Charles' first entry

This is my first entry in this blog. I leave for training the 17th of September. I am a little stressed about packing. There is no way I can take everything I need for two years and I cannot even fathom what I might come in hand in Togo. I am also a little worried about my poor french skills. However as with all things it will work out. Below included a little information of Togo and how to contact me.

Situated between Ghana and Benin at 8 degrees North by 1 degree and 10 minutes East is the epic African state of Togo. Shaped like a pogo stick this state of 5,858,673 that official speaks French and many unofficial indigenous languages will be my home for the next 27 months. If you do the math that means I will return December 10th, 2010, start counting down for Christmas and New Years 2010 they will be the best yet.

My first three months in Togo will be spent training in a little town 55km outside the capital city of Lome. Once I am done, I will serve as a natural resources management agent which involves a myriad of skills from well building to teaching sustainable agriculture techniques in rural villages.

I know my absence will drastically alter your lives as you currently know them. But do not worry the transition will not be that harsh. This blog will be where I will post updates and tales of my fantastic adventures.

I will also be sad because I will not see any of my dear friends and family for two years so please keep in touch. I will be desperate to hear about anything from updates about eating McDonald's to photos of you and the new addition to sticker collection. There are a couple ways in which you can contact me. One way is through the new electronic mail (this fad seems to be staying around) my address is below. Or through traditional mail, all you need is an 98 cent stamp that you can get any post office, the address is also below. If you really want to make someone's day write me a letter, every letter I get while I am over there will be very special to me and I thank you ahead of time.

Note: if you letter is really great or something big happens in your life I might buy a goat or a smaller animal and sacrifice it in your honor, feel free to start writing now.

Address in Togo:

Charles Kienzle, PCT

Peace Corps
B.P.3194
Lome
Togo

Email:
ckienzle(at)gmail(dot)com

Puddles, Winter Coats, and Giraffes

In America, I always loved the rain. But in Niger, not so much. It is currently rainy season- and that means that the rains come every other day or so (when I first got here it was about once every three days) Rain in Niger means that I have to sleep in my hut (thatch is not quite waterproof), that I am either damp or soaked all day long (like in New Orleans-umbrellas are completely useless) , that my laundry never gets dry (and then it starts to smell bad), that there are more mosquitoes (if that is even possible), that there are frogs everywhere (you have never heard frogs croak as loud as they do in the middle of the dead silence of nighttime in Niger). After the rains come there are giant puddles and rainy season rivers throughout the fields and if you are not careful you are likely to fall in one and perhaps even lose a shoe. But the rains have some perks too. A good rainy season means a great harvest (that means more fruits and vegetables). The rain makes the desert soil grow grass and the landscape is surprisingly green. The rain brings a few hours of respite from the heat and humidity. Most importantly, the rain also brings a winter jackets. Upon arriving home, I am greeted with the usual slew of greetings (mate gaham, mate Peace Corps, mate farga, mate goyo, mate cawyan etc.). But rainy days bring a new greeting: How is the cold? On occasion I try to explain that at 70 + degrees, it isn't exactly cold, but to the Nigeriens who are proudly sporting winter jackets and sweaters, it's even too cold to sit outside.

On the way to my village this past week (we had a one week test run for living in our villages) I had my first encounter with African wildlife. Niger has quite the variety of wildlife, we have been told. But up until now the only wildlife I have seen includes a vast array of farm animals, lizards, bugs and camels. But on the bus from Niamey to Dosso at 6 am this past Sunday morning I got woken up from my open mouthed head bobbing sleep by the honking of the bus driver. Drivers in Niger think their horns are equivalent to their brakes so at first I tried to resist waking up. But luckily I opened my eyes just in time to see a herd of about 8 giraffes grazing right by the road. Niger proudly sustains the last wild herd of giraffes in Africa, and there they were just eating trees on the side of the road.

I spent one week alone in my village. And while I still don't have a latrine, a wall around my concession, or a shade hangar- I do have a three room square house with a metal roof. My house is really too big for someone whose belongings fit into two duffle bags but that means that I have tons of room to decorate. For the first time ever (probably in my entire life) I was completely alone (not even cell reception). And what I figured out was that I have plenty of time to try a variety of different hobbies. So on that note, I am open to suggestions from all of you on what I should try (send the necessary supplies via mail). So far my list of potential activities includes gardening, composting, yoga, meditation, art, training for a marathon, cooking, dancing alone in my house to my ipod, and GRE Prep.

And I have a new address, so start sending letters there (don't worry the ones you already sent will still get to me)

Kate Elizabeth Sheerin-PCV

Corps De La Paix

B.P. 144

Dosso, Niger

Don't forget to write airmail on whatever you send!