Kira in Africa

Kira in Village...

2008-10-24T20:00:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone, this is Kira's mom again. She has not been able to post for a while, but I speak with her often, so I thought I would send an update.

Kira spent her 1 month in her village - learning to cope with loneliness, isolation, new language, constant stares, cut hands, mice, flies, more cut hands, a bathroom door swelling shut, a wallet being stolen, her sister announcing her pregnancy (much to Kira's dismay) and awesome new friends!

She is actually doing really well. Quite of few of those who made this venture with Kira have ET's (Early Terminated) which speaks to the harshness of Niger. Kira is lucky, she was placed in a Region that enables more contact with other Peace Corps Volunteers and they seem to have developed a great support system.

Since moving to her village, Kira has had a lot of 'firsts'. She has been truly alone for the first time in her life. She has had to cook for herself. Experimentation has taken on a new life of it's own. She absolutely loves the food we have sent, and she is great at mixing new concoctions. Rice with ANYTHING, and gravy mix.... of any kind makes a great meal. Oatmeal suddenly is 'amazing' as breakfast. (too bad she didn't agree as a child!) I sent her a box of food and it was like Christmas... if only Christmas was so easy! I could just buy her food and she would be content... lol... NOT.

Kira got a cat. The cat's name is Roo.... named after her old roommate Amanda... her prior Roo. The cat helps with the Mice problem and the Fly problem - and it provides Kira with responsibility. She has bonded with Roo, with I was not sure would happen.

The village she is stationed in has a fantastic market, which offers fresh fruit, eggs, chicken, and other wares. Kira is pleased that their market is large and considered the best in the Region. Many of her Peace Corps Volunteer friends come into her village every Friday to purchase goods and they often spend the evening to relax and enjoy each other's company - and speak ENGLISH...

Kira has befriended many of the villagers including the Vice Mayor and his two wives. (that takes some getting used to) but she tells me that she feels very safe and everyone is extremely nice and helpful.

She has had some tough moments.... especially cutting her hands severely on the ceiling fan (yes, her temporary home has a ceiling fan - which is no more than a sharp metal fan). She probably needed stitches, but we decided they were African Tattoos - to show her character. But her hardest moment was when her Laptop failed (power cord issue and a new one is on the way...) but that was her lifeline, where she could play cards, view her pictures, listen to music, etc.... so it was a hard moment.

Kira does have cell phone service in her village, so we can speak often - which is a god send for both of us. Internet is only available when she is in the regional capital every few weeks.... but since her laptop is out of service for another week, she hasn't been able to post.

Kira has been getting involved with the schools, sat in some French classes, made friends with the 'seniors' and talking with the teachers. She is excited over the prospect of getting more involved.

Kira has lost a good bit of weight and toned nicely, as she is working out daily.... (shouldn't we all?).... She plans on coming home with a six pack... so all need to be prepared...

Kira's French is amazing... and really fun to hear when we are on the cell phone. You can't imagine what it is like to hear your child speak in another language. I am so impressed... and proud.

Well, Kira hopes to post soon, she plans on being in the Regional Capital over Halloween Weekend (they have planned a party) so she hopes to post to her blog then.

Meanwhile, thanks to all of you who have posted, sent her letters and care packages, she is always so excited when she receives mail, she reads every word to me!

Many thanks for your support -
Pam

Peace, Love, and Care Packages!

2008-09-17T12:03:00.003-04:00

I’ve had a number of people ask me to post of a list of things I would like in care packages. If you don’t want to send me a care package, I completely understand – I love phone calls, letters, photos, emails, and facebook messages too. But if you do want to go out of your way – it’s always appreciated, and it makes my week! ;)

Here are some ideas (honestly, be creative – I love surprises!)
Pictures!!! I’m creating photo boards for my house, so it will feel like home.
Letters (best thing EVER)
Flip Flops
Lotion & other smell good stuff, make up, nail polish & remover
Books (I love bestsellers, Sudoku, and other puzzle books)
Markers, Paper, Pens, Stickers
Deck of Cards
DVDs (anything and everything – except things that will scare me when I’m watching them by myself…New releases/Disney)
Travel games
Food
- Gummies & Candy
- Spices
- Beef jerky
- Dried fruit & nuts
- Tuna/chicken/other cooked meat packages
- Soup mixes
- Crystal light/drink mixes
- Baking mixes
- Velveeta
- Peanut M&Ms
- Trail Mix
- Gum
- Things to make smores
- ANYTHING!!! (except rice, beans, or pasta…i.e. starches)

Anything that reminds me of home…I’m really not picky – it makes me happy that anyone even loves me enough to send me one. XOXO!

Fried Chicken and Mountain Dew

2008-09-17T12:03:00.000-04:00

Getting to my village was a challenge all its own. We arrived in Zinder Ville (Z City) after a 14 hour cramped bus ride (we rode next to a chicken for the last leg of the trip). We were greeted by the entire Zinder team as we pulled into the bus station. We walked back to the hostel, and proceeded to put on togas and have a few rounds of beer pong…You know I felt right at home! We spent the following day visiting the market and buying things for our new homes. I bought an orange-ish rug…go figure, and some other essential items. One thing that I really admire about Niger is how trustworthy the people are. When we were done shopping in the market, I gave all my items to a random man on a cabo-cabo, along with the fare, and he made sure that my items arrived at the hostel, while I continued to shop. I have never heard of anywhere in the world that you can do something like that. Incredible!

As a side note – cabo-cabos are amazing. They are the cheapest form of transportation, you get to ride by yourself, and you are not stuck in some uncomfortable, sweaty bush taxi next to random Nigeriens. Fabulous! WARNING – don’t burn the crap out of your leg on the muffler though. That’s what I get for stepping off the right side of the cabo-cabo…Apparently, all the PCV women in Zinder have the same branding. I find it amusing.

