HELLO AGAIN WORLD!
It has been entirely too long, and this is going to be quick.
Lots of things have happend recently including visits from my sister and from Karen and Robyn. Also including an AMAZING trip to south africa and much tourism in Togo (aka as much as there is)
I promise to actually write more soon but click on the link and look at some of my african photos and hopefully ill get pictures from Karen and Robyn that I can post to show you there trip too!
Love
Tami
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Hello again world! I have returned. Its been quite a while since I have writen anything and a lot has happend. I am currently in Lome to pick up my friends Karen and Robyn who are coming to visit for 10 days with one of Bonnie's friends.I will update again after they leave with pictures and stories of all the fun things that we do.
I have had several fun adventures lately, the most exciting being when Megan (my sister) came and we went to South Africa for christmas and went on a safari and saw tons and tons of animals. Here are a few...
We literally saw everything, lions, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, EVERYTHING. It was incredible. They were directly in front of us and we even got charged by an elephant at one point.
I have had several fun adventures lately, the most exciting being when Megan (my sister) came and we went to South Africa for christmas and went on a safari and saw tons and tons of animals. Here are a few...
We literally saw everything, lions, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, EVERYTHING. It was incredible. They were directly in front of us and we even got charged by an elephant at one point.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Hello everyone!
I hope that you had a fantastic New Years!
I will hopefully have a chance to write much more in just a few days but until then I want to take this chance to ask that everyone who reads this please take a minute to go to this website and please donate a few dollars to help this wonderful project.
Thank you so much!
https://www.peacecorps.gov/resources/donors/contribute/projdetail.cfm?projdesc=693-303®ion=africa
I hope that you had a fantastic New Years!
I will hopefully have a chance to write much more in just a few days but until then I want to take this chance to ask that everyone who reads this please take a minute to go to this website and please donate a few dollars to help this wonderful project.
Thank you so much!
https://www.peacecorps.gov/resources/donors/contribute/projdetail.cfm?projdesc=693-303®ion=africa
Sunday, November 25, 2007
HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING
I hope that everyone had themselves an amazing Thanksgiving and ate lots of yummy food. I know that I did.
Joelle and I just got back from Accra Ghana...aka heaven. It really is the most amazing place on earth. They have huge several story buildings, and real paved roads, and cheese- like actual cheese. And they have over passes. I didn't know what to do with myself when I got there.
But it was a great time. We met up with two of our friends that have moved there and are living and working in Ghana now and it was great to see them again. And we spent lots of time in air conditioning and taking showers with hot running water and watching CNN. It was all around the perfect trip. I would post pictures but literally we didn't do anything worth taking pictures of so I have none to share. I plan to go back again soon (and frequently)so I shall take some pictures soon. I promise.
Other than that things are going well. I've been really busy traveling around and doing lots of Peace Corps things. We just finished a week long bike ride 144km in 4 days (AIDS Ride). It was really fun and I am actually becoming a biker which is fun. It def helped me with my confidence in French too standing up in front of hundreds of people in different villages talking about the ABC's of AIDS (Abstinance/Abstinence, Bonne Fidelite/Being Faithful, and Condoms--- crazy how it works in different languages like that huh?) But yeah it was great.
And I am down in Lome now for my mid-service medical exam which should be interesting to see what kind of fun things I have going on. I just recently got tumbu fly bites meaning that something laid eggs and then hatched in me. Pretty yummy huh?
And I am in Lome now until Friday and Wednesday is our 45th Anniversary of being in Togo. Fun fact for all of you - Togo is the longest running uninterupted Peace Corps program. Meaning that the second group of volunteers ever went to Togo and we haven't left yet! So we are celebrating with a big party and people from DC are coming. All the volunteers (well lots of them) are coming down here too so it should be fun. Ok well here are some pictures for you to enjoy and keep checking cause I will update again soon!
LOVE TP
I hope that everyone had themselves an amazing Thanksgiving and ate lots of yummy food. I know that I did.
Joelle and I just got back from Accra Ghana...aka heaven. It really is the most amazing place on earth. They have huge several story buildings, and real paved roads, and cheese- like actual cheese. And they have over passes. I didn't know what to do with myself when I got there.
