Swearing In Ceremony

After nine, fun yet sometimes anxious weeks of training, all 36 trainees in the 2007 Ag-NRM stage (french for staging group), swore in as official Peace Corps volunteers after passing the minimum language proficiency requirements to go to our assigned posts. At a ceremony at the U.S. Ambassador, Bernadette Allen's residence, many of us were dressed in traditional garb and were treated to a party with many of Niger's dignataries and their accompanying words of welcome.

(Photo index: Training Manager Yves giving our welcome speech; some friends looking fabulous; full length and head shots of my friend Kelly Pohl and I; all the volunteers in my regional group, Team Konni; Program Director Chris Burns, my friend Heidi, Program Assistant Haoua, and I;

Saying Goodbye to Hamdallaye

After nine weeks of culture, language and medical training, I, along with my 35 colleagues are on our way to our new villages and homes where we'll spend the first few months utlizing and learning even more Hausa and French, and getting to know our posts. The goal for these next nine weeks is to become more integrated into the culture and to gain some mastery of the languages in order to lay the ground work for our project work to come.

I am definitely a bit nervous about moving into my post, but also very excited and somewhat sad to leave the trainers, my friends going to other parts of the country, and my host family in Hamdallaye that I have come to really like and care about.

I felt very lucky for my roommate Claudia and I to move in with the Sarah family as part of our first introduction to Niger. Issaca, the father, is an administrator at the local secondary school and is serious about his children's education. Unlike many of the other village children who don't go to school, or spend their nights playing ball in the streets, Abdul Keder (15), Rahina (14), and Ibrahim spend their evenings studying, even after we have gone to bed. Issaca and Mariama have opened their home to a nephew, Abdul Razak (16) and family friend, Jemilla (14) so they can both attend school. Everyone is so polite and respectful to us and any small problem causes them worry for our happiness and health here.

Mariama is a fantastic cook and as the cultural traditions dictate that the children eat separately and the men and women eat separately, we were able to spend the evenings chatting with Mariama as we dove into the delicious Nigerien food with our hands (well, only the right hand!) I was very sad to say goodbye to them, but look forward to visiting later on when my language skills are much better and I can have a more in depth conversation beyond "how's the weather, how's the heat, how's the tiredness, how's the family, what did you do today,"...etc.

(Photo index: Ibrahim on the right, and his friend; Mariama, Claudia (Binta), and I (Sahiya) inside their house; Issaka coming home from evening prayer; family picture Jemilla, Rahina, Keder and Razak; the older kids on their way to school)

Fashion Show

Because our trainers do such a good job trying to spice things up and keep us engaged, they organized a very fun fashion show where we modeled the styles of the country's different ethnic groups. Distinct styles as well as subtle differences help to distinguish Niger's ethnic groups. Dressed as Zarma, Hausa, Songhai, Tuareg, Bela Bela, Woodabe and Fulani, we strutted our stuff on the cat walk. The teachers in turn tried out the cross cultural exchange in our jeans and backpacks, carrying the ever essential accessory - a Nalgene bottle. Check out our language trainer, Oussmane, with a mohawk!

(Photo index: representing the ethnic groups, I'm in the front wearing traditional Tuareg dress; Oussmane; Haoua & Rakia looking gorgeous; my friend Paige dressed as a Woodabe; me in the yellow as a Hausa)

Homeward Longings

Well it's been two full months now and while I'm in love with my life here, there is without doubt a new recognition of my fondness for things at home. A few of these include:

* body butter and salon conditioner * a bathroom without cockroaches * a bathroom with a toilet - pit latrine is about as glamorous as it sounds! * any coffee but instant * making snow angels * cuddling with my puppy, Seamus * wearing tank tops in 100 degree heat * news of the world * ice cubes * hugs from my boyfriend, Mike * good beer * pretty clothes * rag magazines and gossip of Bradgelina * pedicures *

Ideal Care Package
body butter
Biolage conditioner
spices - cinnamon, Bells, Zatarans
maple syrup
brown sugar
pie tins w/ graham cracker crust
pictures of family & friends
stationery
oil of olay face lotion
wife beater tank tops - all colors!
good paperbacks
frosting in a tub
meat!! any kind in a retort pouch
dried fruit
beef jerky
maple extract
velveeta
kool aid
markers
embroidery thread

Giraffe Hunting

Waking up after a welcome sleep for my tired dancing feet, I choked down a few bites of fried fari masa (lit. white corn) that squirted straight oil into my mouth and headed with the others for the short walk to see the village women's large garden. Haoua praised the women as having lots of "Kokari" (effort) as we observed their 800 garden plots, multiple wells with pumps and then later on that day their literacy class.
After leaving the garden we climbed into our vehicles and bounced over the soft sandy roads between villages. One thing the Peace Corps loves to do is to build drama into our programming, keeping us constantly in the dark about things to come. This was no different that morning as we had been told there would be a "Petite Surprise". When suddenly our vehicles stopped and Haoua started cheering and clapping wildly, we looked out and in the near distance saw 7 giraffes grazing on the grass and trees. Letting out girlish yelps, we all grabbed our cameras and scampered out of the Land Crusiers to take photos. The giraffes are not easily scared and let us within 100 yards.
While there are not many giraffes in Niger, they are protected and do not tend to migrate far. Still we were quite lucky to find them so easily. They are slender graceful creatures who move peacefully and quitely through the savannah. Each have unique spots and travel within regions that have available surface water. Being so fortunate to have come upon these beautiful African animals, I felt a swell of Nirvana rush over me and the dream of Africa come true before my eyes.

A blessing from the Sheikh

After our departure from Sarafone, we headed east to the town of Kiota, home to West Africa's most popular Sheikh. People from all over the continent travel to this village to celebrate the birthday of Mohammed in the Sheikh's presence. Equally as popular is "Maman", the wife of the Sheikh's now deceased father and a woman of great generosity to young and orphaned girls. Nigerien's and other devout Muslims are constantly making pilgrammages here to ask the Sheikh and Maman to pray for them. Many often wait many days or weeks to see the Sheikh, so it was quite an honor for our entourage to be invited into their separate palaces, served a delicious meal and given the opportunity to shake their hands, ask questions and have a prayer said for us. I continue to be so amazed at the welcomes and access our mere presence as Peace Corps volutneers has solicited.
Our celebration of Islam continued at the next village where we would be sleeping for the night. This village was almost exclusively women as many of the young men were on exode. Here we were able to relax and chat a bit before the evening prayer ended and the ziphyr chanting started. On our briefing we were told that because it was Friday, the Islamic Holy Day, the chanting would be subdued. However, what was to come ended up being the most fun night I've had in Niger!
In a circle of about 60 people, mostly women and girls, we joined in on call and response songs, took turns dancing into the center of the circle, and clapped our hands together and against our bodies to create rhythm. All of the songs seemed to praise Allah and the energy grew and grew as the dancing went on. I had the best time learning from the young teenage girls and letting the village women pull me into the dancing over and over again. Kentucky Kate, my friend and fellow volunteer hailed the circle as "some serious down home worshipin'!"