What have I been up to lately? It feels like forever since I’ve been on the internet but that’s not necessarily true. After IST (I had an amazing time living with my host family again) I participated in camp Hamdallaye. It was weird to be around 30 or so kids who all spoke English. We were working with kids from the American School in Niamey. It was fun but I spent the week in utter misery. I thought this was supposed to be the land of diarrhea. Let me tell you, I would take diarrhea over constipation ANY day.
I ended up rushing myself home just so I could lay in bed and pray for my bowels to start functioning again. Once they did, all was well in Niger (well in my world, that is). I went back to work at the inspection and tried using the internet at IPDR, the technical school. As my luck would have it the electricty cut off right as I was hitting enter to check my email. This has happened on numerous occasions but I was starting to feel cursed. Luckily, the next day I was able to get on. But slow internet is more frustrating than no internet at all.
Okay – now – what I have been up to. I have mostly been laying low, still trying to find more out about where I live. I did more school visits and attended a CAPED meeting which is basically teacher in-service day where they review the curriculum and teacher strategies although not much of this actually happened.
Valentine’s Day was cute. I went to a soiree (dance) at IPDR with a group of friends, one of whom has a crush on me. We danced the night away and I made it back home by 4AM! This is not a usual occurance.
It’s getting hotter and hotter which completely zaps my energy. I used to find reasons to get out and just ride my bike but now its so hot. My puppy is gaining weight. I got her after IST. She was a stray who would always hang around with the gaurds outside our hostel. I told them I wanted her and they caught her for me and kept her until I was ready to go to Kollo. I named her Leila. She’s much more of a happy dog now. She is crazy at night … again a result of the heat I think. She lays wround all day in the shade and then is ready to run when night falls and it cools off. I’ve had some pretty funny looks when I’ve been out walking her. Ticks have also been an interesting new experience. I’d never seen a tick before and one day I was petting Leila when I noticed something green on her neck. I thought it was a tumor but the next day it had disappeared. Then a few days later it was back and I was kind of scared.
I have also planned my trip home! I will get home the 22nd of July and head back to Niger the 10th of August. I am soooo excited but also nervous. I lost 50 pounds and I have a feeling I will be gaining a lot back … I mean the plan for my first night is to hit the Wendy’s in the airport, have a real dinner at Chipotle and pass out after a Tim Horton’s iced cappucino. But, considering I want to look good for Shiree’s wedding I will probably take it easy until the week after her wedding!
Still working on translating mass amounts of half written project ideas … basically I suck at life but I’m having a good time.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Life in a Plastic Bag
I find it funny how many things require plastic bags in this country think clear plastic, no zip locks. For example I literally had one day where everything I ate or drank came from a plastic bag. Breakfast - yogurt in a bag (not my favorite but it was free) beans with mayo and bread (because I went back to the inspection rather than eating it there I was forced to eat out of the bag because there were no utensils or bowls to be found) Lunch - egg sandwich carried home in plastic bag. Leemu hari (Nigerien popsicle in which you bite a corner off the bag and push the icy juice through). Dinner was kudu ku (sweet potatoes) which I bought in the market and then made into hors d'oeurves (think Nigerien potato salad).
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Tolerance in Niger
Tolerance is a tricky concept. The Nigerien people are constantly telling each other (and me) to "kala suuru" or "say hankuri" which in Zarma and Hausa mean "have patience". What then is tolerance and where is the line between patience and tolerance? Loosely, I can understand tolerance as having the patience and fortitude to accept others, no matter how different they are.
This how reflection started a few weeks ago when a good friend of mine (http://www.sheswhy.org/) asked me about the state of Special Education and Disability services in Niger. From a concrete standpoint, there wasn't much to work on. I did some research and found a report from the US Department of State (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27742.htm) Under the section of persons with disabilities the report states:
"The Constitution mandates that the State provide for persons with disabilities; however, the Government had not implemented regulations to mandate accessibility to buildings, transportation, and education for those with special needs. Societal discrimination against persons with disabilities existed. Observers reported that many persons with mental disabilities were rejected by their families due to the stigma surrounding mental illness in the country. "
To almost every extent this is still true. There is a stark contrast between Niamey and where I live in Kollo (which in all American standards is not much less than a suburb of Niamey) In the city you see many a person in wheel chairs which actually look like hand pedaled bicycles. There is no obvious attempts for accessability. The roads are hard for cars to travel on and side walks are merely lots of sand that are difficult for the able bodied to trudge through.
