As I sit on my parents couch, I wonder how someone could actually argue that this life is better than the life I led in Africa? I would say it is more "developed" and materialized but not better. Sure I am thrilled to see my family and friends but there is a lack of community and togetherness. Things we take for granted like clean running water, electricity, education and exponential amounts of food are supplied to mostly everyone in America. I remember dreaming of all these things after living in Niger for two years but now that I have had my fair share of them; these things are nice, but not necessarily the epitome to happiness. I miss talking with people, asking them how their families are, visiting people and seeing the most beautiful smiles in the world! It has only been about a month since I've left Niger but I will never forget how they helped me to grow and how they taught me how to live.

Thank you. Na gode muntane cikin gari na. Kuna da kirki da hankuri sosai!

After two years of living in Niger and having some of the best and worst times of my life; it is almost time to say goodbye. Not to be cliche, but I truly feel that I have had an experience of a lifetime and I am so fortunate to have been able to meet such amazing people. With the help of my Dad, his employees and customers at his store we were able to provide a grain grinding machine for my villagers. Their gratitude is constantly voiced and their appreciation is exponential. I am very grateful for the support from all my friends and family back home, because I know I wouldn't have survived without all of you. Recently I was asked to be a VAT (volunteer assistant trainer)for the incoming group of volunteers who will be replacing us. I was given the honor of meeting such unique, positive and motivated individuals who helped me to realize what I have accomplished here. They helped me to recognize what I have overcome and how I have grown. Living here I have met some of the most influential, knowledgeable, interesting and caring people, I have ever met in my life. Nigeriens and Americans. Unfortunately, I have become accustomed to saying many goodbyes however, I have found them to only become more difficult when that moment approaches. In Hausa we say "Sai wata rana, inchallah" See you another day, if god wills it; and that is all you can say. You may see that person again or you may not, but what matters the most is what you have shared with each other and the moments you have created that make your relationships memorable and unforgettable.

The morning started off a little rocky but nowhere near what it would amount to. I asked to be picked up from our Zinder hostel at 5:00 am to get to the bus station. My ride didn't show but luckily I found another cabo cabo (motorcycle) to ride. I boarded the rear of the bus dreading the fourteen hour ride. After a couple hours on the road to Niamey I realized that the shocks were out in the the back of the bus as did everyone else who bumped and jerked as we continued down the almost non-existent Nigerien road. It was starting to get hot as it always does in Niger so I opened the window a little bit to get some air;(After I had been playing the window game with the lady next to me). The window game is when I open the window and then a Nigerien closes it. We do this numerous times until one finally surrenders. A little known fact is that Nigeriens don't like wind. So then the lady next to me reaches across me (I'm sitting in the window seat) and slams the window shut and looks at me like don't even think about opening it again! I need air! I tell her! I am sitting by the window, I should be able to open it! She says okay, then lets switch seats. Irritated, I tell her that if I don't have the window open, I will vomit. She thinks finds this humorous. Five minutes later, she opens the window vomits all over the window and my seat. Disgusted and angry I get up, crawl over her and the man next to her and make my way to try and find another seat on the bus. My shirt flys up and people see more than they need to so they gasp and an old lady starts cursing me and hitting me. I ask her "what did you say" and she said I hit her with my bag. I said I'm sorry I didn't see you so, she motions me to move on. By this point I am so tired emotionally and physically that I am in tears (which is a huge cultural no-no). I didn't care though. I thought that things couldn't get any worse I thought I would just let it out. Then everyone started making fun of me saying "the white person is crying!" over and over. Lets just say when I return home I will not miss the 14 hour bus rides from hell!

