Niameytime

My two weeks in Niamey are coming to a close tonight. Since Niamey is the capital of Niger, it is no doubt very different from the rest of the country. Some differences are good, some annoying, some just … big cityish. The more time I spend out East, the more I dislike Niamey. Niamey, please take no offense, but I like small towns and even smaller villages.

The good, the annoying…Niamey:
Riding in a greyhound-like bus through the bush to get to the city
Bargaining with a taxi driver for directions while driving down the road – in a separate vehicle
Mosquitoes
People, people, and more people
English church
Meat and cheese
A/C
Fellowship
Zarma

The other day I visited the American rec center for a good, American lunch (taco salad with Dr. Pepper.) After talking to a man for a few minutes in French, he responds (in English): “Please speak English, because I don’t understand Zarma.”
So yeah, he speaks perfect English. I don’t know if my French was that bad or if he doesn’t understand. But I definitely was not speaking Zarma. My friends and I got a good kick out of this…just another joy of living in a land with so many languages!

By the way, now I am learning Hausa. So in my jumbled brain there is a little bit of: English, French, Fulfulde, Hausa…and every once in awhile some Wolof slips out. I have no recollection of Spanish…ninth grade was a long time ago. I’m worried about losing English. English is being shot down by Southern. Despite living in Niger, my Southern accent is strengthening everyday.

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so during the month of Ramadan, at night these little boys come out and act like rabbits. they dance and beat tins, hoping for treats. the first time i saw it i was bit concerned about the mental state of the little fellow. but he was just having a good time. seeing these guys...good times of laughter!
















saturday i rode out west a bit with a friend to see if her road had cleared of water so she could return to her home in the bush. along the way we ran into a rain storm.















































you cannot see the road, b/c the river is the road. during dry season there isn't a lick of water here.

thus, the road is not ready to be crossed yet. here in the west they get a lot more rain than we do out east.

...goodbye Niamey!