Howdy all,
Yes, the heat is definitely here but I think I am getting used to it . . . this morning I woke up and I hadn't sweated as much as usual so I didn't even take a shower, although I probably should have (that might be a tmi).
First of all, there may be typos in this post because im still getting re-used to the french keyboard, sorry. Guess what, my luggage came yipeeee so that is a big improvement!
Things are definitely looking up and the rollercoaster that I described continues to roll but that is really ok because this is a good learning experience and I should feel lucky because Niamey must be one of the only cities in the world where (in one taxi ride) you can see an emaciated camel, bats, a flock of guinea fowl, and a donkey captained by a 12 year old all struggling for their space on the city streets. Ramadan is a very interesting time for many reasons, but one of them is the speed and intensity with which people zip around the city as they head home around 630 pm to break the fast (drink and eat for the first time since sunrise, about 13 hrs before). I've started wearing a wrap around my hair bc altho I don't think anyone expects me to, practically all of the women cover their head in some way or another, so I decided I should get in line. Right now I only have my hot pink fulaar (head wrap scarfy thing) from Cameroon, which is a bit intense with my glasses. ive also been enjoying good lebanese food lately (i just had a falafel sandwich for lunch), and last night i even had some goat meat and salad with my family and i didnt get sick; the family slaughtered a goat in celebration of the dad returning home (he had been away on business). i also like this funny niger lait/yogurt milk product. Today my homestay mom and the kids dropped me at tamashek class on their way to school and they sang pretty songs in tamashek and french the whole way, it was so fun. the only funky thing at the moment is my lack of personal space but hey, cest l'Afrique so i really need to get used to it.
Sorry i cant write more right now, i have to go back to my tamashek language course; this is my 4th day of a 5 day intensive Tamashek "stage" hosted by the peace corps for volunteers (they have been very nice to let me join them and i am learning a lot but have a lot of trouble with allllaaaahhhrraaass which is the response to every greeting, means ca va/good).
i promise to write more in my next post about my impressions of niger and also now i have my camera stuff so i will also post some PICTURES!!!
email me and let me know what youre up to!
xoxo
mags
ps another source of comfort has been the knowledge that so many of my friends are also off experiencing new and different things, so i just wanted to say kudos to all of them for toughing it out and getting settled and adjusted to life in a new place, especially my friend Emily Durham, who told me in an email about her recent experience at a communal bathing house in south korea, sound like quite the trip!
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3 comments:
Fofo Maggie
We Miss ya everyday.
Mags! I'm so glad your luggage came :) And also that the rollercoaster is getting more bearable. Just now reading your post I wished I could come and visit you!! Maybe if I save up enough vacation days :) xoxo
stage! don't you wish that word worked the same way in English? I still think it sometimes.
are there a lot of Lebanese people in Niger? I remember a few decadent/sleazy guys in Yaounde, they would always try to take us to nightclubs with them, or take us out & show us their horses (they all had horses, too, which was weird).
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