Ca va in Kpalime

“Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.”

William Shakespeare

This morning the volunteer I’m replacing showed me a small loop that she runs sometimes. It wasn’t very long, but the scenery was pretty and it was peaceful. Walking in the morning mist in Kpalime is pretty magical. It reminded me of the scene from Pride and Prejudice when neither Lizzy nor Mr. Darcy can sleep, and they meet in the meadow where he tells her “I love, I love, I love you,” but with African things, like roosters crowing, music playing, people working on their little farms, and curious neighbors staring at you as you pass by. Sorry for the weird Pride and Prejudice reference, but it’s one of my favorites. 

After our walk, I prepared to visit my school. The school is only about a five-minute walk from my house. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by all the students in the summer term, along with the teachers, the chief of the community, leader of the PTA, and a prefect representative of the government. The small ceremony lasted a little over an hour. I was introduced to the students, and thanks and recognition was given to the volunteer I am replacing. She was not a teacher, but she worked with the school to promote gender equality. Throughout the ceremony, the children performed for us with dancing, singing, and chanting. It was adorable!

It was exciting to see the school, and meet the students and teachers I will be working with. I am happy I will be teaching at a small, private school where the class sizes are more manageable. In the average Togolese public school class sizes can range between 60-90 students. In comparison, I will probably have somewhere around 30 students. I think this is wonderful, because I will be able to give individual attention to my students, something that would be almost impossible to do with a class of 90.