8/21/07 through 9/01/07

8/21/07 and 8/22/07

This is the most behind I think I have ever been on writing my emails
and I can't hardly remember what happened two days ago. Let me think.

The morning was filled up with evaluations – writing and receiving
evaluations from the whole of Training and so it was rather tiresome.
Then I worked on my photo movie. After lunch I finished packing up my
room and I worked on my photo movie some more (Felicite sat next to me
and watched me work on it while we listened to the music Ashley had
put on my computer to accompany the movie). When it stopped raining,
Felicite and I walked to the garden so that I could get some of the
moringa seedlings to take with me to post. On the way I saw a tiny
little frog, not more than a quarter of an inch long and I turned
around to make sure the man walking in the other direction didn't step
on it. Felicite asked what I was looking at and I couldn't remember
the name for frog, so I said a little animal that jumps and I told her
that I didn't want the man to step on it. Then I saw another one, so
I pointed it out to her, and she STOMPED on it before I could stop
her. I was really upset, it is the first time that I got really upset
with her (as opposed to just disapproving when she is mean to Fidele).
I said, "Why did you do that? Didn't you just hear me say that I
DIDN'T want the man to step on it?" She said that she forgot . . . I
think she got that I was upset, though, and so when we got back to the
house I tried to act like I wasn't because I didn't want to ruin our
last day together.

At 2:30 I put all my stuff in the hallway, in case the big truck that
we were supposed to load all our heavy baggage onto came while I was
gone. My host dad said he would take care of it. I went to the school
and worked on the photo movie a bit more, ate some guacamole with
bread, and then started to watch the movie Birdcage with most of the
other trainees. Around 4:00 the truck arrived. It had been pouring
rain off and on since the morning and so the truck couldn't go to each
of our houses (particularly the ones that are off the hard road). We
helped each other until everyone's bags had been loaded and then we
went back to the tech house to finish our movie. We didn't quite get
to finish because it was getting dark and none of us had brought
flashlights.

Valerie was waiting for me outside the tech house. I think she had
been there a long time, but I was so engrossed in the movie that I
didn't notice. I hadn't seen her for a while and when her dad came to
get my address and telephone number (I gave him my Peace Corps
address, and my email, but not my cell number) I asked where she was.
He said that she was sick and was staying with her uncle. I asked her
if she was feeling better and what she had been sick with and she said
that she was a bit better, but that she had malaria. She said that
her aunt had bought her one of the medicines that the doctor
prescribed and that she had given her 5,000 cFA towards the other
medicine, and that her mother and father had each given her a couple
thousand francs more, but that she still needed 1,000 cFA. She told
me that when she coughs, she coughs up blood. I only had 2,000 cFA
left (I spent all my money on buying a cell phone, buying some
articles for post, buying a present for my family, buying Liz and
Matt's wedding present, and getting my nice outfit made) and so I told
her that I didn't have any money to give her. I felt badly, but it is
getting so that every time she needs money she comes to me and even
though I was leaving Nyogbo, I don't want her to have a reason to hunt
me down because she knows I will give her money. She didn't say
anything, she just fell silent. I don't know if she believed me or
not. When we got to my house she gave me a bracelet as a gift.

In the evening my host mom jokingly said that we were going to play
UNO all night long, but around 8:30 she started yawning uncontrollably
and falling asleep while I was shuffling the cards. Felicite wasn't
there because she was at her dad's other house (his other wife is a
seamstress and she is making Felicite's outfit for free) waiting for
her outfit to be ready, so I just played with my host mom and Fidele.

I went to bed after writing a little welcome letter to the next
trainee who might live in my house. Another training group of Natural
Resource Management and Girls Education and Empowerment volunteers is
arriving in two weeks and hopefully another trainee will be placed
with my host family. My host mom said that she wanted another
trainee, that she wanted trainees as long as the training is held in
Agou Nyogbo. I thought it would be nice to write a little note to
whoever that might be, just to make them feel more at ease.

On Wednesday morning I got up, ate breakfast (I didn't take a shower
because all of my shower stuff had been packed onto the big truck) and
then Felicite and I walked down to the tech house. I was sad to leave
my host family. It was a little bit easier because I know I will see
them at Swear-In (my host mom and Felicite are coming to Lome), but I
can't express enough thanks or appreciation for all that they have
done for me and it really does make me sad to leave them. I think
they were a little sad too. At the tech house we loaded up the van
and then waited as one of the trainees bandaged up another of the
trainees' foot (she had dropped a glass bottle and one of the pieces
had cut her foot). Finally we departed for Lome. There were people
all along the street waiting for us to pass to wave good-bye.

