps volunteers and now the two year countdown begins! Not that I'm in any hurry to go home, although I do miss everyone. I'm excited to get started working in my village! We left Adeta Thursday morning and after a sad farewell to friends and host families (as if I won't be in the same region for the next couple years!) we drove to Lome for some administrative paperwork. Then, Thursday night was the big ceremony. The American Ambassador was there to swear us in, and we all made speeched in African languages to introduce ourselves. Since I had been learning Ewe from the beginning, I was chosen to give the "big" speech in the most widely spoken African language of Togo, a huge honor. During ... read more

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Hi everyone, The last 2 weeks have flown by so fast that I am having trouble remembering exactly what happened. Basically, I have been busy improving my French, learning the Eve language, and learning about small businesses and nonprofits in Togo. My days are pretty routine which helps them fly by: breakfast around 7:30, then clas from 8 to 12, then a break for lunch when I go home and hang out with the family, then class from 2:30 to about 5, then I usually play soccer or go the cafe before haeding home for dinner, a shower, and sleep. The weekends we have more free time so I try to go for a bike ride or spend more time with my family. But some interesting events occurred nontheless: I had an outfit and an extra ... read more