Mariam goes mobile

I am feeling slightly better after taking Sudafed, ibruprofen, doxy, a vitamin and drinking 1L of water. The dust and crazy dust/wind storm we had in Bara has given me a serious head cold. Nevertheless, the Health-Relay Training in Bara was fantastic. Bara people are so motivated! They accepted to do a training without per diem (transport and food costs--a fact that has destroyed the concept of learning for learning's sake). When I arrived Kate and I went to market which was entertaining because a lot of people said, “Eh, Mariam, ni duu yow!” As if Kate who has lived in Bara for 8 months is MY guest! I guess a lot of Ansongo people come to the Bara market to sell goods. We make a good team, Mariam and Rafi. Her host mother is very sweet and reminds me of Zubbu. It's nice to be able to work outside of my site using the knowledge I've gained there.

Wafi the Relais President was adorable. An old man sporting a hot pink boubou. He gave feedback at the end of the training encouraging the relais to get out there and work now that they have this knowledge we have shared with them. I thanked them and said that "my heart was sweetened" by their enthusiasm.

I made the mistake of taking the overloaded Niamey-Gao bus and we broke down. The basketball girls, headed to La Semaine Régionale des Sports, Arts, et du Théâtre, passed me in their rented Bani buses. Ha.

James went with me to the Semaine Régionale opening. They gave me the Ansongo sign to hold. Which meant at one point when Ibrahim Alpha, the director of the youth programs in Ansongo, was parading us around I was the front of 500 some odd athletes (runners, basketball players, and footballers), actors and musicians from the four circles of Gao (Ansongo, Ménaka, Bourem and Gao). Might as well be front and center, people are going to look at me anyway. The governor, mayor and the president of the regional assembly all spoke. I got sun burned and thirsty standing out on the pitch.