Whew- with daily internet access, you'd think I'd write so much more- I guess I've started taking the internet for granted, always figuring 'I'll write tomorrow'...
First off, Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year! I can't believe 2009 went by so fast, and even more, I can't believe I only have a year left of Peace Corps! (aughh! what am I going to do??!! Still havent really figured out what I want to 'be' when I grow up!)
Anyway, Christmas in Niamey, I've gotta say, I was a little worried about. I'm the only one from my old region here right now, plus the only one in this region from my stage, so I don't know many of my new region. I was expecting it might be a bit of a lonely Christmas, but I was wrong- as much as I really really loved my last region, the people in this region are pretty awesome and Christmas was great. I'm really glad to be a part of this region now. Not only did we have DELICIOUS food (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, apple pie...), but being only 9 of us, it was a cozy christmas with christmas movies, board games, and 'santa', who brought each of us a stocking full of treats :).
Moving on- working at the zoo is going great and I love the daily interaction with the animals. Being my first zoo experience I'm learning a lot and even those less-exciting tasks, aka, scrubbing hippo tanks, or cleaning out the baboons water is fun (seriously) and I love having a little more structure in my job again. So, now that I've done about three weeks, heres what my workload has looked like:
Monday through friday, get there about 8 or 9 am, shadow/assist in one of the areas (5 total), doing things like cleaning out/hosing down the cages of wharthogs, hyenas, baboons, jackals, monkeys, or chimps, filling up waterers, sweeping out the bird cages, mule, ram, goat, crocadile pens, and feeding the livestock, including the ostriches and elan. So after the morning, usually around noon, Rose, the current volunteer (we're going to work together until she leaves sometime around march or april), and I head over to the nearby hotel for the food donation they give (veggie peelings, old bread, old fruit, etc) and then spend a couple hours hand feeding it out to the chimps, monkeys, baboons, civit, etc. To finish our day, we usually spend about 30 to 45 minutes working with the mule (Barry)- whom we hope to get saddled and bridled and 'pony'-ride in a few months. Other random jobs have included chopping wood and giving tours, and yelling at kids... the later, more often than anyother job. One thing I really love about this job is that it makes me so excited to research everything that I'm working with and I'm learning a lot. Anyway, thats usually the end of my typical day, around 3 or 4 ish, often we come back in the evening if something's going on, oh and we take the weekends off.
One thing I'm not to keen on in this job is that EVERYONE stops and stares ('look! it's an anisara doing WORK!') and then watches you for about 30 minutes.. (I mean, seriously, is it really that entertaining to watch me roll up the hose?!) Sometimes I wonder if I'm more part of the exibit that working for the exibit..
Anyway, thats all the news for now- I really really am going to try to write once a week (new years resolution!... that and learn french!) The longer I'm here in the city the more I miss the bush. I loved how simple and peaceful everything was, and ok, I'll admit, I loved being that one foreigner for miles; I loved being that voice for the women in my village, 'cool' and important because I have an education, and a celebrity (seriously, 15 minutes of fame?.. I got a year!) I even miss the kids, who all they want is to sit a half inch from your face and pull out your arm hair.. Don't get me wrong, I love my new post and wouldn't trade it for any other job, but I do miss my village!
Well, thats it for now- I hope everyone had a wonderful christmas and I'll write again next year!
Sunset over the Niger river!
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