January - March 2010

Coup d’Etat - February 18, 2010: I was in my village and it was a day like any other. I had taken a quiet morning to myself complete with a cup of hot cocoa, a sleeping kitty in my lap, and a good book. At 10am I left for the school to do a couple hours of work and then went to visit friends for lunch. Later in the day, I was home working on my fan (I wanted it to stop make so much racket when it oscillated) with my baba and one of his friends when I received a text from one of my Peace Corps friends. She gave me a brief update on what she was up to in her village ad then finished the text with, "People are shooting at the President, WTF?!" I had no clue what to make of that so I turned to my baba and said in Zarma, "Well either people are shooting at your president or my president." He and his friend shrugged it off and just casually remarked, "Well, I guess there's a coup d'etat." I couldn't believe how nonchalant they were being, but I followed their lead and just continued going about my business. So, I can now add a coup d'etat to my ever-growing resume here in Niger.

For more information on the events of February 18, 2010 (because I can't seem to find the motivation to finish this section), you can check out the following webpage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Nigerien_coup_d'%C3%A9tat#Initial_violence.

Final Book Project Update: In late-January, the English textbooks were delivered to the school in my village and everyone involved in the project was incredibly proud and excited to see that all of their effort had paid off. The staff at the school held a meeting to decide and agree upon how to ensure that the books are used appropriately and taken care of. After the agreement was signed by school officials, the books were immediately put to good use and have already started to make a difference in the English classes.

In order to show their appreciation, my community organized and held a huge ceremony to honor me for my involvement in the project. All of the top officials from my village and my commune (county) as a whole were in attendance. They presented me with a "Certificate of Satisfaction" that was signed and given to me by the Prefet (head government official in my area). The event was really amazing and showed me just how much my community values me and the work I'm doing.

Once again, thank you to everyone who supported and contributed to this project!

English Club Update: My English Club is going strong and we have accomplished some great work in the past two months. After sending off the first set of letters from my students to California, we waited patiently for the responses from the American students and got started on our second letters and the photography portion of the Correspondence Program.

In late February, I received the responses from the students in California and at the next meeting of the club, I handed out the letters. The students were thrilled and I could see a wave of excitement coursing through the students. I think it was at this time that the students finally realized that the activity they were involved in was truly reciprocal and that if they put forth the effort to write letters, they would receive responses. The students continued to work diligently on their second letters and I will be sending them off in the coming days.

During the last two months, we started the photography portion of the program. My mama found, purchased, and mailed five digital cameras for $10 each at Walmart. The cameras arrived in Niger and I quickly devised a system for the distribution of the cameras so that all 21 members could take photos of their lives.

The cameras were $10 each, so you certainly get what you paid for. They don’t take great quality photos and they’re fragile. They don’t have an LCD screen and the viewfinder is tiny making it difficult to see exactly what will appear if you press the shutter button. They have no flash and can’t take pictures when the light is not bright. But, despite all of the challenges, the students managed to make it work and took some incredible shots. Even though the photos are often pixilated and fuzzy, it is impossible not to sense the beauty and emotion in the photo. I have been unbelievably impressed and pleased with the work that my students have done with this portion of the project (and their work in general in all facets of the program).

One of my students, a young man in the equivalent of 11th grade, whom I have known for some time because we often play volleyball together, was very excited about the photography assignment from day one. He was eager to get his hands on a camera and was done shooting within a day. When he came to me, camera in hand, ready for me to upload his shots, I could see just how excited he was to see how his photos turned out. I quickly loaded his photos onto my computer and we sat together reviewing each one. He had taken 20 in total, with eight of those turning out very well. After looking at each shot and discussing what was in the photo and why he took it, I had a great sense of his eye for socially relevant subject areas and I could see his passion for photography. As the groundskeeper struck the wheel-well hung from a tree in the school yard to announce to the school that the morning break was over, my student walked away grinning from ear-to-ear and proudly exclaimed that he was going to be a photo journalist. In that moment, I felt deep down in my heart that what I am doing here in Niger is actually making a difference in someone’s life, that my being here has touched at least one life, and that what I have exposed these students to may truly have opened new doors to them for their futures.

