Where there is smoke...

Where there’s smoke……

Riddle me this…
What takes months to look at, days to make, and years to make ones own?

Give up….Its my house!!!! A few short hours ago this panting pilgrim was notified that after the flame was set under the arse’s of my villagers they mustered some k’okari (effort) and finally finished my home. All it took was a 23 year old dependently wealthy, stick figure of a blonde berating a dignified 65 year old village chief.

What’s that your asking….now what?…well the first three months my job is not to do anything…that’s right. NO projects, NO assignments, No real expectations other than spending time with the locals and learning what my village is all about.

Is there another job in the world that spends thousands and thousands of dollars on training an employee then afterwards says….do nothing?

If there is let me know because, the climate of this one sucks….

Lockaci Zahi!! Its time for heat!!!!

Heat season began this week. What does that mean? Sweating, Profuse Sweating. When I sleep I sweat, when I think I sweat, typing right now guess what….sweating. Taking a cold shower…well not sweating, but it starts again as soon as I step out of the shower…and after tonight no more showers. I’m homewards bound for the bush.
In fact its so dry and the atmosphere is so desperate for moisture that as soon as I walk out of the shower I am dry…no need for towels. Airlines provide complimentary peanuts, Niger provides complimentary invisible towels.

The worst part of hot season so far is that it hasn’t even gotten hot yet!! Yikes!!!!

If your bored or sitting by your lonesome and asking yourself “I wonder what Josh is doing now” from lets say today (3-26-07) to I don’t know maybe October, take a guess? Sweating and hydrating is my full time job.
If your missing me and need a little cheer have a good chuckle at my expense try to imagine what new place I discovered that day that sweat can come out of.
Now I don’t want to sound like a beggar but if someone wants to send me some packets of “Emergen-C” hydration packets. Muchas Gracias.

I hate the heat, my body hates it, but I love being here, so I guess no more bitching.
I forgot to mention, even my mandolin gets hot to the touch when I play here. Technically as Rob Nold would say “I’m a hot picker”

Compounding Heat Related Issues.
As you can hopefully see from my picture posted, I have a huge beard! Its like wearing a cat on my face. At least that’s my excuse when someone ask me why breath is so bad in the morning….Did you see that cat sleep on my face! Hahahaaha!! My eggs are scrambled.

My intention is to let it the facial chia pet grow as long as I can suffer it. Currently my mustache is starting to curl; the goal is to look like a fur trading bushman by the time I leave for in service training in a couple months. Cathy thinks its sexy, many agree nuff said.

Today I did have a interesting cross-cultural exchange when I was at the kasua (market) and buying my daily ration of cooked pasta and tofu. The butcher selling meat off his bicycle next to the tofu woman picked up his big knife and said “I can shave that beard for you, its hot!” My reply “No thanks, I keep a beard because I’m ugly without it” Everyone laughed, I laughed then I said to myself, holy Shiite Muslim! Did I say that in Hausa. There is not a more satisfying thing than saying something in another language without thinking. Okay there are lots of more satisfying things but I’m in Niger, I’ll take what I can get.

Well its time to start packing up and getting ready for dinner…Tonight it’s a special feast.

Tonight we are having hamburgers and cold beer!! Yummy!

To, Sai Anjima (okay Until later)

Nazifi

Wayfaring Peacefully.