General Obs...

This week has been a very odd week - after having only 2 days of teaching, I was just about starting to get into it when the teachers went on strike, so have had no school Weds/Thurs/Fri! Won't say much about it, but think it will be back to normal on Monday and can start getting into the swing of things again. So not that much to say about school as have only had 2 mornings there, but I'm finding it harder than I had expected it to be - a very different system in so many ways to how we work in the UK.

Tuesday afternoon was the weekly Projects Abroad meeting - this week at the beach! Was very lovely, although discovered that it is possible to be cold here which I never thought I'd say. Hasn't been very sunny so far, but has been very heavy and so very hot because of that. The orange dust is also a total plague - it gets everywhere and you have to wipe chairs down before you can sit on them etc. Even the propellers (right word?) of my fan are covered in it! Apparently this is because of the harmattan winds that come from the Sahara in the night and so cool things down as well as stirring up a lot of dust. However don't count on this because you all know my excellence in (or lack of ) geographical knowledge so is very likely it's not quite right!

The sun did come out yesterday morning though and was fantastic. Went down to the Grand Marché to just have a wander and went into a massive building in the centre which is a kind of indoor market. There are three storeys to it, the ground floor being food and spices etc, then the middle floor was fabric and the top floor was hair. I went with Aaron, another volunteer who's doing a Teaching project, and his reaction to the top floor was very amusing! It is true that when you're greeted by a sign saying 100% human hair you do have to do a slight double take... He also suggested that if I'm ever short on money I should just sell my hair, as it would probably fetch a high price being blonde... Interesting idea... Can tell that it comes from a boy!

The market itself, like most of Lomé, is just chaotic. The streets are packed with people and stalls and as most of the people walking are also either selling something or have something balanced on their heads it's very difficult to hurry anywhere. Add motos and the not-unfrequent car to this and hopefully you'll gain some idea of the way it works! Yet, or perhaps because of this chaos, everywhere is just so vital. The energy among the crowds is a million worlds apart from the energy among the crowds at home, even in somewhere like London. Noone hurries here, because you can't. And so everyone has time for everyone else; it's a part of this incredibly warm and welcoming culture. (Admittedly it can get annoying as a yovo because you're always picked on to go here or there or see this or that, but most of the time you can laugh them off. Someone tried to sell me a woolly hat the other day and I just laughed at him and so he joined in too because he knew it was ridiculous when it's at least 35°C outside!) Some of the greetings they have here just don't exist in other languages - for example, when you get up the first question is 'bien reveillé?', which is literally, 'did you wake up well?'. I have never said that to another person before in my life! And never thought about saying it either, which probably says something more. And even in the official Ewé greeting, which now you'd only really use with an older person as it involves a long kind of pre-formulated conversation, this warmth is there. A translation of the conversation is sort of this:

Good morning
Good morning.
Are you well?
Yes I am well.
Did you wake up well?
Yes thank you.
And your house and the people who live with you, are they well?
Yes thank you.
And the children?
Well, thank you.

I can't remember the Ewé at the moment and forgot to bring my book here but that's an approximation of how the conversation goes, and then at the end I think the second person goes on to ask about the person so both parties participate. Of course, you wouldn't say no to these questions, but in a way that's not the point.That is the thing that just keeps on striking me here, the warmth that is extended to everyone is unlike that of any Western country and I think it is something we are seriously lacking. Here, there is a sense of trust - although you know there are people who will steal etc, people go to sleep in the afternoon behind their stalls and it would be so easy to just take their goods, yet I have never seen it happen or even heard it talked about.

Another thing I'm really benefitting from here is the opportunity to discover the kind of person I am. Because situations arise that have never arisen before (and are likely never to again!) you react to them instinctively and afterwards can stand back and ask why did I react like that? And what is it about the other person's reaction that makes me think I don't want to react like that? We've been cultured to produce certain reactions to certain situations at home, when among a certain group of people and here all that is gone - the people are unfamiliar, the situations are unfamiliar and so the reactions too are unfamiliar and uncultured, therefore natural reactions. Meeting all sorts of different people also allows you to compare yourself and ask what I would do in that circumstance and why. Very very interesting.