We were supposed to head out to our village on the third day, but there was a gas shortage in the region, and we weren’t able to get gas for the car to get us to our villages. But the kicker is that my friends are blaming me for not being able to get to their villages. Apparently the day prior to leaving, a vendor that has shop close to the hostel told us that he was going to pray to God that Lalla (me) could stay in Zinder Ville an extra day. When we went to get breakfast the next morning and tell him that we weren’t leaving for another day, he was excited because he had prayed that I would stay for an extra day. From this point forward, my friends have asked me to have this guy pray for them in certain situations, since he has it in good with God…

My village is awesome. If you can imagine Niger – never-ending sand, dirt/poorly paved roads, huts far from markets and cities, lack of food choices, and a garbage problem, then you can understand why I was so excited to drive into my village. The road has been newly paved, so it doesn’t take very long to get there from Zinder Ville (2 hours), and the streets are tree-lined…I felt like I was driving somewhere in the states…You have no idea how much this one comfort made me feel at home. My village is not far from Nigeria, so there is a lot of influence in my community. That fact alone makes a world of difference. Fried chicken. Fries. Deep fried eggs (who knew?). Mountain dew and other Pepsi products. Loaves of bread. Shaded market. Choices. How exciting! The country director told me that my village was her favorite place in all of Niger, which of course makes me even happier about my placement.

My most positive experience in my village was going to the market and bargaining for something for the first time. I have had my eye on the intricately designed calabash bowls for a while now, and after some observation, I saw that a local woman paid 300CFA for a bowl. Immediately, vendors try to jack prices up because they know I’m a stranger. I was able to explain to the man that I would not pay 1000CFA for the bowl because I knew the prices, and I had seen a woman who did not pay that amount. He eventually allowed me to buy the bowl for 300CFA and an additional larger bowl for 400CFA. As I was walking home, I was so happy that I had actually used my language skills to make this happen. Then I realized that I paid 700CFA for two carved and painted bowls and that total is worth less than a stamp in this country, which costs 750CFA. Then I was SUPER proud of myself. It’s so funny how the little things will bring you the most joy in life.

My biggest challenge has yet to happen; it will be my first month at post (my village) by myself. I only spent one evening by myself in my village, while most people got several days to feel a little crazy. I did realize, however, that when the PCV who assisted with my live-in left me, I was truly alone for the first time since I’ve arrived in country. Most people never have the opportunity in their life to experience this type of loneliness. You are left by yourself in a country that is not your home, you don’t speak the language (at least not well), and you feel like a complete stranger. I can’t explain how difficult this is…All I know is that that night I had to make a conscious decision that I would not cry, and that I would be happy by myself. I had another PCV tell me to embrace the feeling because no matter what happens in your life, you will never feel like this ever again. Even if you join the Peace Corps again, and train in a new country with a new language, it will never be the same as the first time you were truly alone. After your first month, you will start understanding the language better, make friends in the community, and have your ‘American reprieves.’ And it’s guaranteed that you’ll never feel that way again. It’s a very humbling experience to say the least. Now, let’s see if I can get through the first month without going crazy…I expect phone calls people!

Official Peace Corps Volunteer!

2008-09-15T22:26:00.001-04:00

Doesn't Kira look amazing? She has officially been sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer - having passed her French requirements! Now off to her village. Hopefully she can post more observations soon...... meanwhile - check out her pictures - click the links to the right of her post.

Kira - September 08

2008-09-15T22:22:00.001-04:00

“Life is like a chicken butt…”

2008-08-25T14:51:00.001-04:00

By far, my favorite Nigerien proverb was mentioned a few days ago in our diversity session. A volunteer that was leading the session mentioned “Life is like a chicken butt, one day you get eggs, the next day you get shit.” I couldn’t help but laugh. I was having a really terrible day, in part the dreary day, in part my mood. That cheered me up, and I knew that tomorrow would be a new day. I think that saying might be going on our stage t-shirts.

Everyone gets weary here of people having bad days (because we’re 4 people down from staging). We also know the group that is COSing (Close of Service) is about 25 people, when they started with 45. So around 20 people have ETed (Early Termination), gotten MedSep’d (Medical Separation), or AdminSep’d (Administrative Separation). My roommate here pegged me last night when she told me that she wasn’t worried about me ETing. I asked her why she thought that, and she informed me that I would be too upset at the idea of disappointing my friends and family back at home. It made me laugh at how well she understood me. I absolutely could not get through this without everyone supporting me. You have given me so much strength to get through the bad days. I am so grateful to have you all – writing me letters, calling me, sending packages, emails, and facebook messages. I was explaining to my mom just a few days ago that here a facebook message is so much more than just a facebook message. A comment on my blog means SO MUCH. And letters mean the WORLD. One of my biggest fears going into this whole process was that the life I was leaving behind would continue on and forget about me. It makes me so happy to know that my friends and family would take time out of their day and think about me. You’re all so wonderful, and I’m so happy with the decision I’ve made to go to Africa, but I know that I never would have gotten to this point without all of you. I just realized today that I have officially been outside of the states longer than I ever have before. I’m going to keep taking things one day at a time, and I’ll be home before you know it!

