I made it to Togo. There were a few tiny bumps in the road from Philly to Paris and Paris to Togo, but it wouldn't have been true Peace Corps style if it wasn't. I was waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop and me to freak out, but instead a man like 4 rows behind me had a medical emergency. His partner started screaming and I thought the plane was going down for 5 seconds. My adrenaline was rushing and I stayed up for at least a day straight/had major jet lag.
Since arriving, I've been in trainings all day, adapting to having to take a malaria pill every single day for the next 27 months, freaking myself out that I don't know French, but mostly just super grateful.
I'm so lucky. We had great meals on our flights, the flight attendant was really nice to us. We were served wine on both flights. We got to Togo and sat in air conditioning before we went through our own reserved customs and some Peace Corps security men carried ALL of our luggage for us. Thousands of pounds. We're treated like diplomats. The regional security officer from Homeland Security talked with us and everything.
Last night we had another great meal, but at a restaurant this time. The country director was there as was the ambassador of Togo and a ton of other important people. Some current PCVs (Peace Corps Volunteers) came from all over the country (some are 12 hours away) and they pitched in to get us each 2 drinks. It was a night full of dancing and just the truest sense of fellowship that I have.
The PCVs who are here for our training are really helpful and awesome. I've literally asked at least 100 questions.
I met with my APCD, Rose, today. I can't remember what it stands for but it's like the assistant program country director or something. She's in charge of my program, GEE. (Girls Education and Empowerment)
Everything is an acronym. My favorite is SHIT. Stay healthy in Togo. Enough said.
Also, pictures coming soon. The cutest cat lives at the hotel the other PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees) are at and I took about 25 photos of her. She's my favorite Togolese person so far besides Blondine.
Please learn the acronyms.
SHIT, PCT, PCV, ACPD have been mentioned.
PCMO is Peace Corps Medical Officer.
I'm writing and journaling like crazy so I'll compose my thoughts when I have more than 10 minutes to be online. Basically, I'm here. I'm in one piece. I'm more than taken care of and I'm beyond lucky.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Last stateside post
I'm in Philadelphia for a few more hours as I get ready to leave for this much anticipated journey.
I arrived yesterday morning and we had a short "training" in which we talked about our anxieties, aspirations, expectations, etc. I thought it was going to be boring and annoying but it was refreshing and comforting.
My fellow trainee (I"m officially a trainee and not an invitee/applicant anymore!) said it really well on her blog: "It is so nice to finally meet the people I will be working with for the next 27 months, there was a lot of fun and bonding tonight and we are all made of the same fabric, which is exhilarating to finally be surrounded with people who understand what all this madness is all about. It is a beautiful thing, how fast you can connect with people when you already have so much in common that is inherently understood; plus the camaraderie of the unknown, of the potential hardship we will endure and adjust to together. As our facilitator said, we are now a family within the larger family of the Peace Corps, and will be for a lifetime"
Super cheesy, but the connections I felt with these people is almost supernatural. There's 29 of us. Half of us are in the Girls' Education and Empowerment (GEE) program and the other half are Natural Resource Management (NRM) - everything is an acronym.
They gave us each a nice chunk of change for our 1.5 day stay here so we had a good night out in Philly around many discussions, namely how none of us want to pop out babies or get married any time soon. Surprisingly lots of people are in relationships or just ended really long relationships for this trip. We had some awesome pizza and beer- the perfect send off.
Talk to you when I talk to you!
Later.
I arrived yesterday morning and we had a short "training" in which we talked about our anxieties, aspirations, expectations, etc. I thought it was going to be boring and annoying but it was refreshing and comforting.
My fellow trainee (I"m officially a trainee and not an invitee/applicant anymore!) said it really well on her blog: "It is so nice to finally meet the people I will be working with for the next 27 months, there was a lot of fun and bonding tonight and we are all made of the same fabric, which is exhilarating to finally be surrounded with people who understand what all this madness is all about. It is a beautiful thing, how fast you can connect with people when you already have so much in common that is inherently understood; plus the camaraderie of the unknown, of the potential hardship we will endure and adjust to together. As our facilitator said, we are now a family within the larger family of the Peace Corps, and will be for a lifetime"
Super cheesy, but the connections I felt with these people is almost supernatural. There's 29 of us. Half of us are in the Girls' Education and Empowerment (GEE) program and the other half are Natural Resource Management (NRM) - everything is an acronym.
