HOT SEASON

Togolese call it “la saison sêche” (dry season) but for volunteers, SWEAT rolling down CALVES reminds them more of the HEAT than cracked, dry heals. So really, it’s hot season.

According to host country nationals (HCN), this hot season has been somewhat abnormal. Harmattan winds are still present and even more bothersome due to headwind—that is headwind coming from every direction—while biking in the heat. I shall never forget one of the first days in hot season: Biked all day with my site mate Katy and battled headwind coming from all directions. WTF? Was it bad karma? Gris-gris? It was outrageous and exhausting. In addition to peculiar everlasting Harmattan winds, the temperature was rather cool last week and much to our surprise, it rained!

First-year volunteers found it difficult differentiating between 105ºF and 122ºF. A couple weeks ago, a volunteer sent a message to most northerners that his thermometer read 122ºF (in the sun) in Nanergou just north of Dapaong. So what was the consensus? 105 ~ 122…once the temperature reaches 105, anything beyond that who really cares?? It is still FUCKING HOT—just a higher number.

In all honesty, I have a hard time judging HCNs and volunteers who relax in the shade for four or five hours a day, because if I could…I would do it too. Regrettably, I was not blessed with the skill to chill for such an extended length of time. Although the more I think about it, if I had four to five hours to kill in this heat, I’d spend it in a pool with an intravenous drip that pumps pure water into my body.

It only took several months of HCNs dragging me into the shade while yelling “il fait chaud” for me to get it. It is hot. And if the temperature drops 15 degrees in the shade and reduces the likelihood of a SWEATSTACHE then boom! I would be an idiot to argue with them.

Questions?

Let me help…

On average, how much water do I drink a day?

Four liters.

Where do I sleep?

For over month, I slept on a lipico bed (see photo below for an example). Now, I sleep on a mat outside my house. I’ll soon test the roof.

(peacecorpstogojennifer.blogspot.com)

Do I have a fan?

Technically, I have four. Three fans, however, do not work—two of them being ceiling fans—and the speed of one fan is unsatisfactory. So much, in fact, I sometimes question why I even bother. I should just wave a newspaper in front of my face. It would probably work just the same and reduce my electric bill about five percent.

But it’s okay!! I recently purchased a “high-tech” orbiting ceiling fan from an electronics store in Cinkassé north of Dapaong. I just have to install it…

Monday. It is a holiday after all.

Do I own a sweat rag?

Yes, I sure do.

Do I see red if friends and family post pictures of snow and pools on Facebook?

YES!!!