Well, I made it!

1/4/11  I arrived in Togo without incident 3 days ago but only now have internet access and it's only at work cause it's really expensive and complicated seeming to get it at home for now.  Also, I have no pictures as I've taken none at this point.  However, I will say that I'm enjoying things so far but have a lot to take in.  The house I'm living in is huge - every room has a high ceiling, a tile floor and white stuccoed walls.  I'm living in the smaller of 3 bedrooms.  The largest one I could fit my kitchen, dining and living rooms in!  There is a wall all around the house with a guard posted outside (they're all very nice and hold the door for me).  But for all the grandeur of the house it is on a dusty dirt road that all kinds of local people live and work on.  So on my 5 minute walk to the Peace Corps offices I pass school children, many men on motos (little motorcycles which I discovered today are often the taxis and will frequently have 3 people on them)and little stands of goods for sale.  A big white wall runs down each side of the street punctuated by guarded doors like mine but also little shops and yards.  The weather is hot but tolerable (I'm not really a hot weather person) and it's the dry season.  I guess it gets really messy in the rainy season...but that's not till May or so.
Work is starting slowly because many volunteers are currently on their vacation.  Our office gets very busy in the second half of the year so now we've have time for orientation for me which I certainly need.  I've met 4 volunteers so far and a few more will be coming in the midservice exams this week. Next week we will be visiting local resources (labs, physicians).  In early February, we'll start make trips up country to see the volunteers in their sites.  Looking forward to that!
I went to the embassy today for a talk on security in Togo and I met the ambassador who seems very nice.  It's a very small operation, I gather.