Folks we meet along the way. Written 2-16-08

Going to Niamey or traveling for that matter is always an encouraged event when needing to step away. Or if you want see some old friends taking off from Niger as they end this period of their lives and begin another journey as they step back into the unknown, the world we all left behind.

Its helpful to see them, gauge their mood and use it as a tool to cope with only having a short time here.

I have a little over 9 months left before my adventure changes again.

Scary.

Trips often revel their true meaning as the journey develops. Sometimes on a good journey you meet new interesting people and learn a little more about the world through them. Or all kinds of fun challenges present themselves and provides more fascinating self discoveries to the limits of patience, or the levels of microbial infection one can weather on a pot hole road.

Adjusting to unexpected detours is part of the spice of life and as time rolls on you just go with the flow instead of fighting the forces of nature.

My trip to Niamey was swell, seeing my good friends Alex and Bri's village in the Balleyara region was both informative and a treat to see new country plus I was thrilled to be able work in their garden, and eating the spoils of their labor. Also conversing with like minded agrophilliacs about our experiances and work, is always worth the mulitple day trip it takes to get there.

Sometimes the road throws you a bone in the form of a taxi; empty, cheap, and with the same structural integrity of a slinky. But as it comes wiggling by, damn if its not a sight for sore eyes.

Afterwards I went back to my Native Hamdallaye and immediately heard "Nazifi!!! Nazifi!!! Barka da Zuwa!!!!! (blessings on your coming)

I haven't been in this place for nearly a year, how do they remember me?

Briskly pining over this, I reduced there are not a lot of white guys wearing a brimmed hats with bright red beards and a mandolin strapped to their back.

I spent lunch strolling down memory lane feeling like a an old veteran and talking about my projects and experiences.

A year ago I was one of them, any stimulus is good up on the desolated training site.

In Niamey I met a courageous married couple, he is a Swedish adventurer/math professor and she an Iranian hydrologist. Currently they are driving an 89' tank of a Land Cruiser all the way from Sweden, to the south of Nigeria then they are going to climb a mountain then move to America and work at Purdue University as a math professor.

Not a bad way to set off for America huh?

That's the beauty of being on the road, especially in Niger. A large part of the Nigerien culture is historically nomadic, and it seems that it attracts a different sorts of wanderers from all corners of the globe.

Last night we had a farewell dinner and party for our soon to be departed and estranged AG/NRM class of '07. It was a real joy to dress up again go to a formal dinner, and have a good time and put my dancing shoes one afterwards. Though I prefer the bush life and roughing it, sometimes a boy just needs to feel pretty.

:-)

Supposed to go back to Maradi this morning, but it can wait. Its going to be a long time before I see these folks again, besides until I buy my ox, I am kind of in a work lull.

Okay that about settles it, day after tomorrow I spread my wings and fly.

Till then sai anjima

Good Work of the Year

Greetings all.

I am currently in Maradi and enjoying a much needed rest. Since returning to Dan Saga everything has been on the go go go and all my efforts are focused on preparing my tree nursery for the upcoming year.

The hammock is hung, the dirt is being turned, materials are accumulating and my passion for agriculture is only intensifying with each new day of work in my peppenaire.

Yippee!!!!! I feel all giggly thinking about it

Last week my focus was on fencing, I repaired some spots in the old portion of the nursery, and then put up a 35 meter chain link fence to create an area reserved for animal management and manure accumulation. The work was fun and took much less time than I thought it would, there is an expression that many hands make less work so luckily with the help from my friends and about 50 kids just hanging the job was done and I hardly even had to work.

I have upper management written all over me.

Due to how I built the fence a recurring theme from last year has already resurfaced " Nazifi that's not how its done", but then again after the fence was finished we looked at our work and then I heard Hey Nazifi, that's the way! I never tire from hearing that.

It’s the beginning of February, and by the end of next month I need to have the nursery up and going its going to be a lot of work but I am having the time of my life lounging about and using my imagination to create something unique and a benefit for the future of Dan Saga.

