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Zinder/Matameye, Niger
Corps de la Paix B.P. 14 Matameye, Niger

Saturday, October 04, 2008

A List

With my close of service quickly approaching I have begun the reflecting process of what my time and service in Niger has been and what I hope it will mean for the rest of my life. This will continue in my last months of service and I am sure well into the first weeks and months of readjustment to American life.

An incomplete and on going list of the things I will miss about Niger, and those that I wont.


I'll Miss...

  • My Nigerien family, Binta and Ousmane and my three little brothers Samedi, Harlit, and Maman Ser
  • My best little buddies in my village, Awoli, Basilou, and Oonounou (Hamadou Tdjani)
  • Walking through the bush.
  • Aspects of rainy season (the sky is blue instead of a sun glared white, green everywhere, millet and sorghum fields, semi-cool temps, the storms, sleeping outside when it rains)
  • My dog.
  • Zinder (city and team).
  • Time.
  • The simplicity of life in a rural village.
  • Pulling water.
  • Sleeping under the stars.
  • Living outside.
  • Open-back bush taxi rides through the bush.
  • The feeling of "this is Africa!"....the good version.
  • Wane.
  • Eating with and napping at Binta's.
  • Holding babies everyday.

Those I Won't...

  • The RED TAPE
  • 14-27 hour bus rides across country.
  • Reaking of gasoline everytime I take a bush taxi into or out of Zinder.
  • Sitting on gas tanks in said bush taxis.
  • Aspects of rainy season (mosquitos, termite infestations, mice, roof cave-ins, illness, humidity, cross country bus rides are at best 2 hours longer)
  • Being told I don't hear Hausa or that I still can't do things the "right way"...even two years later.
  • The feeling of "This is Africa"....the bad version.
  • The wahala of trying to get anything accomplished.
  • Having no control over when and or how long it will take to get somewhere.
  • What appears to be a lack of elementary logic/common sense.
  • The feeling of being baked in an oven, and it's only 10 a.m.

1 comment:

Anastácio Soberbo said...

Hello, I like this blog.
Sorry not write more, but my English is not good.
A hug from Portugal