I got onto Air France after not having flying for a year, spent the night on the plane and arrived in Charles de Gaulle in the morning. I had a little trouble getting to the metro but finally got on and met my parents in Paris. It was great to see them after a year and a half. We made our way back to the airport and hopped on a flight to Amsterdam and then to Kenya. We arrived in Kenya and then took a small plane to Mount Kilimanjaro where we would spend our jammed packed week long vacation going on safaris, camping out and meeting really cool people. We stayed in Arusha the first night and then drove to Lake Manyara the next day where we would see elephants, zebras, giraffes, baboons and more. Just the landscape of Tanzania was enough to satisfy me. Coming from Niger everything was so developed and green and just beautiful! They next couple nights we spent camping out in the Serengeti plains where we captured some amazing shots. My pride and joy was a video of a cheetah killing a wildebeest. We were only several feet away from the kill. While camping there lions crept up near our tents a night and my parents would hear the male lion roar. However, I guess I was too tired to hear. The lions were defiantly there because the next day we saw the paw prints in the dirt right next to my parent’s tent. The next day we traveled to Ngorogoro crater. We camped on the rim and had a gorgeous view. The weather was very pleasant too since it was winter there. I meet some really cool people there; some who were traveling the world, I bet that is an amazing experience. I had such I great time there and was so impressed with its beauty that I would consider returning. It was really hard to return to Niger but I was excited for my villagers to meet my parents. They loved them and were overly kind as usual. When it came time to say goodbye it was hard, I wanted to get on the plane with them! Five more months and I will be returning back to America!

The heat took its final toll on me again this year, I am now in Niamey after visiting three different hospitals. I awoke suddenly last week in the middle of the night to excruciating head pains and a fever. The next morning I was picked up by a Peace Corps car and driven to Zinder. I received some shots, had some blood drawn and started taking malaria medication even though my test was negative(just to be safe). I then spent the entire night vomiting and in the morning continued onto the next nearest hospital halfway to Niamey. I got some more blood tests, an IV with some fluids and a wheelchair because I was so loopy. They decided that I should continue on to the capital (Niamey)where I went for CAT scans. The next couple days and nights I spent giving blood for tests and vomiting at night because I do not react well with painkillers (but were very much needed for the head pains). Now five days later I am getting better. All the tests are negative and the CAT scans are normal, they say I have a virus? These types of occurrences make me realize just how hard it is to live in a developing country. It's been consistently 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit almost everyday here now. When you live out in the bush with now relief, no cold water and no sleep because it is too hot; things get ruff. Allah kawo ruwa! (May god give the rains)Hausa proverb.

Wow I have not posted in a really long time! Right now I'm in Niamey with Ari doing our mid-service exams. Things have been going really well out in my ville. I started teaching English three times a week in a village a couple kilometers away from me. When Ari and I get back from Niamey we are heading out to her ville and mine to teach women about nutrition, moringa, health and AIDS/HIV. Some other volunteers are coming to help lead the sessions. I'm really excited! Also I just got some awesome news from my parents back home. I'm meeting them in Paris at the end of May to travel together to Tanzania. We are going to go on a safari and going to see the morogoro crater! I can't wait; it will be so nice to see parts of Eastern Africa. Then they are going to come back here(Niger)to see my village. Only four months away.

It was another typical Nigerien day, although, the Zinder family made Niger seem just like a Christmas celebration in America. The day was started out with cookie making followed by Secret Santa giving and white elephant. I stole a sweet journal which was much needed since I have been without one! Then Christmas day we played some flag football and a game of beer pong..or two..or...three, who's counting? We all just came in from being out in the bush for 5-weeks; longest stretch I've pulled! I had a great Christmas and got to meet one of my friends mom's. We call her D-Kaps and she's a sweet sweet lady. I'm trying to get funding for a project to plant trees. Desertification is Niger's biggest natural disaster. One of the NGO's has extra funding so I hope I get help with money for some pepiners and seeds. Other than that not much is new. I'm still hoping to vacation to Mail in March. Security restraints are still high from the attempted kidnapping incident in Tahoua region. We lost 10 people just in my stage; due to security issues and site closings. We are down to 16 I think,it's sad to lose such great people. I also don't have a neighbor anymore so it's pretty lonely out in the bush. There are a lot of projects coming up so I hope to keep busy. I've been here for a year now! This time next year I'll hopefully be traveling and on my way back to the states with Ari and Nicole again. Hope all is well and everyone had a great holiday! Much Love.