In the van on the way to Lome I practiced my little speech in Ewe for
Swear-In. Everyone has to give a little speech in their local
language that is a personalized version of: "My name is Danielle. I am
from Pennsylvania in America. I am going to work in community health
for two years in Avassikpe."

When we arrived in Lome, I went to the MedUnit with several other
trainees. I wanted the PCMO to take a look at my mole to make sure it
was healing properly and to also just inform her that I have been
coughing since post visit and that my cough doesn't seem to have any
intention of going away. I didn't get a chance to see her though,
because we had to be at the Peace Corps Bureau by 11:00 for the
administrative swearing-in (doing the paper-work). We then ate lunch
at Mamys (the same place that we stayed during our first three days in
Togo – there are rumors that it is a brothel when we are not there . .
. I don't know how reliable those rumors are. However, the fact that
all the rooms have girls' names on them as opposed to numbers doesn't
do much to contradict them). In the afternoon we had a administrative
session on mail and money and then we went to the bank and learned how
to with-draw funds. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon (from 3:30
until 6:30 at the PCV lounge with my laptop hooked up to the internet!
Yay!). It was heavenly. I got to write emails, chat with Jorge, and
even start uploading some pictures.

After dinner, we (the CHAP group mostly) sat around a table and
listened to music, some people drank alcohol and just generally had a
good time. I love these girls – they accept me for who I am and even
though most of them drink and I don't, they still do everything to
include me and don't make me feel like I have to drink to be part of
the group. They are just so fun and wonderful and it makes me happy
to be around them (and consequently a little sad and nostalgic that
soon we won't have many opportunities to spend time together as a big
group). We are much closer to each other than the other training group
(perhaps because we are all girls and that allows for better bonding?)
and I think we are all trying to soak up these last few days of
togetherness.

8/22/07-8/26/07

I must apologize to those of you who diligently read my blog because
while in Lome I was able to chat and even skype with Jorge for several
hours and so I neglected to write . . . The days in Lome were
wonderful – not so much because I like Lome, I don't really, but
because I could hook my computer up to the internet in the
air-conditioned PCV lounge and spend endless hours online (which I
did) – what a luxury!

When I wasn't glued to the computer screen, I was pretending to shop.
I say pretending because I didn't really acquire anything. One day a
friend and I walked through the Grand-Marche. It is huge.
Absolutely, overwhelmingly HUGE. There are so many people and objects
and animals and vehicles that it is really quite an exhausting
experience. There does seem to be some sort of organization – for
example it was easy to tell when we were in the clothe section or the
shoes section or the toiletries section, but I think it would take
years of study to be able to go to the market wit ha particular object
in mind and b-line it to that section. We just sort of wandered
around and bought some random things. I bought vache-qui-rit (kind of
like cream cheese), tomato paste, dish towels from an ambulatory
saleswoman, enough chickpeas to last my whole two years in Togo (I
don't know what I was thinking – I guess I just got too excited), a
scrub brush, and another pair of flip-flops (so as to have an indoor
pair and an outdoor pair).

In all this wandering, my friend and I got hopelessly lost. We kept
asking people to direct us to our rendez-vous point (a super-market),
but they were sending us in all different directions and so we didn't
know which way to go. Eventually we saw one of Lome's few
sky-scrapers (it is mostly flat, one-to-three story buildings and
sprawling) and from it oriented ourselves a bit and were able to get
close enough to our destination for someone to give us precise
directions.

ON another shopping trip we went to the supermarket where I bought
some toothpaste (I am in doubt as to whether or not it is real Colgate
– it doesn't have the little patented symbol . . . but I looked all
over and none of what is available does), two plastic cutting boards
(one for meat and one for fruits and vegetables, sponges, curry powder
and cinnamon (to hold me over spice-wise until my parents bring me
spices). Oh, I also bought red and brown lentils (more non-perishable
protein! Yay!) and brown sugar.

Swear0In took place on Thursday evening at the Country Director's
house (on her front lawn actually – we didn't get to go inside the
house). I was in a bit of a bad mood – I had been trying to upload
photos to my web album and just before I left I realized that many of
the photos hadn't actually uploaded. =0( Then I got back to the hostel
where we were staying and all the girls were all done up with make-up
and everything. I was running late (I didn't even have time to
shower, much less put make-up on) and to boot I had to wear the outfit
my host family made for me – one of my friends dubbed it the "pleather
pagne" – it just wasn't something I would have chosen for myself.
When we got to Swear-In, I didn't see my host mom and sister and for a
fem minutes I was afraid that I had worn the gold, florescent green
and blue (with white polka dots) pleather pagne for nothing, but then
they arrived. My host mom looked so lovely and stylish that I almost
didn't recognize her, not that she isn't usually lovely, she was just
so classy looking. The ceremony was nice – the CD (Country Director)
gave a speech (all I remember about it was the formality of it – the
long list of people that were welcomed). Then one of the trainees
gave a long graduation-like speech in French and then we each went up
and said our blurb in local language. Afterwards, the U.S. Ambassador
gave a speech and we took the oath – "I do solemnly swear to uphold
the Constitution . . . " There was a reception with hors d'oeuvres
and drinks afterwards. The food was pretty good, but everything ran
out in less than half an hour (probably because our host families were
stock piling). My mom put two (or was it three?) cans of soda in her
purse and I saw one of my friend's host moms wrapping up a bunch of
food in a napkin . . . I don't blame them, I probably would have done
the same myself. It was pretty crowded and hectic and our host
families left quickly because they were going home that evening.