Appreciation - A New Outlook

2008-08-25T14:49:00.001-04:00

Things I have come to appreciate:
1. Coca Cola (especially cold bottles)
2. Fruit (mangoes, bananas, and pineapples are incredible!!!)
3. Hugs (when you can sneak them)
4. The internet (I smile non-stop from the time I get on until I am forced to leave the café or the internet goes out – whichever happens first)
5. Chocolate cookies (I didn’t even like chocolate much before I came)
6. Gum
7. Laughing cow cheese (doesn’t need refrigeration)
8. Nutella (I keep thinking about those jars of Nutella in the cabinet in the kitchen, Amanda…People would give their first born child for some Nutella…)
9. Anything with sugar
10. Tanktops (I love my mosquito net time)
11. Cold air (we love being sick, so we can spend time in air conditioning)
12. Ice cubes (which we aren’t allowed to have most of the time due to bad water)
13. Rain (cooler weather)
14. My computer (I have realized how much I love writing, and watching movies, and listening to music, and looking at pictures…and studying French verbs?)
15. My iPod (OMG – my lifesaver)
16. My pillow (thanks, Mom…it’s so much better than a tshirt)
17. Eye makeup (You don’t want to look frumpy all the time…)
18. My mosquito net (HAHAHA – you bugs can’t get me in here!!!)
19. Jeans (I may be considered a prostitute, but I feel GREAT!)
20. Flip flops (I’ve already gone through several pair)
21. My curly hair (I never thought it would come in handy)
22. The fact that I don’t smell bad (self explanatory)
23. Nail polish (it’s amazing how something so small can brighten your day)
24. Letters (I live for mail…and it never fails to make me cry)
25. Emails & facebook posts (ya yi kyau!)
26. My friends at home (thanks for not forgetting me)
27. Deep conversation (finally feeling like I’m making real friends here)
28. Shallow conversation (sometimes it’s great to break up the seriousness – I especially love hearing about the scandalous-ness of my favorite Federal Hillsiders)
29. The fact that I don’t sunburn too badly (good to note when I get my own concession and can walk around in my bikini to even out my tan – my arms, face, and feet are super tan)
30. That I don’t wear glasses or contacts (dust storms are ridiculous)
31. Phone calls and text messages (ya yi kyau!)
32. Vegetables (heavenly)
33. Pizza (yes…even if it’s made with tomato paste, flatbread, powdered milk-cheese, and sautéed weeds)
34. Mesa Parties
35. Amandines (the most American place in Niger)
36. The American Rec Center (bikini and a beer by the pool!)
37. Paved roads (potholes worse than Baltimore – and that’s saying something!)
38. Upkeep of vehicles (I have never seen vehicles in this shape actually run…)
39. My love of reading (I’ve already read 3 books and we are SUPER busy all the time)
40. Patience (I’m working on it)

Zinder!

2008-08-25T14:13:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday was site announcements! We take the entire afternoon to play games, listen to music, and have “cocktails” – which consisted of Coke, Sprite, and Fanta. We played a brutal game of musical chairs, and when we got out, we were separated into ethnic groups of Niger (they didn’t want to tell us the name of our region right away), and then after everyone was separated by region, we were told exactly what region we were going to.

So I’m going to ZINDER! (pronounced “zin-dair”) Zinder is an Eastern region of Niger, and at this time, the farthest region from the capital, Niamey, that Peace Corps Volunteers are assigned. There are a lot of positive and negative things about being assigned to a village in Zinder.
Positives:
1. It’s supposedly 10 degrees cooler and cleaner in Zinder.
2. It has the most vegetation of all the regions (major brownie points!)
3. The city of Mirriah is the ancient capital of Niger, coupled with the fact that Nigeria and Chad are located nearby, creates a very unique culture found only in this region. Not to mention that we could learn broken Nigerian English (somewhat like Pigeon English).
4. Apparently, we have an incredible hostel for the PCVs in our region that includes: some of the best books found in any library (because people bring books out to Zinder, but not many come out to bring them back to the other libraries) and a toilet (not a latrine…awesome!).
5. We’re the only region that gets to ride “cabo-cabos” - motorcycles (taxis are hard to come by), with our handy-dandy helmets of course).
6. We have lots of regional spirit – we got “Z” shirts that look like something a sorority would wear and brownies too (that’s a HUGE deal here)!
7. Several of my closest friends also were also placed in this region.
Negatives:
1. Somewhere between 14 hours (minimal) to 27 hours (I heard this was an exceptionally ridiculous case) to arrive in Zinder Ville (the actual city) from Niamey. Niamey is where the only international airport is located; although, I heard there is hope that different regions might start getting international flights.

So a little bit about my village – it’s actually a small city, which is exciting for me because I will be able to work on some larger scale projects during my service. My village is a market town, so a cluster of volunteers will be coming into town each Friday for market. Somewhat appropriate, considering how I like to be the center of attention…haha. In all seriousness, I am looking forward to seeing other volunteers on a pretty regular basis just for my personal sanity. I was told that the volunteer before me left “big shoes to fill,” which I think will motivate me to continue with projects he left and hopefully create innovative new projects that will continue to improve the community. He left me a really wonderful detailed document describing the village, people, projects, and even advice. One thing that completely reassured me was that he ate “three square street food meals a day” which means if I can’t manage to cook for myself, I’ll be able to find something…somewhere. Unfortunately, I won’t get to meet him because he left Niger early to attend grad school, but I’m looking forward to contacting him to hear even more about his experience in my village. So – in addition to the market and places to get food, I also have a post office, l’inspection (education department), and a Peace Corps hostel. I won’t get internet unless I travel about 90k to Zinder Ville, which I can do every few weeks.

The kicker is that they sold the volunteer house, so I am homeless. Sweet! In the meantime, I will have a temporary house, for an undetermined amount of time. I was told that this house was incredible and not to get too attached because my real house wouldn’t nearly be as awesome. So I can’t really give anyone any stats on my electricity/running water/bathroom situation. I believe my mayor and supervisor are currently searching for a residence, so as soon as I know I’ll post all the information.