I just arrived back in Zinder. I'm really glad to be back but I had a blast in Niamey. We worked with many talented musicians, dancers and artists on a week long festival in Niamey. The week started out with a girls weekend where they wrote poems, danced, sang and acted. Haley and I choreographed a dance and then taught it to Ariana. We taught the dance to the girls who later performed it in the final concert. During the week we started out with some yoga classes and then learned some African dances. The dancers were incredible! The final concert was a lot of fun. Many Peace Corps volunteers played instruments and helped out with Pangea. Ginger, the mastermind of it all did a great job. It was a great experience and reminded me of how much I am inspired by music, art and dance.

Ramadan has passed, another new year for Niger. I celebrated by doing the "typical" things women do for the holiday. I got my hair braided and lalle (the ink henna on your feet) done. I also had a new outfit and sandals to wear for the celebration. I had some delicious duck and hung out with my villagers. I'm happy that people can start eating again....there was a lot of down time during the month of September. I'm trying to get a girls group going in my village for girls ranging in age from 12-14. We are just going to hang out and do arts and crafts, talk about women's rights, nutrition, family planning, AIDS, environmental awareness and more. I think if it goes, it will be a great way to bond with the young girls before they leave to get married! In October I'm going to Niamey to help with a music festival called Pangea. I'm super excited! The village has been pretty calm and I haven't been that busy but hopefully things will get busier and I will feel less home sick.

When I made the walk out to my village after vacation I almost didn't recognize the desert I had left. The rains came while I was on vacation. Everything transformed to green and there is actually grass! The millet is now as tall as I am! It's cool to walk through the fields weaving in and out of the crops. I planted a rainy season garden in my concession with barkono (hot pepper), wake (beans), caroti (carrots), kayan miya (herbs), and some other ornamental flowers. I also planted a bean field but I am still waiting for them to grow. It's really fun to farm...the other day I rode my friends camel out to the fields with the men. The lighting storms here are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The sky is bright red with jolts of of white lightening with the contrast of green fields and red sand.

Ghana....ocean, waterfalls, lush trees, GREEN. We crossed the broader in the night where we had to wake the guards to check our passports. Then we arrived in Hohoe which is located in the Volta Region. We went and saw the Wli falls which were amazing. We got into the water but didn't stay in long because it was freezing! After two nights in the Hohoe we packed up our bags again and headed a little ways down the road to the monkey reservation where we fed bananas to them. Then we hopped back onto a bush taxi where we headed for the city! Accra was just like America to us! The city was filled with Obama paraphernalia; banners, flags, t-shirts, billboards. The next day we figured we would go to the mall since we hadn't seen a movie in 9 months. However, it took two hours to get though the Obama traffic. Next morning we headed for another Rasta place where we relaxed for a couple days. The atmosphere was great for the time being but once again we packed up our gear and headed for Cape Coast to see some history. The tour guide lead us into one of the chambers where he turned off the lights on us. Most of us felt uneasy and wanted to get out. After Cape Coast we headed to Kakum Park where we walked along a canopy. My fear of heights did not hold me back...I actually think I have overcome it. Finally after bouncing all around Ghana we headed for our oasis, the Green Turtle; where we stayed five nights. We ate good food,laid on the beach and.....it was great! We stayed in these bungalows right on the beach where we slept to the waves crashing in every night. Finally our trip came to an end..and we had to pay our tab, luckily we had enough money.We finally arrived back in Niger after a 37 hours bus ride from Accra to Ouagadougou to Niamey. Our feet and ankles swelled so much we made fun of each others cankles. Now I'm back in Niamey and leave for Zinder tomorrow! Back to the bush....

