Q & A

Q & A Time:

So first of all, I want to apologize once again for the lack of communication… I’ve realized after flipping through my planner that I’ve missed quite a few birthdays (including family)! I hope no one takes it personally and understands the situation! I love you all but it’s just hard right now.  Maybe when I get more settled and organized, I can be more on top of things (as in next birthday for those that have passed!).  When I return to the States, we shall do some extra celebrating then =)

Now back to the purpose of this post:

I wanted to make a space for questions people may have, and if they’re not too personal, then I can answer them for all to see (or I can email you if it’s something not too kosher for the eyes of the masses).

Here are a few starter questions that I’ve been asked:

1) How hard is to bathe/get water and how often can/does one bathe here?

My village shares a huge well that is by the CEG (or middle school), where I will be teaching, and usually when the family that I live with sends one of the kids for water for the family, they also get h2o for me.  A lot of people here bathe about 3 times a day (am, after repose in the afternoon, and before bed); and it also depends on the season.  I have heard many things about the seasons but won’t divulge details until I experience things for myself (otherwise it’s hearsay and what kind of blogger would I be if I wrote such things?!).  I usually bathe well before bed, wash my face in the am, and lightly bathe the important choses in the afternoon.  Although lately I’ve been running in the morning, so I’ve been showering well after that and lightly the other 2 times.  I haven’t showered with any HCN’s (Host Country Nationals) so I can’t speak for them but, I don’t use much water when I bathe here with my bucket and scooper.  It’s amazing the small amount of water I can use to fully clean myself and my [small amount of] hair.  Even when I go to the Work Station in Dapaong now, I turn off the water when I’m soaping up just because it doesn’t feel right to have it running while not using it. 

2) What are some things people can send? And what’s your address?

My new address (directly to my region, not going to the South first) is:

PCV Kristina Thomsen

Corps De La Paix

B.P. 291

Dapaong, Togo

West Africa

I would love letters from anyone that’s bored enough to send them! It’s not too easy to print pictures here, so if you’re feeling generous (and even more bored), one can send a lonely girl [without power] in Africa some pictures of home! My sister Gretchen has already been getting familiar with the mailing system between Togo and the USA; she has sent me 2 letters and a box for my birthday (some much needed sheets and pictures of my New Mexican Furr Friends-and can’t forget the dried green chili)!

Maybe picture books for the kids? English, French, Spanish... Whatever language you please, if it has a pretty picture, it will amaze them.

Like I said, I appreciate the letters and news from home just as much as a packet of tuna ;) And we all know how random I am so sending something not useful but unusual would probably make my day.

And expect things to take awhile to get to me, the mail system here isn’t the greatest.  Just an FYI. 

3) Do I have a phone? How do I charge it without power? Do I get reception in village? What’s my number (more of the Togolese asking this—PCV’s know what I mean)?

Yes, I do have a cellphone that I purchased through the Peace Corps with the Togocell cellphone company.  I have a solar charger that I figured out when I first got here, then I killed it somehow, so I’m working on that.  I have 2 batteries that I bought to interchange, and on Market days here in Tami (Mondays/Thursdays) there’s a guy who I can pay 100 Cefa to charge each.  Otherwise I can charge it at the tech house in Dapaong if I happen to go that weekend.  My cellphone Resau (reception) isn’t too great (as some of you have experienced), so eventually I plan to get a new phone that has a dual sim with Togocell and Moov (there’s a Moov tower here now).  Reception in Dapaong is much better so any lengthy calls should probably wait until I make it one weekend in Dapaong.  And if you email me (and I know and like you- or you’re family) then I can give you my number; I shall not be reckless and just post such things online ;)

A pointer on the calling/texting: Using an online service such as reptel or skype can prove cheaper.  I feel that Gretchen is the expert on this, so if she wants to add, please do (nudge- nudge).  And the country code for Togo is +228.   

4) Where is Togo? Where is my post? How hard is it to travel there?

Well hopefully anyone reading this can use google ;) But just in case, Togo is located in West Africa (thus the mailing address above), along the Ivory Coast: To the East of Ghana, South of Burkina Faso, and West of Benin.  I’d say it’s approximate to the size of Idaho in the United States, but I’m no professional.  My post is a small village called Tami.  It’s located in the northern most region of Togo, known as Savannes.  I’m about 24 km from Dapaong, the regional capitol, and about 10km from Ghana.  The population is about 850 residents, and it seems to be mostly children! And it’s not hard to travel to and around here, just gotta do your research.  The plane ticket here can be pricey but once here it’s super cheap to live and get around! To get throughout the country one can take either a charter bus (more expensive) or a Bush taxi (which they fill passed capacity so be confortable getting close to those around you).  To get to and from villages, motos are best (guys with motos are known as “Zedmen”).  To get around villages or cities, one can walk or bike mostly.

5) What will I be doing here?

