#justhi

[coolimogene]

[zologalaica]

Hi!

Just hi, it's my firts.

[laucammisa]

Cerro catedral trekking day 🏃 #movebreathflyfloat . . . . . #bariloche #cerrocatedral #trekkingday #goforawalk #travelargentina #travelpatagonia #discoverpatagonia #adventuregetaway #visitingmycountry #travel #wandelust #mypartnerincrime #justhi #argentina #natgeotravel #outdoors #liveauthentic #folklife #thisisme #vsco #vscocam (at Cerro Catedral - Catedral Alta Patagonia)

[rioriooiroir]

Hi🦁

Hhhhhiiiiii

[loadsofzouis]

Hi!

[sleepingnowbye]

Hi

[sc-simplecomplexity-blog]

Hi.

Hi guys. This is just simple hi.

[timeintogo]

Ewe

Ewe is hard. To all my friends who speak tonal languages, I take my hat off to you. Which is actually the literal translation of “please" in Ewe - medekuku, I raise my cap to you. Variations of Ewe are spoken throughout Togo, Ghana and Benin. Although French is the official language of education in Togo, and a plethora of local languages can be heard around the country, Ewe is most widespread, since it is spoken in the capital. Ewe is widely spoken throughout the Maritime and Plateaux regions, and although a lot of Fon and Dacha are spoken at my post, I’m learning Ewe during training as it will be most useful. Intonation is a new concept for me in learning a foreign language, and boy is it difficult.

The greeting in Ewe is incredibly important. It is long and complex to match the importance of greeting people in Togolese culture. I first say good morning/good evening, then ask after the family, then the kids, and then how work went the day before/earlier that day. Only then can you ask “how are you." The good morning/good evening changes based on whether it is morning, between 12 and 2, from 2 to 5, and after 5. Asking about work depends on whether you’ve seen the person that day or not.

Although there are times when I would really just like to walk home in peace, when I’m tired and would rather not greet everyone I see, I love the Ewe greetings. They are comforting, they never change, they create an expectation and connection for me as a new member of the community.

I don’t know how I’ll ever say just “hi" again.