Yesterday was a disappointing day for Togo. Togo lost to Cameroon 3-0 in the qualifying match for the World Cup in South Africa. I watched part of the game at a small buvette near the grande stade in Tsevie where many young boys play aspiring to someday go to the World Cup. It reminded me of being in the heart of Paris in 2006 during the World Cup when France lost to Italy. What a blow to a national ego.
Many of my best times in Togo have been spent under the encompassing Mango tree that shades my host family’s compound. I talk with my host mom as she prepares my meals, and secretly pray for the mangos to ripen before I leave Tsevie. I sometimes get the privilege of fanning the coal stove as my mom tells me snippets about her life, about her sisters or the baby that she’s having at the end of the month. She is still working hard even 8 ½ months into the pregnancy; birth is a more natural part of life here and not a reason to pause. I am so excited for the baby to be born; my host mom tells me I will have a new brother soon.
I have become more aware of my mission here in Togo and more convinced of the necessity and feasibility of the work I will be doing. I will receive my assignment next week I am very excited to see where in Togo I will be placed. The situation for many girls in Togo is very difficult as there are many pressures keeping them from continuing their studies and the drop out rate is extraordinarily high. Yet there are many people in Togo who understand the necessity of improving education for girls in Togo and support the mission of the Girl’s Education and Empowerment Program for the Peace Corps. My job is to work for the basic human rights of Togolese girls and women. The best part of my job is that I can institute this mission the way I see fit and best interests me. For example, I can choose to focus part of my work on environmental education through creating a community garden to help girls generate income, promoting use of plants with high nutritional value and creating science clubs for girls.
I am a few weeks in to training and life seems a bit routine now. I’ll give a glimpse into a typical day though note that no day is typical. For someone like me who fears monotony this schedule is ideal.
4:00 am Jolted awake by the surprisingly loud sweeping of the compound and the street in front of the house by “domestiques” (girls that work at our house) Revel in the fact that I still have 2 more hours to sleep.
6:00 am Wake up and fill my bucket up for a cold bucket shower. Savor the feeling because this is the last time in the day I will be cold. Eat breakfast (bread with jam/cheese, omelets, beignets or oatmeal and instant coffee)
7:15 am Ride my mountain bike through the bumpy sandy roads to the Salle-Tech where my classes are held. Greeted by many strangers on the street with “Bonjour”.
8:00-10:00 Language Learning. Class size – 2. Practice speaking in practical situations such as what to when you need to throw up in the nine seat bush taxi because you’re sandwiched between 15 people a chicken and a goat.
10:00-12:00 Technical Training. Learning how to present life skills lessons such as “Can Boys And Girls Be Friends”. Plenty of clapping (called bonks) and icebreaker games.
12:00-2:30pm Midi Repos. Ride my bike home for lunch, which usually consists of a salad with spaghetti, french fries called calicos, Fufu, fried bananas or hotdogs or any combination. (note: I’m a pseudo-veg here in Togo and only eat hotdogs to avoid getting fur and eyeballs on my plate)
2:30-5:00 Field Trip. Have taken trips to local schools and schools an hour away in a smaller town to observe a PCV in action.
5:00-5:30 Tutoring. More French.
5:30-6:00 Hang out at the Tchouk house or buvette for a bit. Hurry home before dark at 6.
6:00-7:00 Hang out with host fam. This consists of the kids playing hand games and hugging and kissing me saying, “Tu est tres tres jolie!!!” Eat dinner.
8:00 French homework. Bucket shower in the dark admiring the stars. Get ready for bed and fall asleep at 8:30.
