Spring Break, Coffee, and Honey ♥

“I never knew of a morning in Africa

when I woke up that I was not happy.”

~Ernest Hemingway

Last week was Spring Break here, so I was flooded with visitors! I think there were about 20 volunteers who made it to Kpalime at some point over the last week. It was great to see everyone and to catch up. I love living in a place where people like to come for their little vacations, because then I get to hang out and have fun without the hassle of traveling or living out of a backpack.

It was good to go out with friends and eat at the restaurants in Kpalime. Even though I live here, I have to admit that I don’t eat out a lot, because it's expensive, and I don’t like walking alone at night here. 

On Monday I made another trip up to Café Kuma with a friend. We enjoyed coffee-tasting and a guided tour with Kodzo, the owner. This activity never gets old for me, because it’s so refreshing to be up in the beautiful mountains and I LOVE COFFEE. This time I actually got to see a little bit of the process of how the coffee beans are shelled using a mill that takes off the shell and leaves the coffee bean intact. Then the beans are roasted and either packaged whole or ground. 

robusta coffee

Kodzo also makes the BEST honey in Togo. Most honey here is different than what I am used to. It’s really thick and has a dark color to it, like molasses. However, Kodzo’s honey is different. It’s not thick and dark, but thin and a lighter color, just like honey back home. On this trip up I asked him why,  and he explained that it has to do with the types of pollen and trees the bees pollinate. Up at Kuma there are lots and lots of different types of trees. It’s like a jungle up there. In other parts of the country, especially up north, the landscape is more sparse. When the bees don’t have a variety of plants and trees to pollinate, it makes the honey a darker color. 

Let There Be Light!

 “Electricity is really just organized lightning.”

~George Carlin

I’m SO happy to say that the work on the library is progressing quickly. While I was down in Lome, the electrician came and installed the lights and the fans. We also had the room and the drop ceiling painted white. It's exciting to see the change, already such a transformation from the dark, dreary, empty room that we started with. 

Today we began our World Map Project inside the library. With the help of a few students and another teacher, the grid was completed. This is the base and will help us while we are drawing out the map. Tomorrow the drawing begins, and over spring break next week the map will be painted. This weekend we are going to install built-in bookshelves and buy furniture. Woo Hoo! ! !

Mystery Illness Returns

“Laughter is the best medicine…

except for treating diarrhea.”

Last week I had to go down to Lome to recover from a mysterious stomach illness. I’ve had this about three times now since I’ve been in Togo. Basically, I was up all night for two nights in a row with diarrhea and vomiting. It gets so bad that an hour into it you have to pretty much stay on the toilet to vomit or you’ll poop your pants. I know, TMI, right? You pretty much lose complete control of that end of your body and it’s not pretty. It lasted about 8 hours the first night and then about 6 hours the next, and that’s when the medical unit decided I should go down to their office in Lome. 

Once I got there, I took a pill that calmed my stomach and I was able to keep down water and gradually work food back into my diet. It really astonished me that nothing came up on my lab work. Hopefully, this is the last time I have to deal with that particular mystery illness. 

On my way back to Kpalime I took some pictures of the drive. My little neighbors were very happy to see me again. We played all weekend together with my jump rope and soccer ball. I think their favorite thing to play is model. They love to pose for pictures and then rush to my side to look at the picture I just took. This little group of kids is going to be really hard to say goodbye to. I will never forget them, and I hope that they'll remember me years from now.

We May Never Pass This Way Again

 "I wanna laugh while the laughin' is easy; I wanna cry and make it worthwhile."

~Seals and Croft 

I have to admit that after almost two years in Togo, I appreciate the good fortune of my assignment to Kpalime. I mean, every region has it's own benefits and challenges, but I've been very happy here. I have electricity and running water. I can walk to my bank and post office. There's a large market everyday with everything you can imagine. We are near numerous tourist attractions including waterfalls, chateau, butterfly hikes, and the mountains. Kpalime is very close to the highest peak in Togo, Mt. Agou. There are a few villages situated on the mountainside and I finally made the trip up to the highest village last week, when a few Peace Corps Volunteers came to visit.

Getting up to the village takes about 30-40 minutes on a moto from my house. You travel on a paved road and then take a dirt road up for the last couple miles. When we arrived at the village, students were carrying dirt up the village's many, many steps. We think the village is building an extension to the school or something and that's why the students were enlisted to help. Climbing all those steps felt like a workout on the Stairmaster, and these children were doing it while carrying containers of dirt on their heads and SINGING. 