I am an EGE (English and Gender Education) Volunteer, which is a new program stemming off from a previous program known as GEE (Girls Education Extension).  GEE PCV’s worked with the school and community but EGE will actually be teaching in the Togolese school system, using the TEFL techniques we learned our 2 months at Stage (training).  Some GEE Volunteers have taught (are teaching) but most worked with after school programs and women’s groups.  My Stage is the new experiment, yay us! I’ve been assigned to 6ieme (6^th grade) English, which can have anywhere from 50-100 students.  All PCV’s have been trained to teach only in the CEG (middle school), but though we cannot formally teach, we can program with the other ages.  We have been introduced to programs such as MAP (Men As Partners), PACA (Participatory Analysis for Community Action), Scientifille (girls science program), and countless others to work with the youth and the community.  We also have people known as homologues (counter parts—I don’t know which is English anymore), who work in our sector of interest to help as a guide and gateway into the community. 

Since the school year has been pushed back until October 8th, I’ve been working on getting to know my community through conversation, attending market days, biking/walking/running around, and mainly observation.  I’ve visited several places in the surrounding areas that may be of interest besides the school system (since most people seem not to be in town right now- I’ve heard that people go to Ghana for work when school isn’t in session), like the Spanish Missionaries, and the neighboring [bigger] town of Naki Ouest.  I plan to meet with the orphanage sisters (they take in aids/malaria orphans and kids at risk for trafficking) and also there’s this program about 4km from here called Bonne Fondee that helps kids not in school find jobs.  I’m not sure if I will end up finding work with any of those places but it’s nice to touch base with established places and be able to help where I’m needed (plus right now it’s a nice bike ride, while not the dry season).  I also need to get out and do a household survey to get to know my community better, and meet their needs.  

SO there's the start... Ask/respond away! =D

Official PCV, Officially at Post

Dimanche (Sunday), Le 23 Septembre 2012

I have officially been done with training a whole week, and been an official Peace Corps Volunteer for 2 weeks.  Right now I’m sitting in the Peace Corps Work Station in Dapaong, my nearest major city in the Region of Savannes and have power for the first time in a whole week!  I have been at my post for the past week but came to Dapaong (by moto it’s roughly a 30 min ride) to do some Marché (market) shopping for things that I can’t buy in the smaller town Marché's.  I was joined by a bunch of other new pcv’s also stocking up their new abodes and then later some seasoned pcv’s celebrating two birthdays within the group.  Twas a great weekend, until I got sick last night… kept awaking with fluids flowing from both ends. It wasn’t the most pretty experience I’ve ever had but it’s just an addition to my life’s experiences.  Most everyone is returning to their village posts but I’m staying to get some testing done to make sure it’s nothing serious.  Might just be amoebas or some other parasite. Yummy.   I have my moto guy (and new friend) Harvee bringing me back to the clinic first thing in the morning so that I could be back to my village by Marche time (starts picking up about noon).  Marche days in Tami are Monday/Thursday; Naki-Ouest (neighboring, bigger town) Tuesday/Friday; Nanergou Thursday/Sunday; and Dapaong Wednesday/Saturday.  Life around here pretty much revolves around Marche days, crops, and school. 

 

So besides this most recent [medical] set back, I have had actually had quite the good and productive time at post.  All new PCV’s left the training tech houses early Friday morning (Sept 14^th) and I got to my post around 5:30pm the following day.  The Savannes crew stays the night in a town called Konte´ the first day on road so that we aren’t arriving to our posts when it’s super dark (the roads are tough enough to travel during the daylight).  Then because I’m so far north, I’m either last or second last to get dropped off; and getting each Volunteer to their respective homes in the middle of small villages takes quite some time (also taking into account unloading time and pit stops).  We tried to drop off my buddy, Winter, in Yambout before me (she was last during post visit), but the road to her was flooded and thus the driver (Michel) took me to my post next and she stayed the night in the Dapaong Work Station until the road cleared the next day.

I spent my first day in Tami cleaning and rearranging [hard core].  Since the program changed from GEE to EGE and we are now actual teachers in the school system, while still respectively promoting gender equality, our communities are now paying for our housing instead of the Peace Corps, and so I got a down grade from 3 to 2 rooms.  It will suck to cook in the adjoined rooms because it will get hot, especially during dry season, but I think the move helped my host family (landlord) transition and community become a happier experience.  Appeasing the locals is probably better than being selfish and picky any day.  Plus, my host father, Francois, recently married a second wife, Rachel, and so the family was low on space.  There would be a lingering feeling of guilt if I hadn’t given up the “kitchen/dining” area.  Plus, as a bonus, I had the help of Rachel in cleaning and rearranging (she was more than happy to accept the new room in exchange for helping me)! She even killed a lizard that had been laying eggs all over my place.  I’m not one to kill things (besides spiders and roaches) but apparently having lizards in the house isn’t good because they are dirty and can carry diseases (plus they poop on yours walls!).  Rachel is hard core, I like her a lot.  She speaks 2 local dialects, French and a bit of English; she’s lived in Burkina Faso and different places around Togo, and she’s a Couturieuse (female tailor).  I hate to make the 1^st wife jealous but I connect and can communicate with Rachel better (the 1^st wife only speaks Moba).  So by the end of Sunday, my first official full day in Tami, I had my house become much more of a cozy home =)

