Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Solid

Oh what a crazy whirlwind this month is turning out to be!

I had settled back into life after returning from my American vacation in August. The months have flown by, and I find myself already in November eagerly looking forward to the fete Tabaski. Tabaski is seventy days after the end of Ramadan (the month of fasting). Imagine a country wide BBQ. My favorite part is the fried sheep meat … this is the only way I will eat entrails (because they become unrecognizable and they taste like bacon). Sadly, it seems as if I will not be in my village.

There have been some security issues in this dear country of mine. Luckily, nothing in my region, but we have a nationwide security plan which we are all subject to - no matter where the threat is. So, I find myself with my team, and we are all lacking information. This is not the fault of our staff; they are bending over backwards trying to accommodate us and to find out information. So far, this is "Day Four" of Consolidation. I am luckier than most because a guard at our bureau lives in my village and I’m sending some bush notes with him to update my coworkers, neighbors, and my fiancé.

Oh yes, so here is the official announcement. I didn’t plan on coming out with it until the new year, but the circumstances and options are rapidly changing. Moctar and I are engaged. We are working on his paperwork to get a fiancé visa - meaning that once he arrives in America we have three months to marry. We are planning a traditional ceremony for friends and family here in Niger which I pray will still be able to happen this July or August.

With all my newfound free time I am getting myself into planning mode. Keep your fingers crossed that these problems will resolve quickly and I wont have to end my service before intended, thus leaving behind a fiancé who depends on me to walk him through all this American paperwork. Pray for my ability to be patient because I severely lack in that department. Look for pictures on facebook!

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