But it was a great time. We met up with two of our friends that have moved there and are living and working in Ghana now and it was great to see them again. And we spent lots of time in air conditioning and taking showers with hot running water and watching CNN. It was all around the perfect trip. I would post pictures but literally we didn't do anything worth taking pictures of so I have none to share. I plan to go back again soon (and frequently)so I shall take some pictures soon. I promise.
Other than that things are going well. I've been really busy traveling around and doing lots of Peace Corps things. We just finished a week long bike ride 144km in 4 days (AIDS Ride). It was really fun and I am actually becoming a biker which is fun. It def helped me with my confidence in French too standing up in front of hundreds of people in different villages talking about the ABC's of AIDS (Abstinance/Abstinence, Bonne Fidelite/Being Faithful, and Condoms--- crazy how it works in different languages like that huh?) But yeah it was great.
And I am down in Lome now for my mid-service medical exam which should be interesting to see what kind of fun things I have going on. I just recently got tumbu fly bites meaning that something laid eggs and then hatched in me. Pretty yummy huh?
And I am in Lome now until Friday and Wednesday is our 45th Anniversary of being in Togo. Fun fact for all of you - Togo is the longest running uninterupted Peace Corps program. Meaning that the second group of volunteers ever went to Togo and we haven't left yet! So we are celebrating with a big party and people from DC are coming. All the volunteers (well lots of them) are coming down here too so it should be fun. Ok well here are some pictures for you to enjoy and keep checking cause I will update again soon!
LOVE TP
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Hello again one and all.
So I got a phone call the other day saying that I got a position being one of the national coordinators for Camp UNITE which was one of the camps I did last summer and that I had a meeting in Lome the next day (today) so here I am in Lome and I thought I should take advantage of this chance to use free internet.
So Melissa and I just bought some cheese and some sliced bread (sliced...its amazing) and doritos and orange juice and I'm sitting here pretending that I'm back in the US. Its great.
So like I said before we had stand fast for the elections so I spent 3 weeks in site and it was great. I've started training for AIDS ride which is a bike ride where 12 volunteers in each region bike around and teach people about AIDS prevention. Basically I get to do condom demonstrations infront of middle school kids. However middle school kids here are anywhere from 12-25. I'm super excted about and I think it will be really fun. I'll def take a lot of pictures and up load them for you all.
I also decided that I am going to go to Accra Ghana around Thanksgiving with my friend Joelle. I am SO excited. Ghana is commonly described as being "paved with gold" however one volunteer pointed out that it might be just as meaningful to say taht it is paved . After that we are celebrating the 45th anniversary of Peace Corps in Togo and its going to be a huge celebration with all the volunteers and some Peace Corps admin from DC. Super neat huh?
Basically things are going well just a big busy but I am really in good spirits.
And Megan (my sister) is coming and we are going to South Africa for christmas. I have so much to look forward too!!!!!!!
************ BIG NEWS *************
So I just got another new phone number because I couldn't get calls or texts from the states on my last phone but now I can get both!
the number is 0112289112964
So text! And I will respond!
I'm going to go eat a sandwich and try to upload some pics.
I love you all
Tami P
So I got a phone call the other day saying that I got a position being one of the national coordinators for Camp UNITE which was one of the camps I did last summer and that I had a meeting in Lome the next day (today) so here I am in Lome and I thought I should take advantage of this chance to use free internet.
So Melissa and I just bought some cheese and some sliced bread (sliced...its amazing) and doritos and orange juice and I'm sitting here pretending that I'm back in the US. Its great.
So like I said before we had stand fast for the elections so I spent 3 weeks in site and it was great. I've started training for AIDS ride which is a bike ride where 12 volunteers in each region bike around and teach people about AIDS prevention. Basically I get to do condom demonstrations infront of middle school kids. However middle school kids here are anywhere from 12-25. I'm super excted about and I think it will be really fun. I'll def take a lot of pictures and up load them for you all.
I also decided that I am going to go to Accra Ghana around Thanksgiving with my friend Joelle. I am SO excited. Ghana is commonly described as being "paved with gold" however one volunteer pointed out that it might be just as meaningful to say taht it is paved . After that we are celebrating the 45th anniversary of Peace Corps in Togo and its going to be a huge celebration with all the volunteers and some Peace Corps admin from DC. Super neat huh?
