My Time in Togo as a Peace Corps Volunteer

 I write this blog post stateside while sitting on my backyard deck in Iowa. For the first time in two years, I welcome the warmth of the sun rather than running away from it. The month of August was an emotional one. As I wrapped up my work in my community, I said tearful goodbyes to many friends and moved my belongings across the country to my new site. After nearly two days of traveling, I was welcomed home by my family who had been anxiously awaiting my month long stay in the U.S. Celebrating with my neighbors and farmers As I enjoy time with friends and family back home, along with the novelties of hot showers, refrigerators, and cool weather, I have started to reflect more on my past two years in Togo. I have received many questions from friends and family, and I am still learning how to best share my experience with others and talk about the things I have learned. My temporary return to the U.S. has been rather smooth; though walking into a Walmart was a bit of a shock, and ...

Hello everyone, Ag girlies: my fellow female ag volunteers As of June 12 th , I have officially been in Togo for two years! To celebrate, I want to do a Q&A format for this blog posts with a few questions a people have sent me. But first a little life update: I will be wrapping up my service at the end of August and then will be visiting home for the month of September. However, I couldn’t quite yet say goodbye to Togo, so I will be returning in October to extend my service for a third year. I will be living in a different region of the country, working on a farm that serves as a local nonprofit. I have assured my friends in my current community that I will come back to visit throughout the year. That puts me in Togo until at least October 2026. And then, well… who knows! Thanks for all your support over the last few years and enjoy reading my responses to some of your very thoughtful questions! Also, disclaimer: all thoughts and opinions in my blog are my own and do not ...

One aspect of life in Togo that never ceases to amuse me is Togolese fashion. As you walk through any town or village in Togo, you may become dizzy by the sheer number of colors and patterns moving about their daily lives. One of my favorite culture shocks in Togo is the clothing people choose to wear. In this blog, I would like to share about traditional clothing in Togo, some of the amazing outfits I've encountered, and how my fashion sense has changed since arriving in Togo (as if I ever had one in the states). Finally, I would like to shout out the best dressed in Togo (in my opinion at least). Volunteers in our pagne outfits West Africa is well known for its creative and vibrant fabrics. Called "pagne" in Togo, these fabrics can be found in nearly any market and come in every color and pattern imaginable, and then some patterns you yourself could never have dreamed up. These fabrics are bought by the yard and can greatly vary in quality and price (anywhere from 1,000...

Making bean beignets No matter where you go, food plays a vital role in your everyday life. We need food to survive. Food has cultural significance; it brings people together. Food can serve as a form of art. It provides a livelihood for many people: from farmers, to chefs, to butchers, to nutritionists, etc. As an athlete, my view and relationship to food changed drastically. I viewed it more as a source of energy and a daily chore rather than something to enjoy and experiment with. During my time in Togo, my relationship with food has changed once again. So enjoy a food blogpost from someone who is far from a foodie, as I share my experience growing, harvesting, conserving, preparing, and eating food in Togo.  First and foremost, the food I eat on a daily basis here is nothing like the food I eat at home. One must search far and wide to find a pizza or burger, and when you do, manage your expectations to the Togolese interpretation of American cuisine. That being said, Togolese ...

 Happy New Year and Happy Holidays to all! Smeins Family Christmas in Ghana This year, my entire family made the long trek to West Africa, and we were able to celebrate Christmas together in Ghana. We spent a week traveling along Ghana's beautiful coast; visiting the busy markets in Accra; learning about Ghana's history of slavery, colonialism, and independence; swimming at beautiful beaches; and exploring several parks. It was great to see my family again, and they got a glimpse of what life is like in West Africa. After saying goodbye to my family, I returned to Togo to celebrate the New Year with my community. My friends and neighbors were relieved to see I made it back in time for the festivities. And let me tell you, there's been a lot of festivities since the start of the new year... The end of December typically marks the end of the harvest season--a good enough reason alone to celebrate. Add religious and traditional holidays on top of that, as well as the start of ...