By applying lessons learned from last years work and integrating Permaculture concepts the pre-rainy season task will be to transform a discarded parcel of turf generally used for a short cut path and place for kids to number two, into a fully integrated multipurpose area used for animal production, gardening, medicinal forest garden, orchard, and nursery.

Last year my focus was to establish a Sahelien Eco Farm and show farmers a different approach to managing their fields. This year my goal is to continue integrating these concepts to willing farmers, but also focus my attention on establishing food security and diversity within the confines of individual homes or small scale fields within the village. It is essential to find a way to maximize land use and water management in locations closer to available water and available maintenance.

This years work will be a lasting impression of the benefits of giving this white guy two years with nothing but time on his hands and the conclusion of a dream that started decades ago when a young boy dreamed of living in the bush of Africa.

Nothing could make this existence better.

1-23-08 The Social Misfit

2:57 PM

Am I a communication misfit? Yes, probably a little.

Dating back to the time I became really sick and Matt was pulled out, and even more so since leaving Niger, and returning from my vacation, for that matter. I can't say I have contributed even the tiniest fraction of events.

Depending on the notion that many of you know me personally as a family member, friend, regular reader or even random search you might have caught some of the tales while home.

If not too bad, so sad.

Going to the states was incredible, cold quality beer, Mexican food, margaritas, BBQ and a multitude of other things were thoroughly enjoyed. It was a real break from the insect light fecalmatterflaked food, piss flavored Nigerien beer, and 12 hour taxi rides to travel 100km.

But coming back to Niger was a blast, seriously - a land mine going off in the neighborhood. I was in checking my email and it was kinda eerie, but at least its something the States don't have, right?

No worries.

I finally made it back to Maradi after a long drawn out week in Niamey, there was no motivation due to the jet lag. For about two weeks I was a wondering moron, stumbling about sleeping only 3-4 hours a day. Or going to bed at 10a.m.

But it’s nothing being back in the ville can't solve.

Last week I made it back to Dan Saga and was given a homecoming reception fit for a returning celebrity. I had called a villager friend and told him that I would be back in two days time. So, on his own initiative, he told everyone and the result was about a hundred or so people waiting for me to arrive that afternoon. There was dancing, singing, hugs, greetings, jumping, running, handshakes, laughing, joking, and even a pair of potato and meat venders showed up for the occasion and profited handsomely on the occasion.

Good tasty Nigerien taters. Fresh meat. Mmmm

I missed it.

After my first night’s sleep back in the ville there was no rest for the wicked and my villagers put me to work. I didn't have hardly a minutes rest between trying to work in my tree nursery, squeak through ALL the rusty Hausa and dodge the barrage of blessings and greetings.

My house hasn't been lived in for practically two months, and seems to be no less of a barrier to the constant shifting of sands, dust, and wind than to the tremendous rain storms.

But that’s not even important. My village was there with open arms, whole heartedly greeting me.

God bless these folks, I love em.

And you know what? I was given a whole new set of fields, I think its 3 or 4 now. Like I said no time to rest, and even was told by many farmers that they were happy to work with me this year and adapt my farming model to their fields.

This was like day 2 of being back.

Day 3

I measured my peppenaire (nursery), plotted, and planned how this thingy is going to function based on principals that I have learned from studying permaculture…blah, blah, blah.

My work this year has promise to be a project for the records! It’s going to be a lot fun.

Back in Maradi

Today I went on a bit of a spree and bought a plethora of fantastic tools, fencing, and cement to construct an incredibly integrated system. Though it wasn't my money, and I probably shouldn't have spent it, I did because it was too tempting. With the equivalent of about 300 bucks USD in my pocket I felt like a kid in a toy store.

Now it’s a discarded tree nursery with connecting fields next to a well.

But soon this domain will be transformed from a littered low output field, into a multidimensional space integrating a garden, nursery, orchard, cash crop field, medicinal forest garden, and home to chickens, bees, rabbits, goats, ducks, guinea fowl, an ox or two, then possibly a horse, then top it off with a dog. We will also be selling value added products, along with a multitude of other services.

What keeps me motivated of working here like this? I look at the long term and think this is how I would do it back on my farm.

