The views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are solely those of the author. This account does not reflect the views of the government of Togo, Peace Corps Togo, other PC Volunteers, the United States Peace Corps, the US Government, your dog, Kara’s dog, or really anyone but me, because that would be ridiculous.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

It’s dusk. I’m standing in the shadow of a cell tower two kilometers outside of town, waiting for a man that I sometimes have drinks with at a bar that seems to be frequented only by us and his friends. It feels like I’m a CIA agent or something, waiting to get some info or something. I am not a CIA agent, of course, as that would break several Peace Corps regulations including one that goes something like, “don’t be a CIA agent.”* No, this is how I charge my computer and sometimes my cell phone. As there is not power grid that reaches out here and thus no power chez moi, I rely on the generators of local proprietors or the electricity of the big city, when I get in there, to charge my things.
Recently, I have acquired a solar charger from a PCV that has left the country after medical issues. It is rumored that I can use this to charge my iPod (now I just use the USB cable with anything I can) but I am hesitant to do so. Another volunteer used a solar charger on her iPod and now it is broken. I feel like one of the students here that believes that you will get sick if you wear a condom because he heard from a friend that this one kid sneezed after looking at a condom. The iPod is so important to a volunteer that without one we would certainly go bonkers.
In addition to no electricity in Asrama, we also have no running water. Luckily, there is a well just 50 meters from my front door. As I have said in a previous post, I don’t lug myself all that way to get water; I hire an outside contractor – a specialist if you will – to handle that. Also, I’m lucky in that my well is nearly guaranteed to never go dry. My house is at a bit lower elevation than most of the village and so even when rain in scarce (like now) mon ami doesn’t need to walk to another well or the river.
Not all Peace Corps Togo posts are like this of course. There are several volunteers that have glass windows, electricity, running water and all the luxuries that come with them, such as fans and refrigerators. Some places have electricity for only about half of the day while some have it all the time. These are the volunteers that are (jokingly) referred to as Posh Corps Volunteers. They are very popular. Of course they have to pay utilities out of the same living allowance as I receive, but I haven’t heard any complaints.
Anyway, my utilities payments here are only 500 CFA (one dollar) a week for water garbage and exterior cleaning plus about 200 CFA a week to charge cell phone batteries and then a beer now and again to the guard at the cell tower where I charge my computer. It sure beats PG&E.
I hope all is well in the States and hope to hear from you all soon.

*Note: And I cannot stress this enough, I am not, and have not ever been, affiliated with any intelligence outfit of the United States (or any) government. Seriously, if you work for Peace Corps and are reading this, take it easy, just foolin’.