Boo!! Happy Halloween

Up in Dosso for a couple days. Had a meeting yesterday and we're having a Halloween party today, but I'm sans costume. Want to say goodbye to our dear friend Katie, who flew out of country yesterday. We'll miss ya and your accent!

Ok, on with the post I typed up a couple days ago:

Since the last time I posted I’ve come into my own in Gaya a bit more. Ramadan has past. I have made some more friends here. I’ve started playing soccer… excuse me, football. I’ve made headway into the ideas I have for projects and I’m looking forward to developing them.

Ramadan.
So Ramadan ended on the 11th here. So that’s almost two weeks ago now. If the internet weren’t so frustrating slow I could make more posts, really I’m just thankful I have it at all…. But I digress….
The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a giant prayer and then people spend the rest of the day eating. I was supposed to go to the prayer with my neighbor in the morning, but we miss-communicated about time so I was in the shower when he came by and didn’t hear him knock and he left without me. I waited for him on my porch for a while and finally found out he left, so I started to head out to see the prayer. It was so strange but the town was deserted, there wasn’t anybody in sight. I managed to find I think the only motorcycle taxi (kabu-kabu) in town to take me out to the field where the prayer was taking place. Unfortunately as we were headed out we ran head long into the swarm heading back towards town. They absolutely swamped the road. I kept thinking of those pictures you see of people fleeing Saigon at the end of the Vietnam war. It was surreal to see so many people heading in one direction together. It really was the ENTIRE town of Gaya.
Spend the rest of the day walking around and eating found with many many different people. It was only a week after I had arrived here and was a good chance to stretch my language skills.

Friends.
Everyone here wants to be a friend of mine. I’m following in the wake of a very popular and friendly guy and so that puts some pressure on me to act just the same. Problem is, everyone remembers Jerry as he was after being here for two years, I’m just starting so the language issue, for one, is kind of a dampening factor. But really it is starting to come along. One of my better new acquaintances here is Lega, or Ibrahim (seems to have two working names). When I first met him, he was charging 50CFA around 10 cents) for kids to take his little motor scooter down a football field length and back. They were lined up for this 30 seconds of entertainment. Lega is kind of typical of Nigeriennes of his age. He doesn’t have a very steady income. Sometimes he works as a Kabu-kabu, has plans to buy motorcycles from Nigeria and sell them here. Left school early, at the primary level. Has lots of free time on his hands so he comes around pretty frequently.
Really though, I am starting to get to know more and more people. It takes ten minutes just to walk down the block because I have to stop to talk to almost everyone on it. People really do get offended if you don’t stop to say hello and chat for a minute or two. It’s hard to have that head down and go way of getting from point A to B that many Americans have. I’m learning to leave early or plan on getting where I want to go later than I expect.

So things are going well here, but this has definitely been a hard week. The novelity of this place is starting to wear off and the first wave of homesickness has sunk in. Much of it has to do with the fact that whatever work I do here, I know that it cannot change this entire country. I can’t even improve this entire town. I can’t just dig a well. So many problems here are structural and I have no way to fix that. But I can make some small progress and I just keep looking towards my project ideas and hope that they’ll come about. It’s also hard to be far from my family and friends and especially Kelsey. It’s hard to be away from [American] football and cold beer and couches, 7-11s, Teriyaki, Indian food… there are so many things that are great about the US. But really that’s one of the reasons I’m here. I knew theoretically before that the whole world is not like the US. Now I have seen some of that and it makes me miss what I had. But it also makes me appreciate what I had more. Anyone who is reading this back home should take a moment to just think about how vastly different lives on this planet can be. Leisurely/hard. Rich/poor. Hot/cold. Not everyone will know first hand, but it’s too easy for us to become sheltered from the realities that face other people around the world. Enough preaching for today. As this week has gone along the homesick feeling has diminished some and tomorrow I will be seeing the rest of the people in my region for a meeting, so that should improve even more.

The above picture is from our old Gaya hostel. Is it a sign that this saying has broken? Kind of poetic I thought. Why don't politicians say things like this anymore?

