Voila, my Christmas picture-postcard.
In a few hours, Danielle and I bid bye-bye to Mali and its horrendous buses, and in a day or so I'll have to start wearing closed-toed shoes again. That's all for now...
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Taking Stock
Gerewol
This is a big matchmaking and harvest festival held throughout central Niger. Fulan Wodaabe guys get all dressed up and dance to impress the ladies.
Gerewol Makeup
I once went for a month without seeing my reflection. This guy is using more makeup in a day than I have this year. He's getting pretty for the evening dance. That shirt he's wearing reportedly takes three years to embroider. Dig the Casio watch, by the way.
He's HOT... right?
This is the full Wodaabe garb. Studly.
Housewares: Blanket
Gerewol festivities included a "look at my cool housewares" competition for the married women. We found this blanket, which looked eerily out of place outside of a Midwestern grandmother's living room and surrounded by sand.
Housewares High-Five
Playing with some Wodaabe kids by their mum's display of decorative calabashes. Note the flag on the Gators visor - that's so people know I'm not French ;-)
Communal Pasta Deliciousness
So we eat with our hands. So what? At least we look good. Photos by Lulu.
Fiji
Bah, ha ha, ha ha, karma, ha ha...
Appetizing?
Sorry... gross...
August 3 Work Party
The whole village pitched in, transplanting 622 Moringas.
August 3
Bellacisa, who reminds me of my cousin Nicole, has her seedlings in her water bucket.
Seedlings
About 100 Tamtalans of all stripes came out to transplant the Moringas, which have been growing in a nursery since March.
Tabarma fo
A tablerunner-sized grass mat, with green decorations - could it also be a window shade?
Tabarma Hinkanta
Another view of the tabarma-tablerunner, this one with dark pink/"red" decoration.
Mohammadu's Cabe
A week after Djamila's boy was born, I went to the party where he gets a haircut and a name.
Un autre Mohammadu
Djamila's baby was named like any good Muslim firstborn boy, but I got to give him a Ghanaian nickname... here he is with mum at eight days old.
More Hoobus
Fatimata Hatta at work on more water-cooling in the shade of her millet-stalk hangar.
Very PC
A perfect Peace Corps promo photo, taken by Ousemane during a talk on family nutrition (ahem, Moringa).
Creepy Crawlie
Gross gross gross... I think this is a chariot spider, which is more closely related to a scorpion and just as icky.
Kitten
Useless so far, my cat is merely another consumer of powdered milk and peanut butter in the house. I'm waiting for her to start killing lizards.
Filthy Feet
Eew. How, oh how, will they ever go in strappy heels again?
"Cool" Memory
The unsuspecting Gallagher girls modeling in flats at the Memorial Union Terrace, where the line was very long...
The Weave
That's me at Swear-In, drinking bottled Coke from a straw and paying close attention. The braids took six hours and eight dollars.
One Fine Day
The troupe of Tamtalans and friends in Niamey for a big day - we bought the millet grinder!
By the way...
This was our ride over the now-unpaved, pothole ridden road back to the village - 5 people and precious cargo.
Happy St. Patty's Day!
Yes, that is me giving the kitten green beer. I know you are all proud of my flair, too. Another stellar shot of the hairdo.
Dakar
Amor a la primera vista, como siempre
More Dakar seashore
The beach was my lollipop after the doctor appointments
I heart tro-tros
The mere existence of this photo proves there was enough room to take it. Most of our time in Ghana was spent on transport... or in bars.
Ghana 2 - Nigeria 1
Mad jubilating in the stadium in Accra. People ran around throwing water at each other. That was great - it was really hot - but it shows how long you've been in Niger when you turn to your friend and say "isn't that a big waste of water?"
Ghana Game
The stadium was shaking.
Happy New Year
these little girls keep me laughing too
He's a Mean One
Mr. Grinch and Cindy Boo Who
Tabaski Makeover
getting my hair braided for the big meat-eating party
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View from the Top
One of the perks of being the "kamerawooman" is a nice spot to nap/watch village sensibilizations
Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes
That's "bon, jaasey, kangey, cey" in Zarma
Eyes & Ears & Mouth and NOSE
Moizey, hangey, mey nda NINE... we make it rhyme, we do, and it works.
On the River Niger
got ich? I wish I did...
Pounding Millet
typical village scene at Magic Hour
Maimouna and Me
on a walk out to another Gum Arabic plantation
Meat Niamey
Why I'm still a vegetarian...
August Sunset
It's pretty here...
Fatimata
This sweet old lady is at work on a hoobu, a water-cooling pot
Donkey Cart
Along the trail on the way back from the Kokamani market - the millet is getting big!
Gretchen
I don't even know her real name, but she's excited I consistently call her by the name of a high school friend she resembles. What a cutie.
Pounding Millet
I swear it's not as easy as you think. Neither is trying to teach Maimouna to take photographs...
Gum Arabic Meeting 1
Bigwigs get to sit on chairs
Gum Arabic Meeting 2
Everyone get excited to go prune some trees! (that's Ahmed's motorcycle blocking their view)
TFS & P
with friends at swear-in
Bus stop
Have patience... it can be a a long, hot wait.
What the...
Our bush taxi had TWO flat tires... also please note the shark pants
Installation Day in Tamtala, March 21, 2007
I'm the white one in the middle
Prayer time
I like big...
Laura Ingalls Prom
That's how it felt getting ready for our "Fashion Show" at Hamdallaye during training
Maimouna
Isn't she fancy?
Last Mango In Paris
- BG
- As with MeAndMySwissArmyKnife before it, the words of wanderer and poet Jimmy Buffett (& the imagination of my dad) inspired the name of this blog. Fijian Daydreamin' is borrowed from "Havana Daydreamin,'" a song about cashing it all in to move to a tropical island.
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