In Kollo, the most often seen disability is the "fou(le)" are mentally ill. There is most certainly a stigma to mental illness and most of it stems from ignorance and the conflicting beliefs as to what actually causes mental illness. I have a few personal examples of my experience with the mentally ill in Kollo. The first is of a woman I see every day. She lives outside, wears the same pagne (wrap skirt) everyday and is usually seen talking and laughing to herself or searching through the Ecogar (motorpark) for food. One time I was walking home and she followed me screaming "Ca va, Ca va?" I was a little alarmed more by how loud she was screaming into my ear. A man passing told me to be careful because she thought my bag was food and then he got inbetween us and kicked sand at her. I told him that wasn't necessary and that I could handle myself. A few weeks later I was sitting with a group of friends and I was drawing. The woman was across the street and for whatever reason I am always drawn to this particular woman. I started sketching her. Someone asked me why I would ever want to keep that picture as a memory. I explained to him that just because one person doesn't see beauty or life in another person doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.
Another time I was followed by a young woman in the market. She didn't talk to me but stayed close behind me. I was with my neighbor kids and they were scared to death. They told me to give her money and she would leave me alone. I told them that everything was okay and that they didn't need to worry. They had such fear for a person that it was hard for them to understand. I explained to them in French that I didn't have a reason to fear her because I understood that's how she was born and after I understood that I wasn't scared.
Now for some positive experiences. When I was observing in the schools I paid special attention to see if there were students with disabilities and, if so, what kind of materials were they given to aid the learning process. The second school I visited started off much like the first. They start the day with recreation time where the students go outside and run. One girl sat out because her right leg was a bit shorter which caused her to limp. Most of the time she sat with nothing to do. The teacher then gave her a job of collecting all the other student's snack money. While it gave her something to accomplish, afterwards she went back to doing nothing but watching.
In the class she was very confident and the teacher called on her many times and her answers were always correct. There was little that she couldn't do in class.
I'd be very interested to talk to some teachers about their exposure to pedagogy relating to mental and physical disabilities. For now all I can do is observe and impart my perspective whenever the oppurtunity arises.
This how reflection started a few weeks ago when a good friend of mine (http://www.sheswhy.org/) asked me about the state of Special Education and Disability services in Niger. From a concrete standpoint, there wasn't much to work on. I did some research and found a report from the US Department of State (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27742.htm) Under the section of persons with disabilities the report states:
"The Constitution mandates that the State provide for persons with disabilities; however, the Government had not implemented regulations to mandate accessibility to buildings, transportation, and education for those with special needs. Societal discrimination against persons with disabilities existed. Observers reported that many persons with mental disabilities were rejected by their families due to the stigma surrounding mental illness in the country. "
To almost every extent this is still true. There is a stark contrast between Niamey and where I live in Kollo (which in all American standards is not much less than a suburb of Niamey) In the city you see many a person in wheel chairs which actually look like hand pedaled bicycles. There is no obvious attempts for accessability. The roads are hard for cars to travel on and side walks are merely lots of sand that are difficult for the able bodied to trudge through.
In Kollo, the most often seen disability is the "fou(le)" are mentally ill. There is most certainly a stigma to mental illness and most of it stems from ignorance and the conflicting beliefs as to what actually causes mental illness. I have a few personal examples of my experience with the mentally ill in Kollo. The first is of a woman I see every day. She lives outside, wears the same pagne (wrap skirt) everyday and is usually seen talking and laughing to herself or searching through the Ecogar (motorpark) for food. One time I was walking home and she followed me screaming "Ca va, Ca va?" I was a little alarmed more by how loud she was screaming into my ear. A man passing told me to be careful because she thought my bag was food and then he got inbetween us and kicked sand at her. I told him that wasn't necessary and that I could handle myself. A few weeks later I was sitting with a group of friends and I was drawing. The woman was across the street and for whatever reason I am always drawn to this particular woman. I started sketching her. Someone asked me why I would ever want to keep that picture as a memory. I explained to him that just because one person doesn't see beauty or life in another person doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.