Basically things are going well just a big busy but I am really in good spirits.
And Megan (my sister) is coming and we are going to South Africa for christmas. I have so much to look forward too!!!!!!!
************ BIG NEWS *************
So I just got another new phone number because I couldn't get calls or texts from the states on my last phone but now I can get both!
the number is 0112289112964
So text! And I will respond!
I'm going to go eat a sandwich and try to upload some pics.
I love you all
Tami P
So I am borrowing my site mate’s computer right now and I figured that I should take advantage of this time to write a nice blog entry that I can post later.
We are currently in Stand Fast, which means that we can’t leave our sites because this Sunday there is going to be elections. It’s the parliamentary elections so everyone thinks it is going to happen with no problems. In the past for the presidential elections there was a lot of violence. Especially in the south where there is a lot of opposition to the current government. But now things seem better. There have been tons of k rallies over the past week (campaigning is only the two weeks before the election) and there are a lot of parties running. Which is great, right? I had a guy tell me the other day that this is the first time in Togo that people can express their different views. He said that in the past if people wore the colors of opposition parties they would be beat (and often were). So things are looking up. Go Togo! I guess we will see for sure come Sunday. There are lots of EU representatives here to make sure that things go smoothly. We as PCVs are required to stay out of politics all together so I won’t go into detail or anything about any of the parties but if you are interested check it out.
So I am spending my stand fast in my new gigantic house. I am getting furniture made that should be ready this week (less than the 6 months it took me to get my last furniture). Hopefully that will make my house feel homier. Don’t get me wrong I am not at all complaining about my house cause it is amazing. For one thing I have electricity (hence me using a computer in my house). And that means that I can charge my ipod and listen to music more than 4 hours a week. And I have a refrigerator so I buy lots of vegetables and keep them for more than a day and eat yummy salads and other delicious food every day. And I have running water, which makes everything so much easier. I don’t have to leave my house to go to the bathroom, which is great. Although thankfully I am not sick at all for the first time in months and months (knock on wood). Basically things are looking up.
I even have prospects for work, although right now everyone is working on campaign stuff so I just planning stuff that I will do later. But people actually approached me and said they wanted to work with me. Its great. This year is going to be totally different from the last, in a good way. My friend Rachel said that a friend of her who did Peace Corps described it as “the first year was the worst year of my life and the second year was the best” I can handle that. And I’ve started working out like for real, either jogging or biking an hour in the morning and doing some strength stuff chez moi. Basically I’m a whole new lady.
Only bummer lately is that I lost my cell phone. Which does suck, but a friend of a friend had an extra, nicer one so he gave me that…for free. For now I have a new number (2280841420) but after stand fast I’m going to go to Togo Cell and try to get my old number back. And talk to them about getting international texts because I can’t get them with this number either.
Well I’m going to get ready for bed, but I will post pictures of my house when I get my new furniture. I love you all!
We are currently in Stand Fast, which means that we can’t leave our sites because this Sunday there is going to be elections. It’s the parliamentary elections so everyone thinks it is going to happen with no problems. In the past for the presidential elections there was a lot of violence. Especially in the south where there is a lot of opposition to the current government. But now things seem better. There have been tons of k rallies over the past week (campaigning is only the two weeks before the election) and there are a lot of parties running. Which is great, right? I had a guy tell me the other day that this is the first time in Togo that people can express their different views. He said that in the past if people wore the colors of opposition parties they would be beat (and often were). So things are looking up. Go Togo! I guess we will see for sure come Sunday. There are lots of EU representatives here to make sure that things go smoothly. We as PCVs are required to stay out of politics all together so I won’t go into detail or anything about any of the parties but if you are interested check it out.
So I am spending my stand fast in my new gigantic house. I am getting furniture made that should be ready this week (less than the 6 months it took me to get my last furniture). Hopefully that will make my house feel homier. Don’t get me wrong I am not at all complaining about my house cause it is amazing. For one thing I have electricity (hence me using a computer in my house). And that means that I can charge my ipod and listen to music more than 4 hours a week. And I have a refrigerator so I buy lots of vegetables and keep them for more than a day and eat yummy salads and other delicious food every day. And I have running water, which makes everything so much easier. I don’t have to leave my house to go to the bathroom, which is great. Although thankfully I am not sick at all for the first time in months and months (knock on wood). Basically things are looking up.
