First days in Lome

So the first couple days in humid Togo have been filled with interesting information meetings: health, safety, logistics….
We arrived at the airport in Lome after an 8 hour layover and delay, but with luggage intact (after cleaning the exploding shampoo in the DC airport prior to check in). Welcome dinner provided some traditional Togolese food but still not the staple (patte and foufou – I don’t mind). The last two days following arrival have included scary conversations about safety (mostly common sense – except that people in fake police outfits might ask to see your passport and then run off with it – black market value ~$5k (US)), health seminars (malaria kills, take your pills – mephaquin apparently gives you extremely vivid dreams), and bathroom protocol (latrines = pits in the ground with a concrete box over it that when you go to use, you have to smack the top and the sides to knock the bugs down so they don’t crawl somewhere you don’t want them; located outside without real walls, maybe cloth). I have not used a latrine as of yet. The hostel has cold showers and flushing toilets, which will soon become a luxury. My bed is also rocking a wicked cool mosquito net. I have taken 3 shots: Yellow Fever, Meningitis, Typhoid. Rabies starts tomorrow!! Haven’t gotten a real taste of Africa yet. Still in a daze.
Host family stay in Gbatope starts in 2 days. I am super nervous considering most people don’t even speak French, but a local dialect. It will be fun to learn.
Interesting fact: “Yovo” is the word all the children call us. It’s the term for white person but literally translates to a Chinese person. Lol.