Another time I was followed by a young woman in the market. She didn't talk to me but stayed close behind me. I was with my neighbor kids and they were scared to death. They told me to give her money and she would leave me alone. I told them that everything was okay and that they didn't need to worry. They had such fear for a person that it was hard for them to understand. I explained to them in French that I didn't have a reason to fear her because I understood that's how she was born and after I understood that I wasn't scared.
Now for some positive experiences. When I was observing in the schools I paid special attention to see if there were students with disabilities and, if so, what kind of materials were they given to aid the learning process. The second school I visited started off much like the first. They start the day with recreation time where the students go outside and run. One girl sat out because her right leg was a bit shorter which caused her to limp. Most of the time she sat with nothing to do. The teacher then gave her a job of collecting all the other student's snack money. While it gave her something to accomplish, afterwards she went back to doing nothing but watching.
In the class she was very confident and the teacher called on her many times and her answers were always correct. There was little that she couldn't do in class.
I'd be very interested to talk to some teachers about their exposure to pedagogy relating to mental and physical disabilities. For now all I can do is observe and impart my perspective whenever the oppurtunity arises.
Holidays in Niger
I’ll admit that I wasn’t very enthusiastic about the holidays. There’s no snow, it’s hot, my iPod was broken which means no Christmas music. I felt like a Nigerien grinch. Not really … that’s just for effect. BUT, I received a package from my family full of XMas goodies, including a small tree. When I got back to Kollo that night my sisters (this is how I refer to the daughters of my neighbor, Cheikna were beyond excited. My sisters include Messara (25), Henett (17), Talit (12), and Nany (9). It was Nany and Talit who were the ones helping me set up and decorate the tree. We looked through old magazines to find pictures of Christmas-y things and then taped them to the wall behind the tree. It turned out really cute. Now that I have a camera again I will take pictures before I take it down. It was still three weeks until Christmas but I constantly fielded questions about what kind of festivities equate Christmas in America.
The week of Christmas I received two packages. One from my dad contained a replacement iPod (his old iPhone) and the other was XMas gifts from my Aunt Vicky. Unfortunately the customs agents already did the honor of unwrapping the present but there was still enough wrapping to keep the gift hidden from its recipients. She also sent a gift for me which I’ll admit, I did not wait for. But hey, it’s my house, I do what I want! P.S. Aunt Vicky, if you’re reading this, the bracelets are VERY much the style here and you don’t know how many times I’ve had to refuse women who ask for them.
Christmas Eve I celebrated with my Fada. It’s not quite the same as the Boy’s Club in Hamdallaye but it’s fun. The Fada consists of Cheikna’s son Mohamed, our neighbor Hayatou, and their school friends. It was actually pretty cold so we decided to go to my house and they could prepare the neibit (the staple of every fada – it’s rice and beans with a tomato, onion, and oil sauce … served with Tonko which is crushed red pepper) outside of my house. I was having fun but it really hit me that I wasn’t at Grandpa’s house and I didn’t make my cottage potatoes. When Hayatou mistook the sugar for salt I felt a little better after laughing my head off.
Christmas morning I went to church and celebrated with our group. After church, Henett and I prepared the gifts. I divided Vicky’s 40 gold bracelets saving 3 for me, 10 for the girls and 3 for Maman Cheikna. I went to the market and bought two decks of playing cards as my gift for the boys. I taught Henett how to gift wrap and then we went to their house to deliver their gifts.
