Happy Boxing Day!

Yesterday, as the best possible Christmas present, I talked on the phone to Mom, Michael, Katie and Kelly. Earlier that evening, I went to the amazing American-looking home of the assistant bossman of Peace Corps Niger for Christmas dinner. Although I have seen billboards for Orange that wish us a "Joyeux Noel" it has been difficult to remember that it is December and Christmas time. So with all the family and holiday cheer yesterday, I was finally convinced. In December in Niger, you are likely to hear prayer calls five times a day from the local mosque, trudge through the sand and pot-holed streets to get to "alhadji" stores and haggle prices for sugar and flour, and see camels rather than deer running across the street. You are not likely to see Christmas decorations, snow, or Salvation Army santas in front of grocery stores. You're also not likely to find a grocery store. Tomorrow I head back out to my village for my first full month of Peace Corps service. I apologize for not writing more but the first two and a half months in country has been such a blur. I will need this first month to reflect on all my experiences so I can start writing a consistantly good and meaningful blog. Happy holidays! Have a great New Year!

To Fofo!

Fofo means "hello" in Zarma, the language I'm learning in Niger. I like to add To at the beginning, which means "ok" or something like that. So, to fofo! I've been in Niger for almost two full months. Not being able to write about any experiences up untill now on this blog makes it a little overwhelming to know what to say. I think I'll just write in chapters about random experiences that I have because that is pretty much what life is like here, a series of random (sometimes fun, sometimes embarrassing, sometimes intimidating) events. Well, I started this entry with a Zarma greeting, so I'll just talk a little about the language here.

There are several languages spoken in Niger. French, of course, is the national language which is spoken by city folk and many of the older men who went to school under the French colonial rule. Zarma and Hausa are the two other official languages, Hausa being the majority language. Zarma is a more simple language spoken in the Tillabery and Dosso regions, which are located in the far south of Niger. Tamacheq is also spoken by the Tauregs and Bellas. Fufule is the language of the Fulani people. I think I completely mispelled some of these names, but at the same time these are all oral languages and so did I really mispell anything? I think not.

In Zarma--and also in Hausa and the others from what I understand--most daily conversations consist of a string of greetings. People love spitting out a string of greetings as fast as they can without listening to the responses they get. That is understandable because they already know what the answers will be. Let's make an example dialogue:
Bobokar: Fofo Fatiya! Mate ni kani? Mate ni go? Mate gaham? Mate fu? Mate goyo? Mate habo hinka? Mate habu? Mate zankey? Mate dungay?
Fatiya: (simultaneously) Bani samay walla. Tali kulu si. Al hamdalilaye. Tali si. Samay samay. Al hamdalilaye. Bani samay. Al hamdalilaye. Tali si.

Then you just reverse the names (Bobokar and Fatiya, or Mamadou and Omarou, or Taibatu and Laala) and mix the order of greetings and repeat some of the same greeetings just for good measure. A translation may be:
B: Hi Fatiya! How did you sleep? How are you? How is your body? How is your family? How is work? How were the last few days? How was the market? How are your children? How is the heat?

Anyways I have to go now to the tailor's. I hope you enjoyed a small glimpse into Nigerien language. Love, Emily

The Embassy of Niger

Here is the website for the Nigerien Embassy in Washington D.C.

http://www.nigerembassyusa.org/index.html

This is an excellent resource for familiarizing yourself with all things Niger. And I mean all things. It has information ranging from current political news to national holidays to the kind of clothes to bring on a Nigerien vacation.

Happy discovering!

My Mail Address!

This is my very first post on my Peace Corps blog! I'm really excited about this.

I now have my mailing address in Niger.

Emily Haghighi, PCV
Corps de la Paix
B. P. 10537
Niamey, Niger

Of course, Niamey is the capital and my post will be miles away, but for now this is the best address I have. When I am placed in my permanent location, I can get a post office box closer to my area. Stay tuned for the address change (that will only apply after my preliminary three-month training period in Hamdallaye) . Also, if you would like more detailed information about how you can communicate with me during my Peace Corps service, let me know and I have a disclaimer from the Peace Corps with more information.