Drama in Niamey...coup.

It's been an eventful couple of days for Niger, especially Niamey.. Just to quickly let everyone know, I am fine and safe and things here are settling after all the drama. For anyone who didn't read about it, there was a Military Coup d'etat last thursday, in which the military stormed the presidential palace, took the president into custudy along with a couple other ministers to an undiclosed location in Niamey to get him to resign. Anyway, Ill let everyone look it up themselves so I don't mistate anything.

On a personal account, I was close by the area when it started, but Peace Corps was fast as lightning to get me and all other PCVs into a safe place. I could make this story as dull or embelished as possible, but I think I'll save the embelished version for another day :)

I do, however, want to say this was not dramatic 'African' military scenario that you see in movies. Things are really calm here in Niamey in the aftermath and I have hardly seen any military out on the streets. I did enjoy the 'victorious' marching music they played on the and some great music videos once the radio stations and TV stations were in military influence.
The interesting part, which I won't spend too much talking about in a blog, is the reaction of the public. People are very calm, and going about their daliy lives...
Anyway, thats all for now. As for us Niamey PCVs, we've been consolidated the past couple of days, and as things have relaxed we are enjoying our first day of space away from the hostel!

The Many Adventures of me and my New Bicycle

Well maybe not so many... give it time. But yes! Finally! I got a bike!! And, believe it or not, it's even BETTER than my one in the bush!! Well, not that the one in the bush was bad, but the frame was huge and I usually had to do this hop-jump thing to get up on the seat.. Anyway. So me and my new bicycle, or, my new bicycle and I, bike all around the city every day and even entered a bicycling for aids race. Ok, seriously now.. So yes, there were about six of us from Peace Corps (including our country director and assist. country director!) that joined a bicycle for aids (or SIDA as it's called here) event. Before the actual race they did this little promo 'race' with the director of the race, a couple other important people.. and us 6 peace corps, biking a quick fake lap with the video crew in the back of a truck in front- so I may have been on tv... It was a lot of fun though- after our little promo tour, we lined up for the real race, they actually had a girls heat and then a boys heat.

In a country like Niger, it's not every day you see girls doing things like riding bikes or looking sporty and strong, so I was really impressed with the girls and really proud for them. I remember back in the bush I was watching a little soccar match between mine and a neighboring village (just some local boys) And not a single woman thought it would be ok if they stopped and watched- I remember watching the game with a little 7 year old girl, and then I turned and asked her if she liked to blay ball. "I can't play soccer!" she laughed. I was kinda taken back and asked why not. "Because I'm a girl! Girls can't play!" and trust me, she wasn't the only girl who felt that way. Imagine, 7 years old and already having that kind of mind set.. Anyway, thanks Mom and Dad for letting me do whatever I wanted when I was younger.

Oh, so the outcome of the race.. The 6 of us each only did one of the two laps (I didn't want to take away from those girls that had been working a lot harder than I) but I will say I was it second at the end of my lap... (maybe you can catch a replay on ESPN or something...)(that was a joke).

Anyway, to continue on my bicycling adventures, I am now a city biker and terrified almost ever meter of the way. Growing up on dirt roads in the country (not to mention the last bike I owned in the states was pink and purple with a unicorn on it...) then biking only on the sandy roads through the bush the past year, these city streets are nerve wracking.. Every time I come to a roundabout or a left turn I have a mini panic attack. Especially because, I mean, not to complian, but at the roundabouts in this country are poorly designed. Just saying. Here, if you're on the roundabout you yield to somone comming on... its somwhat controlled because theres stoplights at every entrance, but STILL. Thats NOT THE POINT of a roundabout. Anyway, no its getting a lot better. At first I was almost causing accidents glancing around and behind me so much, now I just signal with my hand and say a little prayer.. :)

Other than that, life in Niamey's been pretty great. Got to go to the wedding of one of my language teachers from back in training the other day. Me and a couple of the other PCV's wowed the croud with our African-dancing skills (I got some great pictures of drummers and a guy with this traditional Oboe looking thing called an 'Algaeta' see picture up top) Oh, any my second b-day in country's commig up! 2 weeks and I'll be 25.. uh. that seems so old.