Barka nda Jingar! Barka nda Giri Bareyan!*

Greetings, world, and Happy Holidays! Here I am in Dosso, having just celebrated a wonderful Christmahanakwanzika with my wonderful team-mates, and enjoying a couple days back in "civilization." Of course, the bright city lights, street traffic, and bustling market crowds keep reminding me exactly why I am so happy out in the Bush; by tomorrow, I will be very ready to head back home! But for now, I am glad for a chance to use the Internet, listen to music, take showers, and sit on a real COUCH. So many things we take for granted back in the States...like comfortable furniture.

Recently, I've found that exercise - yoga, bike riding, lifting small children - is very therapeutic here. When the monotony of village life gets to be a bit much, and I can feel myself going somewhat insane, all it takes is a little stretching or pedaling to help clear my mind. Reading, taking photographs, and writing poetry have also become important parts of my daily/weekly routine. Finally, at the end of my first three months, I am allowing myself space to breathe! To use a term from a recent read (John Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar, thanks Munki!), I feel like this place has "digested" me. Niger has been slowly, patiently working its magic on me, trying to convince me to follow a more local pace of life. Thus far, I had resisted, instead forcing myself to run at 110% all the time until I began to feel somewhat burned out. And when I reached that point of being stressed, frustrated with myself, exhausted, even homesick, Niger was waiting for me, calmly ready to accept me into the flow of village life. Instead of hours, minutes, seconds, the day runs on the Sun's time; every once in a while, a call to prayer will sound out, reminding me that the day is, in fact, passing. And then night falls, the stars come out of hiding, and the whole village falls asleep. It's a familiar cycle, and for someone accustomed to busy schedules and constant motion, it can (eventually) be very cathartic. There's a lot to be said for the simple life!

With that in mind, most of the pictures I've got to share this time are mostly laid-back, aesthetically pleasing, or just plain fun. No work here! So enjoy the beauty of some African adventures...and, as always, my cat.


A gorgeous African sunset, as seen from my yard.


I try to encourage art whenever possible in Sambera's youth. So when they drew a portrait of me in the sand...I didn't have the heart to point out that "floating" ear.


The usual suspects at my house, playing a dancing game. I love the sense of motion in this photo! (There is an accompanying video, if I ever have the time to upload it)


Cold Season sunrise; one of my favorite parts of morning bike rides in the bush!


Russia, doing her version of lazy yoga. Have you ever seen a more content animal?!

So, as you can see, life here is coming along just fine! No giraffes yet, but I am ever hopeful. Next month, keep on the lookout for more frequent blogging as I will be in the Niamey-ish area for more training! As always, thank you all for the stream of emails and letters; the support is what keeps me going! Take care, and Barka nda Jingar! Barka nda Giri Bareyan! ("Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!")

Kala tonton,
~Mich

A Little Existential Food for Thought....

While sitting inside my mud hut the other day, I came across this passage in the book The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison. It caught my attention, and after reading over it several times, I realized that it has described (in far more eloquent words) exactly the sense of humbleness I feel when gazing out at the plains of the Sahelien bush. Here's the passage:

"Surely...the great mountains of the world would serve as a present remedy if man did but know it against our modern discontent and ambitions. In the hills is wisdom's fount. They are deep in time. They know the sun and the wind, the lightning's fiery feet, the frost that shattereth, the rain that cloudeth, the snow that putteth about their nakedness a coverlet softer than a fine lawn: which in their large philosophy question not whether it be a bridal sheet or a shroud, hath not this unpolicied calm his justification ever in the coming year, and is it not instance to laugh our carefulness out of fashion? of us, little children of the dust, children of a day, who with so many burdens do burden us with taking thought, and with fears and desires and devious schemings of the mind, so that we wax old before our time and grow weary ere the brief day be spent and one reaping-hook gather us home at last for all our pains." - Lord Gro, Chapter XXV of The Worm Ouroboros

In short, this passage begs the question, Why should we allow ourselves to get so caught up in the mundane? Up against the everlasting beauty of this world we live in, what do our trivial, day-to-day problems really matter? So what if I couldn't find bread at the market this week? So what if my neighbor's toddler pooped on my bed? Tomorrow is always another dawn, and all things have their due course. Enjoy this moment while we can, for it will never come again.

Unless, of course, you are a Time Agent or own a Tardis, in which case a little temporal displacement never hurt anyone.... ;)

'Til next time,
Mich

Poisson, Peuls, and Parasites, Oh My!

