Islamic Festivities

Later this week, most people in Niamey (including us!) will be celebrating Tabaski. This is the time when Muslims recognize the sacrifice that Abraham was called to make, but that God stepped in and rather than having Abraham sacrifice his son told Abraham that a ram would be enough. So Muslims all over the world mark this occasion by slaughtering livestock amongst many other ways of celebrating. In Niger, the preferred animal is a ram. Correspondingly, we have had a few rams in our front yard the past few days. They are not ours, but we are keeping them for a neighbor.


Speaking of things Islamic, Chris had the chance to tour the Grand Mosquee here in Niamey. Here are some pics of it.

A little slice of the United States

Yes, we are in Niger, but really the United States does not seem all that far away. For example, when Hilary introduces herself to people, many people remark, "like Clinton?". And people love Obama. Here are a few sights of the US in Niger.

Incredible!

Several days ago Chris and Hilary saw, at a busy intersection, from a safe distance, a motor scooter catch on fire. A small crowd watched in disbelief as men frantically attempted to smother the fire by throwing dirt on it (there was no water nearby). It appeared as though the effort might extinguish the flames, but burning gasoline is a formidable adversary. Without exploding, the fire overwhelmed the sweat and dirt; a crowd of a hundred or more circled the sight.

Yesterday at the American School, where Chris has been volunteering and subbing, Chris and Hilary saw a tortoise! It was crossing a baseball field, seemingly ‘headed for home.’ Once it got to the infield grass, it settled in for a snack. It was not very worried about our being there.

Everyday Life

We thought we might periodically include some day-to-day descriptions and images of our lives here. Beneath is a picture of the path we walk from our house toward the main road where we catch taxis.

Several times a week Chris wears what we call the “Ghostbuster Suit” (above) to the American Cultural Center, where he fills the empty bottles with distilled water. It is apt to mention this, considering that Hilary’s work deals with people’s access to water.

Below is a picture of our guard’s wife. She is holding a document for Hilary to take a picture. Without readily available scanners, digital pictures are a good alternative.

Across the highway near our house, a five minute walk away, we buy locally grown, inexpensive organic vegetables. Some things, indeed, are easier and better here.

Research day

On Saturday, we went with a professor and graduate student that Hilary works with on a tour of different neighborhoods in the city. We went to neighborhoods that we knew had problems with water access, and talked with people about their issues. It was a fanstastic introduction for Hilary to the kinds of questions to ask and how to approach people and the issue of water access. Hilary will begin this phase of her research in the coming weeks. Here are a some pictures!



Here is an interesting picture of metal recycling in the city. The heap of metal below will be sorted and melted down into cooking pots.

Festival International de la Mode Africaine !

Every year (in principle) Niger is host to Festival International de la mode Africaine, FIMA, and we were lucky enough to get free passes to most of the events (thanks to our roommate!). The main event was Saturday night, which included a fashion show and music. Twenty-five designers, from all over the continent, each showcased a collection. The collections ranged from ready-to-wear clothes to haut couture. Here are a few pics!



Many important figures in Nigerien political life were there, including various ministers, the Prime Minister, and even the First Lady! Security was also very tight—police, military, and secret service officers were found dispersed throughout the crowd. The show started around 10pm and ended around 2:30 am. It was quite an experience.

What Goes On In Niamey?

Last Thursday Hilary and Amanda attended a contemporary dance performance at the French Cultural Center. Here are pictures!

With Amanda (our Art Historian roommate) we have followed the fashion scene here. Last Saturday we all attended a fashion show at a bar/restaurant/hotel. The property was beautiful, having the largest and most luscious trees we have yet seen here, along with a pool and an enclosed patio for dining. The fashion show highlighted the designs of a Nigerien woman, Kadidiatou Mariko (her clothes have the brand name K’Mariko, viewable at kmariko.com). Check out a picture below.

One of the biggest fashion events on the African continent happens in Niger every other year. FIMA (fima-africa.com) begins this week. We will attend this week and post pictures! Amanda discusses her thoughts on Nigerien art and fashion and her experiences here on her blog, Aikindadi.blogspot.com.

In non-fashion related news, we have made a tofu contact. Yes, friends, we can eat tofu again. Similar random luxuries enter our lives as we grow to know Niamey’s people and possibilities. We have enjoyed watching borrowed DVD’s and reading borrowed books.

Hilary has recently hired three research assistants (from the Geography Club at the university) to do work in the National Archives. She continues meeting with administrators in the public and private sectors, learning the substance of water politics in Niamey.

Chris’ docket of tutoring has grown quickly. Each week he teaches English to between 3-5 french boys, a medical doctor who hopes to study Public Health in the States, a Nigerien high school student with his English and Social Studies courses, and a French speaker wanting to trade his French for Chris’ English. Slowly his French improves with practice and French classes four times a week.