Peace Corps Journals / Niger / all updates

Caution

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:44:25 +0800

(Niger / East Grove Blues)
I have been a bit hesitant lately to write much after my last debacle. For a while I was posting changes/feelings and everything under the sun every single day. I feel like I was taking it too far so I have scaled back to safer things like dreams. Last nights dreams were wild though and [...]
7 reads

Traditional Medicine Anyone?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:32:00 +0800

(Niger / Life in the Bush- Peace Corps Niger)
Though I just posted less than a week ago it's been a great couple of days and I couldn't help but share.This weekend I got a huge suprise- I got a call from one of my villagers back from my old post ...
6 reads

Digging up my old Red Hat/e-voting posts

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:48:44 +0800

(Niger / Luis Villa's Internet Home » Blog Posts)
The DOJ is breaking up ES&S the country’s largest provider of voting machinery the OSDV project seems to be gaining some attention and RHAT stock recently hit a five-year high. This seems ...
5 reads

Coming Home

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:20:00 +0800

(Niger / Bienvenue à Niger)
I was so anxious about going back to my village after being at training for a month and only having spent one month prior to that in my new town. I didn't feel like I had deeply integrated into the c ...
4 reads

The Storms of Maevatanana

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:08:00 +0800

(Niger / The Compass Points to Niger - The experience of a Peace Corps Volunteer)
The thunder. It rolls in with layers of sound thrilling and scaring those it approaches. It tickles the imagination bringing memories of great battles the bitter rivalries of the pantheons storie ...
12 reads

The Storms of Maevatanana

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:08:00 +0800

Chase is gone

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:55:00 +0800

(Niger / The Compass Points to Niger - The experience of a Peace Corps Volunteer)
This last week has been one of the hardest I have experienced so far. The week before I had been sick and was finally feeling better on Saturday. Yeah for bacterial food poisoning. I let Chase ou ...
1 reads

Chase is gone

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:55:00 +0800

2 weeks into Madland

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:27:00 +0800

(Niger / The Compass Points to Niger - The experience of a Peace Corps Volunteer)
This last week has been so fast I found myself waking up this morning and struggling to figure out what day it was. The thing that has helped the most with the week’s speed has been the formation of ...
4 reads

2 weeks into Madland

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:27:00 +0800

Random Malagasy Fantasticness

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:23:00 +0800

(Niger / The Compass Points to Niger - The experience of a Peace Corps Volunteer)
Random incidents with no particular order but all of interest to me! I hope you enjoy!Walking in the rain to my director’s house late one night to tell him about someone stealing my puppy I get hit ...
7 reads

Random Malagasy Fantasticness

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:23:00 +0800

Latest purchases

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:18:00 +0800

(Niger / Out of touch)
I got my first Kmart paycheck (a whole $88) and desperately needed a few things. So I went internet shopping.I checked this book out from the library and it's amazing. With recipes like deep dish pizz ...
13 reads

The Latest

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:19:00 +0800

(Niger / Out of touch)
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind.I've been working mad hours at the Kmarts and that combined with a nasty cold last week kind of kicked my ass. Plus our internet was down for a couple days an ...
19 reads

Where the wild things are

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:53:41 +0800

(Niger / East Grove Blues)
I just watched the movie Where the wild things are and I was thoroughly impressed. The sound track was really well done. The acting was fantastic and the special effects were perfect. I don’t kn ...
9 reads

Our first FVC event A quick film.

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:12:00 +0800

(Niger / Joshua's Walkabout)
Hi guys wanted to share this. Cliff Figallo our media coordinator make this video for youtube.http://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=S1UpXV3Q4jQcopy and paste this address to watch.I am shown in it a few tim ...
5 reads

tsunami demons

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:09:54 +0800

(Niger / East Grove Blues)
I had two separate tsunami dreams in the same night. One had me escaping from a prison camp with some Peace Corps friends after the wave hit and the other had me driving around on top of a hill waiting for the tsunami to hit. After it hit I helped clean up a bit and [...]
13 reads

Tuareg Wedding and Mangos!!!