Greetings, friends! Here's an unexpectedly early post for this month, thanks to the little Giardia bugs currently making themselves at home in my GI tract. I've come in to the regional capital for treatment, and between swallowing antibiotics and sleeping for 13 hours at a time, I figured I might as well make use of the Internet here to connect with the rest of the world.

Since my Thanksgiving update, I've already had some fun adventures back at post. Last Wednesday, I traveled 40 km (via open-back cargo truck) to the large market town of Ouna, right along the Niger river. It was an absolutely breathtaking place, where one can buy a variety of exotic goods, including fresh fish, "lemu hari" (a citrus-ginger juice), and Fulani jewelry and garb. I also picked up a beautiful "tangara" mat for decorating my mud house, which is gradually being transformed into a cozy home. All in all, my third month was off to a good start. Hard to believe it's already December!

Speaking of which, I imagine that the weather back home must be starting to get cold. Some of you may already be seeing snow, or at least feeling the freezing temps that mark the onset of Winter. For me, this Holiday Season is going to be quite different: 90-degree days, not a hint of rain in the sky, and no Christmas trees or festive decorations to mark the time of year (Niger is, after all, a 99% Muslim country). But as we prepare to celebrate resourcefully as a team here in Dosso, I will always be thinking about my friends and family back home, and wishing you all a wonderful season of shopping and snow-filled streets. Drink an extra hot, marshmallow cocoa for me this year!

That's all I have for updates today. Until the end of December, take care, and enjoy a few new pictures from the Nigerien bush!

Kala tonton,
Mich


Showing of my PC pride with henna for the Tabaski celebration day.


Russia keeping guard at the door, protecting me from the neighbor's wandering chickens. She's getting so big!


It's all "Home Sweet Home" here in the bush!


A view of the Niger river from Ouna, a beautiful sight :)

N'dunya Borey ga ba Suuru

Hard to believe that November has already come and gone, marking the passing of my fifth month in Niger. While Pre-Service Training seemed to take a lifetime in itself, these past two months in my village home have flown by much more quickly. Most days, I keep busy between working at my Mairie (local government offices) and wandering around town chatting with the villagers. I have met many genuinely wonderful people here, and seen some of the most beautiful scenery in the whole of the country. Slowly slowly I am picking up new languages (Fulfulde and a little Hausa), and in turn am teaching English at my weekly club meetings. And, most exciting, I am mentally preparing myself to take on future projects, which will hopefully involve fixing the village water pumps and painting murals with the school children. Every day is a new adventure!

That being said, these first three months at post are undoubtedly the most challenging in any Volunteer's career. At times, the stress of adapting to a completely new way of life can be overwhelming; and despite the number of people constantly around me, it can still feel isolating to be the only American for many a mile. Yet I've come to find that after a long, exhausting day of being an "Annasara" celebrity, the best cure comes from gazing up at the night sky, and taking in the sight of millions of stars unmarred by harsh city lights and pollution. The sheer beauty of this place is enough to refresh my spirit and motivation for doing this tough (but rewarding) job.

Above all, the best advice I have come to learn in this country is about having patience. Niger wasn't built in a day, bush taxis never manage to leave on time, and no matter how far off it seems, tomorrow will always dawn anew. As my favorite Zarma proverb goes, "N'dunya borey ga ba suuru" - To live in the world requires patience.* A good piece of advice for us all, I think :)

(*literal translation is something along the lines of "The people of the world like patience")

And now, as proof of my trying to make the most of every moment here, I am excited to share some new photos from my little slice of the Sahel~

A real, live chameleon, hanging out near my neighbor's house. Watch out, they bite!


Two friendly Nigerien dogs - good protection for bush walks.


The local Mairie, where I have my own office.


A cow cart, about to take these kids out to harvest millet. Aahhh, they should be in school!


Team Dosso's Thanksgiving feast. Turkey, mashed potatoes, greenbean casserole, banana bread, candied yams, and PIE! So much deliciousness!

Thanks, as always, for the letters and words of encouragement. Take care back home~
Kala tonton,
Michelle

Reflections on my First Month at Post

One month has passed, and already the long, hard days of pre-service training seem a lifetime away. I have spent over 30 days as an official Volunteer now, living and working in my new village home, and enjoying the freedoms of being independent. My Zarma language skills improve a little more every day, while the villagers seem to be slowly adapting to my presence (although being the only Westerner for 30km around still marks me as something of a celebrity!). I have a new kitten (named Russia, or "Rousse"), have been adopted into my neighbor's family, and am learning how to prepare some of the tastier Nigerien dishes. So far, so good.

