Passport...Check!

Leaving on Thursday, I, along with 3 other ISEP students are headed to Niger for a conference!
Along the way we will be spending two nights in Togo, two nights in Benin, and then head to Niger for the four day conference, on February 17-20! The conference is about Education in Africa.

Finding out YESTERDAY that we would be leaving this THURSDAY, I was a little caught off guard! I seriously thought we would be leaving next Monday! Just another example of the lack of communication... but as you will see is not the only example!

We are scheduled to meet a representative for the conference at the Togo border on Thursday. As of yesterday we didn't have a time and we didn't know how we were getting to Togo. Bus? Tro-Tro? Driver? While I'm still not sure... we will figure it out in the end! Hehe. We're also not sure where/when we should exchange our Ghanaian cedi into they other countries currency. The good part is that the three countries use the same money system so that will make things easier.

Oh, and another minor detail. All three countries we will be visiting speak FRENCH! I don't know even a word in French! Just another adventure in Africa! But we have been reassured that there will be translators at the conference. The amazing part is that the 9 day trip is absolutely free for us! The conference is being put on by a university in Niger who is paying for our food and accommodations.

A small agenda:

The first two nights (Thursday and Friday) we will be spend in Lome, Togo.
On Saturday we will travel by car to Cotonou, Benin and spend two nights.
On Monday we will travel by bus, joining many of the other student representatives, and arrive in Niamey, Niger where the conference will take place.

While at the conference our group will be representing both the USA and Ghana and have been asked to give a short presentation on both!

Events scheduled throughout the conference include sessions about leadership and education as well as a visit to a museum and a tour along the beach of Niger River.
Traditional performances and a "prestigious evening" where it is a black tie affair. We will visit a craftsman village and have a picnic at Bourbon Island, among other things.

I'm so exited that I will be able to visit three additional African countries while I'm here!

Hope you guys are having a good day! I hear it is warming up!

Love ya,

Mel