They gave us each a nice chunk of change for our 1.5 day stay here so we had a good night out in Philly around many discussions, namely how none of us want to pop out babies or get married any time soon. Surprisingly lots of people are in relationships or just ended really long relationships for this trip. We had some awesome pizza and beer- the perfect send off.
Talk to you when I talk to you!
Later.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Details
I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update this, especially during training, so I decided to lay out all the details I already have. Doing this might actually help me remember more/keep all the info straight :)
I'll be in Philadelphia for staging (training) the 16th and 17th.
September 17 Depart Philadelphia
September 18 Arrive Paris
September 18 Depart Paris 5 hours later & Arrive Lomé, Togo
There's a welcome reception that night and things like that.
Sunday the 19th through Tuesday the 21st I'll have health sessions, security training, a French Placement test (crap!), given a bike assignment, a diversity session and other detailed trainings. During this time I'll be staying in a hotel.
On Wednesday the 22nd, I'll travel to Tsévié (North of Lomé) while the Natural Resource Management (NRM) volunteers will be in Gbatopé- 6km away from me. I will meet my host family this afternoon.
Training at the PST (Pre-service training) site begins on Thursday the 23rd.
That's what I have for week 2 of training. Considering the French is my #1 worry, I'm pumped there is lots of language time. I remember how much I loved learning Spanish so I'm hoping for the same. I get so excited when I understand conjugations, irregularties, etc. The freaking pronunciation of French is so hard though.
Did I mention how pumped I am for the location of my host family? My friend Melissa shared some language/cultural experiences about her long trip to Ghana. I can't remember too much, but I remember her mentioning Ewe people and the language. According to Wikipedia, Tsévié is inhabited primarily by Ewe people. Sweeeet.
Also, there's an asterisk that says "* You will eat all meals with host families." I thought that is worth noting.
Alright, so I get to Lomé the 18th, have arrival retreat to the 22nd and then stay in Tsévié from September 22 to October 23rd at the PST site with my host family. Then I'll have a site visit to feel out my prospective future site/placement from October 23-30. I'll go back to my PST site for a couple more weeks until November 17th and if all goes well (and I can pass an intermediate-medium level in French by the end of Phase II) then I will be sworn in as a volunteer on November 18 and depart to my post on the 19th.
As I get more and more information, it is becoming more of a reality. Now that I'm even more overweight from constantly stuffing my face the past couple weeks, it is time to get moving.
I haven't even began to pack, but I have a GIANT pile of everything on top of the suitcases. We'll see how this 80 pound limit plays out.
Maybe once my going away party is over on Sunday (and it finally hits me once I see all my friends for the last time) I'll start cracking down. Until then... Facebook, Yahoo Gin and Tumblr will continue to distract me :)
http://jshine.tumblr.com/
I'll be in Philadelphia for staging (training) the 16th and 17th.
September 17 Depart Philadelphia
September 18 Arrive Paris
September 18 Depart Paris 5 hours later & Arrive Lomé, Togo
There's a welcome reception that night and things like that.
Sunday the 19th through Tuesday the 21st I'll have health sessions, security training, a French Placement test (crap!), given a bike assignment, a diversity session and other detailed trainings. During this time I'll be staying in a hotel.
On Wednesday the 22nd, I'll travel to Tsévié (North of Lomé) while the Natural Resource Management (NRM) volunteers will be in Gbatopé- 6km away from me. I will meet my host family this afternoon.
Training at the PST (Pre-service training) site begins on Thursday the 23rd.
Did I mention how pumped I am for the location of my host family? My friend Melissa shared some language/cultural experiences about her long trip to Ghana. I can't remember too much, but I remember her mentioning Ewe people and the language. According to Wikipedia, Tsévié is inhabited primarily by Ewe people. Sweeeet.
Also, there's an asterisk that says "* You will eat all meals with host families." I thought that is worth noting.
Alright, so I get to Lomé the 18th, have arrival retreat to the 22nd and then stay in Tsévié from September 22 to October 23rd at the PST site with my host family. Then I'll have a site visit to feel out my prospective future site/placement from October 23-30. I'll go back to my PST site for a couple more weeks until November 17th and if all goes well (and I can pass an intermediate-medium level in French by the end of Phase II) then I will be sworn in as a volunteer on November 18 and depart to my post on the 19th.
As I get more and more information, it is becoming more of a reality. Now that I'm even more overweight from constantly stuffing my face the past couple weeks, it is time to get moving.
I haven't even began to pack, but I have a GIANT pile of everything on top of the suitcases. We'll see how this 80 pound limit plays out.
