The Sky is Worth Two Years

This has been an experience like I never could have imagined, I tried not to give myself ideas about what it would be like before I came here, so as not to disappoint myself whenever I was to see what I was given. I have found that even the small things I thought about don’t even live up to what it is actually like here. I am starting writing this particular post 18 days after living in my village. I have set up somewhat of a routine in my day to day life, but everyday seems to end up different than the last. I do some essential things each day, teeth brushing, twice daily…my mom would be proud to finally hear that, it took coming to Africa to make that a habit…I sweep out my house each morning, if I don’t than the dust and sand gets to be unbearable. I read a couple of thought for the Day books that I have, and write something, anything in chalk, on my mud brick walls, to which I have also tacked up pictures and letters from friends and family, always reminding me of the support I have from you all back home. I take some vitamin supplements as lack of dietary nutrition is very prevalent here in Niger. I run or take bush walks three or four times a week and the other days I do some exercises in my hut, which is also like a sauna so that’s working out nicely. There is a shago(store), and by store I mean a guy with a table…who sells coffee with milk in the morning for about the equivalent of 15 cents, its delicious, and I start my mornings off with him, his name is Mamman, and we talk about anything from religion, to why we only have one wife in America, my favorite answer is, more wives…more problems…anywho…I spend the mornings wondering around…having different talks with different people, I eat some street food, which is really unexplainable so I wont try..I play soccer with the kids around my house from 11-12…I eat lunch, nap, read, and listen to music in my hammock from 12-2 when its ridiculously hot…at 2 I come out of my house to have tea with my Fada (mens group) which has included such topics of discussion thus far as how to get from here to America, the concept that you fly over water is really unimaginable to them, and I try my best to explain…something really cool about Nigeriens is that they are totally at peace with just sitting in silence, which is something we don’t ever do in America and I am learning to become more comfortable in it here. So we talk, I read, we drink tea for a couple of hours, I run or practice my guitar before Dinner, which I was cooking myself until my gas ran out, then it was back to street food….I shower each night as kind of a cool down…although its getting to be cold season, so sometimes I get more than I bargained for…oh and by shower I mean I use a cup to take water out of a bucket and pour it on myself. Although I bucket bath everyday…I am never clean here…the dirt kind of embeds into your skin, sometimes I’ll start rubbing my skin and the dirt will peel off of me. I gave up on the thought of ever being truly clean out in the bush, I didn’t shave for the month and my beard came in as patchy as ever. When I got into the city yesterday I took a shower and had a shave, its an amazing feeling. So I live in a village of about 3000-3500 hundred people in East Niger, Every one of them know my name, there are two schools, a Koranic school, a small hospital(a stretch for the word hospital), and a mayor’s office, all of these buildings are wired with lights and fans but there is no electricity to power them, oh Africa. Thursday is market day where people come from the bush to my village, Thursdays are fun cause usually a neighboring volunteer comes in and we get to drink cold drinks brought down from a neighboring village that has electricity, which means ice, woohoo. The people in my village are nice, for the most part, there are exceptions, those who talk at you instead of to you and I just stay clear of them as I would in America, but I know that there are some that I will remember forever after this is done. There is a lot of kokari(effort) in my village, a lot of people who are looking to better their community, and whom I look forward to working with in the future. The days pass slowly, but the months have gone by so quickly. I have days where I am on the edge of giving up and going home, the boredom, lack of mental stimulation gets to me a lot. Then there are the days where I have experiences that make me think I could stay forever. My family has kept in great contact, whether its more for their benefit or mine, I am not quite sure but I know that I love that they do, that they want to share in this with me is so incredibly awesome and I want them to know that I love them very much, and thanks again. Thanks also to those of my friends who have called to…and those who haven’t, I love you too anyways. When I lay down to sleep on my cot, underneath my mosquito net, I have this amazing feeling wash over me as I stare out into this GIGANTIC sky full of stars that is most amazing…The sky Is worth two years.

So Now what???: so I am now free to move within the Maradi Region of East Niger, visit other volunteers, see what projects are being worked on and after two months the people I arrived here with will have a second training where we will learn about how to apply for money for projects that we want to do in our perspective villages...I will probably be in and out of this city about every month or so, maybe more depening on whats going on, we are celelbrating thanksgiving on the 21st of november so that we can all be in our villages for a local celebration called Tabaski, which is just like a huge BBQ...so i will post a new blog around then...Then we have a new group of volunteers who landed here on the twentieth of october who will do their Live in on the fourth of December, and on the third we will say goodbye to some really cool volunteers who are ending thier time here in Niger, one of whom is going to come to dallas, and I expect you all to take her out and show her a good time...more info soon to come on that...Then I will be back in for christmas and New years to do it up right in Niger. So thats kind of when you can expect some more updadtes...I am usually in a village with phone reception on sundays and really enjoy hearing from you guys. Thanks so much for all the interest and support.


So some specific things that have crossed my mind over the past thirty days….

My dear friends Alexa and Rebekah wrote a book about their travels through spain go here.. http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=63147 ..and buy it.

Congrats Ivy and Rebecca on your soon to be new addition to your family...Cant wait to come back to the new one year old!!! Congrats Grandma Aunt Ann :)

I have read a lot of books over this past month

Drish: Perks of being a wallflower..awesome..I’m planning on reading it twice more.

Ater: Confederacy of Dunces …hilarious..South Paw references galore

Anyone: The Ugly American..just read it

Dominic..you called from kazachstan…WTF??? And Happy Birthday

Jamal…congrats again on your house and starting your job..thats awesome..decorate my room so I have a place to stay when I come home.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Sincerly,

Ousmane