It was fun to trek around with my friends and our moto drivers, exploring the place. We definitely drew a lot of attention in a tiny village that is not used to foreigners. We had a little following of kids up at the very top who loved to get their picture taken. I think they were startled to see that we knew a little of their local language, and that one of us was wearing the same flip flops that they had on. The view at the top was absolutely breathtaking. I have seen the sun rise over Mt. Agou countless times on my morning walks; I'm so glad I finally got to see what life is like up there.  

It's great to live in a town where people want to come and see the sights. I love exploring the surrounding area of Kpalime and playing tourist with my friends. Living here in this beautiful, tropical climate is so different from back home. Knowing that the countdown is on to my return makes me very aware of how much I want to take it all in, see all that I can see. I want to leave feeling like I soaked up every drop of Togo.  There have been highs and lows, but we may never pass this way again, so I want to make the most of every last moment. 

English Club

Wealth, if you use it, comes to an end;

learning, if you use it, increases.

~Swahili Proverb

Work as an English teacher is my primary Peace Corps job, and even though I love it, I have to say that my favorite English-teaching activity is my English club. My class is a mixture of students who like to learn English and those who just do it because it's required. It can be very hard getting the latter students to participate in class.  On the other hand, my English club is full of students who are motivated and eager to learn, which makes my job much more fun. 

We usually focus on activities with songs, poems, and games, things you can't do or don't have time to do in a classroom setting. It gives the students a chance to practice their English and apply what they've learned in class. I like it because it's more enjoyable to plan a game of musical bingo with an American hit song than it is to plan a grammar lesson on something like the present continuous form (ex: Tonight we're eating fufu). 

Last Wednesday our club watched a short documentary on Barack Obama, showcasing Obama's childhood and how he got to where he is today. I loved the message of the film, and how his story really proves that with hard work and determination anyone can defy expectations and accomplish their dreams. As the film was playing, I loved hearing my students repeating the lines to themselves, almost like a whisper. They were able to recognize many of the words and phrases, which made me feel proud, like I might have actually made a difference in the lives of some of these students.

If We Build It, They Will Come

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic;

it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

~Colin Powell

He really wanted his picture taken

I'm so happy to announce that work on the library has begun! There was a long delay, because of my med evac home during January and February. The money finally arrived in my account last week and we got to work right away. 

double door opening

A tile floor was installed over the weekend. We also added a new window for more natural light. The door opening was widened to install large double doors. Lastly, we had carpenters come and rip out the black board, and resurface one of the walls to make it nice and smooth. 

The next step will be installing electricity. This will include four long lights on each wall and a couple of ceiling fans to improve the air flow in the room. I'm enjoying finally getting this project underway and can't wait to see what it will look like once it's finished! 

new floor and more natural light

The Good Life

“The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful 
than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.” 
~Mahatma Gandhi

After my trip to the market, I attended a small celebration for the 3^rd birthday of Grace, the youngest daughter of my Togo “mom,” Chantal. I always enjoy time spent at her home with her family. They have really become my family. They are always there for me in every way. I’m going to miss them so much when I leave. 

the birthday girl

At the party the kids were hanging out and playing with balloons. Their favorite game is to hit the balloon in the air and try to never let it touch the ground. So simple, but so much fun. Later on, we ate rice with a delicious, spicy chicken, tomato, and onion sauce. Bea and Chantal are incredibly good cooks! I would be lucky to learn just a fraction of their wonderful cooking skills, but I think I will probably never be as good as they are.

When lunch was over, I helped Chantal give out boxes of presents to kids who live in our neighborhood. Chantal is amazing, not just because she is an awesome mom, friend, and entrepreneur, but she is a deep-down, wonderful human being. She helps people all around her. In November she applied to an American organization that sends shoe boxes of gifts and candy to kids in developing countries. Over the last few weeks, Chantal finally received the boxes and she distributed them to 45 kids in the area. 

Chantal also gives back in other ways. 10 percent of all that she makes from her batik business she saves, using it to pay the school fees for 30+ young students and apprentices in the Kpalime area. I love knowing that whenever I buy something at her shop, I am not only helping her and her family, but I am making a contribution to the community as well. Chantal lives the kind of life that many "religious" people only preach about. She is such an inspirational person. I am happy to call her my friend.