The first 3 months we live in our village, we aren’t supposed to be working on projects. We should be integrating into the community and practicing the language. In the meantime, lots of boredom takes place. Feel free to send me movies, books, magazines, letters, and any other forms of entertainment you can think of! I’m actually looking forward to learning to cook – something I have had little patience for in the past. I guess it’s something I’m learning from Nigeriens – Sai Hankuri!

A Letter to My Mother

2008-08-10T06:44:00.000-04:00

Dear Momma,

I wanted to write you a letter and let you know a bit about some feelings I’ve been reflecting on lately. As you know, acclimating to the culture in Niger takes a lot of patience and thought, and I have spent a lot of time contemplating my strengths and weaknesses. I recognize how dependant I am on a solid support system, mainly my family and friends. I have come to accept and embrace this concept, but I realize that you may not know the true extent of my appreciation. I hope this letter will allow you to understand the love, respect, and gratitude I have for my best friend in the world, my mother.

I firmly believe that you will meet people in your life who help you overcome obstacles, inspire you to be a better person, and connect to you on a deeper level – true soulmates. If ever I had a soulmate, it would be you, Momma. You understand me. You have always been my rock, the strongest support I could ever have, from the YWCA through college, and now even continents away. Simply put – I would not be the person I am today if it were not for you.

I recognize how much you must love, trust, and respect me to afford me the privileges of choosing to stay in South Carolina for two years, traveling to Bolivia, Europe, Australia, and Central America, changing my major 4 times across a span of 5 years, continuing to live in Baltimore and try to do things my own way even though I couldn’t afford it, and of course now supporting me in my decision to uproot myself and move to Africa for two years. You once told me that my dreams, aspirations, and experiences have become yours as well, and it makes me happy to know that I am able to share them with you. I know that as long as I can call you my mother, I will never be alone – and that is the biggest comfort I could ever have. Packages, letters, and telephone calls are not even needed for me to appreciate what a supportive, caring, and absolutely incredible person you are.

I am grateful to you for always staying strong and pushing me, even through my doubts and occasional breakdowns. I know I have not always been the most appreciative daughter, but I hope you know that I would give anything to be HALF the mother, friend, woman that you are. I’ve never heard truer words spoken than by a young girl who crawled up into her mother’s bed and said, “You’re so beautiful.”

And I still believe you’re the most beautiful women I’ve ever met.

I love you,
Kira

2008-08-08T22:18:00.001-04:00

2008-08-06T21:19:00.001-04:00

2008-08-06T21:00:00.002-04:00

“Anasara Status”

2008-08-06T06:42:00.002-04:00

It’s totally the fishbowl effect all over again. We must have reiterated this a million times during RA training, but now it’s on a scale that is unbelievable. These people see EVERYTHING we do! We are called “anasara” here, which means ‘stranger’ and often ‘white person,’ although even black PCVs get called anasara because they are foreign and everyone knows it (lighter skin, different look, different language, etc). People often think that we have tons of money, so they will often try to make us pay massive amounts more for food and items at the market. We spend a lot of time learning to bargain. People stare in bush taxis, they talk about us when we walk by, and the children follow you throughout the market for no reason other than to just look at you. When we were stopped in a bush taxi, there were a few small children who came over and stood at the window just staring for 15 minutes.

I have been told that villagers are proud of their anasara, but they will be more up in your business than you can ever imagine. If you are a female and over the age of 20 and not married, it’s pretty much unheard of. You have to have a really good excuse as to why you aren’t married. Some of the PCVs enjoy the exchange between themselves and villagers as they explain that in the United States, most people wait until much later to get married and have children. They will often try to ‘find you a husband.’ If you claim to be single, men will constantly propose to you. I think it gets to the point where some PCVs make up stories. “I have a boyfriend” often doesn’t cut it because they wonder why you aren’t engaged. You can say you’re married, but that brings up the idea that ‘a woman is nothing without her husband’ and why is he not here with you? And as a female PCV, if you have a boy over in your concession for the night, people automatically think you are dating, and most likely having sex outside of marriage. If a boyfriend does visit, many PCVs tell their villagers that he is another PCV or NGO worker visiting for a project. Others say they are engaged, but then you might want a ‘chaperone’ to stay the night as well…Any which way, it’s a difficult situation to come from an environment that has completely different views on male/female relationships. I have yet to figure out what my excuses are for when my male friends visit.

Not to mention the lack of affection in this society. I guess it comes in different forms, but it's hard when you have a bad day and you just want a hug, and you aren't allowed to do that in public. Even married couples don't hold hands, kiss, or hug, yet they make LOTS of babies! Haha. You will often see men and men or women and women holding hands because it's more acceptable (homosexuality is illegal, so the idea that this is considered gay is unthinkable). I guess I just need to get my lovin' on from my girlfriends here.

