Feet on the Ground in Togo

I applied for the Peace Corps the summer before starting my senior year of college. I was looking for an opportunity to cultivate social change—an opportunity that would allow me to find the time and space to truly immerse myself and engage with others long-term. I want to become a member of a community and culture that I can work with, and not just for, in order to impact the root causes of societal problems. I found the Peace Corps gives me the opportunity to do just that. I want to use this blog as a means to share the experiences that will take place within the next 27 months—growth from me, personally, and development within the communities I work with in Togo, West Africa. I want to share the beauty of the new and the unknown. I want to portray the shared humanity of others and others’ cultures. I am excited for my journey, for the opportunity to navigate difficulty and differences, challenges such as transitioning into the minority and the culture shock that ensues. I am most...