One Month Anniversary

Hello everyone! I'm in Niamey, the capital after spending a full, uninterupted month in my village (not counting the times I went to nearby villages on market days). So what is it like "en brusse" as in out-in-the-middle-of-no-where Africa? Surprisingly comfortable. For anyone planning a visit to see me (and I'm expecting at least ONE of you to come see me! haha) I would say you need to spend at least one month in Niger to have an enjoyable experience. The first two weeks you will be sweating uncontrollably and will be in shock at the rough, dry terrain, loud domesticated livestock, and the truly inconvenient living conditions (i.e. having a hole as your toilet, a plastic bucket as your shower, flashlights as your electricity, and rickity bush taxis as your transportation). But these are the first two weeks. When this life style becomes the norm, you begin to notice the beauty of the people, their colorful culture and fashion, the Lion King-esque landscape, the big orange sun, the clear Milky Way, and soon the prayer call at the mosque at 5 am each morning will be music to your ears.

For people living with all the conveniences of "modern life" in America, it may seem to be impossible to live in a country like Niger. However, having lived here for almost exactly four months, I can say that people here are incredibly happy and bright. I myself can't stop smiling in my village. When little kids eyes light up when they see me walking back from the garden and say to one another "Fatiya ka!" (Fatiya came home!), I feel satisfied. When the women at the community garden teach me Zarma greetings and insist that I "hear" Zarma perfectly even through my protests, I'm satisfied. When my neighbor and work counterpart returns from the market with a bag of fried wheat dough, Fari Masa, or a stick of sugar cane, Arece, for me, I'm satisfied. There are some days after three hours in the garden and drawing my 100th bucket of water from the well that I think, "today is the day I'm going to pass out, isn't it?" But then those are also the days that I come back home and a friend has bought some Cincenas (friend bean balls, sooooooo good) for us to share. There are other days that I feel completely unproductive and upset with myself that I hadn't done more. Then I step out of my house and have an hour long, uninterupted conversation, albeit broken, in Zarma.

The people in my village often muse of how "sweet" America must be. And it is. I miss the US a lot and in a way I'm sorry to miss these historic times. However, America will be there for me in two years, most likely stronger and more satisfactory than when I left it, and Niger is where I want to be and where I need to be right now. I tell the people who want to go to the US that actually, it is Niger that's sweet for me.