My stage-mates (no longer trainees!) and I went back to the hotel and
changed into more comfortable clothing and then we went out to a bar.
We just sat, talked and drank. Some people went out later to a club
(described in a Peace Corps document as a place with prostitutes,
poles and mirrors ?!?!?! – whether it was a warning or an
advertisement I do not know), but I went back to the hostel and went
to bed.

I was also able to talk to my parents twice on the phone which was
amazing. Thank you!

The only other interesting event was dinner at a Chinese restaurant on
Friday evening – we went out to celebrate one of the girl's birthday,
but it was also sort of like a celebratory dinner for surviving
training and being sworn-in as volunteers because it was just the 13
chap girls. The food was actually very good, but it took ages to
arrive and was a little expensive ($10.00 meal). I ate sweet and
spicy chicken and it was yummy. Another girl and I had made a little
dessert (to stand-in for a birthday cake). It was a custard pie with
bits of chocolate on the bottom and cookie crumbs on top – we put
candles in it and sang Happy Birthday – it was nice.

Other than that, I spent some time working on my photo movie – which I
wasn't able to finish and hanging out with my girls. It was sad to
leave them this morning. I will see tow of them in a couple of days
(Ashley is in Notse and Tig and I are going to Notse for the weekend).
Tig is in Agou, near our training site, and two others I will see in
two weeks (at Atakpame – we are all planning to go), but I won't see
the girls who are out of my region until Thanksgiving probably, so
that is sad. (We aren't technically allowed to go out of region in
the first three months . . . )

8/27/07

I am sitting at my kitchen table in my little house in Avassikpe. It
is pouring rain outside. When I got here, I had a bit of a
disappointing surprise – they have already built my paillote, only it
isn't a paillote in the sense that it is not round. It is actually
more of a little front porch, which is not at all what I wanted. I
wanted a free-standing round shady area a few meters in front of my
house. This is a free-standing slanted porch. I think I can still
hang a hammock from it, but it blocks some of my sunlight AND has
messed up my gutters, I think, which is not good considering that my
primary water source is rain water. =0( I am thinking about getting
them to tear it down and use the same materials to build a round one
like I wanted, and just paying for any extra materials out of pocket,
but I am not going to make a rash decision. I will try it out for a
while and see if I like it this way. I am trying to think of what the
advantages might be . . . it might be good in terms of privacy. I
feel as though it acts as a sort of buffer, without being as isolating
as a fence. In terms of cooking outside, it might be more convenient
closer to the house, but I am a little afraid that it is too close and
the smoke will go into the house. On the other hand, the fact that it
is close to the house also will help me keep better control over the
belongings I choose to leave outside. Finally, it might keep the
house a little cooler (less direct sunlight). Also, it might provide
the perfect place to put Ashley's solar charger . . . The worst thing
about it right now is that it seems to have messed up my
rain-harvesting system. Hmm. We will see. I am thinking that I might
just decide that I like it the way it is.

I am thinking about looking for flat stones to make a sort of "porch"
under the paillote – a floor of something other than sand. I don't
know how easy it is to find flat stone around here, though. Probably
not all that easy. The reason why I would like a stone floor under my
porch is that I don't really like to do my dishes outside (because
then my buckets get all sandy and muddy), but I don't like to do them
inside either because then my floor inevitably gets wet (and muddy
because even though it is concrete, it is pretty dirty and I have not
yet acquired a mop). Really, the most simple activities become
challenging when you don't have running water or any sort of indoor
plumbing. For example, what do you drain the spaghetti water into?
You can't just pour it down the sinck.

When I arrived I also noticed that my chute that carries the water
from the roof and the gutters to the cistern was not connected. I am
proud of myself because I connected it all by myself before the
torrential downpour started, so hopefully my cistern filled up a bit
(it was going on empty . . . ).