Maybe once my going away party is over on Sunday (and it finally hits me once I see all my friends for the last time) I'll start cracking down. Until then... Facebook, Yahoo Gin and Tumblr will continue to distract me :)
http://jshine.tumblr.com/
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Information for friends/family
Dear Families,
Greetings from the Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to the Togo training program. Over the years we have received many questions from Volunteers and family members alike regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages and mail, etc. As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest they be handled.
1. Irregular Communication. (Please see #3 for the mailing address to Peace Corps' office in Lomé the capital of Togo). The mail service in Togo is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service. Thus, it is important to be patient. It can take from three to four weeks for mail coming from Togo to arrive in the United States via the Togolese mail system. From a Volunteer’s post, mail might take up to one to two months to reach the United States depending upon how far the Volunteer is from the capital city, Lomé. Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and mailed through the U.S. postal system. This leg of the trip can take another several weeks as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.
We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer family member to give an estimate of how long it takes for him or her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other. Also try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if he or she missed one. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office. [PUT POSTCARDS IN ENVELOPES!]
Peace Corps Togo has established “The Lomé Limo” which runs up and down the country monthly, delivers mail, medical supplies, and sometimes volunteers or staff to central sites along the national road.
Volunteers often enjoy telling their “war” stories when they write home. Letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, etc. While the subject matter is often good reading material, it is often misinterpreted on the home front. Please do not assume that if your family member gets sick that he or she has not been attended to. The city of Lomé has medical and dental facilities, and there is a Peace Corps Medical Officer there as well. Most Volunteers can reach Lomé in less than one day’s time. Many Volunteers also have access to a telephone so that they can call our Medical Office. In the event of a serious illness the Volunteer is sent to Lomé and is cared for by our Medical Unit. If the Volunteer requires medical care that is not available in Togo, he/she will be medically evacuated to South Africa or to the United States. Fortunately, such circumstances are very rare.
If for some reason your communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for at least one month, you should contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) at Peace Corps in Washington at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470 (or direct: 202-692-1470). The OSS will then call the Peace Corps Director in Lomé, and ask her to check up on the Volunteer. Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call OSS immediately, so that the Volunteer can be informed by a member of Peace Corps/Togo staff.
2. Telephone Calls. The telephone system in Togo has fairly reliable service to the United States. In the interior of the country, where most of our Volunteers are located, the system is less reliable. Most Volunteers have access to a telephone in or nearby their site.
When dialing direct to Togo from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code) + 228 (the country code) + the number. Volunteers generally set up phone calls with people in the U.S. in advance, and have the distant party call them, which is much less expensive than calling the U.S. from Togo. Many volunteers decide to purchase cellphones once they arrive in Togo, but they may not always have regular reception at their site.
The Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. usually calls the Peace Corps office in Lomé at least once a week. However, these calls are reserved for business only and we cannot relay personal messages over the phone. If you have an urgent message, however, and have exhausted your other means (regarding travel plans, etc.), you can call the Desk, and the message will be relayed.
3. Sending Packages. Parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due the high incidence of theft and heavy customs taxes. You may want to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. Even though many Volunteers sometimes choose to get local post office boxes, you may always use the following address to send letters and/or packages to your family member:
John Doe, PCV
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 3194
Lomé, Togo
West Africa
It is recommended that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently. [SAVE ME MONEY!] Packages can be sent via surface mail (2-3 weeks arrival time) or by ship (4-6 months). The difference in cost can be a factor in deciding which method to utilize. For lightweight but important items (e.g. airline tickets), DHL (an express mail service) does operate in Lomé, but costs are very expensive. If you choose to send items through DHL, you must address the package to the Country Director, s/c Corps de la Paix, 48 Rue de Rossignols, Quartier Kodjoviakopé, Lomé, Togo. The telephone number for the Peace Corps office in Togo is (228) 221-0614, should DHL need this information. If you send the item to the Country Director, no liability can be assumed. For more information about DHL, please call their toll free number, 1-800-CALL-DHL, or visit their web site at www.dhl.com. Please be aware that there is a customs fee for all DHL packages sent to Volunteers. For each DHL package, the Volunteer will be taxed 10,000 CFA (roughly US$20).
Sending airplane tickets and/or cash is not recommended. Certain airlines will allow you to buy a prepaid ticket in the States; they will telex their Lomé office to have the ticket ready. Unfortunately, this system is not always reliable. Many airlines (e.g., KLM, Air France, Ghana Airways, Air Togo) fly into Lomé or Accra, but each has its own policy on pre-paid tickets. Please call the airline of your choice for more information. You could also send tickets via DHL as mentioned previously. However, Peace Corps will assume no liability in the event of a lost/stolen airline ticket.