Right now I'm in an interest cafe in Togo. It's pouring down rain here. It's rainy season so it rains almost every day. It's nice to have the cooler temperature and a break from the desert sun. Our trip has been going smoothly so far. We started out by going to the Ambassadors house for a fourth of July party, which was pretty cool. However we where a little tired the next day for the 17-hour bus ride to Benin. We spent two nights in Benin. We started out by visiting the Point of no Return, where the slaves were taken of the coast of Benin. Then we moved on to Porto Novo where we stayed at this Rasta place that was called the Lion Bar. It was pretty sweet; everything was decorated red yellow, and green and I stayed in the Bob Marley room. As soon as we got there I plunged into the killer waves crashing along the shore of the Guinea Gulf. We didn't go out very far because the waves where so scary looking. I'm still trying to get the sand out of my braids. The next day we went on a tour to a voodoo village where we got to see Portuguese and French ruins. It was really interesting. The following day we once again packed up our bags and headed for Togo. Once we hit Lome we went to the Peace Corps Bureau and they were really cool. We found a place to stay close by, for a small fee. The next day we went to the Ghanaian embassy where we started our visas process. Then we followed up by going to the Lome market, which is very chaotic, but they have a lot of cool stuff. Today we are hopefully headed out to Ghana.

We finally made it to Niamey after a scary bus accident. Our bus flipped on it's side last Monday leaving us brusied up and little on edge. We were nervous to get on the buz the next day but made it to Konni where we celebrated Soltice and then left for Niamey the following day. Today we got our photos, visas and bus ticket to Benin. Tomorrow we are finally off to the coast!! We haven't really planned much we are playing it by ear. I hope to take a ton of great photos!

Vacation time is here. Monday, I leave for Konni where I will get to meet up with old friends for Summer Solstice. Then from Konni Ari and I will head to Niamey to get ready for the departure. Ari, Nicole and I are headed to Benin Togo and finally Ghana. We are so excited. Supposedly Obama will be there July 10th, the same time we will be there. I'm not sure of the chances of spotting him but we are keeping are fingers crossed. We are really excited to see the ocean. There are also really cool places to site see and beautiful waterfalls. Ari made reservations to stay at a really cool place that has bungalows on the beach! Hope all is well back in the States. Miss everyone!

This is us after the health fair in Sommer's and Haley's villages. ...

I just got back from Haley and Sommer's village where they held a health carnival. I tagged along to help them out. I had a great time in their villages and the kids were great! We talked about germs spread from flies, AIDS, how to make medicine for diarrhea and conjunctivitis, how to brush their teeth and the three food groups. (yes there are only three here). The kids rotated from station to station playing various games and learning about these health related issues that can be solved easily with just some basic knowledge. We had a lot of fun doing it, I would love to do something like it in my village later down the road. Now I'm back in Zinder for a couple days...I had another accident on the way here. I flung off my bike face first onto the street. I scratched up my chin and arm but I'm okay. I just got up and laughed because I think it's funny that these kind of things keep happening to me. Oh well. Thursday, Ari is coming out to my village to visit, I'm really excited! I love visitors. Also at the end of June we are going to Ghana, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso. I'm so excited to see WATER!!! I will be dreaming of it starting now.

I've been getting really frustrated lately and I think it may have something to do with the heat. The hot season here is really hard for everyone. Work starts early in the morning and then nothing happens the whole day until about 4:30, five. Recently I have been dealing with culture shock. I think it is a combination of the heat and my language is getting a little better so I am wanting to express more of my opinions. (I consider this to be a step forward but not the most pleasant one.) I've also have been having a hard time with Illami so I may be selling him. I'm definitely not an experienced horse trainer and having a stallion is hard work!!! In July, Ari and I and maybe Nicole would like to do the "loop". Traveling to Benin, Togo and Ghana and back up through Burkina Faso. I would really enjoy a vacation and hope we can get things planned. I think the best way is to just "wing" things here though, since nothing ever goes as planned anyways; which is a nice change from America. I came in to check email, get money and stop by the pool so today I am back out to the village. The three hour walk through the sand in the 100 degrees should be a reminder that I live here. Niger. Miss everyone back home!

