However, I was even more excited to receive my invitation to serve in the Peace Corps in Togo. Now, I would live somewhere new, rather than visit somewhere new.
Peace Corps Volunteers have a very special job. We live in a host community for two years and help that community achieve their goals in agriculture, the environment, education, youth development, health or economic development. I help my community with agriculture projects. There is a second part to our job, whch is cultural exchange. This means that part of my job is to tell stories about my life in the U.S. and to listen to stories about life in Togo.
I arrived in Togo on June 12, 2023. That was a busy day! I traveled with other new Peace Corps Volunteers. After more than a day of travel on buses and airplanes, we arrived to a hotel in Lomé, the capital. We were tired, but we all climbed to the hotel’s rooftop patio to watch the sunset. The sounds of the city, the smells from the kitchen below, the sticky hot air, and the palm trees all reminded me of my time living in Senegal. I felt very happy to be back in West Africa and eager to immerse myself in Togo.
The next day, we started our training. For three months we learned all that we could about Togo, our jobs and the Peace Corps’ mission. We spent many hours each day learning French and other languages; we visited clinics, schools, and farms near our training center; we gardened and we spent time with host families who taught us to cook, eat and dance like the Togolese.
On September 1st, 2023, we swore in as Peace Corps Volunteers. We all promised to work hard, to represent the American people, and to respect and appreciate Togo.
