Update

Bonjour mes amies!

I have been absent from blogosphere for awhile.  There were a sequence of events which prohibited me from blogging.

Sequence of Events (also known as excuses)

•  Bought an Internet key in Lome for 30mil (which is about $60 U.S. dollars) which allows me to get online from almost  anywhere in Togo (when it works)

•  Internet key was stolen from me at the Peace Corps Headquarter one week later.  Such a disappointment on so many levels.

•  Bought another internet key for another 30mill (another $60 U.S. dollars) 

Sidebar:  None of this as easy as it sounds.  (Because of course, "Nothing is Easy in Togo!") It's not like I just jump into the car and go buy another one,  I have to walk about six blocks in the sand and blazing, hot sun to the main road to catch a Taxi to go Togocel headquarters.  I have to negotiate with at least one and sometimes 3 or 4 taxi drivers until I get a decent price for the taxi.  When he drops me off at Togocel I am accosted by at least 5 men all trying to sell me a knock-off internet key.  I don't even have one foot out the taxi door and they surround me and are yelling at me and waving literature in my face.  I get inside Togocel wait and wait and wait in a long line.  I get my key and I do all of this in reverse.  I did all of this twice now!

•  Couldn't get the second inteternet key to work....and was on my way to Atapkeme for a conference.  Took the internet key to the AtapkameTogocel office. Arrived at 2. 

Sidebar:Unbeknown to me the office is closed until 3 for (repose) afternoon rest.  I peered in the glass door and saw a woman employee napping on the floor.  No luck.  I sat on a rock for an hour in the blazing sun waiting for them to open the office.  They were able to install it and it appeared to be working, but they did scold me for knocking on the door during repose!

• My computer crashed the same day  (there was no bridge to throw myself off of)

• Ordered a computer online with the help of Eric (my son) and Emily (my daughter) and Ryan a Peace Corps Volunteer,  The computer was shipped to my friend Kittie and she brought it to Paris where I was to meet her and Pat for a seven day vacation. (I'll blog about Paris later) Ok, ok, ok...you wonder now why I'm complaining.

• Enjoyed seven blissful days in Paris with friends...hot showers, great food, ice, cool weather, good wine, great conversation and lots and lots of laughter!

•  Upon return to Lome, PCV Lyle installed windows office on my computer.  Works like a charm!

•  Still needed to install the internet key, so a couple days after I returned from Paris I went to Taglibo to get internet key installed. 

Sidebar:The man who worked in the Togocel office #1 did not have electricity, and #2 could not get an internet connection,  He was a very friendly chap though.  Told me all about his family, and how he'd like to learn english.  When I asked him what I was supposed to do, he suggested I visit my fellow Peace Corps Volunteer, Solomon who lives in Taglibo.  "Maybe he can help you," the Togocel employee said.

• I walked six blocks in the blazin, hot sun and sand (this is beginning to sound like a pattern) to Solomons house.  He was home, and he graciously installed my internet key.

• The computer and the internet key is working great now, but I still have not been able to get caught up because the computer only stays charged for about two hours.

Sidebar I'm happy, I'm happy....but still not quite there yet.   Daily I am buying minutes for the Internet Key and daily I am bikeriding down to the main road to charge my computer battery....And daily, hourly I am watching the clock...tick tock, tick tock the time away. 

• Have been working with several people in Tchekpo to get electricity installed at my house (CTGTE) or Committee to Get Terry Electricity (and shut her up!) 

Sidebar:  Aha!!! my dad was right!!!  The squeaky wheel does get the oil!!

•  The wiring went up yesterday, should have electricity by next week.

Sidebar:  One full day of three Togolese men in my house (and a few of their children) wiring it.  They appeared to know what they were doing???  However aesthetics was not on their agenda.

• At that time I will have the ability to charge my computer, to get online (unlimited access - no more clock watching) and to have light and most important.....a fan!

No more excuses!

Progress!  It's exciting!