I even have prospects for work, although right now everyone is working on campaign stuff so I just planning stuff that I will do later. But people actually approached me and said they wanted to work with me. Its great. This year is going to be totally different from the last, in a good way. My friend Rachel said that a friend of her who did Peace Corps described it as “the first year was the worst year of my life and the second year was the best” I can handle that. And I’ve started working out like for real, either jogging or biking an hour in the morning and doing some strength stuff chez moi. Basically I’m a whole new lady.
Only bummer lately is that I lost my cell phone. Which does suck, but a friend of a friend had an extra, nicer one so he gave me that…for free. For now I have a new number (2280841420) but after stand fast I’m going to go to Togo Cell and try to get my old number back. And talk to them about getting international texts because I can’t get them with this number either.
Well I’m going to get ready for bed, but I will post pictures of my house when I get my new furniture. I love you all!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
So I have officially been in Togo for one year tonight and I spent it with some of my all time favorite humans.
Its been quite the year with lots of ups and too many downs but all and all I wouldnt change it for the world. I really have made some of the greatest friends and learned a TON about the world and about myself and I couldnt have done any of this without you friends and fam at home to support me so thank you.
I moved into a new house and it is beyond incredible - pictures to come - and I have a feeling that this next year is going to be incredible. So stay tuned cause things are going to get interesting now that I have the secret.
Its been quite the year with lots of ups and too many downs but all and all I wouldnt change it for the world. I really have made some of the greatest friends and learned a TON about the world and about myself and I couldnt have done any of this without you friends and fam at home to support me so thank you.
I moved into a new house and it is beyond incredible - pictures to come - and I have a feeling that this next year is going to be incredible. So stay tuned cause things are going to get interesting now that I have the secret.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Tami in Togo- TAKE 2
So I have returned from my amazing adventure back to the states. And with shorter hair!
It was really hard to get on the plane and come back here (and to get on the plane leaving my family in Colorado) but it does feel like home here, which is nice. So ultimately its good to be back.
I want to start out by thanking everyone who was amazing and helped me through the harsh readjustment period back in the US, especially Karen for putting up with me for a week.
And I want to appologize a ton to everyone that I didn't get to see much or at all, and to those that I did not call. I was suprisingly busy and not having a cell phone really complicated things, that and the fact that I was really lazy and addicted to television. Especially the Hills. I love Lauren Conrad. Someone better keep me posted on what happens when she and Jason see Speidy out. Sigh. I miss the Hills already (and for those of you who were there don't worry I did have time to watch the eps I missed on line so I am all caught up with the Jen Bunny business ).
While home, under the advisement of my sister I watched the Secret and I have decided that I am going to change my attitude and be positive and then good things will happen for me. So be expecting some good news posts coming up. And now that I am moving sites my access to the internet will increase big time so just plan to hear from me more often in general.
Now I shall leave you with some photographs from my beautiful sister Jenny's wedding to my new brother Jason! (ps I have a functioning camera now so be expecting pictures too!)
So I have returned from my amazing adventure back to the states. And with shorter hair!
It was really hard to get on the plane and come back here (and to get on the plane leaving my family in Colorado) but it does feel like home here, which is nice. So ultimately its good to be back.
I want to start out by thanking everyone who was amazing and helped me through the harsh readjustment period back in the US, especially Karen for putting up with me for a week.
And I want to appologize a ton to everyone that I didn't get to see much or at all, and to those that I did not call. I was suprisingly busy and not having a cell phone really complicated things, that and the fact that I was really lazy and addicted to television. Especially the Hills. I love Lauren Conrad. Someone better keep me posted on what happens when she and Jason see Speidy out. Sigh. I miss the Hills already (and for those of you who were there don't worry I did have time to watch the eps I missed on line so I am all caught up with the Jen Bunny business ).
While home, under the advisement of my sister I watched the Secret and I have decided that I am going to change my attitude and be positive and then good things will happen for me. So be expecting some good news posts coming up. And now that I am moving sites my access to the internet will increase big time so just plan to hear from me more often in general.
Now I shall leave you with some photographs from my beautiful sister Jenny's wedding to my new brother Jason! (ps I have a functioning camera now so be expecting pictures too!)
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