Adventures in Niamey: Day 2

Day 2: Niamey

8am – While eating breakfast in Niamey (Niger) Rosa receives phone call from Peace Corps vice head honcho Lauren: “Whatever you do, don’t go to Niger.”  Um…

10am -- Go to Musee National, discover that the actual museum is closed.  Vendors outside are, however, excited to see us.  Buy Nigerien jewelry and gorgeous batiks.  Find man to take us to Malanville tomorrow; are surprised and slightly suspicious about how professional he is.

10:15am -- Sam, Lissa and Rosa go to bank to see if we've been paid (we haven't), while Dione, Bridget and Bevin wander around the Musee grounds and zoo.  The latter three spend 15-20 minutes blocking small children from playing on giant slide because they want to slide themselves.

Noon -- Meet at Grand Marché for rice, beans, and lots of talk about our lack of money (thank you, hotel).  Calculate how much we need to get back to Benin, realize we're short by about 50 mille ($100).  Brainstorm alternative sources of income, most of them legal.

1pm – Lissa calls her mother: “So… we may or may not be stranded in Niger.  Can you Western Union me $50?” Two hours later, she receives $300.  To the same question, another volunteer’s mother responds, “I am going to kill you.”

3pm – In order to be bien integré, we try crystallized slug “chewing gum.”  Street urchin subsequently receives a cadeau (gift).

6:25 pm – Eat dinner/watch sunset at awesome buvette on the water.  Bridget: “What is this weird, awesome sauce on my peas?? ...Oh my god, it’s butter!” (Everyone gasps.)

7pm – Bevin tells story about how father and brother make fun of her math skills.

7:30 pm – Spend 45 minutes trying to figure out dinner bill because 7 and 9 look similar.  Determine that this is the fault of “Bevin Math.”

(Photos courtesy of Bridget -- sorry, I can't upload photos yet.)