Zarmaciine

Trip Start Aug 28, 2010

Trip End Dec 24, 2010

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Where I stayed

CFCA, home sweet home

(Niamey hotels)

Flag of Niger Niamey, Niger
Friday, October 29, 2010

Greetings in Zarma, the language widely used in Niamey, are very standardized. There's a certain standard of questions you must ask when you greet someone, even just a passerby on the street. The more personally you know someone, it seems, the longer the greeting gets. These questions sound very personal to an American ear, but show an investment in the well-being of others that is refreshing. They also provide insight on to what problems are faced here on a regular basis. So, consider this half blog, half Zarma lesson.

Fofo! Mate ni kani?
This means, "Hey! How did you sleep?" For me, this can sometimes be a loaded question. Some nights it's terribly hot, especially if the power is out and the fan is not on. Also, sometimes it gets a little buggy, even with a mosquito net, there are these obnoxious, tiny, white bugs that come about once a week, I swear, just to annoy me

Boubonize and Labshaka

.

Mate gaham?
    "How's your body?" This question is always answered in the affirmative. However, this week, I got an eye infection for a couple days. I went to an ophthalmologist and he gave me prescriptions, and it's all better now. Health here is so fragile for everyone. We had students in the clinic this week with malaria combined with a leg infection, malaria and a parasite, and one with just malaria. We also have a girl suffering a mystery ailment, that seems to be responding well to malaria medication even though she tested negative for malaria.

Mate ni goyo?
    "How's work?" The typical answer to this is "Tali kulu si" (No problems) or "Alhamdulilahi" (Praise to God). For two out of three of the jobs, I can safely say, tali kulu si. The third is currently a source of stress. The English Club I'm helping with at a middle school has asked me to write songs and dramas on subjects I'm not comfortable with. For example, I have been asked to write a song about how women shouldn't visit Marabou priests to get talismans to trap husbands. I can, however, report, that my baby hippo is very happy and growing.

Mate jirbi hinka?
    "How were the past two days?" Great! Last weekend I was in a fashion show, which, well, was awesome! Who knew I came to Africa to be a runway model? A woman, Kadi Mariko, who used to be an RA for the BU program asked us all to participate. So we did! I modeled four dresses, and ended up buying two of them. This week I had lots of papers and exams that had to get done, and now they're done. That's a relief!

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