My goal is to turn this area into a learning environment that extends its impact beyond my own service and stands as a testament to anyone who takes the time regularly to stop and ponder on the larger things in life and use their imagination to create something wonderful.

Or if one just says eh' that's a great place to tether an ox, or for little kids to take a number two, good enough for me.

Woe to me for having a job where all I have to do is explore my imagination and create something musical, beneficial, but most importantly sustainable.

The next month seems to be a very busy one so don't expect for me to surface too often other than for a quick jaunt out of the ville to grab something.

2008 is going to be an amazing year.

Even managed to put up a hammock in my peppenaire for a place of rest, deep thought, and work.

Peppenaire (pep-EN-yair) as spoken in upper flatland Missourian dialect is a tree nursery.

There is work.
Life is good indeed.

1-09-08 Smurfs Attack!!

10:10 AM

I am back lapping it up in luxury – oh, how I missed the sunny sands of Niger. The trip back across the pond was dreadfully long, but stopping off in Casablanca, Morrocco and sharing time with new people along the way made the trip even better.

Similar to my returning home and missing flights, I returned back to Niger in the same fashion and somehow missed my connecting flight from Atlanta to New York.

I don't know how, really, I don't get it.

Seriously I was there on time, my flight was on time, and my arrival gate was next to my departure one, and I WAS waiting at the gate. Yet I saw nobody enter the gate, no boarding call or anything and the plane still took off without me. The only way I could have missed my flight was during my 5 minute jog down to the restroom and grabbing some airport food and returning immediately.

I don't get it.

Now just between us I don't want any of you to think I am paranoid but perhaps there were more sinister parties involved. Recent evidence has emerged and I believe the culprits to be a crack team of mercenary smurfs whose ambition was to delay me, crawl into my luggage and then deploy their evil doing.

Okay I know what you’re thinking now….

Smurfs are cute, blue, diligent, and courteous, but still I don't trust them. For real people, let’s not forget they have been in a long standing war with Gargamel, and let’s not forget how crafty Handy Smurf is.

Plus, don't you think perhaps Papa Smurf just looks a little too much like a terrorist?

So moving on, I am back in Niamey, jet lag has hit me terribly, once again part of the evil smurf scheme. Somehow after my slumber I awoke to find that my resources had been whittled down.

Where are my reserve stocks of American candy, supplies, but most importantly, bourbon?

But I don't want to sound paranoid.

I can't help it though, anytime now I feel the slight bit tired, BAM! Like a door slamming I'm out.

Can you believe I was thrown out of a bar because they thought I was drunk!! ….bastards!!!

It was smurfs I tell you!!! SMURFS!!!!

Just kidding. Actually not kicked out of bar, but not about the smurfs

You just can't joke about that lot of folk, they are evil doers down to their little blue bones.

Despite the smurf meddling, my time back in Niger has been getting back to normal.

Slow and steady, just the speed I like it.

Yet despite my inability to adjust to Niger time yet, somehow everything seems to be quite right.

I have been playing mando, surfing on my cool new laptop, and reading my new farming and agriculture books, even managed to squeeze a jam session with a famous Nigerien musician.

So why haven't I left Niamey yet?

Glad you asked.

Smurf Meddling I tell you.

Know the Mercenary intentions of the crack team of Smurf assassins have struck.

Last night a land mine exploded in a residential neighborhood in Niamey, killing a director of a public radio station along with his wife. Naturally the Toureg resistance group (MNJ) is denying all responsibilities for this occurrence, along with all the other recent wave of landmines striking the country. Naturally most seem to believe this, except for the Nigerien government, and most likely ours as well.

Really the worst of it for us was that for a day we were not allowed to leave the hostel, and then not allowed to ride in taxis for a day or two.

But don't any of you worry we are all doing well, safe and on lock down…....again.

Thankfully the criminal investigators never came to ask me, I fear the repercussions too terrible to think or mention, but you know what I think. It was, without a doubt, the same crack team of mercenary Smurfs that hoodwinked me in Atlanta. They are the ones to blame for this new wave of violence.

How do I know?