The Hunt Is On: Let me start by saying that I love my kitty. He’s a sweet little guy and he’s very loving. But, he can’t hunt for beans. This isn’t entirely his fault, there isn’t a whole lot to hunt within my concession and outside the walls of my concession is a gigantic and intimidating world for him. He is also the runt of his litter and I think that his growth has been stunted. I call him “my little nugget” because he’s stuck somewhere between being a kitten and being a full-grown cat and he just looks like a nugget (now having written that, I see that it looks a bit bizarre…oh well).

In order to pick up the slack for my little guy, I bought a slingshot and have started to hunt lizards and birds. At first, my aim was terrible, so terrible that the lizards wouldn’t even run away because they knew I couldn’t hit them. But with time and practice, I’ve got what Nigeriens call a “sweet hand” and I have virtually wiped out the population of lizards around my house, much to Corey’s liking as he gets to eat what I kill.

After mastering the art of lizard hunting, I turned my attention to the birds. I thought that if I could nail a bird, Corey would be in 7th Heaven. Birds, however, are a much greater challenge than the lizards. With birds you get only one shot because if you miss they will fly away. Needless to say, I haven’t gotten a bird yet. But, I did find out before putting too much effort into the bird hunting, that if you put a bird in front of Corey, he just wants to be friends with it. My baba and I gave Corey an injured bird that had flown into one of the radio tower cables seeing it as a perfect opportunity for Corey to make the kill himself since the bird was already injured. Corey proceeded to follow the bird here, there, and everywhere but never went in for the kill. He laid near it, watched it, walked with it, but nothing more. It was RIDICULOUS! So, I told him I’m not going to try and hunt birds if all he wants out of it is a buddy.

Traditional Wrestling: In early February, I had the opportunity to take a day trip into my regional capital to watch some traditional wrestling. Men from villages throughout my region were competing for a spot on the regional team, which would be competing in the national wrestling competition being held in Zinder, an Eastern region of Niger.

Men of all shapes and sizes compete against one another in a style of wrestling that falls somewhere between American collegiate wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Each wrestler dons a traditional outfit consisting of “spankies” (as I like to call them) otherwise known as spandex shorts and a skirt made of tassles. Before entering the ring, each wrestler is given a blue or red belt similar to those worn in Karate. After putting on their belt, which signifies the color of the team they are representing, each wrestler enters the ring – a large circular enclosure filled with sand. They are then given a once over by the referees so as to assure that no one has anything dangerous or illegal on them. Once both wrestlers are cleared to fight, the match begins.

Many matches begin with a sort of stand-off in which each man attempts to “mystify” their opponent using hand motions and trickery. After feeling each other out, the real battle begins. Some matches may last only seconds while others last 20 minutes and are stopped due to fatigue. To win a traditional wrestling match, a wrestler must be the first to throw his opponent to the ground. There is no counting, no pinning, and no “technical knock-outs.” Once one man has hit the ground, the fight is called, and the winner is the wrestler left standing.

My sub-region had about 20 wrestlers representing my area, but only one of those men, the last one to compete, earned a spot on the team that would later compete in the national competition. Despite the lack of triumphant wrestlers from my area, it was an incredible event to witness.

It’s Just Not the Same: My best friend in my village and the person with whom I have spent every evening while I have been in my village moved away earlier this month. Her husband, who has his degree in animal raising and breeding, was assigned to work for the Ministry of this department which is located in the capital city, Niamey. She is now living in Niamey with the rest of her family and when I am in my village, there is now a vast empty space where she used be.

She was my closest friend, the person I would vent to when I was irritated, the person I would gossip with, joke with, and laugh with. She was my confidant and my guide to life in Niger. Without her, I lack an outlet to express my feelings when I am frustrated, sad, or angry. When I have an achievement or triumph to celebrate, she is the first person I want to go and share it with and her absence has left a deep void.