Time here, I've noticed, is a very intangible thing. It is a place where most people rely on the prayer calls instead of clocks, and where cool mornings can fly by while the heat of the afternoon seems unlikely to ever end. A day can seem short or long depending on the temperature. An entire lifetime can pass in just four short months. Every day here is packed full of new things to learn, experiences to be had, chances to grow; I can only imagine how much I will have changed by the end of two years! It will be a very, very long time...but I know it will also go too fast.

Anyway, today I make my return trip back to my village to hammer out my second month. I'm looking forward to getting home, seeing my neighbors, and starting an art class at the primary school. Please keep writing letters and emails, it is always wonderful to hear from America! Until next time, when I'm in for a Thanksgiving feast, enjoy some pictures~!

Kala hanfo,
Mich



Beautiful blue skies over Sambera! Doesn't look like it's 105 degrees, does it??

A scene from my hand-washing event at the primary school. The kids were great!

My kitten, Russia :3

CAMELS IN SAMBERA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween with Team Dosso! We rock!

We're Off to See the Village!

Fofo, Kubeyni! Sannu! Bon arrive!

Today is a pretty momentous day for me. As probably the last volunteer in country to still be sitting around the hostel, I'm finally about to get moved out to my new post and home, Sambera. It will be a long drive with a ton of suitcases and furniture packed into the Land Cruiser, but I'm still excited to be on my way at last!

The first month will no doubt have its ups and downs. We're all pretty isolated, and we aren't allowed to even leave the village for the first four weeks. But once I settle in and start getting to know the place better, I'm hoping the time flies by. I'll be back into the "big city" of Dosso around Halloween, so I'll be sure to share stories and pictures then! Until then, letters are always appreciated - even if I don't have regular access to a post office (that means don't expect quick replies, lol)

Time to go finish packing! Talk to you all in a month!

P.S. My new address, even though the old one will still work, too:
Corps de la Paix
BP 144 Dosso, Niger
West Africa

The End of Training is Upon Us....

As we approach the end of September, we near the final days of our 11-week pre-service training stage. At times, it is hard to believe we've all been together in Niger for three months; then I realize how far we've come in terms of adjusting and integrating, and I feel so ready to move on!! Here are some long-awaited pics to commemorate PST :)


First night sleeping outdoors, with nothing between me and the Milky Way, except my mosquito net.


CAMEL!!!!!!


A beautiful view of one of Sambera's lakes :) Full of fish and Schistosomiasis!


Visited a Fulani encampment outside the main village. These are truly nomadic people, many of whom had never seen Westerners before! Regardless, they were incredibly welcoming, and provided a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see their daily lives.

I have a ton more pictures here on my computer! One of these days I'll try to put them up on a Flickr account or something - but until then, keep checking back here for updates! Thanks to everyone for the letters and emails of support <3

Love always,
~Mich

Niamey Update

Greetings from Niamey!

This is my first post since coming to Africa, but unfortunately it will have to be a short one - computer time at the Peace Corps Bureau is limited with 33 of us fighting for the internet!

Anyway, everything has been WONDERFUL so far. I am still in pre-service training until September 23, so my days are spent in language class (Zarma) and we don't get much free time. But being in Africa is so exciting; there is always something to do and people to greet! Sadly, I have not yet seen any giraffes, but my small host village does seem to get a lot of camels on market day....

In other news, we recieved our site announcements today! These are the villages where we will spend the two years of our service, our "new homes" in Niger. I am very excited to announce that I will be in Sambera, in the Dosso region - look me up! Just as exciting is my newest furry friend, a small, grey kitten named Mouse. I found her sad and alone in my village, and am working on feeding her and getting her vaccinations before making her my permanent site-buddy :) Adorable pictures soon to come.

In the mean time, please feel free to send me letters! I love to hear from people back home, and even if I can't write back right away, I appreciate every piece of mail I recieve. My address here (at least for the next 2 months of training) is:

Michelle Binger
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 10537
Niamey, Niger
West Africa

Hope to hear from you all soon! Feel free to email and leave posts here, as well, and I will respond as often as I can. Thanks, and look forward to a ton of picture updates soon!!!

Love,
~Michelle

Staging Assignment

Looks like I'll be heading to Philadelphia for staging on the 6th of July! Surprisingly, our fly-out date has been moved from the 9th to the 7th - things are moving along quickly :) I'm ready to go, but there's also soooo much I need to do in less than a month~! *anxious*

On a side note, thank you to everyone at Curves for the warm goodbyes! I will certainly miss working there and seeing my favorite people all week, but I will definitely keep in touch. Please don't hesitate to comment or email me! I'll try my best to respond :)

Here's to the next four weeks, which I know will fly by....