The escalation of this proxy war has been small scale.

There you go, simple logic once again prevails.

Do you think it could have been the time zone changes? Dunno.

No place like all my homes

Prior to leaving Niger I had a town meeting with my village

The setting was at night, the stars were out, many were coming and going to the night market to socialize and buy food, it was the conclusion to a typical day in my village.

The next day I would be leaving for the States and needed to address my village and share with them my thoughts and provide the proper gratitude

Behind my house between the mosque a single lantern on the ground marked the spot of the meeting. Many came, some familiar, some not. Women, men, children, ages of all ranges came to hear me speak.

I expected to be nervous, I had never addressed a village before, especially in a different language other than my own. But that wasn't the case, I felt completely at ease, like this was what my life is supposed to be like.

In the dim light I spoke for the first time in Hausa to a mass gathering of my village.

Not to villagers who needed me but to my new family whom I needed more.

I spoke of my work, and gave a thousand thank you's for the devotion and grace of my villagers effort to welcome me to the village and include me as one of their own.

"When I return and people ask me where I am from, I will say my home is Dan Saga, and that new family is a village in Africa. "

If it sounds overly sentimental, well it should.

Back in this place I am visiting, yet where I have lived for a large portion of my life, things easily become hazy and its easy to lose your way, but in Niger its simple. If you have family, community, and a place to call your own in life what could anyone else really need.

Prior to leaving for Africa all ever wanted for as long as I can remember was to follow my dreams and live in Africa. Now there is so much more I want.


In so many ways leaving everything behind in the States brought me closer to home. I left Dan Saga certain that my future was in agriculture and my future home would be on my family farm in northern Missouri. But even to get to that point is going to be another adventure, but none the less exciting.

But I am not coming back just to seclude myself away on a farm like many tend to do

I am planning on finishing my work in Dan Saga for atleast the end of the next growing season and then after that if I feel satisfactory with my work then its going to be time to move on.

So what am I going to do?

Glad you asked.

To take over my farm means that I have a lot to learn about many things, especially in learning new models of Agriculture but the goal is to use my imagination and create a farm entirely unique.

My goal is to turn a traditional American family farm into a local, regional, national and international resource,training, and recreational center for farmers, artist, peace makers, or anyone who feels compelled to enjoy the pleasures of living off the land and connecting with others.

Currently I am looking into the possibility working with my good friend Matt McCue (the guy pulled out of the PC to return to Iraq) in California to hone my skills and expand on my ideas. My goal is to create a national network of farms where vet's from the Iraq war can come, take some time to heal, learn a valuable skill, and hopefully teach others about the pleasures of how to nurture life instead of take it.

Why am I doing this?

Because its needed.

This is just the tip of the iceberg and its only going to get more interesting from there.

Its nearly christmas and there are many things I am thankful for in life.

I have wonderful friends, family, and many others always rooting for me to go further in life, your support is always greatly appreciated and it inspires me to keep going further.

The support I recieve reminds me if that if what I am supposed to do with my life is genuine than those who understand will listen and become part of it in each individuals own way.
Its the wonder of how closely we are all connected to each other

Guess this is my way to thank you all over the last year for every bit of support that has overwhelmingly came my way.

okay my Nigerien sense of time still persist and as always I am running late for my own party two hours away.

To sai anjima, tahi da lafiya

"Okay until later go in peace"

Home?

It is 2048 Sunday December 16th

I am laying prone on soft pillows listening to incredible blues music streamed live from the Internet and soaking up the atmosphere by the flickering light of a lit fireplace and I ponder the question.....

is this home?

I know the faces, my dog is resting loyally beside me, and the BBQ ribs just eaten were delicious but something is missing.

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to be home but this life is going to take some getting used to.

for example:

the food is plentiful and tasty and readily available but the connection and intimacy i feel in Africa to my environment is gone. I am reminded once again how we are living apart of nature instead of a part of it.

None of the food consumed today was by my own hands, nor from anyone I knew. In fact with only a few meals eaten today more was spent than what i spend for nearly an entire month on myself in my village.