“Sai Hankuri” – Differences in living conditions

2008-08-06T06:39:00.000-04:00

In Hausa “Sai Hankuri” means “have patience,” and they say it after pretty much anything. Time is a concept that is very different here than it is in the states. Things tend to happen when they happen. If anyone was privileged enough to see me flip out on Tony my sophomore year of college about his unique perception of time, this is very similar. People either do or don’t show up to meetings, people are continuously late, and they believe that if it doesn’t happen it is not at the fault of the person, it just means that God didn’t want it to happen at that time. There is also an Arabic saying “In Sha Allah” which means “God willing” or “If God wills it.” It is used in an overabundance –
“Do you think it’s going to rain?” “In Sha Allah”
“Do you think the Mayor will show up to this meeting?” “In Sha Allah”
“Don’t you think your daughter should get a good education?” “In Sha Allah”
“Am I ever going to learn French?!?!” “Sai Hankuri, In Sha Allah…”

“Riding it Hot” – Stories of Bush Taxis

2008-08-06T06:05:00.000-04:00

Your first time riding in a bush taxi is one that you are not likely to forget. Bush taxis are poorly constructed small passenger vans that take you from “the bush” (the middle of nowhere) to where you need to go. They are infamous for having about 12 seats in the vehicle, and squeezing twice that amount of people into the van, along with a few chickens and potentially even a goat. If that isn’t enough, they have people riding on the roof with any luggage. This will be my form of transportation on most occasions throughout my two years here. There is no air conditioning in bush taxis, and you are squeezed into positions that you never thought were possible. For a culture of people that don’t allow men and women to touch, I sure had every inch of my personal space invaded. Complete strangers basically sit on top of one another. At every stop you have to wonder if the bush taxi will be able to start again. On one of my first rides here, the bush taxi ran out of gas on the middle of the road. Everyone exited the bus, and many of the women walked out into the bush to use the rest room, while the men helped add gasoline into the vehicle and start to push the van down the road. We had to walk a bit of a distance before they got it up and running again, and everyone jumped/crammed themselves back into the van to get to our destination. The ultimate bush taxi experience is called “riding it hot” which is when “Mr. D. pays a visit while you’re on a bush taxi,” the ultimate Peace Corps experience.

“Babu NoNo” – Trials and Tribulations of the Language Barrier

2008-08-06T06:01:00.000-04:00

The trainees are learning three different languages in our village. The Community and Youth Education (CYE) trainees, myself included, are learning French first, and then Hausa or Zarma as our secondary language. I will be placed in “Hausaland,” so my host family speaks Hausa in the home. For those who test out of French, they can start with their second language, but I’m not so lucky. The French here is slightly different, so it sounds somewhat like Spanish the way they roll their “R’s.” I’m picking it up pretty quickly, but it can be very frustrating at times. It really is the most intensive language program I’ve ever seen. We have language classes almost every day (up to 4 ½ hours a day), tutoring for 2 hours for 2 nights a week, and language immersion programs and incentives to speak it at every turn (lunch, breaks, and in the village). I guess it’s all for a good purpose because we have to meet an “intermediate mid” level of language before they will allow us to swear-in and move into our villages.

One of the natural occurrences that happens when learning a new language is the innate ability to make some hilarious mistakes. My favorite thus far came from a volunteer friend of mine. Every morning in the village, he would order a cup of tea without milk (because we aren’t allowed). The way he said this in Hausa was “Babu NoNo” – Babu meaning “No” and NoNo meaning what he thought was “milk.” When he spoke to an instructor one morning, he told her that he ordered his tea “Babu NoNo” and she said “uh-uh…” and started shaking her head no, while cupping her hand below her breast. He had been telling the man in the market that he wanted his tea “without breast milk” every morning. No wonder the man always looked at him so weird in the mornings. Haha! I’ve never laughed so hard.

“Apparently, I’m a sinner” – Nigerien Perception on Everything

2008-08-06T05:59:00.000-04:00

Since being here, I had to change pretty much everything about my American way of life to accommodate to life in Niger, so I’m not viewed by villagers as a prostitute. To give you all a little insight into the changes, I have compiled a list of things we are and are not allowed to do here in Niger, as well as some superstitions. I’m sure I’ll be adding to this list as time goes by.
1. Don’t drink alcohol or wear jeans – apparently that makes you a prostitute…Great.
2. Don’t use your left hand to reach for things, to offer or take money, or to eat from a communal bowl. Thank God I’m right handed – left handed folk often have so much trouble with this…
3. Don’t hold your hand up with the palm facing outward and the fingers spread. It’s considered an insult equivalent to flipping someone off. You even have to be careful how you wave to people.
4. Don’t (or at least try not to) refuse anything you are offered. (Try a little bit and bless the food if you don’t want to eat much) – Ahamdellaye!
5. Don’t hang your underwear out to dry in public.
6. Don’t show your knees, or your shoulders in some places. It is commonly said that US knees = Nigerien boobs and vice versa because you commonly see women shirtless and breast feeding in public, yet you’ll never see anyone’s knees. It’s also true that in the more conservative areas, women dress down to their toes and almost always cover their head.
7. Don’t walk directly in front of someone who is praying and don’t do anything that might disturb prayer.
8. Don’t smell food. It’s considered rude because people think you’re questioning the quality of the food. Also, don’t blow on food to cool it off because it’s suspected that you are blowing away the riches and good blessings from the food.
9. Don’t step over people or over food that are lying on mats.
10. Don’t lay on your back in public if you are a woman. It’s considered a sexual invitation.
11. Take your shoes off before walking or sitting on a mat.
12. Always announce yourself when you come into a concession. You say “Salaam Aleykum” and the person responds “Amin, Aleykum Asalaam,” unless of course they are praying.
13. Wash your face in the morning before meals. The washing is a ritual for cleaning away the ‘impurities’ of the night.
14. Cover your mouth when you yawn. That will prevent bad spirits or things from getting into you.
15. Say goodbye to your family when you leave the concession. You can say “Kala Tonton” in Zarma or “Sai An Jima” in Hausa.
16. Don’t walk in a mosque with shoes on.
17. Don’t eat, drink, or smoke in front of someone fasting during Ramadan (month long fast for Muslims).
18. Don’t touch the Koran without purifying yourself.
19. Don’t ever threaten a beggar, say “Allah shi bada hankuri” – basically “May God help you”
20. Don’t enter a concession where women are cloistered, unless you have authorization from the husband.
21. Don’t offer pork to a Muslim.
22. Keep pets away from praying places, especially dogs, which are seen as exceptionally dirty creatures…My host family laughed when they saw my pictures of Sadie and Chase. Having dogs as pets is completely foreign to them.
23. We can’t drink milk because it’s unpasteurized, and if we drink it we could test positive for TB. And worse than testing positive for TB is the meds you have to take after you test positive – you can’t drink alcohol for a year. So no milk for me, unless it’s powder or condensed. The only milk product that we can have is “solani” which is a yogurt that comes in a bag that you buy in the market. It’s pretty good, and apparently the Mango and Strawberry solani are the best…I have yet to find them.
24. Superstition: Never feed your child eggs because they will become a thief.
25. Superstition: If the first person you see when you wake up is a blind man or a man with one eye, you will have bad luck.
26. Superstition: Lepers are good luck, but you have to wake up before them or it is bad luck.
27. Superstition: Don’t whistle at night, it attracts bad spirits.
28. Superstition: Don’t fish on Saturday because you’ll turn into a monkey.
29. Superstition: A man who eats the head of a rat will become the chief.
30. Superstition: Don’t eat when walking because you’ll be walking with the devil.
31. Superstition: If your upper eyelid twitches, you will see someone you haven’t seen in a long time. If your lower eyelid twitches, a family member will die.
32. Superstition: If you left hand itches, you will receive money. If your right hand itches, you will give money.
33. Superstition: Where ever a person or donkey has a seizure, never pass over that spot or you will have a seizure too.
34. Superstition: Never pound millet or braid your hair at night because it attracts evil spirits (genies).
35. Superstition: A woman who looks in a mirror at night or sees the moon during the day will never be married.