Just got into Zinder the other day, I ran out of money and barely had enough to get into the city. Ari and I, are here for a couple days to run errands before we go back out to the village. Village life is slow right now because of the heat. No one does much from 11:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon. It's just to hot! I finally had to get a new saddle and while I was testing it out I feel off in a nearby village...OUCH! I'm definitely learning. Everyone was really helpful after the accident though, I just have a bruised back. Esther, Anette and Hanna were great guests! We rode my neighbors camel and then Ester and I went for a quick horse back ride. She rode my Magari's (village chief) mare. I'm glad that they came out, my villagers talk about them constantly and ask when they are coming out next. That's about all that is new right now.

So today I'm leaving out for my village again....hopefully I will stay healthy this time. Esther, Annette and Hanna are all coming along. My villagers will be so happy and eager to meet them. I won't be back to Zinder for awhile so I am going to try and take new photos while I'm out in my village this time. Wish me luck it's 110 in the shade!

So I got really sick again...not fun. I'm on the road to recovery though. Hopefully I can last longer than three days out in the bush without getting dehydrated and getting amoebas again! I'm back in Zinder recovering but I really want to get back out to the bush. Illami did great going to market last week. He ran the whole way to my market town. It was awesome! I may have some visitors coming out soon....I hope they do! Anyways I'm starting to think of some project ideas...I think I want to make a solar cooker and introduce them slowly to the village. Any advice? Please let me know.

In service training is over now. It was so great to see everyone..Ari and I head back Tuesday for Zinder. Last night we had an awesome time at the Gender Awareness and Development (GAD) pool party. It's been really hot here since hot season is approaching. It's been 110 most of the days. I'm excited to get back to Zinder, I miss everyone including my horse:) Not much else is new, just wanted to update on what I'm up to. Miss everyone!

In service training is going well. We are learning a lot of really cool things. We have leaned how to plant fields, water harvesting tecniques, and how to graft trees. It great to see everyone again and nice to have electricity and running water. We also get to go to Niamey on the weekend. It's so great to be able to go out to eat and my favorite the pool! There's not much else going on right now. Until next time...

So I finally have gotten Nigerien sicknesses. I have amoebas and bacteria. I have to take a bunch of medicine to kill all the things living inside me. It's really gross! Otherwise things are going well. Tomorrow I'm headed out for Niamey with Ari for In-Service- Trainning. The whole stage will be back together again so I'm excited for that! I'll be in Niamey for almost a month so I should have good cell repection there. My neighboors are watching after Illami while I'm away, which was really nice of them. I think he is enjoying the bush and he definitley loves to gudu (run)!

I bought a horse today, a stallion. He is amazing! I got to go for a practice ride last night and this morning with Esther and Annette. They are both really nice women who work for the Eden Foundation who also breed and train horses. They have been very helpful and patient with me. I had such a great time galloping through the daji (bush). Tomorrow I am riding Illimi (which means knowledge in hausa) all the way from Zinder to my village. It is about a five hour ride. My adventours are just beginning!

So, Paige the volunteer I replaced called me today and I am going to buy her horse! I'm so excited! No more spraining my ankle in the two hour two feet deep walk in sand. I'm headed back out to my village today and will be back in a couple weeks for IST (in -service-training). Can't wait to see everyone again:)

Hi!! I just got back from a little trip in matameye! I had a blast hanging out with Ari, Kira and Kelsey. We got to see the border of Nigeria and do some health work. We helped out by weighing babies and measuring them. It was great to see mothers getting help for their babies! I also saw my first scorpion! Then we rode back half the way in a bush taxi without brakes. The next bush taxi to Zinder was great we got to sit in the front set and listen to music from Mali:) Anyways just wanted get this started sorry if this is boring....I will try to start writing in a journal more:) Love you and miss you all!