Another example:

When i flew into New York our flights were all canceled and as the lines to the help desk congested tempers flew "this is absurd!" "how can this happen?" "what are you going to give us because we can't fly out?"

Sai Hankuri "have patience" It is not human incompetence that created this situation its the whims of nature and there is nothing that can be done so why not stop bickering, meet some amazing people from all over the world, hell drink a beer and relax.

When was the last time you really relaxed?

Once during hot season in Niger I waited for over 12 hours in the bush in a unfamiliar town, no money, no language, didn't even know if the car was coming. But i made the best of it.
I wrote, met people, played mandolin, and just passed the time as seen fit.

I'm not trying to prove anything, waiting is just a part of life and when you have to, do something. But just don't complain wastefully and ruin someone else's day and your own.

Somethings are just beyond your control, so sit back, ride it out and find a way to make something positive out of it.

The next morning after flying into NYC/USA my damn Nigerien mindset said "take your time" get to the gate and you'll leave when their ready to.

The end result being,the ticket counter thought I was nuts for thinking like this and my return home was delayed for an afternoon.

But because I took my time I opted to take a connecting flight to salt lake city and fly over the US o' A and reaquainted myself with the majesty of the American landscape and visit a place never before visited.

the worst that happened was that i met some nice people, readjusted a little more to America, drank some incredibly tasty microbrews, and then had many a discussion with strangers and even met the "we should just kill em all over there and take the oil" mentality.

Who is the terrorist here?

this guy was even Native American go figure.

A couple years ago I went to Mexico and stayed in some friends apartment during christmas break for a month.
After returning people asked or actually stated "makes you appreciate what we have eh?"

My answer was, nah it just made me understand and respect the people more who leave an incredible culture and their families to work for practially nothing and little thanks.

They might not have much, but they have a lot more joy from what little they do have.

"huh?"

exactly.

My first full day back seems more of a novelty than a realization that this was my former life.

I have been home for only a short time and I can already conclude that there needs to be a Peace Corps program for America.

But we need the volunteers to come here.


but all and all it is wonderful to be back and spend time with my family.

Merry Christmas everybody it is good to be back.

NEWS OFTHE VIOLENCE IN NIGER AND OUR STATUS

If you have not heard the news yet, here it is.

Recenlty within the last two days land mines have exploded in my city, (Maradi) and another volunteers city. (Tahoua) There were two nigerien deaths and a few injuries.

Also about two weeks ago another ordinance exploded in the city of Dosso in close proximity to one of the States’ largest fuel collection points.

No Peace Corps volunteers have been harmed or is in danger.
I would like to forever repeat that.

Currently we are all on stand down, which means that all volunteers are on lockdown to their current position, either village or regional city. If the violence escalates then the next process will be to collect all volunteers to their regional capital until further notice from the Peace Corps administration.

But if the worst occurs then all PCV’s will be collected, sent to Niamey, and then we will close up shop and wait outside of Niger until the higher ups decide whether to continue our efforts in Niger or not.

But if things continue to escalate and this occurs then PCV’s have the choice to either wait things out, or commit to another Peace Corps program and contiue their service for the duration of their contract.

Currently we have three volunteers from Guinea how were relocated after violence and unrest earlier this year.

Might be interesting to serve in two different places. But Shush, none of that talk.

Dan Saga is home.

As can be expected many of us are praying that this doesn’t occur, Peace Corps Niger is one of the longest running programs in the operation and it would be a pity if once again the unrest of man and his worst of his virtues to wage war against fellow man has once again prevented others from living in peace.

It definitely isn’t the first time that my time here or my life has been affected by this foul virtue of man.

Its shaped my life, guess its why i do what i do.

Someone has to wayfarepeacefully.

Unsure of what I would do if the worst occurs, I feel confident stepping onto that plane returning to the Estados Unidos (USA) on Thursday the 13th, that I will be able to return after my vacation and that this journey was not spent in vain.

Okay I will write more about this tomorrow but for the time being I just wanted to give a brief summary of the current news.

Peace be onto you all, my devotion to promoting it could not be more emboldend

p.s. Merry Christmas.