With her gone, my approach to life in my village has definitely shifted. Before, I was more interested in getting to know my village than in focusing on projects and work. Now, I find myself diving head-first into my work and enveloping myself in it. I use my work as both a driving force and a distraction. Not being able to see my friend whenever I want has made things a bit challenging for me, but I am grateful that I have work that I am passionate about and that keeps me motivated and excited about my Peace Corps service.

My friend’s departure may have come much sooner than I would have liked, but if there is a silver lining hidden somewhere in this situation, it is that this will help make my transition out of my village and out of Niger just a little bit easier to handle.

Trip Out East: (Before I begin...while I was out East, I thought it would be a good idea to get my hair corn-rowed into a mohawk. I call it, "The Row-Hawk." What better place to show it off than in my blog?)

In late February, I took a trip out to Maradi, a region in the Eastern part of Niger. I went to visit one of my closest Peace Corps friends, a fellow Californian who is an extraordinary person. I spent about five days with him and had the opportunity to observe and participate in his English club. He works with an amazing group of students and adults who are learning English. They meet four nights a week and with the use of games, exercises, and group activities, he encourages his students to analyze, question, and use their critical thinking skills to discuss topics that are typically ignored in the Nigerien education system. Not only are his students improving their English skills in this club, they are being given the chance to freely discuss issues that are relevant to their lives.

My friend and the members of the club were very welcoming and I had a wonderful time working with them. While observing his club, I was able to gather ideas for activities to do with my English club and with students that I will be helping to prepare for their national exams at the end of this school year. I was also given the chance to give a brief presentation to the members of the club on Muay Thai, a sport that I have a deep passion for and that many Nigeriens can appreciate as they have a long history of traditional wrestling and enjoy watching combat sports. Despite being a little nervous to speak in front of the group, I quickly found my stride and found that everyone was actually engaged in the presentation and listening to what I had to say. They were incredibly attentive and they asked many questions which showed that they had understood what I was saying (it is often hard for Nigeriens to understand English when spoken by Americans because our accent differs greatly from that of African English speakers). It was so wonderful to get to share something that I am passionate about with Nigeriens and to see that they were interested in and appreciated what I had to say.

I was also able to visit a couple other villages in the Maradi region. It was a great opportunity to see how other volunteers live and what they are doing for work. I have always felt that it is important to see more of Niger than just the region in which you live. Because of this belief, I have taken the time to tour other regions of Niger to get a better feel of the country as a whole. After completing my two years of service with the Peace Corps, I will be able to walk away feeling as though I truly saw Niger and that to me is invaluable.

OH WOW!

Garden Update: My garden really began to flourish toward the end of February. Everything had shot up and began to bear fruit. One afternoon I was even able to make a meal solely from things from my garden, with the exception of some bread bought at the local market and some “Laughing Cow” cheese. While some things weren’t particularly successful, for example my zucchini, which would grow to about four inches in length and then die, in general, the garden flourished.

I learned a great deal about gardening from this process and working side-by-side with my baba. I still look forward to bringing these skills back home with me and trying my hand at a small organic garden.

Unfortunately, my terror of a baby donkey has taken it upon herself to eat the majority of my crops. At least she’s not real fond of the onions or the carrots at this point, so I will at least get to keep those around for a little longer.

He's a good helper :)

“Samira’s Izo”: One of my good friends here in Niger gave birth at midnight on March 7, 2010 to a beautiful baby girl. She is the only baby that will be born to one of my close friends during my service and she has therefore become a very important part of my life here. She is absolutely gorgeous, healthy, strong, and very easy going. If she hadn’t been born to such a wonderful family, I would surely take her home with me.

I had told my friend long before she gave birth that if she were to have a girl that she should name her after me (Samira, as that is my Nigerien name). Upon hearing the news that my friend had given birth, I arrived at her house to find out that she had indeed had a baby girl. We joked that she had gotten a “Samira” and I continued to encourage them to give the baby my name.

