The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

THE GOOD:
Africa is still an amazing place and I am still really enjoying my experience here. We are on a field trip this week in northern Togo. Right now I am in the city of Kara. Here are some random highlights of training so far:

1. Learning my local language, Akebou. Villagers primarily speak this among themselves in my village so it would benefit me to learn it, although most do speak french as well. I still need a lot of practice and once I get to my post I will try to hire someone in the village to educate me further.

2. Halloween here was a blast. Unfortunately, I was unable to uphold my tradition of an animal costume, but I did wear a brightly colored African style toga. I think trying to explain the Animal House reference to my African host mother remains one of my most memorable moments so far. Also, we are having a complete traditional thanksgiving dinner next week which should garner more good memories.

3. Listening to American election results on my short wave radio in my tiny African village, miles from the closest American, yet still speaking about it with my neighbors as if I was back in the states. Needless to say, Obama is big in Africa, many times while walking with friends, we will here a Viva Obama! shout from passing cars or pedestrians.

4. One of my favorite things about living here so far is how everything can be made into clothes. Any style, color, pattern or material can be turned into pants or a shirt. It is great. Just a buy a pagne (paun yeh) which is the brightly colored and multipatterned fabric here, take it to a tailor, three dollars later you have a new outfit that in America would be considered pajamas. Rumor has it, there is a Barack Obama pagne out there. To have his brightly colored face all over your outfit would be truly hilarious and awesome. Me and another guy have made it our unofficial mission to find it.

THE BAD: People in my training group have been robbed and have already gone home to the states. It sucks to have to tell you; but that is the reality of what has happened. But I think if you take the proper precautions here, it is not unsafe here. I think we all have learned important lessons the first couple months.

THE UGLY: It seems like I am always sick. I am right now as I type this. Since arriving I have lost weight, I am not ready to guess just how much, but it worries me because another volunteer that arrived three months before me was sent home due to losing to much weight. I hope once i get to post and eating a more preferable diet the weight loss will stop. And I hope my body adjusts quickly to the environment here so I can remain healthy. Hopefully none of it is a big deal; being in Togo makes me overly concerned about health issues.

I have run out of time. I will talk to you all later.

Finally a post

Hello all. wow where do i begin. first of all sorry for the typos. These french keyboards are a bit frustrating. But i ill get better with practice.

I visited my post for a week. It is amazing. The people are awesome, but very poor, and the children adorable and always ready to kick around a soccer ball...er I mean the football. Get out your Togo maps. It is northwest of the city of Atakpame. About two fifths of the way up the country. If you find the town of Nyamasilla north of Atakpame, then go 42 kilometers west. My post is halfway between the main highway and the Ghana border, deep in the bush.

The town is tiny and the countryside looks like what you imagine the African Serengetti looking like when you close your eyes. Tall grass. Rolling hills in the distance. Dusty roads. I would go for a walk and half expect a lion to jump out at me, but dont worry, theyre not around my village.

Training in Agou Nyogbo is also going great. Today we had to do a skit for our host families. We all played famous Americans. I was pop superstar Justin Timberlake, and naturally, now the whole town is infatuated with my dance moves. My host family is cool. I have three sisters, plus a bunch of other little kids in my compound.

We are going on a field trip next week to Northern Togo. It should be awesome, not unlike my french speaking abilities, which have drastically improved.

I have to wrap this up. I will post something better and more entertaining when I go to a city with better internet. Thanks for reading and I miss everyone. Oh and my health is relatively good. Just some um...interesting stomach issues every once in awhile. And my malaria medication makes me prone to visual hallucinations and very vivid dreams, which can either be a curse or a blessing. Bye for now.