Survived Week One!

I have officially survived my first week in Togo! It feels like I have been here for months as the days are jam packed with stuff to do, places to go, and people to meet. I spent the first three days in Lomé, the capital city where I learned basic survival skills such as how to use a latrine, how to filter water, and the importance of taking my prophylaxis to keep me from getting deathly ill with malaria.

After Lomé we arrived in Tsevie where we met our host families. The set up was like a 5^th grade dance where the families sat on one side of the room and the volunteers sat on the other glaring at each other. One at a time each volunteer stood up and announced their name. When it was my turn I stammered…. "Je m’appelle Ashley" and my host family jumped up and screamed with joy. I met my mother and father in the middle of the room and we hugged and laughed. My father picked me up in his car and we drove to his house only to be greeted by more people. Everyone was so excited to meet me and the all took turns saying “Bonne Arrive Ashley!!”

My family has been wonderful so far. My father is an anesthesiologist at the University but also has 4 rooms in our house that are reserved for patients. My mom is a stay at home mom but operates a popsicle (la glace) business out of our house. She employs 2 women that make the popsicles and another 4 people that sell them in the village. I also have two brothers 16 and 12 and a cousin that is 18 that lives with us. The family is so patient with me and my novice level French and they have been taking such great care of me.

When I first envisioned the accommodations we would have as volunteers I envisioned a mud hut with two rooms. Our house is not at all what I imagined to say the least. I am living in a beautiful two story home with many rooms. There is an inner compound/ courtyard that is surround by the rest of the house. I have two rooms that are off to the side that provide some seclusion and privacy. We also have a maize farm, a few coconut tress, and some legumes. Oh and did I mention electricity! What a surprise! Every night we have watched the Coupe Du Monde (World Cup) and despite my allegiance to American football I have had an awesome time watching the games and shouting GOAL!!!! with my family.

The community has embraced me as well. Most of the people, especially children yell out YOVO! YOVO! (white person) when they see the Peace Corps volunteers walking by. I have taken my time to introduce myself to a lot of the people in my area so most of them call me by name. My father says that since I am African (or café au lait like his friends call me) he won’t let them call me Yovo.

Lastly, training is going very well. We are in training 6 days a week and learning so much. Everyday we have french lesson and lessons on the history of Togo, commercial enterprises in the country, economic development and so on. I am extremely excited to finish this part up and get to work in my village.

Oh and for those that can, I finally got a cell phone and can receive calls and texts. My number is country code (228)- 731-8648.

A bientot!