As is tradition here in Niger, the baby wasn’t given a name until seven days after her birth. On March 13, 2010, the family held a naming ceremony in which the baby was given a blessing and a name. As much as I wanted a little “ma konni” (name twin), it wasn’t meant to be. She was given the name, Aishatou, which is a lovely name and very fitting for such a precious little one. Although the baby wasn’t given my name, Aishatou’s mom decided at the end of the naming ceremony that she would no longer tell people the baby’s real name. From that moment forward, the baby has been known as, “Samira’s Izo” (Samira’s Child). Knowing the way nicknames tend to stick to a person like glue in Niger, Aishatou is likely to be known as “Samira’s Izo” for the rest of her life. To me, that means so much more than simply having her carry my name. She will never remember the months we spent together before the end of my service, but she will always know that I was a constant figure in her first six months of life.

My grandparents called me shortly before Aishatou’s birth and were hoping to put together a care package for me. They asked what I would like in the package and I asked them to send some baby clothes so that I would have a nice gift to bring to the naming ceremony. They found a great set of five little multi-colored tank-top onezies. They’re perfect for Aisha and she has a little room to grow into them. The other day, Aishatou was given a bath, got her ears pierced (she only cried for a minute tops...such a trooper), and proceeded to give me a mini fashion show in which she donned each of her new little outfits. She pretty much slept through the whole event, but I was able to get a couple shots of her with her eyes open. Check out this pretty little lady:

Brother, sister, and cousin with the baby.

Big brother!

Recommended Reading: I recently read two really great books and want to recommend to all of you.

Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn – This book was given to me by a fellow Peace Corps volunteer here in Niger. It is an absolute must read for women, but I think everyone should read it because it has an incredibly powerful message about the value of women and how the marginalization of women in developing countries, and in the world as a whole, is impeding mankind's progress. The book also provides great tips for how to get involved in development and the types of projects that have been the most successful for encouraging women. I know people are often looking for a good place to donate money and this book will help to point you in the right direction. I honestly believe in this book's message: the key to the world's development is girls' education!

The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal by Jonathan Mooney – This was a book recommended to me years ago by my best friend Tara B. It is written by a man who was labeled Dyslexic and learning disabled as a child and spent his school years in special education. He later went on to graduate with honors from an Ivy League school. The book is repetitive at times, but it really challenges the reader to question their use of the term and state-of-being, "normal." We often overuse and overemphasize the importance of "being normal," but does anyone really know what "normal" is? I found the book to be eye-opening and it helped to make me more conscious of my own assumptions and to be more open-minded. I truly believe that anyone who picks up this book will find something within it to relate to and to learn from.

Shout Outs: I’m sending this entry’s shout out to my Tante Ankie and my cousin Jonathan. They have both been incredibly supportive of me throughout this experience and they have taken time away from work and school in order to travel with me in Europe. Thank you both for everything. I love you and I can’t wait to see you both…countdown 2 days!!!

BONUS

Best Buddies: Warning, this next bit may be too cute to handle. If you are frequently overwhelmed by too much cuteness and often find yourself on “cute overload,” please scroll down to the next section.

Ok, now that you’ve all been given a fair warning, I can tell you all about Penny and Corey and their very special bond. Both Penny and Corey became members of my menagerie around the same time. Corey had a month to get used to life in my village before Penny’s arrival, so he stepped into the big brother role. But as Penny has grown and gained confidence and an affinity for trouble-making, she has started to use her size against Corey and now gives him a run for his money, literally.

Since the pair has grown up together, they can often be found hanging out near one another. Penny, in particular, likes to know whatever it is that Corey might be up to. If Corey’s going to the bathroom, you can be sure to find Penny right behind him, curiosity getting the best of her and leaving her with a nose full of unpleasant smells. If Corey’s sitting in the yard, enjoying the breeze as the weather cools in the late afternoon, Penny will be at his side sniffing and nudging him. If Corey seems to be ignoring her and doing his own thing, Penny will march right up to him, stand stalk still and then bounce around all willy-nilly to get Corey running and then she chase after him. And if Corey’s standing watch near the donkeys’ shade hangar, Penny can almost always be found at Corey’s side, the two engrossed in mutual nuzzling.

And now, if words weren’t enough to overload all of your “cute” receptors, I’ve caught it on tape…