Final dilemma for the day (I hope, knock on wood) is actually going to
be a week-long dilemma. I had been hoping to get a chance to stop in
Notse and buy some eggs and some fruits and vegetables, and bread, but
I lay down to sleep in the back of the van and when I woke up we were
already turning off the hard road onto my dirt road. SO, as far as
fruits and vegetables for the week go, I have an orange (yes, ONE
orange) and a can of peas and tomato paste. When I got here (around
noon) I spent three hours cleaning up – did I mention that they
repainted the walls and fixed the screens? It looks nice. Then around
three I was starving, so I started to think about what I could make to
eat with my limited ingredients. I made some pasta with vache-qui-rit
and tomato paste and peas. It was pretty good, but I ate way too much
because I made too much and I didn't want to deal with giving away or
throwing away food. I am going to start measuring everything so that
I know exactly how much food to make for just myself. I have never
cooked for just myself before and I have never not had a refrigerator
for left-overs. Hm. After eating, I continued cleaning and fixed my
water shoot and talked to the little kids a bit (and by talking, I
mean repeating words that they say in Ewe, some of which I understood,
most of which I didn't).

I haven't seen Lili yet. She wasn't at the dispensaire, so I went to
her house and a woman told me that she was in Notse. I asked her to
tell her that I have arrived.

I am also hoping perhaps to get permission to make a fenced in garden
behind my house. There is a big enough space and right now it is just
overgrown with shrubbery anyway. I would like to be able to plant my
moringa trees and perhaps some vegetables and maybe some spices like
basil. Maybe even some fruits. I would also like to have a compost
pile to dispose of my own organic waste. I want it to be fenced so
the goats don't eat it, not really for privacy reasons.

8/28/07 and 8/27/07

I am writing this the morning of the 29th – last night I was kept out
way past my bed-time (past 9:00!) and was too tired to write. I think
I'm hearing the honk-honk of the fanmilk man – I must be
hallucinating. Yesterday I woke up around 6:00. I heated water for
my bath and, in a separate pot, water for my oatmeal and hot chocolate
(Milo – chocolate energy vitamin drink made by Nestle). I left my
breakfast water in the pot (with the gas turned off, of course, as I
went to take my shower. When I got back I prepared my breakfast –
Milo drink (Milo + powdered milk + water + sugar) and oatmeal (oatmeal
+ enriched soy flour + powdered milk + water + brown sugar). After
breakfast, I was organizing some papers when Lili stopped by. It was
good to see her – she answered some of my questions. She said that we
would clean out my cistern (which entails scooping out all the water
and the debris at the bottom and scrubbing it down with bleach water
and then we would get some people to fill it. Once full, she said it
would last two months. I am doubtful of that, but what do I know? I
asked if it would take me all day if I tried to fill it myself. She
laughed. I think it would be a pretty tough job, but I would like to
at least help fill my own cistern. Apparently the villagers pay 15cFA
per bucket of water that they get at the pump (I suppose that money
goes to the community at large, perhaps for fixing the pump when it is
broken), but Lili said that Emmanuelle didn't pay. I also told her
about the problem with my gutters and I think she talked to the man
who made my paillote later in the day. Hopefully he will fix the
problem so that my water harvesting system works a bit more
effectively. I also talked with her about the possibility of getting
a plot of land to garden. She thought it amusing that I'd want to
garden . . . but I think she tood me seriously and said that perhaps I
could get a plot near the pump or near the barrage so that I can water
my plants easily.

I organized a bit more and then headed over to the dispensaire. Lily
was studying for an exam she wants to take in mid-September to apply
for a government paid position (she would probably remain in
Avassikpe, she would just be paid by the government as opposed to the
village as she is now). I read up about moringa while she studied. I
am really excited about it and think that moringa might just be the
key to a project here and also, perhaps, a long-term career. That is
obviously getting ahead of myself, but I am excited about it and am
going to request more reading materials. I would like to plant some
moringa ASAP and identify moringa plants in the area so as to try
harvesting and drying the leaves to make moringa powder. I would like
to identify underweight babies (between 6 months and 3 years) at the
baby weighing sessions and choose as many as possible to give moringa
to and see if moringa mixed in with the regular carb-concentrated
porridge can help improve a baby's health. Again, I am getting ahead
of myself, but I can't help but be very excited about how moringa
bridges several of my interests and needs – my anthropological
interest (how is and/or has moringa been used traditionally?); my
desire to really help and make a practical difference – moringa could
be key to helping reverse malnutrition in many areas of the world; my
need for a useful skill – an expertise in moringa might be a
marketable skill; my desire to work all over the globe – moringa is
possible and necessary in most of Latin America, Africa and Southeast
Asia. Anyway, to put it mildly, I am excited ad can't wait to get
more reading material. I wish I had the internet at my fingertips . .
. I will write to the NRM (Natural Resource Management) APCD and ask
for all the resources he can send me. Hopefully a NRM volunteer will
get placed near me as well and will perhaps want to collaborate. The
next step is to get a plot of land, clear it, fence it and plant my
moringa seedlings and my seeds. It needs to be really well fenced,
though, because apparently the goats love moringa.

