The Village of Waiting

I served in the Peace Corps in Borneo in the 1960s just four years after it gained its independence from Great Britain. You may see my memoir, "Living in the Ulu" published by Mission Point Press. George Packer's "The Village of Waiting" relates a great number of similar observations that I felt while living in a former colonized nation. Additionally, he captures the place of Americans in such an environment. Fascinating reading.

Prior to joining the Peace Corps, I excitedly read as many experiential PC books as possible..... This is a good one, giving a feel for living in an alien culture.

I have been a fan of the writing of journalist George Packer, notably his reporting for The New Yorker and his book of reporting on the Iraq War, The Assassin's Gate. When I heard that he wrote a Peace Corps memoir, The Village Of Waiting (1988), about his experiences in the West African country of Togo I was interested to read his perspective about it. Already his reporting and narrative story telling was strong. The reader learns a lot about the country, community, and the exasperation of Africa from the perspective of a white westerner. It was a powerful experience in the per-internet days and it was a testament to his resolve that he lasted over a year-he did not complete his assignment, he failed to return for his last six months after taking a trip to Europe. Similarly another Peace Corps inspired book from another writer I liked, Chasing The Sea by Tom Bissell in Uzbekistan, also was ultimately about a failed Peace Corps stint where he basically had a nervous breakdown and was inspired to go back and find closure in the country. This is a different book from that one, but in the Afterword by the author we learn about how the country and the people he met there continued to be a significant part of his life as he returned to report there and help the friends that he made there over time. These experiences were exasperating and soul crushing in the recounting of struggles and set backs these people encountered over the years. In that sense the last part calls to mind Paul Theroux's exasperation with Africa in his last foray into the country that defeats him and sends him home packing before he planned to go home in Last Train To Zona Verde. There's also a Foreword by Philip Gourevitch, another reporter and writer about Africa that I respect. I found this to be a powerful first person account full of detailed descriptions of life in Africa in the early 80s from the point of view of an idealistic Peace Corps volunteer.

This book is incredible. It's at once funny and poignant. Its descriptions of Togo are spot on - Packer paints a vividly realistic portrait of his experiences in that country. He's also honest about himself and his reactions - he paints himself and his reactions to his surroundings in an unvarnished light. This touching account of his experiences makes for very rewarding reading.

I fully understood what George Packer went through as a PCV in Togo as I am a former Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) as well! He wrote very well. It seemed Africa will continue to have the same problems so long as their leaders show no or very little interest to work for the betterment of their country and their people. But I like reading his experience in Togo as well as his accounts on travels to other countries. I like his writing style. As an outsider, he was very astute in his observation on the country and the people he associated with, including his students, colleagues, neighbors and friends he made in Togo.

An early book by George Packer, journalist, teacher, novelist, and clearly a good listener to the life stories of people in Togo in the 1980s. He came to know several people quite well, and the book describes the difficulties faced by the citizens of a poor country with an incompetent government. Like some other authors (Andrea lee, "Russian Journey", VS Naipaul, "Among the Believers"), Packer was able to get people to trust him and open up about many details of their lives. Burdened by government corruption and mismanagement, the ordinary people are creative and hardworking, but often undermined by incompetence of the politicians.

George Packer recounts his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo. The book explores Packer’s subjective architecture as he encounters the difficulties of living in a developing, authoritarian country. The oppressive climate of deluge and drought of sub Saharan Africa and the poverty and sickness afflicting its inhabitants defeat Packer despite his desire to help. It would be interesting to see Packer compare Togo to Ghana and describe how similar cases produce marginally different outcomes. The human condition is problematic and Togo’s poverty brings these problems into sharp focus. Packer is talented in representing the humanity of the people with whom he lived and worked. Those who want to understand the potential emotional challenges of doing development work would benefit from Packer’s reflections.

Before you read my review you should know that I was a PCV in the 70's en Cote d'Ivoirve and had a great experience. Also, during my time in West Africa I traveled to Togo which I found to be a real interesting place, thus my comments may seem a bit bias. I loved this book for all the wrong reasons. Poor George Packer did just about everything possible to assure that his Peace Corps experience would be a real "train wreck". I give him credit for even writing a book like this. I would recommend this book to anyone considering joining the Peace Corps as a guide for what not to do. I will not spoil the book for potential readers by picking apart his missteps. I am somewhat surprised that he was ever allowed to join up in the first place. As you read this book have some fun trying to figure out at what point Packer is going to 'pack it in' and under what circumstances. Sadly, from my own observations of other Peace Corps Volunteers, George's story is more common than one might think.

Brilliant and evocative account of everyday life. One of those books that leaves you bereft when you finish too quickly.

This is the author's own story of the time he lived in Togo with the Peace Corps. He was there for 18 months in the early 1980s. He was stationed in a village called Lavie as an English Teacher. What he finds is the desperately poor, who pin all of their hopes on the people who are sent to help them. He gets to know a wide variety of people while he is there - the villagers, the chiefs, the children at his school, and tries to figure out how he fits into their world. He comes to care for the people in the village and wants to help so badly. But knows that he will never make enough difference. That he will never be able to catch up with how much they all need. This was a good book. I thought it was very, very well written. The story was engaging, and George tells a lot of stories about his time there and the people, and he expresses his frustrations well. When you first start this book you will wonder to yourself "wow George - what were you even doing there? You seem to just be focusing on the negative". BUT - as the story goes along, it becomes more well rounded and you start to understand his frustration. And you come to realize that we would probably all feel that way - especially growing up in middle class America. You would feel helpless in what would look like a hopeless situation. I encourage you to read this book. It gave me a really good look into the village life in Togo.

Great book. Very interesting take on Togo and present Africa.