“Demyst, Demystified”

2008-08-06T05:53:00.000-04:00

After a few weeks of intensive training, they give us the best present we could ever ask for…Demystification! This is an opportunity for us to spend a long weekend with a current volunteer and see what it’s like to be a PCV in Niger. I was placed in the Tillaberi region with two agricultural volunteers who have been in country for 6 months. It was really awesome to hear their stories, reassuring to hear how much of the language they spoke within such a short period of time, and the best part was being able to get away from the stresses of training for a few days. We ate dinner a few times with a counterpart (a member of the community who you work with on your projects), but one of the best things about Demyst was being able to eat something other than rice, beans, and millet. I had different types of pasta and even an egg sandwich. Yeah…I get excited over an egg sandwich – It’s that desperate. The absolute BEST thing about Demyst was when the volunteer I was with had her mom call my mom and I got to talk on the phone for the first time in 3 weeks! I spoke with Momma, John, Matt, Grandma, Grandpa, Amanda, Kate, Emma, and Miller – I honestly couldn’t have been more excited about anything. You all made my life! I returned from Demyst re-energized and everyone kept asking me why I was so happy over the next few days…So thanks for the phone calls – I appreciate them more than you will EVER know!

“Mr. D n’est pas gentil”

2008-08-06T05:50:00.000-04:00

They told us during staging that while the word “diarrhea” is somewhat taboo in the United States, it will be considered casual conversation in Niger. I never thought I would be comfortable talking about something like that, but my stage has already affectionately named him “Mr. D.” When Mr. D shows up at your door, you should be prepared to stop whatever you’re doing to tend to him. Haha. Needless to say, most of us have never been so sick in our entire lives. And it’s not really Mr. D at your door if you go to the bathroom less than 4 times during a day. One of our VATs (current PCVs who are helping with the training of new volunteers), told us stories about using the restroom up to 30 times in a day. Basically, our bodies can’t really cope with the stress, culture shock, weather, the same bland food day after day, and not to mention water that still has bacteria in it after being filtered and bleached. They say you don’t truly become a Peace Corps Volunteer until you crap your pants. I didn’t think that was possible, but we’ve already had a few from our stage inducted into that prestigious club.

Only a few weeks in, I’ve already been diagnosed with amoebas and bacteria – a combination that leaves you in the bathroom the majority of the day. The medication I received for it was actually worse in many ways to the sickness itself, and you aren’t able to drink alcohol while you’re on them. Luckily, I am currently on the third set of medications, and they don’t suck quite as bad, and we aren’t really able to drink much here in Niger…A note left from a volunteer says “Amoebas are a girl’s best friend” with a picture of a fat girl and then a skinny girl. It’s sadly true – I’ve already lost 15 pounds in the short time I’ve been here…but no worries! Apparently most female volunteers gain weight here due to the over abundance of starches in the diet.

“The Milky Way” and “We’re in Africa” – Realizations

2008-08-06T05:48:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while someone in our group will just blurt out “Hey guys…We’re in Africa.” I can’t think of another way to describe what it is like to have your world flipped upside down. It’s the moments where we start to feel the comfort of home, that we are thrown a curveball to let us know we are far from it. For instance, once a week, a bunch of us have gotten together to have a “movie night,” and we all gather around outside on mats in a concession that happens to have electricity and we use my tiny laptop with some cheap speakers, to watch what we like to call “Niger-friendly movies.” We have to keep the material pretty PG because sex & alcohol & drugs & homosexuality are no-goes in Niger, and even though one of our “more liberal” host families watches with us, they’re still pretty tame (Italian Job & Good Will Hunting). Halfway through the movie, when we’re at the ‘good part,’ you start to hear a donkey braying in the background. All the American start laughing and someone blurts out “Hey guys…We’re in Africa.” (Oh, ps – we’re running out of Niger-friendly movies…send me anything!)

