on going to school in niamey

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before going to class don't forget:

chalk
a bucket of water and a sponge for erasing
a cup and a pitcher of water for the teacher
the key to the classroom in the building fifty feet from where we live

having class in the classroom is the best; there are four office style desks, cushy chairs, a view of the mini village with mini fields behind our place and AIR CONDITIONING that gets too cold sometimes oddly enough.

teachers answer their cell phones during class
Addo, my culture and society of niger prof. answered his one day "Allo monsier ministre!" in his booming voice, only partially because of bad reception.
another teacher did leave the room to answer his one time...

Addo took us to a bapteme, baptisme, last week. At 7:15 in the morning. Or tried to, but he didn't know where the house was and so we were bumping along the dirt roads of niamey asking people directions and at one point employing two guys on a motorbike to lead us there...we found A ceremony, but it wasn't the right one. Luckily we only drew the minimal attention when entering a large crowd un-invited; the drum players swarmed us, playing persuasivey for money. We left that ceremony to find the right one had finished and everyone was leaving. But babies are always born and people are always wanting to invite us along so i'm sure i'll see one before i'm through.

class size:
seems an obvious point for me, but i figured i should mention it. since i'm living with all seven of the girls on my program, no class is bigger than 7. We're all taking the performing arts class which is 7(obviously...) and zarma language class is just three of us
very intimate
very long
2 hours a class
and very hard to doze without being noticed

i'm taking a philosophy class about african systems of thought, in french, and the first thing we're reading is hegle, a german philosopher...wow
philosophy of all things is an aggravating class considering most of our vocabulary to respond to the question, "Qu'est-ce que c'est la philosophie?" (what is philosophy) does not extend past, "C'est les pensees de les grandes choses"(it's thoughts about big things, my response; ohhh yeah). the reading is long and difficult so far but the discussions are mind bending in the way it is to be learning about something completely different than your daily thoughts, a totally different angle on a universe that you thought was pretty familiar.

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Comments

[From Barb]

we miss you
I love it that you are taking philosophy in French, and reading Germans. There's really no point in taking philosophy in English since all the great ones were French, German, Greek--I should know, I took it in English. Just as difficult, and more aggravating since it was in a langauge I know! We miss you so much--girls talk about you all the time, as do we. Smokey is barking at the mention of your name. Much love. Barbara