home sweet home
I just finished with a training on steps you need to take to start projects at my post. The trainers did an excellent job and it made me anxious to get back to work with planning. I have a lot of ideas on upcoming projects and realized 2 years is not much time. Some projects I hope to do include:
A 2-3 day conference for parents/couples on the importance of education, family planning, hygiene, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS prevention
Teacher trainings for the new teachers on like skills and gender equality in the classroom
World map project- painting the map of the world on the wall of the school
Planting moringa trees along with a seminar on the benefits of the tree for the family/nutrition (potentially on earth day)
Work in the primary school
Girls summer enterprise
Visit families in village and doing demonstrations or games about important topics
Right now I am doing:
A girls club of 20 girls at the local middle school who do sketches of important topics such as gender equality
Village Savings and Loan program
Womens group
Teaching Life Skills at the middle school
Planning future projects
Visiting families
Participating in activities with the village
Community analysis projects with the village
Overall a pretty busy schedule, but a fun one. I am actually feeling a lot more at home here in Togo. I am in good health and feel like I have integrated a good amount with the culture already. My french and Ewe are getting a lot stronger as well.
I miss everyone at home though and I hope everyone is ok. Thanks for the comments and Ill be sure to write again soon.
A 2-3 day conference for parents/couples on the importance of education, family planning, hygiene, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS prevention
Teacher trainings for the new teachers on like skills and gender equality in the classroom
World map project- painting the map of the world on the wall of the school
Planting moringa trees along with a seminar on the benefits of the tree for the family/nutrition (potentially on earth day)
Work in the primary school
Girls summer enterprise
Visit families in village and doing demonstrations or games about important topics
Right now I am doing:
A girls club of 20 girls at the local middle school who do sketches of important topics such as gender equality
Village Savings and Loan program
Womens group
Teaching Life Skills at the middle school
Planning future projects
Visiting families
Participating in activities with the village
Community analysis projects with the village
Overall a pretty busy schedule, but a fun one. I am actually feeling a lot more at home here in Togo. I am in good health and feel like I have integrated a good amount with the culture already. My french and Ewe are getting a lot stronger as well.
I miss everyone at home though and I hope everyone is ok. Thanks for the comments and Ill be sure to write again soon.
posted by Trega at
8:48:00 AM
13 Comments:
"Village Savings and Loan program"
- I am now officially picturing you as Jimmy Stewart (It's a Wonderful Life Style)
Dear Jessica,
It sounds like you like it there...I'm so glad...you have tons of great ideas...your mother told me you can ride 20 mile rides on your bike and that you love your bike...I remember like yesterday when you and I were riding around Saratoga on bikes, and you didn't seem that happy about it then...
I also understand you're in need of all kinds of art stuff, like paper, and pens and pencils, etc, and some pencil sharpeners---not electric, though...and stickers for the childrens papers, and anything to do with American flags, as they love American flags...I'll see what I can do, and maybe some others who read this will send you some things that you need for the schools..I guess you also like boxed macaroni and cheese, but with the kind of cheese that is in the can and not the powdered kind, and I heard that packaged foodstuffs should also be wrapped in plastic, as sometimes packages get damaged...I hope your friends will check on how much it costs to send stuff in one-price "Priority" boxes from the PO...and how much weight you can put in the boxes...it's a little expensive, but maybe some people reading this can get together and send you some of the stuff you need...I wish your mother would put the list down on this blog...
Keep up the good work, Jess.
Love,
Grandma Andrea XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Awesome work, as always Jess. xo
Dear Jess,
Hi...your mother(my beautiful daughter) said she's going to post the things you need over there on this blog...I don't see the list yet, "Miss Tracy...."so I hope some of your friends and relatives find a way to get some of the requested items (that you have made to your fabulous mother)to vous...I love you and some day you will be President of Africa or of America, I am sure....
I hear you have lost seventy five pounds...and that you love it there, and are happy there...Hi to Alphonse and his family....
