SO as many of you have noticed...I've been absent from my post. Get used to it. As of now I really don't have much to say since I am not there yet. My head has been spinning out of control trying to prepare for two years abroad as well as move out of an apt , train for the Boston Marathon which is in 12 days, figure out who can take care of my "special needs" kitty (trying to "keep him in the family") and still maintain my composure at a busy job as a product designer. Not to mention making sure I don't ignore Wil, my wonderfully supportive boyfriend. (Who will be joining the Peace Corps in West Africa as well....where?...as of now that info has not been released)
That's how I like it. My life doesn't resemble a fine dining experience with small portions so intricately arranged on a small plate while elevator music plays in the background. I guess you can say it's more like a super buffet with endless choices and big portions...tack on the environment of a Chuckie Cheese. Craziness keeps me motivated so I guess it may be just as well that some think I am crazy for leaving the wonderful world of America. The option of having anything at your fingertips, 15 different varieties of triscuits, endless options for entertainment, and the luxury of a nice hot shower and flushable toilet.
Ohh yes Enter Togo....(not the sandwich shop)
A few facts about Togo, West Africa...
*slightly smaller that West Virginia...mostly savanna..with lush forest near the coast.
*the temp stays constant through the year at 80-90 (feels like 110)...with rainy season starting once I step off the plane (June)
*largely indigenous country that practices Voodoo (animist religions) ..then Christianity...some Muslim
*French Speaking with three other local languages (of which I will have to communicate in all since very little to no English is spoken (I'll be practicing hand gestures, or maybe flash cards with photos)
*Rice and Beans is the staple...but they are a producer of cocoa and coffee....of which I will probably not see since it is worth more to them to export
*I will be able to have my own clothes made by the local tailor for cheap....just by having them look at a picture...I love it!
*I will likely live in a urban area or large village of5,000...with a Togolese family who will adopt me as one of their own... but won't let me do chores because I am a guest
*I cannot swim off the coast because there are strong riptides.
*I will be hallucinating on a daily basis from malarial drugs.
*There are no safari trips in Togo because most of the animals have been driven out by human development....even the elephants have escaped the park in the north and headed for Ghana.
*I will at times be jammed15-20 deep in a Bush Taxi driving down a jagged dirt road where no one will be wearing deodorant and it is an extreme faux pas to pass gas
*Pray for me.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
i think you and i are gonna get along just fine...
:-)
You forgot to mention that Togo will be introduced to Swedish Fish... maybe their newest/most valuable import.
Post a Comment