Every night I lie under my mosquito net and stare up at the stars. I can still see the big dipper here, which is exciting because I can see it at home too. It really is the deepest I’ve ever been able to see into the sky. I see shooting stars every night – it’s truly incredible. One thing that was pointed out to me while I was hanging out with a volunteer was that what I thought was a weird cloud in the night sky is actually the Milky Way. You can see it with your naked eye…That’s really intense…I really am in Africa.

One of the things I did not realize prior to arriving was that we would be sleeping outside every night. We put our mattresses inside our hut during the day (it could monsoon at any time), but we pull them out every night, hoping that it won’t rain. There were a few nights we had to rush inside to beat the rain, but it cools off enough that it’s not too terrible. Another major difference that takes a little getting used to is using a latrine. Basically, we have a hole in the ground and that is our toilet. They have an entire session dedicated to learning the proper way to use a latrine, how to manage without toilet paper if we so desire (I don’t desire to yet…haha), how to do our own laundry, how to sweep our hut, how to light our lantern, and how to take a bucket bath. It was an entertaining and enlightening session. A couple days later, they taught us to filter and bleach our own water. I’m pretty sure I ended up drinking unfiltered water without even knowing it, which explains why I was sick after one week of being here. Another note - bucket baths aren’t as terrible as they seem. I’m learning some major water conservation techniques. I really feel like this is the ultimate camping trip for two years. I wouldn’t exactly say you feel clean, but I feel like you just stop feeling dirty.

“The Apocalypse” – Seasons & Bugs

2008-08-06T05:46:00.000-04:00

The second day we were in country, we experienced our first monsoon. I mentioned to a friend that if the same thing had happened in the states, everyone would think it was the Apocalypse. We were sitting under a hangar having some of our first introductions when the sky started to turn red from a dust storm. I guess dust storms are typically more common in hot season, but we got to experience one now. The winds were really intense and the rain was like a torrent. It was a frighteningly beautiful experience to say the least.

There are three seasons in Niger – rainy season, cold season, and hot season. We are currently in rainy season, so there is more green in this country that anyone expected. Right now farming is very prevalent – with the main crop being millet, a pretty bland grain that they manage to eat at every meal. We’re lucky because we get mangoes right now, but it’s a treat that won’t last very long. Along with the mangoes, we have lots of fun creatures that like to come out to play during the rainy season. My first encounter was rounding the corner of a building and seeing these massive, brightly-colored lizards scurry across the wall. So lizards here are equivalent to squirrels at home. The second night I was here, I came across a chariot spider. It was about the size of my fist and it ran (really fast) across the wall in a room I was standing in. I found out the reason they call it a chariot spider is because scorpions will jump on the spider’s back and ride them places…Seriously. I have yet to see that happen, but I’m sure it will be a sight worth blogging about. Our latrine is covered in cockroaches (basically at night) and we have a “cuzu” who lives in our hut (that’s Hausa for mouse – we figured that out when our host mom went running after the cuzu with a gardening hoe), but they don’t really bother me as much as they do some of the others in stage. Mosquitoes pretty much leave alone, but due to the rainy season, we have a massive infestation of bed bugs. My poor roommate was almost eaten alive for the first three weeks, and they started on me for about a week before our beds were finally changed out. We think the problem is at a standstill for the moment (knock on wood).

I was given some excellent advice that came in the form of an anonymous note on the first day of training. It said “If there is lightening in the East, take your bed down and sleep inside. If there is lightning in the North, South, or West, sleep outside and enjoy the show.” Due to that, I have been able to predict some of the crazy weather patterns here in Niger. Luckily everyone prays to the East (towards Mecca) so I have my directions down pretty well.

Cold season starts around November – which is exciting because we will be swearing in on September 11th and we will be at post (our individual villages) for what is considered the most comfortable of all seasons. I believe that it actually gets as low as the 40s at night in the coldest part of the season. Peace Corps Volunteers have told me they still sleep outside at night. We’ll see how that goes. During hot season, there are temperatures that reach an upwards of 120 degrees – so I don’t believe I’ll be sleeping inside from March until July.

“Hot mess of fiery hot hotness” – My first impressions of Niger

2008-08-06T05:43:00.001-04:00

Niger is hot. There. It’s been said. It’s funny because the volunteers that arrive at the airport to greet us give all the newbies a liter bottle of warm water as a welcoming gift, and then they tell us how lucky we are that we get to ride in the air conditioned “Magic Bus.” The first bus ride out of Niamey to the village where training takes place was like sitting in the middle of a movie. Flying over the sands of the Sahara desert was a sight unto itself, but driving past people clothed in bright colors from head to toe, women wearing babies on their backs, sand streets and mud-brick huts, herds of goats and cattle, camels and donkeys, and mounds of trash being burned on the side of the road was almost overwhelming. It’s immediately apparent that this place holds so much beautiful culture as well as its obvious problems.

Malaria is a really big threat here, so we were warned of how much trouble we would be in if we didn’t take our medications and use our mosquito net in order to prevent the disease. I don’t think we really knew what all we were in for when it came to the medications though. The side effects of some of the medications include, but are not limited to, hallucinations and vivid dreams. One of my friends keeps having hallucinations during the day of bugs running by her during class, and black crows swooping down on her while she’s walking. She is also having nightmares of bugs crawling on her at night. The PCVs I stayed with during Demyst told me that it varies from silly dreams of turtles eating roosters to people even hallucinating African ghost children. I sure hope to God that the worst thing that happens to me is the fact that I thought I woke up to my roommate crowing like a rooster the other morning. It took me a few minutes to realize that it was actually a rooster and not my roommate. And then again, I was told that the upside to meds is some crazy sex dreams. Haha…I know you all must be so jealous!