Thought ya’ll might like this next part, from my journal, dated 10/15

“Holly night of the praying mantis that wouldn’t go away! I noticed a mantis on the curtain inside today so I grabbed my camera to snag a couple of shots. Low and behold it ended up attacking me, I guess it is camera shy. By attack, it really just flew around frantically. So after a bit I shooed it outside and went to putting new music on my MP3 player (sitting in the dark I should add). Out of nowhere something big hits the back of my head (not the first time a giant bug has done that in this country, by the way). I scramble around for light with something clinging to my head. Guess who? Round 2…. Fight.
Tried to get him outside again, only to have him fly off and hide in one of my open trunks. Eventually get him on a plastic sack and outside where he promptly flies off. On the way back in I’m distracted by a spider spinning up a fly in its web, something I’ve been following the progress of on and off today. I’m amazed it can take so long. Well, I’m watching this for a minute when something smacks into my arm and flies off. Then it comes back and lands on my chest. Face to face with the enemy I panic and flick him off. He lands on one of the pillars on the porch and watches as I practically run insides and shut the door. Devil bug, all I wanted was to take your picture. Wonder if he’s still out there. Who knew those bastards even flew anyway?”

He did not come back. I think he took his victory and left.

Come to think of it, maybe I shouldn’t say he but she. Doesn’t a female praying mantis eat it’s mate after the act? This one definitely seemed a little, um… feisty.

Part 1: Life as of Late

I’m going to make this post in two parts. Part one: What I’ve been up to since the last time I posted… a month ago maybe? A little less perhaps, but now that I’m “home” in Gaya access to the internet will be a little more consistent, provided the electricity doesn’t go, as it is prone to do. Part Two: The education system in Niger and Me.
Warning: this could take a while, get comfortable
Part One:
I’m officially a Peace Corps Volunteer.

I’ve even taken the oath all US government employees have to, and yes, I suppose I will defend the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, but I don’t see any major threats arising from Niger. Last Wednesday was a big day for Peace Corps Niger. We celebrated the 45 consecutive, uninterrupted year of service, which makes us one of, if not the, longest running programs. We also celebrated the swearing in of 40 new volunteers, yours truly included. The party was at the ambassador’s house. Sw-an-ky. I’m telling you, don’t do the Peace Corps, join the Foreign Service and become a big wig, get a big house and a yard and guards with machine guns….

The Director of Peace Corps was here, as in the head from DC. Both ceremonies involved many speeches, but at least at swear in, three of my fellow volunteers were speaking, one each in French, Hausa and Zarma, they were quite impressive. Oh, jumping pictures were the idea de jour. The one on the left is my closest group of friends here and the one on right is my fellow Dosso/Gaya region new volunteers. And because Mom and Dad will want a more constrained picture me and the training director. (dig the purple Bubu I had made….)
That was last week and since then I’ve moved down to my new home in Gaya. I’m actually writing this on my laptop sitting on my porch at night listening to the singing on the mosque loud speaker, which is conveniently right across the street and aimed straight at my house. They went all night last night, and I imagine they will again tonight. It’s Ramadan and I think they keep it up till people get up to eat around 4:30. Sometimes, as now, they let kids on it and they sing along together. Last night they were singing along, maybe twenty kids or so and the power went out. I could tell it came back on when they all started cheering and soon they were back at it.
Rule of Ramadan: No eating or drinking from sun up till sundown. This means eating at 4:30 or 5 in the morning and not again till 7pm. I think it’s ok to eat before or right after morning prayer and then the fast is broken before the last prayer of the day, followed by a big meal after the prayer. This is not an easy thing to do. I tried it for a day here and as usual got my light headed spells from when I don’t eat. Especially hard is not drinking water when it’s 100 plus degrees outside. Exception to the rule: People who need to eat or would die/greatly harm themselves (elderly, sick, pregnant/nursing women) and children under 12ish. Oh, and me. I just say I’m not strong enough, though I’m thinking I may try next year, but no promises.
Reward: Big party coming up in ten days. I can’t wait.
First thing I tackled with the new place was to get the yard straightened out. Spend a hot afternoon in the sun with a friend here weeding my concession. He’s fasting so I felt terrible that he was working so much, but we both made it sans a water break for about two hours (I chugged near a gallon after he left). Step two, Martha Stewart my water tap with a new drainage basin. Mom, you’d be proud of me. Step three, make a trash burning pit. Step four, and the one I’m really excited about, start a garden. So far it’s just dirt, water, and donkey crap all mixed together. A friend told me to get it mixed and the soil soft, wait for whatever is in the donkey dung to sprout, weed it and then I’m good to go. Any suggestions from any green thumbs out there?
So far I must say that this is pretty much what I imagined it would be last week before we left. I’m stumbling through every conversation, but I’m making my way with a combination of Zarma and French. I’ve made some new friends. Inherited many as well; the volunteer here before me was an extremely popular guy and everyone says they were his friend, I think I have some big shoes to fill. Things are coming along.
Today, the neighborhood kids discovered that I have moved in. The other three days I’ve been out of the house most of the day at the Inspection (where I work) and getting things straight with the electric company, seeing the town, what not. I think I had half the neighborhood over here at one point. Some I like, some are just pains in the ass. I made the mistake of giving candy to the neighbor’s kids yesterday, so today everyone was asking me for candy. Told them I ran out. Really I’m saving it because it is such a treat here. I think I’ll pass it out after Ramadan is over.
More to come. After these pictures.