Haven't done much with my days of freedom except market, did some sunbathing yesterday afternoon (I have a watchmark already and am beginning to get a wedding ring mark - awkward when I return!) then this morning came here and this afternoon have an Ewé lesson. On Wednesday thought I'd lost my wallet - hadn't thankfully - went to the Post Office to post a letter and went to the PA office with Virginie. Last night, went out for a meal with 'the English group' as there are about 7 or 8 of us who have English as a common language - we're actually international as there are 2 Norweigian girls, an Irish boy, an American boy, an Australian boy, a Dutch girl and me! Great to meet so many nice new people and finding out they share a lot of my priorities in coming here too. So all in all just having a brill time really!

Going out again with PA tonight to some bar somewhere I think, not sure where, and then tomorrow morning we're helping out in a big hospital in the Tokoin quartier here. Not sure what we're doing, I think cleaning and helping out like that, but will be such an opportunity to see the inside of a Togolese hospital as really hope I won't be frequenting them in my stay here. Also an opportunity to see the Togolese press and what that's like as we've been told that the 'media' will be there... How exciting!

Last funny thing, coming home last night we took a line taxi as the 6 of us that were there all sort of live in a line along the main road, no idea how the Africans fit 9 larger ladies in a taxi as we were all sitting on top of one another and it was cosy to say the least!

Togoville and a little Ewé

Ah finally! Much hassle today as it appears that only one type of browser here will support Blogger so couldn't get on earlier and had to wait till the only computer with this particular browser was free.
However I am on now and have to be vite vite! This Saturday Virginie and I went to Togoville - which was my first sortie outside Lomé since arriving here. Left the house at 6am (you will all know how much of an effort that took me...) and caught moto-taxis down to the Hollando stop where we had to change to a car to travel the 40 minutes (without traffic - what bliss!) to Agbodrafo where we boarded the pirogue (sort of canoe/kayak thing) to cross the sea to Togoville. Was such a calm crossing and totally chilled out or tranquille as they say here because there were no horns beeping for the first time while I've been here. Utter paradise! Togoville is in fact the town which gives its name to Togo the country; in the ancient language, Togo means the place where the lake and sea meet so Togoville marks that place and was the first major town here. We got off the pirogue to be immediately, and unsurprisingly, greeted by an entire crowd proclaiming to be THE official guides to Togoville... Yea right! We politely (it got less polite during the day I have to admit...) refused and made our way past the really cool sign for Togoville which I will upload a picture of - incidentally the only sign in the town which didn't say 'telephonez' - and into the town itself. The first thing we came across was the tourist office - very tribal outside - where we thought it might be useful to find a map or something of the sort. Or perhaps not. This was essentially a gift-shop with workshop attached, but also included a visitors' book for all the yovos to write in before they left! As we discovered to our loss, as touristy as Togoville should be in principle, it lacks certain of the things which attract tourists for a second visit - signposts for example... We had an adventure however so not all was bad!

