To Market, To Market . . . AGAIN!

Our time here in Niger has just "flown by" recently, and  I have been quite busy with the school and the students!  However, as today was "Market Wednesday," we decided to venture again outside the compound, and take in the sights and sounds (and smells, textures - but NO tastes, thank you!) of the village of Galmi.  I had forgotten just what a "sensory overload" that jaunt can be!  I think the pictures will "speak for themselves," however I cannot let an opportunity to share go by without comment!  So . . .

Typical Market Scene

The above picture does not even begin to communicate the CONFUSION that is the market, but shows how it is set up.  Almost everything is sold on the ground.  Add about 100 people in the picture, throw in a couple of motorcycles, and a "traveling loudspeaker" on a cart, which takes up an entire path, blaring out what I think are messages from the Quran, and a man carrying a bowl into which I peek and discover a fat yellow and black snake!  Now you are coming close to the market experience!

All Things Motorcycle

Motorcycles are everywhere!  The hospital treats LOTS of victims of motorcycle accidents and "face-offs!"  This picture was taken as we walked along the road to the market.

Clothes From . . . ?

There are probably not enough feet in Africa to wear all of the shoes waiting to be sold!

Shoes

Notice the bare feet in the background.  Somewhere in my past I was told to "never buy shoes from a man who has bare feet!"  Most of these shoes looked "new-ish," with the exception of the "dress shoes!"

More Shoes!

Let's leave the apparel section and venture on over to "all things IKEA."  There we will first visit the kitchen department, where we might want to look at . . .

Blenders

Sifters

Tea Pot Warmers

I am continually amazed at African "resourcefulness!"  The little black wire stands are made to hold hot charcoal in the wire cup and a teapot on top of that!  (I am not sure how that works out, however, because the only teapots I have seen are plastic!)  The sifters are 3-4 inch-high "rounds" cut from #10 cans with screening affixed to one opening.


Let's head on over to the furniture department, where we could pick up a bed - literally!

Beds, Bookcases, Night Stands

If we got a bed, then we would need some mattresses.  No problem, I just saw a couple pass by me;  perhaps they are for sale:

Mattresses Carried on a Head!

Perhaps it is time to stock up on some food staples, like . . . 

Corn

Rice and Millet

Galmi Onions

Galmi onions are DELICIOUS and I eat them every day!  They are red onions, very fresh, crunchy, sweet, and strong.  They ship them all over the world, as you can imagine from the truck in the next picture.  The little boy in this picture is so cute, but do you notice how skinny he is (like most of the people here) and yet how his tummy protrudes?  He is probably malnourished or has worms, as he looks too well to have malaria.  

Loads of Galmi Onions 

Looking at all this wonderful "bulk food," might make one hungry, however it was not hard to pass up the "fast food" that is everywhere . . . 

Market "Fast Food". . . Yummy!

One interesting thing I learned about those who sell meat at the market, is that in order to let the customer know whether the meat is from sheep, goat, or beef, they put the animal's freshly removed tail next to the meat!  (Hmm . . . I'm seeing a new marketing strategy for the in-store deli's in the U.S.! I mean, why waste money on extra employees to answer all those pesky questions customers ask about meat, when you could just set a tail there and end all confusion?  Or maybe even the animal head. . .  no, wait . . .  those are needed in soup, along with some "other" parts!)


Phil and I each came to the market with purchases in mind - Phil to find a "robe and pants," which is an alternate clothing selection for men here, and he wanted a "Hausa hat."  He found both!  The "Hausa hats" are inexpensive, and the vendor unpacked and unstacked almost his entire inventory to help Phil get one that fit and was a good color.

"Hausa Hats"

I was looking for fabric (no surprise there).  I am VERY picky (no surprise there, either!).  You can find almost any color combination and design.  I did not want anything like snakes, umbrellas, starfish, etc. on mine.  I like more "geometric" styles and nothing "American" looking.  But I have discovered that whatever you get looks MUCH better made up than hanging on a line with dozens of other pieces.  Fabric is sold in 12-yard pieces, but they will halve that and sell you 6-yard pieces.  That is about what it takes to make a "zunni" (wrap skirt), a long top, and a "kalabi" or head wrap.  After I visit several vendors, they stop getting up and showing me pieces because I am too much work for them!!!  I am not a "quick decider!"

Fabric Vendor

You can also have something made while you wait, which I have never seen before in the market.  But I like to make my own things.  Sewing is therapeutic - not that I need therapy here!

Make It While You Wait!

