IST

Hail hail the gang's all here.

It's IST time and I'm in Hamdy with weekends in Niamey for the next two weeks. It's great to see everyone again and we lucked out with the ride in - a cool day and a packed but not overcrowded bus. I managed to sleep for most of it, given that the amoeba medication comes with anti-nausea medication so you can keep it down, AND the fact that Krista and I stayed up all night so we would sleep. It was a good trip.

Really looking forward to seeing everyone now that we're all in - we've still got almost a full contingent - only 2 people have left so far of our original gang of 34. Pretty good numbers.

Village life is good. My people are really nice, and seem to have a lot of kokari (effort). I'm going to be working with an improved bean project once I get back, as well as trying some seeds I brought from home. Squash, melons, and corn, plus I'm getting garden beds built in my concession so I can plant tomatoes and peppers and things that require a bit more tending. I'm also trying to figure out a way to bring a water tower to my village in a sustainable manner so that we can start gardening and making pepinieres and reclaiming the accursed desert.

In the future, I'm lookign at trying to move into Niamey to replace a volunteer planning to leave in March-ish. She works at INRAN, the national agricultural research organization here in Niger. She's the one that's organizing the bean project with the PCVs and I think that, once I've gotten my language skills very down and all that I'd be a good fit there. Plus, you know, I might actually get to use my degree! Imagine that!

But that's pretty much life here - other than amoebas and bacteria I'm in health, and on meds so not feeling bad. Really excited to be here, even on the really tough days when I want to drown the majority of the women in the well... It's remaining a good experience for me.

Love and HUGS
M

P.S. I want to send a loud congratulations out to Kate and Gilbert - may Allah bless your union with happiness and many children (they like to wish 10 kids around here but I'll let you two get away with 5 :) )