We saw the cathedral, with outside shrine to the Lady of the Lake Togo and apparently the very pirogue she crossed the waters in in the 1800s - wonderfully well preserved for its 200 year age...! This was beautiful and very peaceful, with the wind blowing and the sound of drumming wafting pleasantly between the trees. Quite unlike any other cathedral I've visited and I very much preferred it. We also discovered by accident a voodoo priest who explained several of the ancient rites to us. As this was all in broken Togolese French which I struggle to follow at the best of times still (I have become expert at lip-reading and discerning meaning from that!) I didn't catch all of it, but I did catch lots of bits and pieces which were extremely interesting. As well as these we stumbled upon two separate cemetries, a kapok tree which is very beautiful as its fruits are covered in a material which looks and feels something like cotton wool crossed with feathers, plus an old railway line leading right into the distance - oh the potential...
Our main goal was the Protecting Tree of Twins as Viriginie has a twin sister in France. After many many hours we eventually got there with the help of two young guys (one of whom later asked if I was married, and as he didn't believe me when I said yes, I got to use the ring I bought as proof for the first time - so useful!). This tree is literally just in the middle of all the people's houses and would have been impossible to find without help. It's so strange because in England, we are so accustomed to seeing things preserved, put in museums, protected from human contact, separated from the day-to-day life in all and this tree was just another part of the village, as much as any house. It consists of two baobab trees intertwined, one carved into the shape of a man, and the other a woman. Sacrifices, rituals etc often take place around it - there's even a special hut right in the middle of it for the priest to carry these out. And everyone believes - as strongly as the Christians in Lomé believe, the same strength is found in these people's voodoo worship. It just really opens your eyes to the fact that for the majority of peoples, a belief, a faith, in something (one could say anything) is essential, and it is this belief that welds the communities together as one. Have been warned not to be too controversial so will stop there but so far, my experiences here have cemented my belief that each of us has a pre-destined destination in life, but there are several paths which lead to it and so that much is personal choice, character, etc.

Another of Togo's contradictions I've found is the comparison between the fact that everyone has some little entreprise - this internet café is in the back of the lady's garden really, Mama's boutique is part of the house and everywhere you go, women set up stalls on the side of the road or at the backs of their houses selling mostly things made in their homes. Yet, in somewhere like Togoville, where masses come all the year round, there are no signs, no maps, nothing really to help a tourist who doesn't want a particular guide and even the guides have no official kind of list of places to see etc. In England that would have been exploited really, commercialised and changed beyond recognition in order to facilitate the experiences of foreigners. And here it stays just a town, with dirt roads, and the chief's ancient house is surrounded by places still inhabited by the people.
On the way back, we also stopped at the Slave Museum - the place where the slaves were taken on their way elsewhere. Again, not commercialised or profited from at all (except for the mandatory entry fee) but very interesting although not much to say as will put pictures up to explain better.
Also had my first Ewé lesson this week - have learnt so much, not only that there are 9 different ways to greet someone, depending on the time of day, their age/relationship to you, and how long ago you last saw them! Have also learnt simple self-presentation, a bit about the family and numbers 1-10.
1- deka
2- eve
3- eton
4- ene
5- aton
6- ade
7- adre
8- enyi
9- asieke
10- éwo

Not to mention a little song which I'll quickly write out as a finale to this post as am seriously running out of time! Ewé also has some different letters but I'll write them normal for now and will explain more another time.

nufiala nye, nufiala nye,
mado vevie nusonsron,
ne mese ga wodi gbag ko
maso nye kpe, masi du.

Concise translation: is a promise by a student to his teacher that he will be a very good student, be attentive in all his lessons and when he hears the bell sound he take his kpe (original writing board of some sort) and run as fast as he can to school! Is sung to music I recognise although cannot for the life of me remember the English words but will tell you as soon as I do!

Bises à tous, ezanenyo et yooo!

Fufu-making

Day number 7 today - can't believe that this time a week ago I was in Heathrow, just getting on the plane to come here and so so nervous! The strange thing about coming here is that it makes you think, well if I can master the art of bartering, visa collecting and travelling here (not to mention taking a class of over 100 pupils...) then I can manage everything; and at the same time you are convinced that you will never manage any of these things because at the beginning they seem so extraordinary. Life for people here is not easy, Mama has been telling me some stories about her childhood, and shocking is the only word to really describe it. Likewise at school - it's not surprising at all that there are 22 year olds in what is technically a school for 12-16 year olds, when you consider the environment and way in which they are expected to learn here.