We are almost finished with the "market experience," however if you need something metal for almost anything, you must stop by the "parts department."  Home Depot has nothing on these vendors:

Parts?

Our "market adventure" took about 2 hours, but there are just a few more pictures to share because they say something important about what life is like here for the people of Niger:

Says It All???

I was warned early on to be careful about people "creating" crowds, as it is a good way for someone to pick your pocket.  I always keep my purse in front and my hand on it for safety.  This photo was one of those you take unknowingly as you are trying to maneuver your camera - which usually results in photos of your nose or shoes, etc.  But it sure looks to me like this little boy is hitting the pocket of some unsuspecting shopper!  You can decide for yourself.

Plastic is a problem here - to our way of thinking, anyway.  These goats had to forage for food scraps in and among the "bags" that have blown around, however, as you can see in the second picture, maybe eventually they will become the "stuff of fences" or even provide walls around the houses!  They do actually disintegrate in the heat here in pretty short order, but there are just SO MANY of them.

Looking For Dinner

Fences or Just Another Bag Bush?

We won't need gas on our walk home, but if we did, here is what we would find . . .

Galmi Gas Station

And the last scene here, actually makes me angry . . .  currently because I cannot download it to this blog!!!  So, use your imagination.  We passed by a tiny girl - maybe 5 or 6 years old, carrying an empty, but large, clay pot on top of her head.  This should not be!  She will stunt her growth, and then when she goes to have children (which can be as early as 11-15), she will have problems that could cost her dearly.  Her body will not be developed enough to deliver a baby, and that will be just one  of her problems.

Phil and I are SO thankful for all that we are learning, and that we can have a small role in helping people find Jesus.  And on the lifestyle side, we are thankful for our country and all that is available to us, and everyone who lives there,  so we can move beyond "surviving" to "thriving!" And a BIG THANK YOU to all who have been supporting us in prayer, in financial provisions, emotionally by keeping in contact, and just maintaining an interest in serving the wonderful, but very needy people of Niger!  God Bless You!

Creature Feature

This blog entry is dedicated to my sister Pat --- the quintessential animal lover, and to our friend, Tye, the veterinarian. 


Other than the giraffes, which really are spectacular here, we have not seen much "typical African wildlife."  No elephants, no lions --- not even a snake!  Well, I did see one yellow snake after he was dead.  No thanks!  Now camels, burros, goats and sheep (which look like goats) can be seen anytime up on the road or in the village, and if you travel to the river in the capital, you can see hippos if you are lucky, but for true daily interaction, we have the following:

Cute Lizards!

Lizard Climbing on Our Window Screen

I love the lizards!  They are cute and FAST and everywhere outside, and sometimes they get caught inside the classroom - entering through the cracks or the old swamp coolers!  They like to scamper all over the outer walls of our house, inside the screened porch.  The ones outside that are into the gardens have changed to beautiful colors to match the foliage.

Beautiful Colors

The "blue" in the lizard above is really a bright purple, just matching some popular ground cover around the area!

Still My Favorite - The Chameleon!

The chameleon is not as prolific as the other lizards, but he is magnificent!  He "saunters," rather than "scampering" like the others, and can get mad if bothered.  In the picture above, he is "on alert," since someone poked him with a stick (not me!).

Walking Stick

These are the brown version of the green ones we see often in the northwest.  (Sorry, Tye, if I am misrepresenting any of these biological specimens!) 


I am pausing to enter a "disclaimer," to let you know that the following information contains pictures of "creepy crawlies" and may be disturbing - as they are to me when we find them in our house!

Cockroaches 

I reduced their size, but still . . . These things are as big as they look and are FAST!  But I am getting faster!!!  It is impossible to keep them out of the house!  

Scorpion

This was one of our first "welcome to Africa" greeters!  He had just come inside --- but not for long!  I have only seen one, however, one of the med students who was here in the fall, was collecting them to take home as specimens. I hope he got them all!!!  Hmm . . . what is the airport security ruling on scorpions . . . ???


And LAST, but unfortunately NOT least, we have the "mijikunama," which translated means "Husband of the Scorpion!" (Good luck!  They deserve each other!)  In English, that would be "World's Largest, Most Freaky Spider" (WLMFS)!  Before I reveal him, here was my first encounter a few weeks ago:


I was sitting in my chair reading when I heard this scratching noise.  When I looked up, there was  WLMFS (see above) strutting with great attitude across my lampshade, like he owned the place.  After trying to put him down with insect repellent (yes, I know he is an arachnid), I was starting to think he did own the place!  I finally trapped him under a cookie jar . . . and put a candle on top for weight.  I was prepared to keep watch all night to make sure he did not escape, when a friend stopped by and set him free!  Question:  Did WLMFS come alone or was he on a "friends and family come free pass?"  Answer:  The latter!  We have seen 4 since then!  They, too, are fast!  What is it with speed and African critters???  Enjoy:

Mijikunama in the Sink!

