Feeling Ugly and Panting Chickens

Blog #6 from Galmi, Niger, West Africa (#1-5 below this blog)

I never feel pretty here. It’s too hot to wear make-up (I’d sweat it off immediately), and fixing my hair is pointless because I always just pull it up into a hair clip. Plus, I’m wearing all these loose-fitting dresses that make me look twice as big as I am. Needless to say, I am in none of the photographs. On top of it all, I don’t smell too pretty either – but neither do the locals. Once again I’m back to the question – why (HOW?!) is the fertility rate so high here?!

It’s so hot in Galmi that even the chickens pant. The day I went to the market, my 21-year-old translator/escort, Robbie, invited me into her home. The houses here are made of mud walls but each has real door. I went in to find an open courtyard – mud floors and walls but no roof, and then one small area with a roof. In this small room where Robbie sleeps was a refrigerator (yes, a real fridge) and a very rickety chair. She offered me the seat and after sitting, I looked up and there at my feet were four panting chickens! None was moving or making a sound – just panting. I didn’t want to laugh, but it was quite a funny sight. She offered me a bysop (spelling?) drink from a plastic baggie – she makes the drinks herself from a plant (I think) and sells them. Vendors selling drinks (usually water) in town don’t have cups; they sell drinks in plastic baggies. The buyer just bites the tip off the end and drinks directly from the bag, which is then discarded on the ground. Litter is everywhere.

It’s so hot in Galmi that Evan doesn’t wear underwear. Now for Evan, that’s not that unusual – he frequently goes “commando” at home too – but in Africa, I don’t even bother laying underwear out with his clothes each day – it’s just an unnecessary extra layer of clothing. Speaking of Evan, I said something the other day about when we go “home,” and he got a funny look on his face – he thought we were here to stay! And the amazing thing about it – he didn’t seem to mind. Kids adjust so much better than adults!

Oh yes, the camel ride. For some unknown reason, Joel did NOT want to ride a camel, but Evan was very excited. The man asked me whether Evan wanted a one or a two-hour ride! Uh, how about just up the airstrip and back I said (actually I gestured since I don’t speak Hausa). The camel owner conveyed to us that we would need an adult to ride with Evan. Ben? No way! He’d sooner pull out all his nose hairs than to mount that creature. Carrie? I had a dress on and there would be no way, without looking like a “loose” American, I could ride the camel wearing a dress. So one of the other missionaries generously agreed to ride with Evan. It was a short ride but Evan seemed to enjoy it – it’s about as exciting as riding the penny horse at Meijer, just a lot hotter and more odorous. (FYI, Drew was most fascinated with the camel poop.)

Galmi Fast Food. The “chicken lady” came by again last night. On Monday nights a lady stops by every house on the compound taking orders for samosas and chickens. (Samosas are little meat pies that sort of resemble Hot Pockets or little turnovers. I don’t know what kind of meat is inside – it looks like hamburger but I’m afraid to ask – I just eat them with my eyes closed.) Then, on Wednesday, samosas are delivered right to our door hot and ready to eat, and on Friday, she comes carrying a pot on her head full of the skinniest little barbequed chickens I’ve ever seen in my life! The Colonel would be ashamed! At dinner, after Ben pulled the legs and wings off the chicken, Drew took the rest of it in his hands and just started gnawing to get as much meat as possible off this pitiful little thing. Skinny or not, we ordered more for next week.

Ben’s done 20 surgeries so far and getting busier every day. He was just called in to do another c-section so I have to end my blog. He did another surgery on a man with a bladder stone; the stone was the size of Ben’s fist! Can you imagine walking around with a rock in your bladder?! All from dehydration.

More later about the red dust covering everything inside and out.