Seeing Africa - and My Father - with New Eyes

Togo is a different kind of Africa than I had visited before. There were no tightly packed safari trucks toting westerners around the savannah. No picturesque beaches covered with lounging tourists. In fact, we didn’t encounter any tourists while there. Life in Togo is difficult. But the people I met seemed genuinely happy.

When we first arrived in Kparatao, the village where my father served in the Peace Corps, we had no idea what our reception would be. We honestly expected to shake a few hands, drink some Fantas, take some pictures, and head out. That imagined scenario couldn’t be farther from what actually happened. We were greeted by hundreds of people, children and adults alike, waiting to usher us into the village. They danced, played music, spoke to us, gave us gifts, and more. They welcomed us into the village like old friends. It was really unbelievable.

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