Columbus Day weekend we were forced to participate in a softball tournament for foreigners, the comically-named NUTS (Niamey Universal Softball Tournament). A good time was had by all, though we only won one of the four games we played and were beaten by a group of school children. That same weekend, I visited a feticheur (fortune-teller/ healer) twice for a class and carried a chicken to its ritualistic slaughter. I'm usually skeptical about things like that, but the feticheur's readings for everyone were both accurate and specific. AND a second feticheur told us the same things!

After that, we took a twelve-hour bus ride to Konni to meet up with some Peace Corps volunteers. The trip was only supposed to take 6-8 hours, but we had three flat tires along the way. It was okay though; when our bus broke down next to a little village, we pulled out the iPod speakers and had a dance party with the children. Much hilarity ensued.

In Konni, we split off in groups of two to stay with PCVs in their villages. Some of the volunteers really live in the bush, but I stayed in the relative luxury of a 25,000-person town. We didn't have running water or electricity, but at least there was plenty of street food to be found. Mmm...egg sandwiches and shinkafa da waake (rice and beans).

At the end of the week, we had a less-eventful bus ride home and stopped along the way to see the last free-roaming herd of giraffes in West Africa. We were able to walk fairly close to them until a certain student, who shall remain nameless, chased them away with his bright red shirt and excessively menacing gait.

Yesterday, we modeled in a fashion show for a local designer and former Nigerien RA. Her name is Kadi Mariko and her clothes are super cute, so if you're ever in the area you should check them out. Tyra would have been proud: we were fierce!

written by  The Boston Wanderer on October 20, 2008 from Birnin Konni, Niger
from the travel blog: Sandstorms
Send a Compliment

---

hot damn! fortune tellers, giraffes, impromptu dance parties...gosh, I'm jealous. Have loads more fun! x

written by  Clarissa on October 22, 2008

---

i want an egg sandwich and waffa da kooni...i hope you don't find that offensive. what i meant is beans and rice...

written by  K2 on October 24, 2008

comment on this...