Although Niger is considered one of the more stable countries in western Africa, currently, PCVs aren’t allowed to travel to Agadez , a large city slightly north of the center of Niger, or anywhere further North. Much of this has to do with a Tuareg (nomadic group of the Sahara) rebellion against the government. I also discovered that many of the countries around Niger are off limits too. Despite all the fuss, I feel really safe here, and the people are very friendly and welcoming to outsiders. So if you guys plan to visit me, we will most likely have to fly in and out of the country if you wanted to see any other countries during your stay. I have decided that my ultimate African wish list includes: Togo, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso (all on a 5 country visa – which a group of us are already looking into), Mali (how cool would it be to go to Timbuktu), Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Mozambique (a friend’s boyfriend is going to be a Mozambique PCV and she’s going to do a Close of Service (COS) trip there – they have incredible beaches and scuba diving!), and South Africa. I realize I might not be able to do them all, but hey, why not set some goals!?! Hey Karla – I still think we should do Italy, Turkey, Greece, and Crete when I’m done in two years… “Ya Yi Kyau” (It’s good! – in Hausa)

"A two year journey with strangers” – Staging

2008-08-06T05:28:00.000-04:00

My stage – hmmm…what can I say about my stage. These people are such an incredible group of people. We all have so much in common, but differ on many levels. Most of the individuals are in their early twenties and just out of college, and come from all different backgrounds from all over the states. The one commonality among the entire group is that we are all crazy enough to disconnect ourselves from our lives in the states, and push ourselves far beyond any comfort zone we ever had. We have just thrown ourselves into the complete opposite lifestyle than any of us has ever experienced. The language, culture, norms, technology, food, religion, sense of humor, weather, relationships, and way of life are unlike anything we’ve ever encountered. In fact, many Peace Corps volunteers often refer to Niger as the “Hard Corps” not the “Peace Corps.” Niger is apparently considered one of the top three hardest posts, along with Mongolia (for the cold), and Mauritania (for the different ethnic groups that don’t get along). We were placed in uber-conservative, poverty stricken, Niger, in the middle of the Sahara Desert with highest birthrate in the world and a food crisis. We have to be a little off our rockers to willingly step into this role. So in many ways, these people are my soulmates. It’s comforting to finally meet other people who understand what I’m going through – what it’s like to tell friends and family that you want to move to Africa, how difficult it is to leave everyone and everything behind, and how frightening it is to adjust to this foreign place.

We also share so many differences and talents. It’s incredible to meet such amazing people. After two days in Philadelphia, we had all connected so much that we agreed it was much more difficult to get on the flight to Philly than it was to get on the flight to Niger.

Spoke with Kira!

2008-07-27T15:45:00.002-04:00

July 27, 2008

Hi Everyone, I was able to speak with Kira today and she sounded wonderful! She is on a weekend trip to stay with a Peace Corp Volunteer who has been in service for about a year. That volunteer had a cell phone and Kira was able to reach me. She says to tell everyone she misses them and can't wait to receive letters! (hint hint)

Kira says it is a real culture shock, but doesn't take too long to begin to adjust. She attends training every day and mostly studies French. Her French has progressed a great deal. In the evenings she stays with her host family. Her 'mom' does not speak French, but rather Hausa. Her 'father' does speak French and the 4 children ranging in age from 13 - 17 all speak a little French. This family is lucky because they have a little electricity. They actually have a TV and Kira says they watch a horrible soap opera in the evenings. The good news is that the show is in French so she gets to practice.

This is their rainy season and Kira described the storms as so severe, that anyone here would think it was the Apocalypse because of the real strange sky color and heavy rains. It is real hot and actually humid this time of year so that has been rather hard. She sleeps outside most nights under her mosquito netting. The flies have been her biggest challenge, they are everywhere. She has to take 'bucket baths' and you have to be selective of the time of day or the flies swarm you. I take it that bathroom time is real interesting, but I will let her explain that some time... Kira says she doubts her feet will ever be clean again.

Kira thinks she will be placed in either Maridi or Konni in Niger. Either way, she should have internet and cell phone access. Once she obtains a cell phone, I will get the number to everyone.

Meanwhile, Kira sounds wonderful. She is still full of excitment and curosity. Sounds like Kira!

Kira Arrives in Africa!

2008-07-11T21:45:00.007-04:00

7/11/08 - I received confirmation of Kira's arrival in Niger! Here is a picture of all the new Peace Corps Volunteers ready for training. The email also mentioned they are experiencing their first African Monsoon today. I am sure we will hear about that! Hopefully Kira will be able to post soon.

July 7, 2008 - Look out Africa, here comes Kira!

2008-07-07T20:15:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone - this is Pam (Kira's mom). I am not sure she will be able to post before she officially leaves for Africa, so I thought I would start. Kira left for Philly this morning and met her fellow trainees today. Lots of bonding and preparations over the next 2 days, then Wednesday they head to Africa. She will be located in Niger for the first few months in training. At some point during training, she will learn where she will be stationed for the remainder of her program. She will live with a host family while training, so she will be immersed in the language and culture. Hopefully she will have Internet access occasionally so she can keep us up to date.

Meanwhile, I wanted to express something Kira talked a lot about before leaving. She has amazing family, friends and friends that may as well be family (you know who you are). Baltimore meant a lot to her and she will dearly miss her outings with her drunken cohorts (I mean friends!) Kira struggled leaving all of you, even if only for a short time. Ok - so I am optimistic that it will feel like a short time!

I ask all of you to keep in touch, let Kira know we are proud of her and that we all look forward to the Welcome Home party - currently scheduled for October 2010 at one of the familiar bars in Federal Hill!