Ok, we've been here for a week and it already feels like we've been here a long time! But it's not a bad thing, we've just been doing a lot! Each team has been to 2 different markets with our outstanding guide. He tests us on our language and taxi skills, and especially our math skills while using cfa. One market is a little more low key, meaning there aren't beggars following you everywhere. The other one has more activity and beggars are everywhere. The beggars aren't what everyone normally thinks. Sometimes you can say "no" once and they move on to someone else. Others you have to say it a few times, but if you keep walking they eventually move on. We still don't understand what the guys are saying when we pass by, but I figured I'm going to miss being ignorant when I finally know the language enough to understand what they're saying. Lol Right now, I can just say "no" because it works for whatever they are saying. "No, I don't have money. No, I won't marry you. No, I'm not French." That's another thing I didn't expect here. I really thought everyone would assume we were Americans, but everyone tries to speak French to us! None of us know French! It's funny, cause for some of them, we know as much as they do, which is only "Bonjour!" Crystal and I met a group of kids playing yesterday and they all stopped to wave at us and say hello. They started with bonjour, but one little boy said "Hey!" Finally, an American greeting! Haha It was cute, so of course we said "hey" back. ;)
Yesterday evening we got to venture out on our own to the market without our guide... But we made it! We even bargained a little, and we basically did it without using the language, cause we just don't have the language down. And in the market are all kinds of people from the different tribes, so whatever words we do know aren't guaranteed to be understood by everyone. The first place we went to was a grocery store that we had gone to before, but unfortunately it was closed when we got there. We started to cross the street, but all of these men who had things to sell crowded around us and said, "Come! Come!" So we went with the crowd, and I ended up playing a game of mancala with one of them. I tried not to at first so we could just keep walking and go to the market instead, but while the girls stopped to look at the earrings, I went ahead and played the game. We were getting to the end of the game (not sure if I was winning or not), when the girls came up and said, "We're leaving right now." Apparently they were having a stressful time cause everyone was trying to sell them everything, and there I was playing a game! The poor guy probly thought I was going to buy it, but they were asking more than what we had to spend. I've been wanting to buy one anyway, so I'll look for him the next time we're on that corner. After that we found a store where we could buy a coke. The guy that helped us was around our age and knew some english so we were able to visit with him while we drank our cokes. Then he said he had a song to play for us. It was an American rap song about our president. We laughed, but it was fun hearing American music for a change.
The other day we practiced carrying water on our heads. It looks simple enough... but it's not as easy as it looks at first Lol Lifting the huge bucket off the ground and onto your head gets you a little wet. Then if the water hasn't finished sloshing before you start walking, gets you a little more wet. But we got our water in the barrel and filled it. We actually didn't spill a lot of water. We used that water for our bucket baths the next night. That was intersting too. But easy. We each used a half bucket or less of water to wash our hair and everything else! Yes, ladies, it's totally possible!
Our orientation leader decided we should use the latrine out back (a.k.a the nice little hole) to go to the bathroom for a couple days... After the 2nd day she gave us the plastic teapot I told yall about so we could clean ourselves (instead of using toilet paper) and to wash our hands. I will tell more of those stories later... ;) I will say that accomplishing this feat made me feel like a 3 yr old on those pull-ups commercials, "Mommy, Mommy! I'm a big kid now!" Lol
We will be going to our homestays next weekend where we will start our in-depth language learning and cultural learning that is more true to our village. Right now we are growing accustomed to the city life. Thus the reason for all the training with the water and the "hole." We'll be staying with a family who will speak only Zarma with us and show us how to wash our clothes, cook, and master carrying water on our heads. Our language teacher will start teaching us then as well. We'll be there for about a month, then we will head to our village and settle in to our hut. We're anxious to just be settled and be in our home and around our neighbors. Along with the goat we plan to buy, we're going to plant a garden too. The women in our village garden, so we thought that would be a good way to get to know them and they can help us too. That will also help in learning the language as well. Anything we can think of to build relationships with them, we are going to try. Even just going to fetch water will bring opportunities to get to know the women better. There's a water pump that everyone goes to, so you have to wait in line for your turn at the pump, so there will be plenty of time for visiting.
Well, I will end here for now. Hopefully we'll be able to get online next weekend and give you one more update before we head to the village! If not, then I will have some homestay stories as well!
Thank you for all your support and getting us here!
