Anniversary Reflections

A few of my friends in Niger have been posting reflections on the difference of life in Niger since arriving. That which is different to see or experience, that which has now become commonplace. I've borrowed a few of theirs, and am sure that there is so much more that I now miss seeing because it has become part of life, but . . I found this a fun activity for reflections on my 1st year in Niger:

ENJOY!!

avoiding donkeys, chickens, goats, sheep and camel trains while driving

driving on the other side of the road to avoid taxis stopping on the road or driving slow

new accents . . . French African and all manner of countries amoung various missionaries

speaking in French

speaking in Fulfulde

speaking minimal Djarma to greet in the marketplace

laughing out loud everytime I see a mini-billy-goat

thinking that +25 degrees is cold

buing vegetables on the side of the road

telling many people, many times a day, 'non merci' because I do not want to buy whatever they have brought to me . . . jewellery, leather boxes, mirrors, swords, veggies, etc...

learning not to cringe everytime someone runs their fingernails down my truck window, hoping to gain my attention and desire to buy what I have just said no to buying

year-round mosquito bites

military presence

military riding motorcycles with guns slung over their shoulder

greeting everyone with 3-5 questions on health, family, children, work and temperature

baobab trees - funniest-looking, yet amazingly majestic trees

sleeping under a mosquito net

street vendors . . . kleenex, medicine, phone cards, t-shirts, shoes . . . you name it - it can be bought from your truck window!

clothes washed in a muddy river, drying on the sand banks or bridge span next to exhaust fumes

going to see the hippos or giraffes is now a regular activity

driving through deep deep sand . . . and having to use my 4x4 drive (surprisingly usually in the city and only once in the desert!)

playing and sliding down sand dunes

hearing the prayer call at the local mosque 5x per day (okay, yes, I normally sleep through the morning call, so 4x per day)

hearing the sound of pounding millet

living in an African village

laughing with African friends

loving African friends

amazing sunsets

amazing sunrises

drinking coke . . . . from a glass bottle

brochettes and fries

buying what you want when you see it . . . because it may never be seen again (hence the box of cheerios!)

wearing skirts daily

occasional afternoon siestas . . . especially during hot season. the survival mode of naps in college has been revived!

drinking coball (millet porridge balls mixed with sour milk into a chunky drink with a texture that demands a bit of chewing)

bumpy and rutted sand roads once off the main paved roads - in the capital city

gifts of chocolate & Tim Horton's coffee is always a joyous occasion

someone arriving with a new dvd from 'the other side' brings excitement to regular gatherings

my love of lime green is nothing compared to the colourful clothes that I can buy and wear here!

making ice cream is cheaper than buying it . . . and is a treat that stays in the freezer slowly eaten over many months!

garbage piles everywhere

constantly washing my feet . . . . I am more convinced than ever that the verse beautiful are the feet that bring good news is not meant literally

being given gifts to eat: eggs, live chickens, roasted goat

dodging through traffic at the slightest sign of a break in order to cross a street

watching people walk down the street with all manner of items (pottery bowls, baskets, rugs) carried on their head

babies tied to the back of children with fabric

someone to help clean the house and do laundry . . . such a blessing of help in work I could not accomplish after my long days of language study and accounting!

being an employer

traffic circles . . . . everywhere! And wanting to now have a word with the driving instructor who said 'there are no traffic circles in Calgary, 1 in Edmonton, they are confusing and my advice is to turn around and avoid them if you see one'. Did I mention they are everywhere??!!! But, at least I had no pre-conceived notions on how they should work! (because apparently, the rules are backward here - starting from square one to learn navigation of these things may not have been all that bad)

power and water cuts are weekly occurences, if not sometimes daily (side note: the electricity cut in the middle of writing this blog). Coping strategy: I out-do any Y2K plan . . . there is now about 30L of filtered water under my sink and at least 50L of water in a bucket for showers, toilets and washing hands in case of lengthy water cuts.

dust haze in the sky all day as the winds blow it in from the desert, and hence, being able to look at the sun mid-day

swimming in a pool has become a most refreshing and relaxing activity

chocolate dipped sheep

the constant sound of fans whirring . . . or the constant sense of sweat if not

. . . and still loving the privilege to live and minister here!