Trying to send cash or airline tickets is very risky and is discouraged. If your Volunteer family member requests money from you, it is his/her responsibility to arrange receipt of it. Some Volunteers use Western Union, which has an office in Lomé. Volunteers will also be aware of people visiting the States and can request that they call his/her family when they arrive in the States should airline tickets need to be sent back to Togo.
4. E-mail. There is fairly reliable e-mail service in Togo with cyber cafes in most large towns. Connections can be very slow and time consuming as well as costly. E-mail, however, may become the preferred method of communication between you and your family member in Togo. Not all Volunteers have access to e-mail on a daily basis but they should be able to read and send messages at least once a month. As with other means of communication, do not be alarmed if you do not receive daily or weekly messages. Unless in Lomé at the office, Volunteers have to pay for internet time at cyber cafes and this can be a slow or expensive process depending on the connection at the café.
We hope this information is helpful to you during the time your family member is serving as
a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo. We understand how frustrating it is to communicate with your family member overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guideline. Please feel free to contact us at the Togo Desk in Washington, DC, if you have further questions. You can find our telephone numbers below.
Sincerely,
Ryan Derni
Country Desk Officer
1-800-424-8580, option 2, ext. 2326
(202) 692-2326
Kelly Daly
Country Desk Assistant
1-800-424-8580, option 2, ext. 2326
(202) 692-2366
Greetings from the Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to the Togo training program. Over the years we have received many questions from Volunteers and family members alike regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages and mail, etc. As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest they be handled.
1. Irregular Communication. (Please see #3 for the mailing address to Peace Corps' office in Lomé the capital of Togo). The mail service in Togo is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service. Thus, it is important to be patient. It can take from three to four weeks for mail coming from Togo to arrive in the United States via the Togolese mail system. From a Volunteer’s post, mail might take up to one to two months to reach the United States depending upon how far the Volunteer is from the capital city, Lomé. Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and mailed through the U.S. postal system. This leg of the trip can take another several weeks as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.
We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer family member to give an estimate of how long it takes for him or her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other. Also try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if he or she missed one. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office. [PUT POSTCARDS IN ENVELOPES!]
Peace Corps Togo has established “The Lomé Limo” which runs up and down the country monthly, delivers mail, medical supplies, and sometimes volunteers or staff to central sites along the national road.
Volunteers often enjoy telling their “war” stories when they write home. Letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, etc. While the subject matter is often good reading material, it is often misinterpreted on the home front. Please do not assume that if your family member gets sick that he or she has not been attended to. The city of Lomé has medical and dental facilities, and there is a Peace Corps Medical Officer there as well. Most Volunteers can reach Lomé in less than one day’s time. Many Volunteers also have access to a telephone so that they can call our Medical Office. In the event of a serious illness the Volunteer is sent to Lomé and is cared for by our Medical Unit. If the Volunteer requires medical care that is not available in Togo, he/she will be medically evacuated to South Africa or to the United States. Fortunately, such circumstances are very rare.
If for some reason your communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for at least one month, you should contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) at Peace Corps in Washington at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470 (or direct: 202-692-1470). The OSS will then call the Peace Corps Director in Lomé, and ask her to check up on the Volunteer. Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call OSS immediately, so that the Volunteer can be informed by a member of Peace Corps/Togo staff.
2. Telephone Calls. The telephone system in Togo has fairly reliable service to the United States. In the interior of the country, where most of our Volunteers are located, the system is less reliable. Most Volunteers have access to a telephone in or nearby their site.
When dialing direct to Togo from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code) + 228 (the country code) + the number. Volunteers generally set up phone calls with people in the U.S. in advance, and have the distant party call them, which is much less expensive than calling the U.S. from Togo. Many volunteers decide to purchase cellphones once they arrive in Togo, but they may not always have regular reception at their site.
The Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. usually calls the Peace Corps office in Lomé at least once a week. However, these calls are reserved for business only and we cannot relay personal messages over the phone. If you have an urgent message, however, and have exhausted your other means (regarding travel plans, etc.), you can call the Desk, and the message will be relayed.
