One month today...

August 9th...I arrived in Niger one month ago today. Life is very different here: lots of sand, goats, naked babies and millet. I am learning how to speak Hausa, a national language, and am taking classes everyday learning about Nigerien culture, health and safety, and technical training. I am living with a host family with 26 people, goats, sheep, oxen, dogs, cats and the lot. Lots of action! I sleep outside and love looking at the stars each night. The people here are very warm and kind, and there are some characters as well. I am eating a lot of millet and corn, but I did bring peanut butter, which my host mom caught me sneaking some spoonfuls the other night after dinner. Yesterday I went shopping in a real grocery store for the first time in Niamey, the capital, where I felt slightly overwhelmed by all of the choices but was pleased that I could purchase chocolate, oranges and nuts. The pace of life is very slow and requires a lot of patience, especially this morning when a group of us had to wait two and a half bloody hours for a bus to go to Niamey. "Sai hankuri" is Hausa, meaning to have patience, so I keep this is mind throughout my days here. Next week, I will find out my site placement and will be sworn in as a volunteer on September 10th. Thank you for your support, and all of you are in my daily thoughts. I will keep everyone posted once I get my site placement.