For lunch I prepared rice and chickpeas (oil + salt + tomato paste +
curry powder). It was ok. I then studied Ewe a while. I am worried
about never really advancing with my Ewe. =0( I asked Lili about a
tutor and she said that she has contacted someone who is a real Ewe
teacher and teaches Ewe to priests and missionaries and such. I hope
that works out and I can start soon. Later in the afternoon as I was
sitting in Lili's office at the dispensaire and completely missing out
on the conversation going on around me, I thought about recording 15
minutes or so of conversation a day and trying to listen to it and
decipher it. I think I might do that – I need to find some sort of
strategy for learning Ewe fast because not being able to communicate
is going to get frustrating pretty quickly (it is actually already
frustrating and I am impatient with myself because I want to speak
fluently and understand everything RIGHT NOW).

I was planning on going on a bike ride, just to get out and exercise a
bit, but it kept threatening to rain. I spent some time fiddling
around with my bike – I was trying to get the seat off to attach a
carrying case under it, but I couldn't get the seat off and even
though I eventually got the mount for the carrying case on, the case
itself didn't fit . . .

I read a novel a bit – The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison – and then sat
at the dispensaire. I met an ASC (Agent de Sante Communautaire –
Community Health Agent) from a neighboring village and apparently he
will take me to his village next Thursday. Little by little I will get
to know all the surrounding villages.

In the evening, we went to greet the chief – a skinny old man who
seemed friendly and welcoming. It was a pretty casual meeting – not
too much formality and it lasted only about 10 minutes. He welcomed
me and said that if I had any sort of problem, I should feel free to
go to him. I thanked him and we left . . .

We went to meet the owner of my house (he had donated it and is not
exacting rent), but he wasn't home. I held a baby girl and she peed
on me – I said it was nothing and her mother and sister looked like
they didn't know what to say or do (I was amused – if wet and stinky).
Then I went to Lili's house where she prepared fried sweet potatoes
(not orange sweet potatoes, but still pretty yummy) and spaghetti with
a tomato, hot pepper and sardine sauce. I, of course, did not eat
enough to please her, but I ate some. It was already late (but there
was a beautiful full moon) when we went to visit the proprietor again.
This visit was not so quick and painless as Lili was engaged in a
long discussion of why I am here. I am glad it was all in Ewe because
I am sure that she did a much better job of defending my presence than
I myself would have done. I was quite tired by the time I got home
and read for only a few minutes before falling asleep.

This morning I woke up around 6:00 and went for a bike ride. The road
is pretty nice for bike-riding – flat, not too sandy, not too bumpy.
I rode for about twenty minutes and didn't arrive anywhere (I was
surprised not to go through any other villages although I passed a lot
of villagers heading to the fields) and eventually I just turned
around. I was a little bit afraid of getting lost, but I think it
will be fun to venture out further and further as I build up stamina.
When I got back, I took a shower and made and ate breakfast. Now,
after writing, I am going to wash dishes and do my laundry.

I haven't studied Ewe at all today. I am not sure when is a good time
– I think probably in the morning, right after breakfast would be
best. After lunch I am too hot and tired. In the evening I just want
to go to sleep.

I am sitting outside right now to take advantage of the last little
bit of sunlight. I can't wait to have my hammock and a comfortable
place to sit outside – that will be lovely.

This morning I washed some clothes and my sandals and then I swept out
the latrine and shower. I was pooped afterwards, but I went to the
dispensaire. It was about 11:00. I didn't know whether it was ok to
leave my clothes out on the line when I wasn't home, so I brought them
in, but Lili said it would be fine, that no one would take my things.
I sat at the dispensaire and read for a while – papers from my
tool-kil (all the things that we went over during training that I
never read about). Around noon I went home and made lunch – brown
lentils with couscous (+ a bit of oil + salt + mystery spice my host
mom gave me + tomato paste). It was actually quite palatable.

