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Kathryn Evans, PCV Corps de la Paix B.P. 10537 Niamey, Niger West Africa

Sunday, August 9, 2009

One month today...

August 9th...I arrived in Niger one month ago today. Life is very different here: lots of sand, goats, naked babies and millet. I am learning how to speak Hausa, a national language, and am taking classes everyday learning about Nigerien culture, health and safety, and technical training. I am living with a host family with 26 people, goats, sheep, oxen, dogs, cats and the lot. Lots of action! I sleep outside and love looking at the stars each night. The people here are very warm and kind, and there are some characters as well. I am eating a lot of millet and corn, but I did bring peanut butter, which my host mom caught me sneaking some spoonfuls the other night after dinner. Yesterday I went shopping in a real grocery store for the first time in Niamey, the capital, where I felt slightly overwhelmed by all of the choices but was pleased that I could purchase chocolate, oranges and nuts. The pace of life is very slow and requires a lot of patience, especially this morning when a group of us had to wait two and a half bloody hours for a bus to go to Niamey. "Sai hankuri" is Hausa, meaning to have patience, so I keep this is mind throughout my days here. Next week, I will find out my site placement and will be sworn in as a volunteer on September 10th. Thank you for your support, and all of you are in my daily thoughts. I will keep everyone posted once I get my site placement.