"What's the weather going to be like today?"

In America we have names for the seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter. In Togo we also have names for the seasons, which translate in English to: rainy, dusty, hot, dry. Do we romanticize the seasons in America with pretty names? Spring is rainy, summer is hot, winter is dry... Perhaps we do, perhaps we also are not as connected with the conditions of the earth and the weather. No matter the season, in America, my diet is the same, my water still comes from a faucet – both hot and cold, on demand, and is never limited – I can always find a comfortable temperature in my house, and both my work and my weekly schedule remain constant.

Here in Togo, it is always hot. I have worn a long-sleeved shirt less times than I have fingers and I have worn a sweatshirt once, when I was in an overly air-conditioned office. Sunscreen is required year-round – and yes, this includes dusty and rainy season. However, even though my wardrobe remains constant, the features of my surroundings change with the seasons. By the end of rainy season, the grass in fields is taller than I am. In dusty, hot, and dry season, the crackly grass has been burned and reveals piles of trash – mostly plastic bags used for food or water. At least I don't have to worry about hidden snakes.

The other weekend, my sitemate, Ta'Mar, and I decided to escape our usual dusty season scenery and visit a friend, Arvo. Arvo lives in a small village located near a Togolese National Park. Although the area was not glowing green and the rivers were not overflowing, the motorcycle ride there was enough to convince me that yes, I do belong in Togo – at least for these next two years.  

Images taken on the motorcycle ride to Arvo's village. Upper-right: mosque; lower-right: classic scene of loading/unloading "bush taxis"; lower left: piles of wood on the side of the street for sale (a classic image during dusty and dry season); middle-left: a home among the scene; upper left: an ambulance passes.

Upper-right: trees during dusty season; middle-right: the view from Arvo's house at night; lower-right: view from the motorcycle drive; left: part of the visit including dancing at a wedding celebration.