#when parents visit...

[timeintogo]

After enjoying the tourist side of Togo in Kpalime, we headed back to my village to spend the afternoon at the market. We drank tchakpa with the Majorette and walked through the market to greet my friends, neighbors and counterparts. 

[timeintogo]

The best part of my parents’ visit was learning how to make batik with Chantal Donvide, the founder of Aklala Batik. We spent the day at her workshop in Kpalime, following each step of the process to make our own batik. Chantal, in addition to being a talented artisan, is also a social entrepreneur. She uses a portion of the proceeds from the sale of batik items to pay for girls’ school fees and to provide them with training in various income-generating activities.

Check out Aklala Batik on Facebook!

[timeintogo]

My parents came to visit Togo last week - with three weeks until I move back to the States, it was rejuvenating to see Togo through their eyes.

We started our trip in Kpalime, a city on the border with Ghana about an hour north of Lome. Known for beautiful mountains and waterfalls (and for PCVs, lentil burgers at Bon Vivant and batik at Chantal’s).