'Til next time,
~Mich

My Aspiration Statement

After receiving my assignment last week and filling out passport/visa applications, the next step was the intimidating "Aspiration Statement." It is a document that all PC volunteers must send to their host country as way of introduction. While the prompts seem simple enough at first, they can be deceptive! The difficulty for me was keeping my answers short and honest, without writing a manuscript of my life :)
(For anyone who needs further assistance with writing one of these, I suggest THIS article. And remember, no two Statements will ever look alike! Good luck!)



The professional attributes that you plan to use, and what aspirations you hope to fulfill, during your Peace Corps service.
In July 2010, I will take my first steps onto African soil. It will be only my second journey outside of the United States. But despite my novice experience in the field, I harbor a strong passion for seeing the world and contributing to positive change anywhere I can. The attributes I bring to my Peace Corps service are probably very similar to those of other 22-year old college graduates: a strong education, a love for learning, and an eagerness to help make a difference in a new land. My field of study was Political Science, with an emphasis in International, specifically African, Relations. Like many other African nations, I see the politics of Niger bound by struggles against poverty, AIDS, famine, and human rights challenges. Yet I believe hope still exists for a brighter future, and I very much look forward to being an agent of change within a community of promising people.

Your strategies for working effectively with host country partners to meet expressed needs.
I am well aware that to work in a new environment where I am considered a young outsider will present many unique challenges. There may be times when I feel useless or become frustrated to see my efforts going to “waste.” But in the face of these inevitable struggles, my strength will come from resolve, from remaining focused on doing the best job possible for the community I am trying to impact. That being said, my main objective while working as an MCD volunteer will be to assist rather than direct. In order to avoid repeating mistakes of the past, it is important that any systems set in place are respectful of the culture and the people for which they must work. Overall, I will strive to accept the challenges of working in Nigerièn politics, and keep in mind that as long as the end result is achieved, the means to getting there can be flexible.

Your strategies for adapting to a new culture with respect to your own cultural background.
Counting down the days to my departure, I am both excited and nervous about adapting to a new way of life in Niger. There, I will be encountering new languages, new foods, a strange landscape and climate, and different attitudes toward women’s roles in society. Certain things that I take for granted at home, like seeing my friends, computer access, and hot showers, I will have to learn to live without on a daily basis. Yet, as intimidating as this could be, for me it is a challenge I eagerly intend to meet head-on. I want to learn, I want to experience, and I want to enjoy every moment of my immersion into Nigerièn culture. Over the next two years of service, I intend to remain open-minded and find out just what I am capable of, while staying true to myself along the way.

The skills and knowledge you hope to gain during pre-service training to best serve your future community and project.
During the pre-service training, I hope to gain an understanding of the people with whom I will be working. Good communication skills, for example, will be a major factor in a successful work environment, particularly when it comes to speaking local languages like Hausa and Zarma. More than studying in a classroom, I look forward to being able to use the language on a daily basis during training in order to feel more confident in my own abilities. Also, I hope to learn more about my role within my community. As a Westerner, as a woman, and as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I know there will be certain expectations (and limitations) if I am to be culturally sensitive and respectful. Most of all, I hope that through the pre-service training I will get a better grasp of the real Niger. Only so much can be taught through books and media, and nothing can compare to the first-hand experience of learning within the country.

How you think Peace Corps service will influence your personal and professional aspirations after your service ends.
Beyond the immediate aspirations of experiencing a new culture and giving back to a community, I hope that the Peace Corps will serve to reinforce a life-long love of volunteering. Whether my journey leads me to work in International Politics or as a member of an NGO, this experience will no doubt continue to influence me long after my service is complete. The connections I make within the local communities and the permanent friendships I develop with the people will travel with me for the rest of my life. Every struggle I overcome, and every bit of progress I see will help me grow as an individual and a volunteer, so that one day I can look back and say, “I’ll do even better next time.”


Well, that's all for now! Next up is my updated resume, then getting to work on all the other billions of things that need doing before I leave in 7 weeks!!

~Mich

Welcome!

Hello, friends, and welcome to my new Blog, SPF 500! The purpose of this blog is to share with everyone back at home my experiences in Niger while I am in the Peace Corps. Depending on the convenience of internet access, I will post at least twice a month, hopefully with photos as well! Feel free to leave me comments here, but letters will always be nice, too ;)

Departure date is set for July 9, 2010 (the 7th-9th will be "staging" or orientation, still in the States)

Seven weeks away!

And there's still SO MUCH to do!!

~Mich