The week of Christmas I received two packages. One from my dad contained a replacement iPod (his old iPhone) and the other was XMas gifts from my Aunt Vicky. Unfortunately the customs agents already did the honor of unwrapping the present but there was still enough wrapping to keep the gift hidden from its recipients. She also sent a gift for me which I’ll admit, I did not wait for. But hey, it’s my house, I do what I want! P.S. Aunt Vicky, if you’re reading this, the bracelets are VERY much the style here and you don’t know how many times I’ve had to refuse women who ask for them.
Christmas Eve I celebrated with my Fada. It’s not quite the same as the Boy’s Club in Hamdallaye but it’s fun. The Fada consists of Cheikna’s son Mohamed, our neighbor Hayatou, and their school friends. It was actually pretty cold so we decided to go to my house and they could prepare the neibit (the staple of every fada – it’s rice and beans with a tomato, onion, and oil sauce … served with Tonko which is crushed red pepper) outside of my house. I was having fun but it really hit me that I wasn’t at Grandpa’s house and I didn’t make my cottage potatoes. When Hayatou mistook the sugar for salt I felt a little better after laughing my head off.
Christmas morning I went to church and celebrated with our group. After church, Henett and I prepared the gifts. I divided Vicky’s 40 gold bracelets saving 3 for me, 10 for the girls and 3 for Maman Cheikna. I went to the market and bought two decks of playing cards as my gift for the boys. I taught Henett how to gift wrap and then we went to their house to deliver their gifts.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sounds of Niger
So - I started to write a list of song for my brother and I figured others might also be interested to, walla:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgrnVbVI6qQ
(windi windi - kaidan gaskia p.s. most of this video is filmed in niamey so youll actually see places i walk past when im there)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNP8xzknq58
(download the regular version cuz its better its Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3zdIbhhrWA
(Allahou Akbar - Kaidan Gaskia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL8ULXTcq5s
(Girma, Girma - Faty Niger. This was probably the first song I heard in country and it was always in my head)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnT-uo0s6Pk&feature=related
(This is the soap opera I watch every Mon-Thurs night ... I don't like the video because its set to This Kiss but you get a little taste... I also found clips but they're from the original show which is in Portugese and not French)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgrnVbVI6qQ
(windi windi - kaidan gaskia p.s. most of this video is filmed in niamey so youll actually see places i walk past when im there)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNP8xzknq58
(download the regular version cuz its better its Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3zdIbhhrWA
(Allahou Akbar - Kaidan Gaskia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL8ULXTcq5s
(Girma, Girma - Faty Niger. This was probably the first song I heard in country and it was always in my head)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnT-uo0s6Pk&feature=related
(This is the soap opera I watch every Mon-Thurs night ... I don't like the video because its set to This Kiss but you get a little taste... I also found clips but they're from the original show which is in Portugese and not French)
Friday, December 5, 2008
A Death on the Road
This morning was a very strange morning. Not in the sense that anything felt wrong but when I think back to the events of the morning, I begin to realize how much of a plan there really is in this life. Ridouane messaged me last night saying he was in Kollo but would be at a bapteme and unable to see me since I was leaving for Niamey. The next morning, I woke up later than planned and I got going with my bags to pick up some papers from the inspection before heading to Niamey. Boubey, a young Zarma man, passed me with his donkey cart and asked me if I wanted a ride into town. I had never used this mode of transportation before and even though it was a little slower I accepted his offer. I saw some of my neighbor kids and they even rode along with us. In the market I saw my counterpart who was supposed to bring me the papers. One of the little girls ran to the car he was in, retrieved the papers, and ran back to me in the cart. I reached the inspection, took a photo, thanked Boubey and made me way back to the road, past the Mosque to find a bush taxi.
I looked up and who else did I see but Ridouane! I was soooo excited. He must have seen me from across the street but I had no idea. He told me that he had forgotten something at his house which is why he wasn't already at the bapteme. I had left early knowing I wouldn't see him yet we ran into each other. Fate can be so sweet ... but also so cruel. After making plans to meet up in Niamey later that night he helped me with my bags into a taxi.
The ride was going smoothly. I chatted with a neighbor and listened to a borrowed iPod since mine is broken. When we were just a little bit away from the Libore payage our taxi pulled off onto the side of the road. I couldn't see much, just cars all off the road. The boy who takes money (Hausa's refer to them as road dogs) was blocking my view since there were no open seats. But we stopped and all I could hear were men around me thumbing their prayer beads rapidly (clink, clink, clink) and whispering "Allah Ahkbar" (God is great in Arabic). They stopped completely and the boy opened the door. I looked out and saw a boy laying beneath a taxi. The taxi was all too familiar. It was the same one I see at least twice a week in Sahara (the neighborhood behind the inspection). I had even taken this taxi once. A crushed motorcycle lay to the right of the taxi. The boy was covered with a sheet, probably borrowed froma woman aboard the taxi.
Never in my life have I seen blood spilled but here I was faced with it for the first time. I felt sick to my stomach and tears welled in my eyes. I refused to let them be spilt too. The men descended and prayed. I stayed close to the car, trying not to luck, but as most of us often are, oddly fascinated. The rest of the ride to Niamey was in complete silence. Everyone seemed spell bound by the finality of death and the unique, unknowningness of fate and life. As to be expected, when face with finality, you start to mull over how special your life is. With time, I hope I think about this image less and less (my thoughts have been haunted all morning) but I don't want to forget it.
I looked up and who else did I see but Ridouane! I was soooo excited. He must have seen me from across the street but I had no idea. He told me that he had forgotten something at his house which is why he wasn't already at the bapteme. I had left early knowing I wouldn't see him yet we ran into each other. Fate can be so sweet ... but also so cruel. After making plans to meet up in Niamey later that night he helped me with my bags into a taxi.
The ride was going smoothly. I chatted with a neighbor and listened to a borrowed iPod since mine is broken. When we were just a little bit away from the Libore payage our taxi pulled off onto the side of the road. I couldn't see much, just cars all off the road. The boy who takes money (Hausa's refer to them as road dogs) was blocking my view since there were no open seats. But we stopped and all I could hear were men around me thumbing their prayer beads rapidly (clink, clink, clink) and whispering "Allah Ahkbar" (God is great in Arabic). They stopped completely and the boy opened the door. I looked out and saw a boy laying beneath a taxi. The taxi was all too familiar. It was the same one I see at least twice a week in Sahara (the neighborhood behind the inspection). I had even taken this taxi once. A crushed motorcycle lay to the right of the taxi. The boy was covered with a sheet, probably borrowed froma woman aboard the taxi.
Never in my life have I seen blood spilled but here I was faced with it for the first time. I felt sick to my stomach and tears welled in my eyes. I refused to let them be spilt too. The men descended and prayed. I stayed close to the car, trying not to luck, but as most of us often are, oddly fascinated. The rest of the ride to Niamey was in complete silence. Everyone seemed spell bound by the finality of death and the unique, unknowningness of fate and life. As to be expected, when face with finality, you start to mull over how special your life is. With time, I hope I think about this image less and less (my thoughts have been haunted all morning) but I don't want to forget it.
Updated Care Package List-ish
So I had an amazing list written out but it's sitting on the floor in Kollo and my parents haven't posted it yet so look for updates but here goes (this is all stuff you can send at any time)
* Magazines (Star, InTouch, US Weekly, People, Cosmo) Don't worry about duplicates because I cut out pictures etc.
* Jack Link's Beef Jerky (any flavor really is delicious)
* Blue/Black Bic pens (pens here suck)
* Scotch tape or double sided tape
* Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (sours, graham cracker, margerita)
* Swedish Fish
* Jolly Ranchers (hard or gummy)
* Orbit Peppermint gum
* Ramen Noodles (chicken, beef, oriental)
* Graham crackers
* Nilla Wafers
* Saltines
* Pistachios (salted)
* Trail mix
* Idohan Instant Mashed Potato mix (I think with parmasean cheese)
* Dry soup mixes
* Drink mixes (gatorade glacier freeze, lime, grape, Propel lemon or grape, crystal lite iced tea with lemon)
* Pudding mix
* Skittles
* Nail Polish (white!!! also clear!!!)
