Computers are impossible here right now, so I have had my able assistant Donald Peterson post this for me.

Arrived last night.  Getting off the plane, there was that familiar wall of heat that greets you as well as the smell of earth.  Unfortunately the power was out all over the city.   Only the businesses with generators had light.  I also arrived to find that Eléonore had a delegation of priests and nuns stying at her guest house, so she booked me at a hotel nearby for the first four days.

Today we had a busy day.  Met with the project manager of the construction company, Gildes Amegbor.  Much discussion as to the scope of the project and where to begin.  We will all be going to Dédékè tomorrow to meet with the villagers and try to work out some of the details.

Next, I met with Claire Quinum, who has been meeting with the villagers on a monthly basis on organization and income-generating skills.  She has arranged for the much anticipated soap making lesson for the village women.  Claire was very encouraging.  She reports that the villagers are very motivated and eager. 

Last, but certianly not least, Eléonore and I visited the U.S. Ambassador, Patricia Hawkins, at the Embassy. 

Ambassador Patricia Hawkins

This was my second time there, but once again, you cant help but be impressed when you are going through all the security measures and see all the personnel working there.  Oddly enough, there was a spelling bee going on in the lobby.  There were young kids spelling English words.  I was surprised at the number of children participating.  They seemed to be taking it all very seriously. Quite impressive in a French-speaking country.

Ambassador Hawkins was gracious and gave us a lot of contact information as well as sound advice.  Eléonore just came by to tell me that one of the priests didn’t show up, so I am going to sign off now and move to her guest house (like a B&B, sort of).  Will talk to you soon.

Cheers, Natalie

Eiffel Tower

Bonjour from Paris.  Arrived yesterday as a stopover from our trip to Spain.  I said a tearful good-bye to my husband at the Charles de Gaulle airport, and headed to find the train.

After waiting in line at the information booth for what seemed like an hour, I found out the person at the booth spoke no English!  With the bit of French I can speak, I managed to find out where to buy a ticket for the train into Paris. ( Any of you who know me well, know that my sense of direction is poor at best.)

I managed once again to make myself understood by the ticket agent and with some gesturing, was able to find the right train and where to get off.  The hotel I am staying at was recommended by one of the board members of LeapingStone.  She has spent quite a bit of time in Paris, and said that this hotel was inexpensive and would give one a real Parisian experience.  It is located in the Montmartre area.

Anyway, I got to the Gare du Nord and then needed to find the right Metro that would drop me as close as possible to the hotel.  Lucky for me, I asked a gentleman if he spoke English.  He replied “a little”.  He was a gift!  Not only did he point me in the right direction, but handed me a ticket as a cadeaux!

So now I am on the Metro with about a thousand other people.  I can see on the route map above the doors the various stops, and am able to tell I am going in the right direction…Whew! I get off at the Place de Clichy and pop up onto the streets of Paris. Now I have to use my map reading skills which are even better than my sense of direction.   There are streets angling off in all directions like spokes on a wheel.  I knew what street I need, but no idea which one it was.  So, eenie-meenie-miney-mo- I choose a direction that I think is right.  Voila!  I chose correctly and within a few minutes am standing in the little lobby of the hotel.

The receptionist is very nice and does speak some English.  She gives me the key to the room, which is on the top (4th) floor — no elevator.  The staircase is a spiral one that has a turning radius as if you were standing in place and spinning around.  At this point I am feeling a bit tired and the staircase is making me dizzy.

I get to the room and try opening the door.  The key fits the lock and turns both ways, but I am not able to get the door open.  So, down I go to the lobby (dizzier in this direction) to ask for help.  The receptionist comes up with me and tries the door.  She too is having trouble.  She finally gives the door a good rap at the top and it opens!  By this time I am laughing, which makes her laugh, and I thank her and chuckle into the room.

I think the best way to describe the room is bohemian funk.  I am lucky that I have my own bathroom with shower for the first night.  The next night I must move to another room which only has a toilet and sink.  The room looks out over the patio of the restaurant below and there is lots of light.  Even though the floor slopes at enough of an angle that when I get out of bed I feel a bit tipsy, the place does have a certain charm.

On the ground floor is a lively restaurant with good bistro food and an eclectic clientele.  People watching is very entertaining.  Sort of like a dinner show.  A big surprise is that people step outside to smoke!  After two weeks in Spain, where it seems even babies smoke, I am impressed that the French are making an effort in this area.

Tomorrow I am off to Togo.  I have been in contact with a number of people and I have meetings set up with the American Ambassador to Togo as well as with the Catholic Church, the contractor who will be doing the building of the school, and another NGO group called Blessings on Africa.  We are hoping to work together in the future.  I know that there will be trips to Dedeke to meet with the villagers and soap making lessons are planned.

I look forward to keeping you up to date.  There can be problems with the electricity, and I will see what kind of internet connection I can find.  I am hoping to be able to use Wifi to stay connected.  We shall see.  Cheers to you all.

Natalie