After lunch I arranged photos of family and friends and Jorge to put
up on my walls and then I napped for a bit. I wasn't feeling very
energetic – eating a hot meal at the hottest part of the day does not
cool you down any. After napping, I washed my dishes and went to talk
to the carpenter to see how much it will cost to have a long bench and
a small table made. I want the bench for outside so that visitors
have a place to sit and another low kitchen table for cooking. The
table will also be particularly helpful when I get a charcoal stove
and decide to do some outdoor cooking. The man told me 1,500 cFA
($3.00) for a bench and 1,200 for a table. I will ask Lili about
those prices, but they seem pretty reasonable to me. I went to the
dispensaire, but Lili wasn't there, so I walked down the road a bit,
picked some flowers and found some sticks and then I sat outside and
whittled the sticks with Jorge's Swiss army knife. I am trying to
make something to hang in my shower – a little rack to put my things
on out of sticks and nylon string. It will probably be a lot of
effort for shabby results, but it amuses me (and the kids who
inevitably gather around). I worked on it until it started to get
dark.

Lili just stopped by and said that she had been called to Notse and
that is why she wasn't there in the afternoon. I sort of wish I had
known, so that I could have napped less guiltily. Now I am just going
to get ready for bed and read. I ate a grapefruit (that Lili gave me)
for dinner. I can't wait to have an adequate supply of fruits and
vegetables after my trip to Notse this weekend. I am going to go to
Notse early Friday morning and try to make some courtesy visits to
important people there and I will stay until Sunday.

8/30/07

It is incredible, really truly incredible how much I sweat after
eating lunch. I don't know if it is because it is noon-time, because
my room gets hotter when I use the gas stove or because I've just
wolfed down a hot meal (probably all three) but I am always dripping
with sweat by the time I am finished eating.

It is only 1:30 in the afternoon and I already feel as though I have
been somewhat productive today, which is a very good feeling. This
morning I went through my "usual" routine of simultaneously heating
water for my bucket bath and breakfast. I took my bath and then
prepared and ate breakfast. Then I studied Ewe for an hour – I think
right after breakfast will prove to be the most productive study time.

I went to the dispensaire at 8:30-ish. I was expecting a meeting of
the COGES (a village health committee) and te CVD (village development
committee) to take place, but the president of COGES was there and
said that the meeting wasn't happening today. After he left, though,
Lili and I had a very productive conversation. She asked me if I
would be interested or open to helping them build housing for a nurse
near the dispensaire. I said that I would be more than willing to
help with the organization and logistics, but that the materials and
manpower should come from within the community. She agreed, but said
what about the things, like the metal roofing, that can't be found in
the community? I said that perhaps the CVD or the COGES had funds
that they could use for those things. I asked about the money
generated by the pump and she said that before a couple of Ewe people
in the village were bouffing (stealing) that money and that now there
is a pump committee that oversees the collection of money at the pump.
They, however, are very reluctant to let that money out of their
control. When the pump broke, these people apparently pooled the
funds to fix it (because the people who should have had the collective
funds had "eaten them," used them for personal purposes) and so I
think this group got control of the pump somewhat by default. I am
not sure what they use the money for or how well it is managed. Lili
also told me that the CVD asked her for 100,000+ cFA to host a party.
She implied that they are not, as of yet, very committed or aware of
their role in the village and that she hopes that I can guide them a
bit in the right direction. Since their formation in May, they
apparently have not yet held a meeting, so I see that I will have some
motivating and jump-starting to do. I told her that, as she well
knows, it is not my role to bring money into the community and that
people ought to understand that I will be very reluctant to do any
funded projects if I see that they cannot manage the funds that they
have. Lili suggested that we try to get the CVD to mobilize the
community to do monthly clean-ups and keep the water supply stocked at
the dispensaire so as to gradually put aside money to help build
housing for a nurse near the dispensaire. I think that is a good idea
– a feasible way of saving money . . . She also said that she told the
villagers that Emmanuelle left because they didn't do their part to
make a difference and that she will tell them that I will leave too if
they don't put forth effort. Hopefully that will motivate people to
take advantage of my time here.

Then we talked about the water problem. During dry season, there is
just not enough water to go around. There is not enough water period
and definitely not enough potable water. She says that many of the
surrounding villages have pumps, but that their pumps run dry and so
they come to Avassikpe. People are lined up at the pump from four in
the morning until 10:00 at night (this is one point on which I am
ashamed to say that I wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of my
yovo-ness – I do not envision myself standing in line for hours for
every bucket of water, although it would probably be a good experience
to have at least once). I must admit, I am a bit nervous for the dry
season . . . Lili says that sometimes she goes all the way to Notse to
get water!! She also said that the pump here doesn't run dry, but
sometimes it gets low and just trickles out. I think the solution is
not to put another pump in Avassikpe, but rather to look into solving
the water shortage problem in the surrounding villages so that not
everyone descends upon Avassikpe for water. I asked about records for
the area in terms of rainfall or where wells had been attempted, but
she didn't know if or where I could find something like that. It may
be data that I will have to assemble myself. Come dry season, I am
imagining myself sitting at the pump under an umbrella all day long
asking people where they are coming from.

