A lot has happened since I last wrote, so I will do my best to catch you all up. In October I participated in AIDS ride. Nine other volunteers and I biked 200K over 5 days, stopping at 20 different villages along the way to give talks about AIDS. The “road” we biked on was all sand and rough terrain the whole entire way, which made it much more difficult and dangerous. There were so many major accidents that the Peace Corps has banned any sponsored activity involving bikes until the roads are repaired (like that will ever happen). Overall AIDS ride was great, eating nothing but pate and fufu 3 meals a day, sleeping in random Togolese homes on mats just like the locals, and demonstrating the proper way to put on a condom for 800 high school age boys and girls using a wooden penis for a model.

Back in village I have lots of projects I am working on. Every Sunday, the nurse and I go around to people’s homes to talk to them about malaria and get a count of who is in need of a mosquito net. So far there are 214 households that are in need of a mosquito net. This is a lot more than I anticipated, but thanks to family, friends, and Mt. Spokane HS it will be totally possible. In fact, I think we will have enough money to not only purchase all of those nets, but also equip the casé de santé with some much needed supplies. I have also started an English club at the high school that meets every Wednesday. Right now I have 6 boys in the club so hopefully I can boost the membership somehow. December 1st is World AIDS Day and the director at the high school is helping me plan a village wide program complete with skits, dancing, singing, and, of course, more condom demonstrations.

Outside of work I spend my time reading, doing household chores, and hanging out with my neighbors. Most of my neighbors only speak Ewe, but one family speaks French. I spend a lot of time with them and they have become my Togolese family. The Dad, Napo, is very determined to go back to the U.S. with my Mom and Dad when they come visit me. His plan is to go back in my Dad’s pocket because he is tiny and Dad is a giant.

The dry season has started which means no rain until March and hot, hot, hot temperatures. I have also determined that it means snake season. In the past three days I have seen 2 hoodless cobras, 1 green mamba, and had a close encounter with one of the cobras. I was sitting in a chair on my porch talking to my neighbor while her two youngest kids slept on the ground next to me. All of a sudden people start yelling “serpent, serpent.” I didn’t realize what was going on until I looked down and saw a snake slithering between my feet. I immediately jumped up, grabbed the kids sleeping next to me, and ran for it. Three men then attacked the snake with sticks, thoroughly killing the thing and leaving behind a surprising amount of blood. All I can say is thank God I drank that sodabi from the bottle with 14 snakes in it. My voodoo protection seems to be working so far!

I hope all is well back home. With the holidays coming up I am missing everyone so much more. Washington D.C. ships turkeys to all the PC headquarters, so I will get to eat turkey for Thanksgiving. I love you all lots. Thank you so much for all your letters, packages, support, and prayers.

Ca va aller,
Whitney