So I’ve finally made it to my post and started to settle in! The last couple weeks I’ve had plenty on my hands largely thanks to the task of swearing in and getting ready to finally depart on my own as a volunteer.

The last months have been solely occupied by training and I’d been with this one family of nine in the tropical maritime region. I have nothing but good things to say about them. They really took me in as one of their own. Hopefully at some point i can get a picture up of them.

It’s been about one week at post now and I’m just about as far north as you can go in the Savannah region of Togo (whole new climate with a whole new language and culture). I’m exhausted from biking all over the place! I’d say for the past week I’ve been averaging 15 km a day. It’s amazing how much these people bike. In village, bikes are like cars. Most people have them, there are a couple mechanic shops and people depend on them to get things done. There really are no cars and only select people own motorcycles.

Hands are full right now trying to set up house. It’s a pretty exciting feeling having my own place to customize just the way I want it. Thus far my priority has been getting a bed made. To help with staying cool when the hot months of February, March and April come a lot of people make what are called “leplieco’s” (not sure how to spell it but it kind of means “pull tight”). These are easily portable beds that stay cool. What they do is sauder an iron frame together, like a bed frame, except that one end is hinged to either lie flat or at an angle (for sleeping or resting/reading) like a beach chair. Then they tightly weave plastic string across to make a sort of very tight hammock. You set the angle how you want and as you pull it flat the bed firms up nicely. I was able to have someone in village make one custom for me to almost the size of a queen bed and extra long. I even picked out the color string. It should work out fine and in the meantime I’m debating having a hay mattress made to put on top. I’m also waiting on an Adirondack type chair that is made from branches that I asked someone else to make for me.

Last time I mentioned that “harmattan” was starting up down south. Well it’s just about in full swing up here. I actually find it quite refreshing. It basically feels like fall, except that instead of leading into winter it leads into “challeur” (hot season). It still gets hot during the day but there is a frequent breeze and even gets chilly during the night. At 6 am when I come out of my house my fleece comes in handy until the sun’s high enough to warm things up. It’s a funny sight seeing some of the locals walking around with winter jackets on because they think it’s so cold!