Making Fromage de Soja

Holding a meeting in Togo requires accepting controlled chaos. I held a meeting with the women’s group the Femmes Lumieres to teach them an income-generating activity. They are always dying to learn new recipes for soap, creams and potions, foods to prepare for the market, and other little things they can sell for pocket money. Of course I want all of the women to earn extra income—the problem is that many people in Togo have no concept of successful budgeting. So I discussed how to make a budget during the meeting too.

A Village Birthday

With less than half of my Peace Corps service to go, I feel that I see so many things about Togo differently. My perspective on life in village, what “doing work” means and my level of comfort in village have all changed over the past few months. Just look how less often I write blog posts than in my first few months. 🙂

With summer camps and conferences behind me, I now feel like I am in village for the long haul. I know everyone on the street, everyone in the marche, I can tell who the outsiders are when Togolese visit from Lome or Kpalime. It makes me feel like a truly integrated part of the community, a real member of N’digbe. Whenever I step outside, chat with my friends at the beans stand, or sit with Honorene at the health clinic, I have realized that I’m doing work. Two of the three Peace Corps goals are the exchange of cultural practices between Togolese and Americans.