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:16:00 +0800

(Niger / Life in the Bush- Peace Corps Niger)
Whew! These past two weeks have flown by. After four exciting days of hostel-arrest we were able to head back to our houses then another two days later I was able to head back to work at the Musee ...
15 reads

happy first month at post too meeee!!!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:33:00 +0800

(Niger / Make Vary Not War)
I survived my first month at post!! the first 3 months are the hardest im told but so far its been (mostly) positive experiences. Even more daunting i survived as themost isolated volunteer in countr ...
19 reads

Everything you ever wanted to know about ...

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:46:00 +0800

(Niger / MADAGASCAR)
...just kidding that would be a super boring post probably. Unless you really really like trees. In which case call me up and we can chat grafting techniques.At any rate- that's what I've been doing f ...
11 reads

Untitled

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:21:00 +0800

(Niger / Katie Browne)
I recently celebrated my successful survival of the first month at post alone in the wilds of Madagascar. The party- a real rager if I can say so myself- included yours truly a giant Reeses Cup an ...
7 reads

In Search of Malibu Barbie Tromba

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:18:00 +0800

(Niger / Katie Browne)
In Madagascar religions collide. In the northern regions of the island Christianity of colonial origin mingles with Islam of mainland-African import and both seek to undermine the indigenous beliefs ...
12 reads

old crushes and lizard men

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:03:36 +0800

(Niger / East Grove Blues)
I am in the pool I visit in Japan but it is smaller. I am with many friends from high school and we are joking around. An old crush comes and starts acting weird around me. I ask her what is going on but she won’t tell me. We go to my house in Huntley. [...]
4 reads

egyptian kings and kissing

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:25:45 +0800

(Niger / East Grove Blues)
I had some interesting dreams last night: I am in Huntley/unknown river bank. There is a problem with some Egyptian type characters changing their rituals from old to new. The new ritual connects p ...
8 reads

notes and changes

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:46:05 +0800

(Niger / East Grove Blues)
I have desided to stop trying any more diets for the moment. They are just not for me. I like food real food too much and to give anything up just seems silly to me now. It was a good experience if anything to get me eating meat again and so I can’t rail against [...]
11 reads

looking for locomotives

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:30:50 +0800

(Niger / Luis Villa's Internet Home » Blog Posts)
I got some nice birthday gifts (mostly the ability to be around family) but possibly the best gift I got was this Wondermark strip: I will henceforth refer to reading a contract as ‘looking for ...
11 reads

One month in...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:56:00 +0800

(Niger / The Adventures of Jess in MADAGASCAR)
February 13 2010I’m continuing to get more comfortable in my village. I was invited to speak at an event for all the schools in my commune (about 8 of them I think); I did a (very) short presentat ...
3 reads

1 march 2010

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:22:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps Adventures in Madagascar)
Greetings from Madagascar! this will be short since the internet is slow in my banking town but Ive been here at my site for a monthand its still going really well. I feel like im improving zith the ...
0 reads

14 Fevrier 2010

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:16:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps Adventures in Madagascar)
I’ve been at my site for two weeks now and everything is going really well so far. The installation process took a little longer than I thought it would but otherwise the transition has been fairly ...
3 reads

Untitled

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:34:32 +0800

(Niger / Katie's Peace Corps Adventure)
It’s hard to believe I left Niger nearly three months ago! Since I have been back I have received a lot of questions about the culture in Niger. So I thought I’d write about a few of the topics that I’ve been asked most about. For anyone in the Portland area wanting to learn more [...]
6 reads

Niger School

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:54:00 +0800

(Niger / Tricia in Niger)
I attached some pictures of a typical Nigerien school and classroom in the bush. When the number of students is overwhelming the community must build an extra classroom either out of millet stalks o ...
12 reads

Peace Corps Partnership Proposal (PCPP)

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:46:00 +0800

(Niger / Tricia in Niger)
I'm nearing the end of my service with about six months left and my final project is raising money for school buildings in a small bush village outside of my town. Please click on the link below to ...
7 reads

Oh how the months pass!

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:45:00 +0800

(Niger / How to Remember a Life)
Fofo Family and Friends!As usual many months have passed since my last email although I have updated my blog a few times in the meanwhile. If you are interested in keeping up that way here is the l ...
1 reads

Politics as Usual?

