A Day in the Life of Kristi

I contemplated a few different names for this blog post … my second choice title would have been:

“My WAWA’d Schedule”

WAWA is a term used by ex-pats over here in Niger somewhat frequently and I’ve heard similar expressions for other corners of Africa.  

Its meaning: West Africa Wins Again.

This term has varying degrees of meaning.  Generally speaking it could mean “Life (read: my day, this morning, this task, this week) did not go as I had planned, and the complexities of life in Niger are what made my plans go awry.”

The emotion behind this can range from bemusement to complete and utter frustration.  Uttering this phrase, is a way to let other ex-pats or teammates know that frustration exists – without necessarily having to go into the details (though we usually do!).  But usually, common use of this phrase means, to quote Judith Viorst’s children’s book: I’ve had a “Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!!”

This could mean that you needed to do some paperwork for a government office, but the forms or procedures changed from last time (or even the month before).  In fact – this happened to me this summer while I was taking care of the office work over the holidays.  We needed to pay some back fees on government paperwork that we had not realized changed a percentage in their calculations earlier this year.  After one month, three different form propositions (and submissions) by/to this office, sending the Office Assistant down five times, and going down myself to speak with the supervisor – our money was finally accepted and our fees were paid!!  But, I digress … that is another story!

I had one of these days last term when I had planned language study, but the leaking roof in the office had me running around marking ceilings as per the landlord’s directions and waiting at the office until the evening for his representative to come look at the problem.

WAWA could also explain the day when I was working at the office last term and was called back to my house because the water office had taken my water meter (again!).  My landlord had two homes in his name – when the other tenants reneged on their water bill, my house happened to be the first listed under the landlord’s name … so they would take my water meter.  This meant that I was without water anywhere from 6 – 24 hours until the meter could be reinstalled. 

This day – I went driving back frantically to my house to catch the guys.  Spoke with them.  Drove back to the office for the bill and proof of payment.  They assured me they would bring my meter back when they were finished in the neighbourhood.  I brought a chair out to the street and sat there to watch and ensure that they didn’t leave without bringing my meter back!!

I haven’t really felt yet, since I returned last year, that I’ve had any particular or distinguishing WAWA moments.  Perhaps it is a change of mindset?  Is WAWA based on my western mindset of having to set and meet schedules … productivity?  Sometimes.  And this term, I sense I am more learning to go with the ebb and flow of life – God’s timing versus mine.

But last week, in the general sense of “my plans changed due to life and culture,” could be classified as a WAWA week, and ultimately a WAWA day.  However, because most of the events that happened to change my life schedule were cultural norms and obligations, I’m not solid on calling it WAWA.

One of the most common questions I receive is “Tell me about your typical day/week in Niger.”  My typical response is that there is “No Typical Day” (nor typical week).  Every day changes.  What I do from day to day … and week to week changes!  

So, I thought I would blog about this week … hence A Day (week) in the Life of Kristi:

My original plans for this week were pretty low key.  My major plan was to continue assessing the data from a survey I did in my village in May/June.  Aside from this, I had a few scheduled  events:

Tuesday: work with the Office Assistant

Wednesday: meet with Fati to follow-up on the micro-enterprise project

Thursday (12:30-2:30): Meeting with ex-pats who work with Fulani

Possibly on the docket – having a first meeting with the ladies in Golfumba to talk about their dreams and visions for the future and discuss my ideas as well.  This meeting is on hold as my main contact out there – Safia – is staying at a hospital in town to care for her sick sister.  Once the sister regains her health – the meeting is on.

Fairly simple and manageable plans!  …. Enter “WAWA”.

What happened to my week:

Monday night: Office Assistant calls …. he needs to take his sick wife to the clinic on Tuesday morning … Can we work on Wednesday??

Yes, no problem.  However, Monday night is too late to reschedule Wednesday meeting to Tuesday.  So, this meeting was moved to 9am on Thursday – still plenty of time to make the meeting at 12:30.

Tuesday: became a catch up on work and email day (the internet was having issues on the weekend – so lots of emails to attend to!)  Data assessment on my village survey continues.

Tuesday Night: The village chief’s son calls me to inform me that the sister of Safia had passed away.  It is customary in Fulani culture to go and visit with the family to pass on condolences.  Though this can be done within a month, the first week is the norm and practice – the most important.  So, I plan to visit this family on Thursday morning as well while I am out nearby.  These visits only last 20-45 minutes, so still completely manageable to making my meeting, albeit possibly late.

