Salut!
We are now on our third week here in Togo. Stage continues to go
pretty well despite us all being a bit sick and a bit tired. We have
spent a lot of the last week in French and Ewe class and technique
class (which we have mostly been focusing on HIV/AIDS).
On the one afternoon we had off one of my fellow trainees decided to
give us a jujitsu lesson as she is an instructor back in the U.S.
About five trainees and three Togolese guys walked over to the college
(middle school) and had our first lesson out on the football field. I
think it was a pretty entertaining for the kids playing in the school
ground. After an hour we had about 30 people watching us including
mothers with children and teenagers. I really think that Shannon (the
Jujitsu instructor) should start a club in her village. I was pretty
bad at flipping people over with my hips, but I did enjoy watching her
take on all the Togolese men and often beating them! I think the
Togolese women also found it pretty empowering!
On Thursday we got the region and post descriptions. Most of the
posts are in pretty rural villages working with the dispensaries.
Because I have an MSc, I have a choice of three posts, all is regional
or prefectoral capitals. The posts are in Vogan (about an hour from
Lome), Notsi (about 2 hours from Lome) and Dapoung (which is the
northern regional capital – about 12 hours from Lome). I think I am
most interested in the Dapoung post which is working with the Red
Cross on HIV/AIDS, monitoring and evaluation and nutrition. I will
let you know where I end up next week. Dapoung is only about 6 hours
from Ouaga Dougu (sp??), so it really isn't in the middle of nowhere
and apparently there are yummy watermelons there.
Yesterday we went to the college again to learn about the different
schooling levels and to organize a practice "health club." Even
though school is out for vacation, about 50 kids showed up for our
visit. Most of them had come from the fields so all had "coup coups"
(machetes) in hand. It was a bit intimidating to have 50 kids with
huge knives watching us, but they all seemed pretty chilled out. We
have our first health club meeting next Sunday, so hopefully that goes
well.
Today we had our first bike repair session. I had a fun time learning
how to change and patch my tires. I was surprised by how easy it is
and how well I did it my first time. I got new tires for my bike
because the pervious user had obviously biked a lot and they were
pretty worn out.
Next week we have some exciting plans including climbing up Mt. Agou,
having a 4th of July party (which includes some of the volunteers
learning how to slaughter chickens) and having a fashion show of
American and Togolese clothes with our host families.
Thanks for all the e mails!
Yaga Dogo (goodbye in Ewe),
We are now on our third week here in Togo. Stage continues to go
pretty well despite us all being a bit sick and a bit tired. We have
spent a lot of the last week in French and Ewe class and technique
class (which we have mostly been focusing on HIV/AIDS).
On the one afternoon we had off one of my fellow trainees decided to
give us a jujitsu lesson as she is an instructor back in the U.S.
About five trainees and three Togolese guys walked over to the college
(middle school) and had our first lesson out on the football field. I
think it was a pretty entertaining for the kids playing in the school
ground. After an hour we had about 30 people watching us including
mothers with children and teenagers. I really think that Shannon (the
Jujitsu instructor) should start a club in her village. I was pretty
bad at flipping people over with my hips, but I did enjoy watching her
take on all the Togolese men and often beating them! I think the
Togolese women also found it pretty empowering!
On Thursday we got the region and post descriptions. Most of the
posts are in pretty rural villages working with the dispensaries.
Because I have an MSc, I have a choice of three posts, all is regional
or prefectoral capitals. The posts are in Vogan (about an hour from
Lome), Notsi (about 2 hours from Lome) and Dapoung (which is the
northern regional capital – about 12 hours from Lome). I think I am
most interested in the Dapoung post which is working with the Red
Cross on HIV/AIDS, monitoring and evaluation and nutrition. I will
let you know where I end up next week. Dapoung is only about 6 hours
from Ouaga Dougu (sp??), so it really isn't in the middle of nowhere
and apparently there are yummy watermelons there.
Yesterday we went to the college again to learn about the different
schooling levels and to organize a practice "health club." Even
though school is out for vacation, about 50 kids showed up for our
visit. Most of them had come from the fields so all had "coup coups"
(machetes) in hand. It was a bit intimidating to have 50 kids with
huge knives watching us, but they all seemed pretty chilled out. We
have our first health club meeting next Sunday, so hopefully that goes
well.
Today we had our first bike repair session. I had a fun time learning
how to change and patch my tires. I was surprised by how easy it is
and how well I did it my first time. I got new tires for my bike
because the pervious user had obviously biked a lot and they were
pretty worn out.
Next week we have some exciting plans including climbing up Mt. Agou,
having a 4th of July party (which includes some of the volunteers
learning how to slaughter chickens) and having a fashion show of
American and Togolese clothes with our host families.
Thanks for all the e mails!
Yaga Dogo (goodbye in Ewe),
Helen
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire