"Ee, muna iyawa!"

I swore in today, which means I'm officially a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger! I gave a speech in Hausa in front of dignitaries, fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and TV cameras on the lawn of the Ambassador's residence (minus the Ambassador herself, who arrives early next month...I guess they had to wait awhile for the Senate to confirm Obama's pick, or something). I quoted Obama: "yes we can" in Hausa is "Ee, muna iyawa!" I also talked about camels and giraffes. A woman came up to me afterwards and asked if I'd studied Hausa before training. I basically laughed in her face and said: "Are you kidding? I had never even HEARD of Hausa before I got my invitation to come to Niger!" Later, in the taxi on the way to lunch, we heard excerpts from Lindsay's speech in French on the radio! We're practically famous, which is exactly why I came here! I also looked great: George the tailor did a stellar job on my purple and yellow sea anemone complet get-up...pictures will be posted eventually, I'm sure.

A few days ago we had a GAD (Gender and Development) auction, in which American foods and other various sundries were auctioned off to us and other guests to raise money for projects that address (shocker) gender and development! I went nuts, because they let us buy things on credit (the American way of life) that we'll get to pay off over the next 3 months. I bought various toiletries, (including a product that was invented by an OSU grad, Oregon represent!), various taco and BBQ spice packets (which I also received from my lovely mom in a package the VERY NEXT DAY, but oh well, it was for the women and children!), a beer opener in the shape of a giraffe, a hammock, and a weekend in another volunteer's town complete with fried cheese sticks and beer, for me and a friend (Will, not even a question). I also drank delicious but inexplicably bright blue margaritas and ate delicious enchiladas-overall it was an excellent evening at the American Rec Center (and we randomly caught episodes of Jeopardy and the Daily Show on the Armed Forces Network...SCORE)!

Tonight we're having a big feast (I hear there's going to be ice cream and cheese, among other rare delicacies) and then on Saturday I take the 12+ hour bus-ride to Zinder and then on to my post a few days later. It's been a fun last week, and the celebratory times aren't over yet, but I'm SOOOO excited to finally get out to my post and start doing all the things Valerie (Country Director) and Tondi (training manager) and the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy said we would do in their speeches today!

Other Fun Hausa Phrases:

Dommi ba haka ba? - 'Pourquoi pas?' or 'Why not?'

Haka duniya take (pronounced "tah-kay") - 'C'est la vie,' or 'That's Life'

So close yet so far!

I swear in later this week, so then I'll (finally!) be an official volunteer and headed out to my post. Until then I've got a speech in Hausa to write, an outfit to pick up at the tailor (I feel like I'm on an episode of Say Yes to the Dress, but I never got to try on, let alone see the floor model, I just drew a picture and explained what I wanted to him...there might be tears...), an Obama burger to eat at some restaurant in Niamey, and some heavy duty hanging out with my fellow trainees to do, before we separate and disperse across the country. So I've got a busy but exciting week ahead of me. I can't wait!