The next day, was Marche´ Monday, and I started out my doing some “sous” laundry and then walking around the marche aimlessly with the kids (also purchased some produce and got some free tchuckpa, which is a local alcohol made from corn/millet) until Christie (the PCV who I’m replacing at sight) made an appearance.  She showed up with seaweed salad (it was tuna avocado rolls but they broke during transit) and we ate and chatted.  She didn’t stay for too long but in that time I was able to ask her some great questions, she was able to see the transformation of “our home” and we were both able to grab a drink at the town bar (seems like most happenings/socializing happens around the bars, tchuck stands and Marché).  I also found out today that I will be teaching 6ieme (6^th grade) this school year! That’s the level that I taught/practiced with during training. 

On Tuesday I went with Rachel, a velo (by bike) about 8km to the neighboring town of Naki-Ouest.  It was not only a great bonding trip, but informational and fun! I proved myself tough to Rachel by not stopping once along the ride there or back, like the “other yovos” would have.  We were able to visit all the schools, and I was able to meet the middle school Director, whom insisted on my working/helping in Naki as well as Tami.  We then went over to the local dispenseur (clinic), where I held some day old babies in the “mommy ward”, and then met the Major (or head nurse) over on the sick/vaccination [everything else] side.  By that point we were starved and picked up some street soja (tofu usually served with a spicy piment sauce) and bread and went over to Emmanuel’s house (he’s the HCN- host country national- that has been the counterpart for just about all the PCV’s in Naki Ouest).  We had some beer and more food (my fav- pate with sauce d’arachide) delivered for us while we chatted.  Next we explored the BIG market, where we ate this frozen milk (like yogurt ice cream), drank some Bee-Sap (juice made from Hibiscus plants), bought some produce, drank some more free Tchuckpa, and then met up with Francois who gave us money to get a beer on our bike ride home.  Also apparently the Ghanian border is about the same distance that we rode today but the opposite direction; so there was a whole Ghana section to the Naki Market.  The home ride in the dark was beautiful while under the stars with lightening gracing the non-rained filled sky.  When we got home, the kids in the compound helped me in as usual, taking my bike over to my room and carrying any bag I had.  Twas a grand day!

Wednesday, I woke up early for a bike ride with Fatima (the orphan girl who did Christie’s laundry and whom I have money to pay her school fees during my service here) over to the Spanish Missionaries house.  It was a good 30 minute ride each way, filled with lush farms, children waving, adults salue’ing (surprised by my Moba skills), the occasional moto, and random animal crossings.  Rocko, the dog that I inherited from Christie, followed us the entire way there.  That dog is serious about being a “Guardian” to his white folk.  The missionary grounds were stunning, with a Jardin d’enfants (pre-school) on grounds, plenty of livestock, a vast area of farmland, and even homes on property for those Togolese hired by them.  The missionary that I talked to told me that I spoke French with a Spanish accent (odd, but a compliment?), and apparently this year marks his 40^th year in Togo! He was quite busy and surprised by my visit, so Fatima showed me around and then we departed.  On our way down the path, we ran into this French writer who is staying with the missionaries and is writing a book on the one that I met.  The rest of the day was filled with rain (I got in from my ride literally 8 minutes before the downpour that filled all the buckets in the compound), popcorn, and some home decorating/reading. 

The following day, was Marché Thursday in Tami.  I was getting my breakfast together when I received a visit from another English Professor, Monsieur Larri Lamboni, who informed me that last night the government decided to push the school year start date back from this coming Monday to Monday October the 8^th (3 weeks away) due to teacher salary negotiations.  I have mixed emotions about this: the poor kids are going to be behind, and I kind of would like to just get things rolling; but at the same time, now that I have a set level, I have more time to do some better planning.  Monsieur Larri also caught me up on any other school news, the whereabouts/plans of my homologue the director, and the fact that Monsieur Larri just found out that he is also taking up half the 6ieme level English (because there are so many of them!).  The rest of the day was pretty uneventful.  I visited the Marché and wasn’t feeling it, so hung out in the courtyard in front of Francois’ pharmacie with the Veterinarian , some kids, and a brother of Francois. At the end of his brother’s visit, he asked me for my digits, I said I didn’t know them, and he came back with 3 heads of corn… I’m not sure if I should be worried that I accepted them? The kids and I drew corn people on them before eating them with dinner. 

And we are back to Friday where I called my moto man, Harvee, to take me to Dapaong.