Please ignore the fact that Lome is actually pronounced Lomay when reading the title for the full punny effect. Anyway, I would like to be able to update you on some pretty cool happenings here, but I xould like to wait until the weekend has passed, and I already promised a bit about the culture, so here goes.
It is weird to see such a miw of Westernization and Africanness (not a word). One one hand , many people have cell phones and talk incessantly on them, they watch dubbed over American shows, ("whatchu talkin about willis" in french just isnt the same), and ask me questions about Obama and Michael Jackso, (No, I do not think is still alive. Apparently I am the lone person on this continent to hold to that belief). But on the other hand, there are people drinking unclean water, living in crowded shacks ut mosquito nets, succumbing to malaria and meningitis. Pretty much all of the aspects of culture have this form of duality.
The dress here is either very Western, with khakis, button downs, or tee shirts/ jerseys (It has taken all the effort I could muster to resist a "Yes we can" shirt), or they are more traditional in the african jumpsuitish thingies. These babies are much cooler. But it is not nearly as conservative here as I imagined, or as Zambia was, as people will be shirtless:pantless, and use the bathroom on the side of the street. Men and women. Busy streets. It's not right.
Like most of Africa, there is the national language and the local tribal language. The local language is much manlier sounding than the nasaly french and they inevitably switch to it when getting emotional. It lakes them sound much scarier.
The main food staple is acummee, a concoction of mashed up maize, very similar to Nshima we had in choma. It is delicious*. They eat anything from goat and avacados (dinner sunday) to omletes and potatoes (dinner yesterday-God sent). The home dynamics are weird. I eat every single meal by myself. The mom eats on the couch (without utensils amidst much burping) and the daughters eat in the kitchen together. I never see the dad. The dynamuics are weird.
As for religion, the country is supposedly mostly "mystical," but the Catholic and Muslim faithshave pretty strong presences. I pass people praying on the streets during the r prayer, and the Muslim society has set up an eye care clinic this week which has drawn throngs of people. The catholics have set up schools here, and I went to mass with my sisters. Lots and lots of drumming, it was cool.
Thats about all I have time for now, but if you have any questions in particular, feel free to email me.
*it's not. At all.
TIA
Michael
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