Love, always,
Grandma Andrea
PS:
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Love, Grandma Andrea
hello lover! sounds like you are fitting in quite nicely.
you are my hero.
mean it too.
;) miss you. love you. keep safe, you.
Hi jess fans! I got a letter from jess last week and here is her "wish list." Her mailing address is: PCV Jessica Goodbred, Corps De La Paix, BP 3194, Lome, Togo, West Africa
The post office has 2 different size boxes you can use - small Flat rate and a larger size. They take a custom slip which you get at the post office and it's not cheap to mail something - but she is so happy when she hears from home! P.S. it takes 3-4 weeks for her box to get to her so perishables shouldn't be sent.
Jess wrote: "This is just a list of things that would be useful to have here; you don't have to get all of it or any of it, but it is merely some sort of idea.
GENERAL USE ITEMS:
candles (no electricity in village)
mouse traps (if you can send through the mail)
journals/notebooks
HYGIENE ITEMS:
deoderant (roll on)
shampoo
lotion
good smelling spray stuff
baby powder (with menthol if possible)
WORK RELATED ITEMS:
pens/pencils/pencil sharpeners
tacky glue/elmers glue
post-it notes
stickers (for grading papers)
folders with pockets
CROSS CULTURAL EXCHANGE:
Family pictures
Pictures of the U.S.
BOOKS:
General Interesting
magazines
children's books with songs or games
books w/ideas for art projects with children
FOOD:
macaroni and cheese
canned ravioli, spaghettios
jelly
peanut butter
noodles
bbq sauce
juice boxes
salsa
chips
soup (mixes are fine)
cookies
crackers
tunafish
brownie/cookie mixes
anything good that doesn't need refrigeration
CLOTHES/ACCESSORIES:
any kid's clothing/t shirts
earrings
nail polish
-Tracy
Just wanted to share some more of Jess's Letter:
"Utterly Useless Information"
- Togo is the same size as Maryland.
-The president of Togo built a brand new house in Agou, his 3rd house, while I continue to get car sick by the massive potholes on the national highwy.
-Teaching Togolese students is the hardest thing I have ever done.
-Everyone thinks I'm German.
-Every Togolese taxi has an American flag on the dashboard.
-Speaking local language will get you better prices at the market than if you speak French.
-When I start craving GouGou in the morning, I know I have been here a long time.
-People will tell you that you have lost weight just like in the U.S., but the difference is that here they add "but don't worry, you are still beautiful."
-Eggs from the supermarket have smaller yolks than if you use eggs from your own chickens.
-Things like jelly, margerine, cereal, crackers, razors, and pre-made spaghetti sauce can only be found in Kpalime or Lome and the stores are called "Yovo Boutiques."
-Tracy
TYPO alert - It should have read that she craves "Fou Fou" in the morning NOT Gou Gou - (sorry, Randall was annoying me while I was typing - he is a disappointment to me ha,ha)
Jess,
I love you, and mentioned you to my friends in the Daughters of 1812, and we are hoping to get some things to you for the school, or whatever we come up with, and don't be disappointed in my grandson, Ms. Tracy....I love you..Take care and God bless you..
Grandma Andrea xoxoxoxo
(sorry, Randall was annoying me while I was typing - he is a disappointment to me ha,ha) I love this line ha ha ha
I shouldn't have said Randall is a disappointment to me...he just got accepted to Florida State University Psych Dept. for the Fall!! (he's just really annoying.)
MOMxoxosmackjesseloveyouxoxoxo
Hi, Jessica,
Hey, did you hear that Randall is annoying??? ha, ha, ha, ha...Probably runs in the family from what I remember about my four---I said FOUR---wonderful and beautiful children....and, of course, I am proud to say that I am also annoying at times....as annoying as you guys can all be, I love all of you; and YOU!.. you're doing a fabulous job over there...
and Randall deserves rave reviews for his acceptance into Florida State University Psyche Department, and for being a 4.0 student through to his Junior Year, when he starts there next semester....
Love,
Grandma Andrea XOXOXOXO
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