3. Sending Packages. Parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due the high incidence of theft and heavy customs taxes. You may want to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. Even though many Volunteers sometimes choose to get local post office boxes, you may always use the following address to send letters and/or packages to your family member:
John Doe, PCV
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 3194
Lomé, Togo
West Africa
It is recommended that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently. [SAVE ME MONEY!] Packages can be sent via surface mail (2-3 weeks arrival time) or by ship (4-6 months). The difference in cost can be a factor in deciding which method to utilize. For lightweight but important items (e.g. airline tickets), DHL (an express mail service) does operate in Lomé, but costs are very expensive. If you choose to send items through DHL, you must address the package to the Country Director, s/c Corps de la Paix, 48 Rue de Rossignols, Quartier Kodjoviakopé, Lomé, Togo. The telephone number for the Peace Corps office in Togo is (228) 221-0614, should DHL need this information. If you send the item to the Country Director, no liability can be assumed. For more information about DHL, please call their toll free number, 1-800-CALL-DHL, or visit their web site at www.dhl.com. Please be aware that there is a customs fee for all DHL packages sent to Volunteers. For each DHL package, the Volunteer will be taxed 10,000 CFA (roughly US$20).
Sending airplane tickets and/or cash is not recommended. Certain airlines will allow you to buy a prepaid ticket in the States; they will telex their Lomé office to have the ticket ready. Unfortunately, this system is not always reliable. Many airlines (e.g., KLM, Air France, Ghana Airways, Air Togo) fly into Lomé or Accra, but each has its own policy on pre-paid tickets. Please call the airline of your choice for more information. You could also send tickets via DHL as mentioned previously. However, Peace Corps will assume no liability in the event of a lost/stolen airline ticket.
Trying to send cash or airline tickets is very risky and is discouraged. If your Volunteer family member requests money from you, it is his/her responsibility to arrange receipt of it. Some Volunteers use Western Union, which has an office in Lomé. Volunteers will also be aware of people visiting the States and can request that they call his/her family when they arrive in the States should airline tickets need to be sent back to Togo.
4. E-mail. There is fairly reliable e-mail service in Togo with cyber cafes in most large towns. Connections can be very slow and time consuming as well as costly. E-mail, however, may become the preferred method of communication between you and your family member in Togo. Not all Volunteers have access to e-mail on a daily basis but they should be able to read and send messages at least once a month. As with other means of communication, do not be alarmed if you do not receive daily or weekly messages. Unless in Lomé at the office, Volunteers have to pay for internet time at cyber cafes and this can be a slow or expensive process depending on the connection at the café.
We hope this information is helpful to you during the time your family member is serving as
a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo. We understand how frustrating it is to communicate with your family member overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guideline. Please feel free to contact us at the Togo Desk in Washington, DC, if you have further questions. You can find our telephone numbers below.
Sincerely,
Ryan Derni
Country Desk Officer
1-800-424-8580, option 2, ext. 2326
(202) 692-2326
Kelly Daly
Country Desk Assistant
1-800-424-8580, option 2, ext. 2326
(202) 692-2366
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
So Jes, are you going to have a blog?
Yes, yes I am. And here it is.
I plan to update it regularly pending my access to an internet connection.
I can't believe after all the waiting, medical stuff, interviews, applications and essays that I finally have my assignment. It still hasn't really sunk it though. I leave September 16 for staging (pre-training) in Philadelphia. Then it is off to Lomé (the capital of Togo) for 3 months of training.
I plan to update it regularly pending my access to an internet connection.
I can't believe after all the waiting, medical stuff, interviews, applications and essays that I finally have my assignment. It still hasn't really sunk it though. I leave September 16 for staging (pre-training) in Philadelphia. Then it is off to Lomé (the capital of Togo) for 3 months of training.
- May 2009 - apply to Peace Corps
- Summer 2009 - work 40 hour weeks, fill out requested additional information from Peace Corps recruiter
- August 17, 2009 - begin internship at prison followed by first Peace Corps interview
- September 3, 2009 - nominated for Peace Corps program working with AIDS in Portuguese speaking Subsaharan Africa
- September 2009 - December 2009 - visit doctor, dentist, optometrist, gyno, therapist, etc. and have them fill out extensive paperwork
- January 2010 - Request to have two cavities ripped out and replaced (bottom left and top right, sweet)
- February 2010 - June 2010 - waiting, e-mailing/calling medical staff to see how much longer I have to wait, telling people "I don't know" a lot when they asked me questions.
- June 18, 2010 - request for further medical paperwork
- mid-July - request for more up-to-date medical tests/paperwork
- late July - phone call saying I'm not eligible for the AIDS program, another interview, re-nominated for Girls Education and Empowerment (GEE) program.
- early August - receive official invitation to Togo
- August - packing, goodbyes, H1N1 shot, studying French, writing this blog, drinking lots of slurpies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)