Mijikunama Captured!

People here say the Mijikunama will not hurt you; he is just "playfully aggressive."  So is an alligator!  Go play with someone else, I say!!!


And the prize for most versatile, most prolific critter here goes to . . . (drum roll. . .) . . . the ever-present, ever-living  EARWIG!!!  I have no pictures, sorry.  African earwigs appear to look the same as northwestern earwigs!  But the amazing thing to me is that they can successfully live flattened, between the pages of books, stacked at the bottom of boxes, with several other book boxes on top of them!!!  When you open the boxes and get to the bottom of the books, and shake the pages, they fall out by the dozens, and crawl away!  How do they do it?  Unfortunately for them, they alone are NOT fast.  I have reduced their population significantly!


So I am thinking that the next time I see some travel brochure that promises "adventures for the retirees," I shall look to see if they are traveling to Niger!   

Sharing the Road - 1

In the classroom here at Galmi Day School, we have embarked on a new adventure - poetry!  We are not just reading poetry; we are writing it!  Oh yes!   Where was "Poetry for Dummies" when I was in elementary school???  Kids today have it so easy!!!  Poetry has "formulas!"  Who knew?  You no longer have to be a rhyme mime to be a poet; just follow the rules of whatever kind of poetry you want to write, and - voila!  You've got poetry!  

I think everyone is familiar with "Acrostic Poetry," the kind where you use each letter in a word, name, etc. to begin each line, such as with the name "GALMI" . . .

          God     

          Abounds     

          Loving        

          Me        

          In spite of my sin!

Our class will continue with "acrostic" poetry, since it is so handy for any topic you choose to study, however, today we moved on to "preposition poems" which are way more fun, but a little more challenging, also!  In a preposition poem, you pick a simple activity to write about, but you must start every line with a preposition.  What?  You don't remember what a preposition is?  Hang in there; it will all come back to you.  So I am attempting to write a preposition poem to introduce my latest collection from sights and sounds of Galmi --- "Modes of Transportation," or what I entitle "Sharing the Road - 1."  Following my poetic efforts will be pictures I have collected revealing ways people move through their lives in this corner of the world.  It is a little "rough," but here goes:

 on my head,

around a cover,

out the door,

down the path,

over the rocks,

among the lizards,

through the dust,

toward the gate,

outside the compound,

under the sun,

away from security,

to answer the question

of every walker,

"Amid so many vehicles,

over what span of time,

(minus God's protection), 

until injury is mine?"

  These are just a few of the ways to be challenged while walking in Galmi:

Many Many Motorcycles

Sharing the Road

Always Room for People!

Bush Taxis

What's a Little Extra Furniture to Haul on Top Such A Big Load!?

Can You Say "L-O-N-G?"

                                             

Hauling --- Could be Anything!

Believe it or not, the above picture shows one of the most dangerous "road travelers!"  The burros are so docile looking, but depend on someone to "drive" them.  I once got run into by one of these wheels when I was FAR off the road!  Luckily, no injury!  On another note, this is the way many things are hauled around town.  The barrels could hold water or manure;  I hope they know which is which!

It really IS "Everywhere You Are!"

We do enjoy an occasional coke!  "Diet" or "sugar-free" coke is almost impossible to find!  You have to go into the capital (8 hours away) and even then, know where to look!"

Bus Station

                                       

Vehicles Get"Run Into The Ground" Here --- LITERALLY!

                                                   

'Nuf Said About Donkey Carts?

Hospital "Parking Lot"
(No yellow lines.  No take-a-number.  No fees!!!)

So MUCH Weight!

The More The Merrier --- or The More The MONEY?

Who needs BEAUTY???  If the wheels roll, you've got transportation!!!  Priorities!  If you can squeeze any more people in it, you've got money!!!  Priorities!

Favorite Vehicle on the Compound!

Favorite Vehicle For OFF the Compound!
(Spendy --- BUT only 2  hours to the capital, instead of 6-8 by car!()

[TOTALLY off the subject:  I have noticed when I have gone back to look at some of my blogs, some pictures are gone and all I see is "white space with a caption."  I don't know what happened to them!  They were there once!  I will try to replace them.]