Americanization

I can't help it. I'm an American. And culturally, as far as I can tell, that means that I'm prone to be happiest while working...especially towards some goal oriented project. I love feeling useful, being successful, and making progress. All things that have been somewhat put on hold, or rather redefined, since I got here. In the states my successes and progress revolved around school and work...doing some fascinating research project, writing a successful paper...here they seem to revolve around navigating the market, cooking an edible meal, and communicating my needs however small to my neighbors and colleagues. I've felt very much like an infant this first month in ville. Learning how to walk and talk within the context of Niger. And now, while its still a work in progress, I'm beginning to feel much more confident about it.

I started my scheduled rounds yesterday, beginning with the Jardin. It was a much more "successful" visit (measured against my cultural standards) than the first in that the children were all seated on tabarmas singing songs about hand-washing and how to be a good listener and doing recitations about the hand and being a red ball. After that was over, I went home and had lunch with my neighbor. We talked about Maradi and a woman she knows who has typhoid. We talked about making sauce and the reasons why my sauce might not be very good...about what I did with my sorghum from 2 weeks ago and about what she was going to do with her millet flour (make tuwo). It was nice. It felt really normal...and I reveled a little in the feeling that I didn't feel out of place sitting on a tabarma in the middle of Niger, talking about tuwo. That little bit of reverie led me to revel in the feeling that for the first time in my life I have Everything that I want. Everything that I love is at my fingertips. A juicy long-term challenge aimed at progressive and sustainable change...the excitement of finding new ways to communicate and adapt, the stability of family, friends and Aaron back home.... *sighs*...

After my reverie, I got ready and went to meet with the girls group. I wasn't sure if they were meeting or when, but I thought I'd make my way over just in case. On the way I stopped and had tea with a small group of Nigeriens who spoke English with me. Then I waited with a group of children next to the school room where I was expecting the group. They laughed at my failing attempts to understand their Hausa and showcased me to their friends passing by. The group finally arrived and after a brief reintroduction we made our way to a shaded spot to work on stitching. They slowed down their French this time so I wasn't immediately intimidated and we had a nice time talking about Hausa, French and English, what they were doing in school, and where they all lived. Then they came over to see where I lived. It felt like I had made some friends...hollowed out a little niche or something. It only added to the happiness of my day.

I felt useful...successfully completing day one of scheduled activities....making progress by becoming more familiar with the Jardin and it's teachers and with the girls group....it was very American-esque. And I liked it. Today I Loved Niger.