House Tour: Welcome to My Togolese Crib

I invite you to my Togo home—a true piece of prime real estate located in a rural village in southern Togo. The house is supported by cement floors, cement walls, and a tin roof. With three windows, two rooms, one porch, and one full bath (unattached, outhouse style), rent is just under $8 a month. There is a bedroom and a multi-purpose room which functions as a living room, kitchen, and laundry room. I enjoy electricity, and while I do not have running water, I do have a running mini-refrigerator! All of the furniture in my home was constructed by a talented carpenter in village. Before moving in, I had two tables, plastic chairs and a bed, and it took me about three months to save up money to buy the fridge, bookshelves and couch. I was trying to go for a rustic and raw theme with earthy tones, and I really feel like I nailed it on the head. Anyways, come on in…





I have a fridge! Stocked with chocolate, water, beer and ranch dressing (thank you to my Wake Forest friends for their care package).

Welcome to my living room.



And this is my kitchen.

My washing station.







Welcome to my bedroom. I sleep under a mosquito net.


My closet: it lacks doors, shelves, and cedar paneling, but it works.












And this is my full bath with a latrine and shower.

A surprising number of people have asked me what a latrine is, so here it is...it's a hole in the ground, and I am lucky enough to have a toilet seat!

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