We also talked about moringa. Lili said that I can plant it in her
garden behind the dispensaire. I think I will do that next week.
There is a live fence in the form of tall grasses all around the
garden, so hopefully that will keep the goats and sheep from eating my
moringa. I am going to plant them all around her garden.

A woman came for a consultation with her baby who seemed to have a
skin irritation (this is the first consultation I have talked about
because it is the first one that has taken place this week! The
dispensaire has been totally void of patients, which although it could
mean that everyone is healthy, probably means that work in the fields
takes precedence over going to the clinic). The baby was a fat baby
(a rare sight), already 8 kilos at 6 months. He seemed to have a bit
of difficulty breathing, though, and I am not sure if that is a
side-effect of his weight or not. It is 100 cFA for the consultation,
which is very reasonable, but the medicines are always expensive. I
can't help but wonder how valid the prescriptions LIli makes are when
the affliction has nothing to do with pregnancy. She is trained as a
midwife, but she treats all sorts of maladies. Don't get me wrong, I
think she is very well-intentioned, but still, it is sort of like me
seeing a baby with a skin issue and rooting through my medkit for
anything that is a skin product and then making someone pay money for
this default prescription – default because it is all that I have that
even remotely fits the ailment

Afterwards, we had a discussion about the Miss Togo competition. I
asked Lili, jokingly, if she was going to compete and she said that
she isn't tall enough, that there is a height requirement and that the
girls have to be very slender (she also added that Christian women
often don't participate in that sort of thing – parading around in a
swimsuit). I was originally interested in the topic because I thought
it might generate a discussion of Togolese conceptions of beauty, but
then I realized that the Miss Togo – headed for a continental and
perhaps worldwide competition) would reflect Occidental standards of
beauty as opposed to Togolese (a disheartening reality considering
that the rigid western standard of beauty is being imposed on a
society with its own and different ideas of beauty. Then again, I
suppose this is just the continuation of a process that began
centuries ago. From a personal perspective, I find it sad that a very
"thin" ideal is being instilled in one of the few places where "plump"
is still considered beautiful.)

Right before coming home we visited the market and I was pleasantly
surprised to discover that I can buy bread, beans, peanuts, onions,
tomato paste, hot peppers, cans of condensed milk and, apparently,
tofu (although I did not see it with my very own eyes) in the market
on Thursday. I just listed the things I might be interested in
buying, but there is also chouk (local beer), smoked fishies and other
unidentifiable things for sale. I think I will go back later and buy
some things to support the local economy (at the same time, though, I
heard some volunteers say that you should be careful what you spend
your money on in village because people will see and make assumptions
about your wealth).

Before going out to the market, I burned my trash and I packed up some
things to take to Notse so as not to forget them – like my cell phone
charger and my computer charger. I am a little nervous about riding
my bike with my computer and I am planning on leaving my computer in
Notse until the dry season (October/Novermber-ish) when perhaps Ashley
will lend me her solar charger and I can use my computer in Avassikpe.
We will see. I just don't want to be transporting it back and forth.

Tseve, the man Emmanuelle described as like a father to her in the
village stopped by while I was packing up with a carpenter who brought
a cover for my cistern. Tseve asked why I hadn't gone to see him yet
since I had been in village three days. IT was an awkward moment.
Honestly, I couldn't remember what he looked like and didn't know
where he lived, but I could have made more of an effort to find him.
They covered my cistern and we talked about my paillote. I am
indecisive as to whether we should take it down and make a round one
or leave it up and just try to fix the gutters. My main concern is my
hammock. I really want to be able to hang a hammock from it and I am
not sure this one is strong enough. ON the other hand, Lili says the
sun might be unbearable if I take this one down. I am afraid of them
making a new one and not being happy with the result . . . The round
paillotes that I see in village are very low to the ground. I would
want mine taller (so that I don't always have to be crouching
underneath . . . hm. Perhaps I will describe exactly what I want, see
if it is possible and how much it will cost and then I will decide . .
. )

I went to the market, but I didn't buy anything. I think they might
have been trying to cheat me and since I don't have the language
skills (or at least not the courage) to try to bargain in Ewe, I
prefer to just buy in Notse.