Will talk more about the school when teaching really gets under way as atm it's devoirs surveillés (think I might have said this already) which are tests done in silence for this week. But just to give an idea of these conditions... The school is split into 4 year groups - 6è-3è - and each of these is split into 3 or 4 groups, labelled A to D according to age. This in theory is to reduce numbers and make it easier for teachers to teach, but in one of these 16 or so groups there are over 100 children. So far I've had classes of 39-75 and these are considered as middlingly large. The desks are old and mostly tip up at the slightest movement, the blackboards are covered in old work so it's hard to tell which is the old and which is the new. There are no proper windows, just vents in the walls. The walls themselves are decrepit and there are holes in most of the roofs so when it rains... And it rains with FORCE in Togo! The floors are uneven and most have holes all over the place. The children tear pages out of their cahiers (school books) to write these exams on and many many cheat beyond belief. Another volunteer found 3 separate copies prepared by one child in one exam, just to cover all possibilities! The corporal punishment is also hard to come to terms with as they punish for trivial things, like a spelling mistake, yet leave larger problems like cheating. Will tell you more about it when I've bitten the bullet and done a class!

Had the first PA volunteers Tuesday the day before yesterday, which is a chance for 'cultural activities' with the rest of the volunteers. Met some other English-speaking people which was a nice break! The acitivity this week was fufu-making, what fun! This is a traditional dish of Togo and is basically pounded yam, which they usually have with some kind of sauce, usually spicy. Looks a little like chewing gum when is nearly ready and can't say it's my favourite but I liked it better this time than the last. Although perhaps that was only cos I'd worked up an appetite! The fufu-making noise is one I will never forget, as we hear it at least every night and almost all day on Sundays! There is a definite technique to it - don't think I'm quite a master of it yet... V hard work but such a unique sight. One lot of fufu takes two people, who each pound the yam with a huge rounded stick and have to coordinate so one goes down while the other goes up which is what makes the characteristic noise. Il faut un grand effort! Will try and put some photos somewhere soon but not quite sure how or when yet. We got to eat the fufu afterwards which was much appreciated and as there was no cutlery had my first meal totally African style - what an achievement!

My Ewé lessons are to start soon and can't wait! Have learnt new word today - amaton (with stress on the ton) means 3. Had thought it meant third finger but apparently that's just what Mama was demonstrating with... Doing my first excursion on Sat to Togoville which isn't that far away but you have to get a kind of canoe thing (it appears I can't escape it Daddy)... So excitement all round here!

Hot and sticky here atm but this is COLD for Togo - all the children wear extra t shirts under their uniform and everyone is in long trousers and sleeves except me who is wearing as little as possible and is still hot! Mentioned that it was hot to the principal of the school yesterday when he asked me how I was finding Togo and he died of laughter. March is the hottest part of the year here and he kindly told me with great delight - 'Tu vas souffrir!' Oh how I am looking forward to that...

Bonne Arrivée!

Slight moment of panic then, when I thought the computer was so old I wouldn't be able to get on here! But as with everything else here, there is a way around these things that Europeans deem so essential.

So, this is my 4th full day here and it is incredible. There are so many things that I've done or seen for the first time, and the amount of life here is insurpassable. I arrived in Lomé at 3.35 am Friday morning and after a long visa wait including a hairy 20 mins when the man took my passport away and wouldn't give it back (!) filling in 2 forms and paying £5 too much because apparently they 'don't give money back' at the airport... I finally got out and was met by Sarah. We drove through the city which was deserted (deceptive first impression as in the daytime it is anything but deserted) and arrived at my host family's house at about 5am. I was not expecting Mama (my host mother, the absolute epitome of an African momma) to be awake but she was, and so was Léa who is our sort of maid/cook. That just about sums up Togo, as everyone is truly on your side. Whenever you enter somewhere, so school or back home after work or even to this internet cafe (sadly lacking in the cafe part...) you are greeted by 'Bonne arrivée' followed usually by a 'comment ça va'. In the streets we are hounded by cries of 'yovo' which is Ewé for 'foreigner' or rather 'white person', but these are not in the slightest mailicious. In the case of the children, it's delight and curiosity and sometimes fear as some of them have never seen anyone white before - they even sing us songs which mainly consist of 'yovo, yovo, ca va bien avec toi'! In the case of the adults, it can just be a sort of observation, or a greeting and most also ask how we are. The thought of a Togolese receiving the same welcome in London is unimaginable and it's sad to realise how isolationist we can be as a culture and society.

