Stating the Obvious

Today was market day and on my way back I ran in to a few ladies and exchanged the regular greetings of ‘how are you, your family, your house, your dog, your health, your day, your last two years’? Then I had my first full conversation in Zarma of which I understood everything. It proceeded something like:
Them: “You’re wearing earrings”,
Me: “Yes I’m wearing earrings”,
“Three of them”,
“yes three of them”
“Your bag matches your dress”,
“ Yes my bag matches my dress, is it good?”,
“yes it is good. Give it to me!”,
” No, I need my bag, I can’t give it to you, I’ve got to go now, see you later!”
“Bye”
The good news is that I never have to worry about not having things to say because Nigeriens state the obvious all the time. Exclaiming with surprise that the sun is shining is just as normal as asking someone if the think it’s going to rain tomorrow. The bad news, as was evident in the second half of my brief, post-market conversation is that I’m going to have to spend two years refusing to give people all my stuff. As a white person I am automatically stamped with three labels: 1. Rich 2. Fluent in French and 3. There to give them stuff. For all the good work that NGO’s do they certainly have made Peace Corps job hard because Nigeriens expect annasaras, or white people, to give them things for free. Hopefully after a while in my village, people will understand that I won’t give them things and maybe they’ll stop asking. Maybe.

Market Pictures


Electronics

Grocery - i.e. grains (millet, corn, sorghum)