Then I meandered over to the dispensaire. We only spent a little time
there and then we went to Lili's house where I peeled my first ignam
to make fufu. I declined the opportunity to pick apart smoked fishies
and take out the undesirable parts (had she insisted, I might just
have thrown the whole fish away as undesirable). As we were waiting
for the chunks of ignam to cook (in boiling water), a family stopped
by for a consultation – their little baby girl (under a year) won't
stop eating dirt. We watched her – the moment they put her down on the
ground, she took a handful of dirt and put it into her mouth and as if
that weren't enough, she mushed her whole face into the ground and
came up with a mouthful. Lili said it was a calcium deficiency and
that the medicine is expensive. I suggested milk or crushing up clean
egg shells into a fine powder and mixing it with her porridge. I hope
that that was an ok suggestion . . . reverting calcium deficiency is
another way moringa would be useful.

Once they left we pounded fufu. I got a blister. Then we ate.
Luckily, the sauce was so spicy that it masked the fishy taste and I
avoided making eye-contact with the fish head that was staring at me,
silently begging me to eat it. I never eat enough to please Lily, but
again, I know I could eat until bursting and she still wouldn't be
happy so I just eat as much as I want.

Afterwards we tried to pay a visit to the president of the young
people, but he wasn't home. We will try again early tomorrow morning
before I leave for Notse.

I feel as though I have a lot of things in store for me next week,
which is good, it will keep me busy. I have to wash out my cistern,
figure out what to do with my paillote, get my gutters fixed and plant
moringa. Hopefully the chief will officially introduce and welcome me
next week too. Lili says that after that we will really be able to
start working . . .

8/31/07

I am in Notse at Ashley's house! Yay! With electricity! Double yay!
Unfortunately I haven't accomplished much today (in terms of buying
things to bring back to Avassikpe) because it has been pouring
(pouring harder than I ever remember seeing it pour) since noon, but
it has given me a good opportunity to type up my weekly emails. I am
just now realizing how long this will take me a week, considering I
have been typing straight for several hours (only interrupted by
rushed attempts to save Ashley's belongings from the various leaks and
interesting conversations). I am sorry that my gutter system on my
house in Avassikpe isn't working well, because my cistern might just
have been full to overflowing by now. I am also sorry I haven't
cleaned it out yet, because it means that I will just have to empty it
out bucket by bucket, but it will be fine.

I am very proud of myself. I biked all the way to Notse this morning.
I left around 7:30 in the morning (we didn't get a chance to talk to
the president of young people because he had already left for the
fields) and arrived at Ashley's house at 9-ish with no mishaps
what-so-ever, except a slightly flat tire. I was pretty sweaty,
disgusting and beat, but proud of my accomplishment. It will only get
easier as I get into shape as well, so that is good. All in all, it
wasn't a bad ride. There shoulder on the edge of the paved road, so I
never felt too exposed to passing traffic. The road is also very
straight (although hilly) and so visibility is good. The hills were a
little challenging and I did feel a twinge of embarrassment when a guy
on a regular bike passed me (on my seven speed mountain bike!) on the
uphill, but whatever =0). I am super happy to see Ashley again and be
in a place where I can just walk down the street (if it weren't for
the pouring rain) and buy FOOD. YAY! =0)

In the morning we picked up Ashleys new couch cushions. She doesn't
have a couch yet, hasn't even ordered a couch yet, but she has
cushions =0). Then I showered and we made scrambled egg sandwiches
for lunch (egg – yummy! Bread – heavenly!) and french fries! And this
time we didn't even set the oil on fire. =0) We also had a lovely
surprise in that one of our friends (a stage-mate) got to spend an
hour with us (it is a bit of a long story, but she had stayed over in
Lome this past week because she was sick with amoebas and she was
getting dropped off in her village today, but another new volunteer,
who had also been sick was dropped off first, an hour north of us, so
the driver agreed to drop her off here for an hour while he got some
fufu for lunch). Anyway, the point is that we unexpectedly got to
visit with her a bit, which was a treat. Unfortunately, though, we
were expecting Tig to arrive this afternoon, but with the rain she is
not going to be able to make it until tomorrow. =0(

So, that is that for today. I didn't get to make the courtesy visits
I was planning to make, one, because of laziness and, two, because of
the rain and time constraints and food was my priority =0).


9/1/04

Last night, after I finished writing, we made fried rice for dinner
and crepes for dessert and then we watched three episodes of Prison
Break. In between dinner and Prison Break we made a furtive, "thieves
in the night" garbage run. Disposal of garbage here is always a
dilemma, because people will inevitably be interested in what you are
throwing away and that is awkward. We walked to the dump in the dark
(luckily it is only a couple of blocks away), threw the bags in and
ran away. It kept on raining off and on all night, but I think it has
stopped now.

Today I am hopefully going to do lots of shopping if it stops raining
for long enough. We are also hoping that Tig will arrive, but I am
not sure that the dirt road that connects her to us is going to be
navigable today.

I am also planning to try my luck at internet in Notse and see how
well it works. I hope, I hope, I hope . . .