April 2014

30

Stung by a scorpion!! Thanks for the internet advice Joanna :)

28

I went to Farendé for an officer meeting and to meet with Simone about the nutrition training we are having next week.

27

Girls club – we talked about women that they admire.

26

Second student training – the students presented activities that they prepared for the presentation, then we started to organize everything. By the end of the morning, we did a quick run through of what they are going to do. We are going to meet one more time in May to go over everything one last time.

25

I stopped by the school in Tchikawa to schedule the presentation for Tchikawa, and brought the sign for the well back to Kuwdé.

24

I went to the school to schedule the presentation that we’ll be doing in Farendé. Théo and I talked about the schedule for Saturday. I went to Kara to hang out with Matt and the Shanks.

21

I had lunch with Eli and Simone.

19

Student training! We had six students come for a 4-hour training. We talked about the goals of our project, what their role is, and how to give a good presentation. Two nurses from the hospital came to teach them about the causes, signs, treatment, and prevention of malaria. The team of students will give three presentations on malaria in three villages.

14

I met with Théo and we went over the schedule for our first student training.

13

We made mango jam at girls’ club – it was medium successful.

11

I went to school for the cultural week picnic. So. Much. Food.

10

The environmental club presented their dances for cultural week! They did so well!

8

The well is four meters deep! Théo and I went to Tchikawa to talk to the school director.

7

Théo and I went to the school and the hospital to get our malaria project started.

6

The people who are digging the well came!

3

I tried to change my nose ring. The situation was almost disastrous, but fortunately, everything worked out in the end.

2

The three of us waited for three hours at the post office for the bus to take us up north; we finally made it.

1

Winter, Matt, and I met with AVPE to discuss the contract with the camp site and the women who will be cooking during camp.

March 2014

31

Austin is leaving the country! I am going to be a little lonely surviving the rest of my time in Togo without him, but I’ll be back in the States, too in not too long. I had lunch at Sultan’s with Julie, Austin and Kodjo before catching a taxi up to Atakpamé.

30

Julie came to Lomé! We got some pizza for dinner.

29

I took a taxi back to Lomé and skyped with Dad at the Peace Corps office. I ate dinner with Kevin and fell asleep during a movie, not because it wasn’t good, but just because I am that lame. I’ll blame it on jet lag.

21-28

I flew back to Berlin and was greeted by my study abroad friends at the airport. It was exciting to get to see everyone after three years – Aurelie came from Paris, Ulrike from Utrecht, Julia and Martina from Berlin, Petra from Sheffield, and Noops was on her way back to Albuquerque from Nairobi. The five of us invaded Julia and Martina’s apartments; I laughed so hard and ate so much mozzarella cheese. When I landed back in Accra I was greeted with a familiar wall of hot air as I stepped off the plane, and made my way to a taxi to spend the night at Hotel Obama.

15-20

I landed in Vienna and Veronica and Peter picked me up at the airport. We went to McDonalds and got some coffee before dodging the rain and heading to their apartment. It was great getting a chance to catch up with Veronica; just in case you don’t already know, she is a pretty incredible person. We ate a lot of good food, watched Freaks and Geeks, and reminisced about high school and our Peace Corps experiences. We took two daytrips, one to Salzburg and one to Linz.

14

I left Lomé for Accra and got on a plane for Berlin! Whoop!

13

I took the bus down to Lomé!

12

I made a brief visit to the environmental club, and we started to make plans for cultural week. I took a zed from school to Kara.

11

Andrea, a volunteer from Germany came to visit. She is so sweet – it was fun having her over.

10

I went to the granary with a couple groupement members to update the books and number sacks.

9

Claudine came back from women’s conference! Marie came and visited our girls’ club; they loved her.

6

I met with Théo, an officer of a local nonprofit, to talk about a small malaria project that we are going to start. After, I went to Kara and had lunch with Marie.

5

 The environmental club made a compost pile for the garden that they will be starting.

3

I came back from Lomé. I helped maman make pâte and gmoba sauce at jeunesse en mission.