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:16:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
You may have heard that there was a military coup in Niger. It’s rare for Niger to make headlines but apparently this was big news back home. There seem to be a lot of people with a lot of questi ...
11 reads

Starting Over

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:12:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
So here I am. Back in Niger. I was reassigned to an Urban Commune which means I’m still working with a mayor’s office but in a larger city. I’m further east that I had been and now have a V ...
3 reads

Emergency Leave: 6

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:05:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
In December Vic came home from Mozambique. I took the bus up to Buffalo so that I would be there when he got in. (Side note: Several people at the time commented: “you’re taking the bus all th ...
10 reads

Emergency Leave: 5

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:02:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
At 6 AM one day the phone rang. I rolled over groggy irritated and confused and ignored it. Eventually it stopped. Then it rang again. And again. Finally I dragged myself out of bed to answer ...
5 reads

Emergency Leave: 4

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:01:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
The week Margie died was also the week that things got really crazy back in Niger. I got emails from Peace Corps staff and from other Volunteers with updates. I had been given two months off and ha ...
8 reads

Emergency Leave: 3

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:59:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
One night things took a final turn for the worse. I woke up to her calling my name: she had fallen on her way to the bathroom. I carried her back to bed and tried to figure out whether or not she n ...
0 reads

Emergency Leave: 2

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:57:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
The first two weeks with Margie were such a blessing. In some ways it was hard to hear her speaking so frankly about her death but it probably made things easier in the long run. After a long and ...
0 reads

Emergency Leave: 1

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:51:00 +0800

(Niger / Peace Corps: Niger)
Margie was diagnosed with cancer about 6 years ago. She was in remission when I first came to Peace Corps but that lasted for less than a year. We had talked about the possibility of me coming home ...
2 reads

Silence and Waiting

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:15:26 +0800

(Niger / East Grove Blues)
I have been using this website as a sounding board for all that goes on in my head what I believe at the moment and a way to express myself without having to send gobs of e-mails to everyone. If you want to read it you know where to find it. I like that approach [...]
1 reads

Being at post!

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:08:00 +0800

(Niger / Travels of a Hard Corps Hiphapa)
I had this nice long blog typed up and then of course when i get here my flash drive is blank! So much for posting pictures. My house: I have a two room house that is big by PC standards. The door ...
9 reads

Happy birthday to me

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:41:26 +0800

(Niger / Luis Villa's Internet Home » Blog Posts)
Visiting family for my birthday; if I don’t respond to your email it is because I am soaking in sunshine.
4 reads

Similarities= same continent...maybe

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:58:00 +0800

(Niger / My Nigerian Escapade)
Merry Christmas! And soon to be Happy New Year! Going from the last post not too many connections can be made- life has performed a 180 swing! From endlessly flat to majestically rolling ...
14 reads

1 Month + 4 000 miles = 2 Worn out Puppies

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:50:00 +0800

(Niger / Joshua's Walkabout)
Before arriving in California Agadez the super pup and I had put on 2 500 miles.Add a flight to California tally the day trips to Sonoma Napa and other locales then add on this weekend trip to Sant ...
10 reads

One Coup over the Cockoo's Nest

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:22:00 +0800

(Niger / Joshua's Walkabout)
An article from BBC describing Niger's current Coup.Interesting Coup to say the least.....NIGER Characteristics from the World Bank:Chronic poverty:Population 14 million 61% live on less than $1 a da ...
5 reads

Some Updates Since November

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:19:00 +0800

(Niger / L'aventure Nigérienne (The Nigerien Adventure))
It came as a shock to see that I haven't written on my blog since November. For anyone three months is plenty of time for things to happen lives to change. Out in the bush my life stays fairly cons ...
6 reads

Rockin' those Freetown Streets

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:49:00 +0800

(Niger / A Wanderer Again)
This entry will have almost nothing to do with Freetown but I liked the title. Deal with it. While I haven't been rockin' the city I have had an amazing time traveling around provincial Sierra Leo ...
4 reads

Training Coups and France

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:13:00 +0800

(Niger / Sannu da zuwa!)
It has been about five weeks since I left Zermou for Niamey. I spent three weeks doing inter-service training. Basically the once Peace Corps trainees came back from their four month stay in the bu ...
2 reads