First Month in Village, Success

I just finished my first month in village and I really love my village and villagers. So much has happened that it would be impossible to relay everything, but I'll do my best to share as much as possible.  I'm still struggling along with the language and my villagers get so excited when I learn a new greeting or a new word.  I have made many friends and they have taught me so much.  There is a group of guys I play soccer with everyday at 5:30, a man who takes me to his field to pick peanuts (I get to keep all that I pick), the men at the office (who thankfully speak French), the women who pound millet outside my concession and sell fried millet cakes in the morning, the children who I play games with daily (they have no idea that they are teaching me so much Hausa), and the man who sits under the tree outside my concession and makes rope every day, just to name a few.  I've also been doing a lot of reading and playing guitar -- both amazing destressers and great ways to pass the time.

 

I haven't really started any major projects yet, because in December we go back to the training site for a two week technical training session.  That's when we will start formulating our large scale projects ideas.  However, I've helped out with two radio shows, both health related.  One on the importance of immunizing your children and the other on how to make Oral Rehydration Solution for people with diarrhea.  I really enjoy doing the radio shows and I plan on writing some radio shows on civic responsibility and the decentralization process as my language skills improve.  For now, I am happy helping with other people's shows.  At some point I hope to get an audio file posted of one/some of the radio shows. 

 

But, to say everything was amazing would be a lie.  Along with all of the highs come lows too.  Some times it feels like no one can understand me and I can't understand anyone no matter how hard I try.  It makes you want to hide out at home all day and read, but days like this are few.  If I'm having a day like this I just go home for a bit, relax, take some time to myself and then head back out. 

 

A sample day might go something like this:

 

5:30ish: Wake up to the sounds of animals "talking" and women pounding millet, then I eat breakfast (oatmeal or bread, cup o' tea or coffee, and dates or raisons or an orange or some kulikuli (if I have them))  Usually do some reading here while I drink my tea, read any good books lately?

 

7:30ish: Play with "my kids" for a little while.  We construct donkey carts out of millet stalks or play ball or just goof off.  I always thought I had a pretty good imagination, but these kids give me a run for my money.  They can amuse themselves for hours with sticks or string.

 

8:00ish: Walk to work and chat with people all along the way.  It usually goes something like this for every person I pass, but I'm not sure of spellings or exact translations: 

 

"Salamu Aleikum"                   "Peace be with you." 

"Amin, Aleikum Salam"           "And, also with you."

"Ina kwana?"                          "How did you sleep?"

"Lahiya lau, ina gida?"             "In health, How's the fam?"

"Lahiya lumi, tashi lahi?           "In health, Did you wake in health?"

"Lahiya lau, ina aiki?"              "In health, How's the work?"

"Aiki da godiya, Harkoki?"        "I'm grateful for the work, How's your business?"

"Alhamdidalaye"                      "God be praised."

etc...                                        ...ask about any number of things...

"Sai anjima"                            "Until later"

"To, Sai anjima"                       "Ok, until later"

 

8:30ish - 12:00ish:  Study Hausa and French at the office with breaks of chatting and drinking tea with the people at the office. 

 

12:00ish - 1:00ish: Sit under the tree outside of the office and chat (read: practice Hausa while people laugh at me) with guys at the office.

 

1:00ish: Go home and grab some lunch and take a nap or read or hang out in the shade.

 

5:30ish: Play soccer (the field has many obstacles in the middle, including cows occasionally walking through, but the rules are... all things on the field are part of the field and just keep playing).  One of the most interesting things about this is a different guy each day volunteers to be the ref.  That just never happened at home.

 

6:30ish (4th prayer call): Go home and take a bucket bath and cook dinner. 

 

 

 

No two days are the same, but I hope this gives an idea of some of the things that I might do during a day.  After the sun goes down I watch for shooting stars and count satellites or sometimes I walk down to the "public square" and chat with people for a bit then come home and go to bed and watch the night sky until I fall asleep.  Not having electricity, my schedule is almost the same as the suns.  It is amazing how many hours there actually are in a day and how much you can accomplish. 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you've enjoyed it.