So far in the city I've seen the Grand Marché - TERRIFYING but tremendously exciting - and the beach - nice but no sunbathing, as you should cover up stomach and legs here and no swimming as there are huge rip currents. Interesting fact I've learnt - the road which runs parallel to the ocean is supposedly the old German route - it's actually the third version of this as the others are now about 100/150 metres out at sea! Lomé has so much to discover but as most of you will know, for 90% of the time I have absolutely no idea where I am, how I got there or how to get back... Hopefully this will improve by month 7...

The other truly terrifying thing about Lomé are the moto-taxis. (Mummy stop reading now.) I don't advise that your first foray into motorbikes should be on the back of one of these. They squeeze through gaps smaller than people and I've rarely seen one brake - they prefer to beep as an alternative. Add to this the other cars on the road, and the taxis-voitures which also don't seem to have brakes plus the people walking or crossing who often have babies on their backs, buckets or similar on the heads or a combination. On only my second morning here I saw a man carrying an extremely long plank on his head - flat so stuck out for at least a metre either side! These taxi-motos are however strangely thrilling, and give a great adrenalin rush, but aren't so good for bad tummies... The one annoying thing is the bartering that goes on. You have to know what price you want to pay, what you would pay if you had to and how much the driver is likely to exaggerate these figures. You can end up refusing them as some just will not budge on their prices, using the excuse that there isn't a fixed price (quelle surprise...) and you also have to take into account the 'yovo' factor which can probably add a good 10% onto the price. At the moment I haven't taken that many but took my first on my own today which was scary indeed! Especially when the engine began to just cut out and fail to restart... (told you not to keep reading Mummy!)

The main roads are normal (ish) roads but most of the residential areas are not paved at all, just red sand - don't think my feet have been this continuously dirty for so long ever! The dust penetrates everything and the other volunteers have warned me that soon you just give up trying to be clean al the time... I'll let you know when I get to that point! Houses are mostly sqaureish concrete blocks, with some kind of courtyard and then covered, tiled terrace area. The one where I am staying has 2 rooms on an upper floor as well but I think that is unusual. All the cooking is done outside, either in the covered and tiled area or the covered corridor where there is a fire, so if you go outside around 6-8 pm the mix of smells is just delicious! I'm liking the food here so far - colico is my favourite at the moment (like roast potato but better) followed by dgege (couscous with sweet milk or yoghurt and ice with sugar à ta plaisir) and then perhaps fufu (kind of pummelled sort of starchy something... takes a little like chewing gum and looks a LOT like it) will become the third but I think it's rather an acquired taste... But thus far I've had something different every day which is lovely, and have eaten à l'africaine a couple of times, but haven't yet managed an entire meal. In 7 months we will see how African I become - everyone has told me that after that length of time I will be practically Togolese, and Mama says I have to marry a Togolese man and have African babies so that I never forget coming here!! Don't think I'm likely to either marry (although not for want of offers!) or forget here in a hurry!

One last lovely thing - in Togo, traditional names are the day of the week that you were born and Mama was struggling with my English name so now at home I am Amave, for Saturday which is coindicentally the same day as her! What a small world... Takes some getting used to but already know that an 'Amave!' requires a 'Mama!'

Have so much more to say about the school and all that but will leave that for another time as only have 5 mins remaining on the clock here!! (4 mins now as it takes so long to type as am on old French keyboard). Bonne soirée à tous et à tout à l'heure. Yooo!

Last thing - Simpsons has just come on TV here!!

Il ne me reste que deux jours...

2 days to go until I'm plunged into what will surely be one of the most exciting and different experiences of my whole life!
Jabs all done, packing sort of sorted (but not really...) so all that remains is to actually get there. I fly at 5 from Heathrow so the adventure will start on Thursday morning - ah! Back 31st August, going to miss you all masses!
I'll have something more interesting to say from Friday onwards promise... x