New Water Basin Family Portrait from Hamdy A picture

Part 2: Education

Part Two: The Education System in Niger
This is a tricky subject to write about. There are good things going on, but…. Well, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let’s start from the beginning.
Like most everything else, Niger inherited its education system from the French. Education is free and the first six years are compulsory. There are two ministries which oversee the system, one each for the primary and secondary levels. Primary consisting of the first six years of school. Primary schools are pretty well represented throughout the country, but are by no means everywhere where they need to be. Secondary education includes college (middle school) and lycee (high school), as well as the university in Niamey. Secondary schools, especially the lycees, are clustered in the larger towns and cities.
Between each stage of school (i.e. primary to college, college to lycee, lycee to university) there are tests. Students failing the test do not advance and must repeat the school year. However, the catch is that you can only repeat once, then you’re out of school. No pressure for those tests eh? The stats are pretty sad, something like 28% of children who start school finish. Only 9% of boys and 6% of girls attend the lycee (high school) level. Literacy in Niger is also somewhere in the basement region, 30% for men and 11% for women. Clearly there is a lot of work that needs to be done.
Two major problems affecting education rates: One, this is a poor country with little capital to invest, and two, cultural attitudes toward education, especially of women, though this is also a factor of economic stress. Let me start with the first point.As I said earlier, education is free and compulsory in Niger. Both of these points should be taken in perspective though. First off, going into a school building, having a seat and your name in a grade book is free, but school supplies like pencils, paper, even text books in many places have to be supplied by the family of the student. When you’re living harvest to harvest, finding the money to pay for these non-essentials can be near impossible. Furthermore, and this plays into the cultural perception point, if a family can find the money they may often only have enough to send some of their children to school, which translates into boys first, because boys stay in the family and need to contribute, but a girl is out and married soon, besides what type of education do you need to raise kids and do housework? Well, you need to help raise kids and do chores at home instead of going to a school.
As for the compulsory point, it’s one thing for a parent to not send their child to school if the village has a primary school. Almost half the boys and a third of the girls attend primary school, or at least some of it. This is due to the fact that these schools can often be found out in the bush. By the time these students reach the college level (middle school), they may have to travel many miles to find a school. For example, Gaya has three public colleges and two private. There are the only colleges for this region. That means it can be 70km from home to the college here or Dosso, the next nearest town with schools. Furthermore, the roads here are not very easy to travel. There is no public transportation. Bush taxis are the only option and they are slow and unreliable. There is no way to commute from home to school. This is true not only for college and lycee, but in many places the closest primary school may be 10km or so. Remember this is a country bigger than California and Texas together. There is a lot of ground to cover out here.
These faults in the system are economically related. I’m not saying people don’t care about these kids, but it’s a fact that education is becoming even more fiscally challenging. Text books and school supplies were supplied to children not five years ago, but with the state of the Nigerienne economy the government had to cut back. They are in a process of dencentralisation now, which further intensifies economic minimalism for the education system and has led to a dramatic rise in the number of private schools which offer a better education, but for much much more money. Much like in the US, there has become a duel system of education; one for those who can pay or happen to live in an area with schools and one for those who can’t pay or live without access to good schools.
This all seems pretty negative I know (and I haven’t even talked about teachers who teach without having graduated college and have a few weeks of job training….), however, there are some bright spots. The enrollment of girls is up. So are the literacy rates. In fact if you compare literacy of adults to children, you would see something like nearly ten percentage points more in the youth side (25% to 36% I think… all these stats are from old UNICEF sources dated to 2003 or so). The government is really pursuing the increase in female education. Each inspection is funded to have a position just for promoting girls education. But, all the factors above play into that.
So what can I do? Well, I’m not going to change the world. I want to start a program or programs to help children obtain school supplies. There are some NGOs in town I’m going to talk to. Maybe I can get them hooked up with NGOs in the US. Second, and this is the major accomplishment I would like to pursue over the next two years, I would like to start something like a boarding house for kids (maybe just young girls) from the bush who would like to continue their education but geographic and economic factors make that impossible. Find a place in Gaya, team with an NGO who will run it after I’m gone and find a continuing source of funding….. I’m not saying this is gonna be my thing for sure but it’s a thought, my best thought at the moment. Ok, enough for now, I’m sure ya’ll hear about that as it progresses.