word from the bush

Hi there everyone out there that is wondering where the hell I’ve been. Well when you are on the other side of the world where the internet runs at the pace of a page an hour there will be a lull in communication. So this is my first post for a long time until I get some way to have internet at my site. So for now PLEASE write me..send me love letters and packages from home because that has been successful. My address is to the right and any sort of novelties would be well appreciated. It’s a matter of survival here and so far so good.

I HAVE A PHONE NUMBER SO FEEL FREE TO CALL ME!!! I AM 5 HRS AHEAD OF CHICAGO TIME…

Country code ( 011 ) 228 910 8378

I am currently in the plateau region in Togo near Mt. Agou. It is quite beautiful here, hot but beautiful. Right now is the rainy season and I have welcomed it every time it happens. The food is good in all it’s starchy nature but I have been missing all the novelties that we as Americans have in the states. Like artificial cheese, salty snacks and candy. Hint…hint. Ohh and everything else that makes one feel like an American. Coffee on the go, the movies, new music, magazines. My entertainment has been staring at my celing in my room watching to see if that lizard will eat the wasp on my ceiling so that I won’t have to dispose of him myself. I have no idea what is going on in the US let alone the rest of the world at this very moment. What I wouldn’t do for a Time or Newsweek…or NPR.

Well this post is one of the few for now since the internet is something I don’t have patience for here. It’s hard enough speaking French everyday…so be prepared to be clueless about my whereabouts until I get situated in my post at the end of August.

I do have some big news for now though!!! I have just found out where in Togo I will be posted for the two years I will be serving here. I am going to be in the same region I am in now but in another town called Adeta.

I am really excited to start work with the cultivators of coffee and cocoa as well as working with artisans in the trade associations. The artisans in individual trades I will be working with vary from welding, carpentry, batik, painters to tailors and seamstresses. A lot of what I did at my previous job will apply to this work so I a really excited to get started. I will be helping them attend trade shows and hopefully even create some export interest. But for now a lot of what I will be doing is internal, at a local scale. I am also excited to work with the cultivator’s farm association because they are very motivated. A lot of the crops are exported to other African countries and possible some European. I am not quite sure as of now since I haven’t started my work with them yet. I will have much to learn from they way they work.

There is not much donor aid to Togo and hopefully after the elections that will be taking place soon there will be more. This is exactly the work I wanted to get out of my service and I can’t wait to get started. I will be at my post at the end of August once I swear in.


If anyone that reads this can send me insightful information on the following or just simple things like the magazines dealing with trade (economist, etc. current trends in the global market that I could research to see if it could apply to Togo) Right now there is not a lot of market for exports here, most everything is bought and sold internally. So this goes for all my former coworkers at good ole Eastern Accents. Ridvan, I know you have some great advice on coffee, and you could even be one of my first customers once we perfect the blend for possible exports. The same goes for artisan crafts and textiles…start making some pillow designs and I’ll send you some batik!! The patterns here are amazing and I’ve already had a couple skirts made in some crazy cloth.

I miss you all and would love to have more mementos from home to decorate my new house with. As for my house…I get to see it in a week and a half and all I know right now is that it has 3 bedrooms, 1 living room and a kitchen and bathroom (not sure if the kitchen and bathroom are attached and whether it is a pit latrine or of the Western variety) But assuming that since I also have running water and electricity…it could be possible. There is also a place in my compound for gardening of which I am really excited to tackle.


So here is my list of requests for my new house and just for survival here. This is just a general list for things that will be well used by me here if sent. They are not a must……though some could be at times….most are things not found here and would be of comfort.
Packages have made it to me in a two week turn around..so it’s a sure thing that I’ll get it if sent by air priority international
Remember pack it in Ziplocs and send me photos from home too…

Foodstuffs
Anything salty and with artificial cheese…weird yes but true…where the cheese at?
Kettle Chips, Cheese and Cracker Packets, Pretzel and Cheese Combos
Chex Mix and Peanut M&M’s (from the High Point Stash)hint hint….
Powdered Gatorade and “on the go” drink mixes (bleach treated water gets old quick)
Tea …anything but traditional Lipton
Spices..esp cinnamon, nutmeg, taco seasoning, pesto packets, seasoning packets from Rice a Roni etc…(I’ve got the rice and couscous)
Brownie and choc chip/oatmeal cookie mixes (to be made with oil and eggs)
Almonds !!! (for that lack of protein..there are peanuts here…
Snacks from Trader Joes (rice crackers, wasabi peas, Thai peanuts, etc)
Candy ..taffy, skittles, jolly ranchers and all others ….

Kitchen Items
(for things I have been unable to find in the market)
Rubber spatula
Spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Lightweight plastic chopping board
Tupperware and Ziploc bags (very important for keeping the critters away)
Aluminum foil
Anything really



Clothes
Plain white tank tops and tshirts for batiking (send me a cheap pack of three and I’ll send you back a finished top)
Old navy flip flops (the ones here rub my feet the wrong way)~sz 7
Jersey knit gauchos
Jersey knit slip dresses for casual wear that hit at the knee (old navy/target)
Lightweight cap sleeve tshirts ~dressy(Target tissue weight are good)
Tank tops and camisole tank tops
Skirts

Health and Sanitation (Sanity)
Saline solution
Wet wipes
Scented stuff for feeling pretty
The occasional make-up
Anything Burts Bees
Nail Polish and other manicure items
Leave-in conditioner (detangler spray)

Yoga manual
Poly pillow forms for a good nights sleep (hey y’all at EA…Togo don’t have pillows)
Magazines..Celebrity Smut, Natl Geographic, Time, Runner’s World, etc…news
New Books and DVD’s
Burned copies of music
Anything for my house

More to come….as time passes and I long for what I’ve left behind

Ohh I forgot to mention that I have a video of us slaughtering 5 chickens to then be plucked and fried for our 4th of July fete! Once I get it to youtube…you’ll see it!! It was a de-sensitising activity that was good for all of us to do.

And I have to let you know that I have what looks like chicken pox on my legs from all of the bug bites and I am still hanging in there. No dysentery yet though I have had some serious bowl issues….from one extreme to the next. In top shape though!

Also right now poor ole Wil is sweating his ass off in Mauritania where it is currently 120 degrees and we have been unable to talk since the phone calls are too expensive between us. If anyone can research and send me a cheap phone card for us to use between countries in Africa with a cell phone I would love you for it! Until I get Skype (if it is at all possible) we are at a complete disconnect. ☹ such is love in Africa..a 2 min phone call.