Wednesday: work with the Office Assistant … more emails

Thursday …. the day that got WAWA’d … my original plans:

9-10:30 : micro-enterprise project follow-up

11-12 : visit Safia’s family

drive across town

12:30 – 2:30 : Fulani worker meeting

3:00 : stop in at Orca - a store on the road home: to buy a scale, kitchen scissors, an exacto knife and maybe some small baskets if there are some available … this is a fun store with lots of unique items for sale – but as it is on the other side of town, I usually only go when already driving by or as a shopping trip with friends!

What really happened in my day …. A Day in the Life of Kristi:

7:30 … I wake up to the sound of rain.  Not much in Niamey happens in the rain – in fact, it is usually only us ex-pats who venture outside.  I contemplated calling off the plans for the day and rescheduling for Saturday … turning over and going back to sleep (getting over a cold takes rest!).  But I can tell by the sound of the rain that it is just over a drizzle.  As most of my meetings are indoor meetings, I decide to honour my plans.

9:00 …. I arrive at Fati’s house

I then chatted with Fati for 1.5 hours.  Her husband, Abdoulaye, had taken his sick younger brother to the clinic – his brother was then diagnosed with malaria and given medication.

I could do the meeting without Abdoulaye, but Fati has mentioned her husband’s stuff is on top of hers (and I think he had the key to the money box), and she obviously doesn’t feel comfortable moving his things around … so we had to wait for him to get home.

10:30 – 12:30 …. Abdoulaye arrives home and we start the micro-enterprise follow-up meeting.

This should typically take an hour max. … but many people stopped in to chat with me and them … and the meeting is put on hold each time to chat with those who come to visit.

12:30 … we head to my friend Aissa’s place

A few weeks ago, one of the goats that I gave to Aissa as a “loaner goat” for the year was hit by a child driving a motorcycle.  The broken leg was bound by a Fulani herder, but Abdoulaye has heard rumour that either the goat has died or she has had to sell the goat to gain a profit before the goat died of infection. 

As he did not have phone credit to call her for verification, and as her house was on the route to Safia’s, we stopped here first.  We also were served lunch – steamed rice couscous with beans and fried onions.

Indeed, the goat was sold.  She regained only half the value of the goat as it was sick.  She was going to call the owner of the motorcycle who has seemed to indicate that he is willing to pay for the damages.  We plan that if he does indeed pay money (20,000 francs …. $50Cdn) then we will rebuy a “loaner goat”.  If he does not pay for the damages, then we will wait a month until the price of goats goes down again and we will rebuy the second goat at that time.

1:30 … we head to Safia’s place to give our condolences

Here again I am served lunch – this time rice and beans, with some macaroni on top … and spices!  One mouthful ended up being 90% ground hot red peppers – YIKES!!

I chatted with these ladies for a while.  Abdoulaye soon needs to leave, so he can take his brother back to the clinic for his second round of medicine injections.  I agree to drop 3 people off at a market on the road – but then they discover that I live close to their village on the other side of town.  It would cost them 3-4 taxi fares to get home (each) … or, rather, to the place from where they would have to walk, as taxis do not go as far as their village. 

2:30 …. I become a taxi,

and we head back across town.  The traffic is unusually high for 3:00 in the afternoon – worse than rush-hour!  So, I wonder absently if something is going on.  At 3:30 (what should have been a 20 minute drive across town), I drop my three passengers off at where they can walk home.

3:30 …. I visit my guard

As taking my passengers to their drop-off takes me out past the home of one of my guards – I decide to visit him and his family while on the road driving back home.  He is on sick leave for a month, having stepped on a broken glass at the end of June … his foot is now infected and swollen.  As he went out to the village shortly after the injury, to work in his millet fields, it did not receive the treatment it needed as there are no clinics out there.  Since his return two weeks ago, he has been receiving treatment and I am happy to hear that it is doing much better!

It was a good thing I decided to stop as he had been sitting out beside the road visiting with his neighbours - and saw me drive past with my passengers!

4:00 …. I notice the Director is in the office still – so I stop in to chat with him for a few minutes about my day and to check on some work.

4:15 … I finally arrive home!!! …. 7.45 hours after I left!

At the end of the day, though everything I had planned for the day in my nice little day timer was completely rearranged …. the day was not only as it should have been, but a day filled with joy for me as well to be with my friends in their ups & downs of life!  And I ended my day supremely thankful that I had not rescheduled my plans and turned over for more sleep!