* foot scrub
* AAA and AA Batteries
* Tootsie rolls
* rice krispies treats
* Golden Grahams cereal
* Fruity Pebbles cereal
* Cracklin Oat Bran cereal
* Fruit Loops cereal
* Maple n brown sugar oatmeal
* Sweet and salty Almond granola bars
* Granola bars in general
* Children's toys (i.e. slinky, yoyo, bouncy balls, jacks, anything cute and cheap from walmart... i have a lot of kids in my neighborhood ... by kids I mean free time haha)
* Crayons
* cute magnets
* Mix cds (ipod is broken and neighbors let me borrow their cd player)
* Ranch mix packets (spicy kind is also good)
* spray bug repellent
* any old playstation (original) games you have laying around
* oreos
* honey roasted almonds
* candy canes
* ANY candy really (if you think it might melt ... please ziplock it)
* playtex tampons (plastic applicators please girls)
* any instant boxed meals that you can do with a stove and that dont involve butter or milk (random but i eat the same things every day)
* parmasean cheese
* velveeta mild mexican cheese (ziplock this)
* cross stitching thread (all colors)
* yarn (all colors)
* jiffy pop popcorn
* butter flavoring powder (it exists)
* slim jims
* doritos (dont care if they get crushed because i will eat the crumbs)
* peanut m&ms
* nutty bars
* decks of cards
* twizzlers
* individual tissue packs
* pads with wings
* macaroni and cheese (velveeta shells and cheese too)
* razors without lotion strips
* books (anything from the popular section at walmart or meijers is usually what i like) im into fiction and i tend to be into comedy/romance/or muder mystery stuff
* pretzles (esp sourdough)
* mascara
* small battery operated fans (if you can find them)
* board games (candy land, junior monopoly, trouble, sorry, yahtzee)
* squirt guns, balloons
* scrapbooking materials (books and paper and dbl sided tape)
* weight watchers choc pb bars (also good are the power bar anything with choc and peanuts)
* zattarins red beans and rice
* boil a bag rice
* TUNA
* choc/strawberry poptarts
* parmasean basil wheat thins
* triscuits
* cheese pb crackers (little snack pack things)
* kazoos
* corn bread mix (for when im at the hostel)
* carmel
* sweet, shredded coconut
* reeses pieces
* gummy worms
* trolli sour eggs
* starbursts
* Magazines (Star, InTouch, US Weekly, People, Cosmo) Don't worry about duplicates because I cut out pictures etc.
* Jack Link's Beef Jerky (any flavor really is delicious)
* Blue/Black Bic pens (pens here suck)
* Scotch tape or double sided tape
* Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (sours, graham cracker, margerita)
* Swedish Fish
* Jolly Ranchers (hard or gummy)
* Orbit Peppermint gum
* Ramen Noodles (chicken, beef, oriental)
* Graham crackers
* Nilla Wafers
* Saltines
* Pistachios (salted)
* Trail mix
* Idohan Instant Mashed Potato mix (I think with parmasean cheese)
* Dry soup mixes
* Drink mixes (gatorade glacier freeze, lime, grape, Propel lemon or grape, crystal lite iced tea with lemon)
* Pudding mix
* Skittles
* Nail Polish (white!!! also clear!!!)
* foot scrub
* AAA and AA Batteries
* Tootsie rolls
* rice krispies treats
* Golden Grahams cereal
* Fruity Pebbles cereal
* Cracklin Oat Bran cereal
* Fruit Loops cereal
* Maple n brown sugar oatmeal
* Sweet and salty Almond granola bars
* Granola bars in general
* Children's toys (i.e. slinky, yoyo, bouncy balls, jacks, anything cute and cheap from walmart... i have a lot of kids in my neighborhood ... by kids I mean free time haha)
* Crayons
* cute magnets
* Mix cds (ipod is broken and neighbors let me borrow their cd player)
* Ranch mix packets (spicy kind is also good)
* spray bug repellent
* any old playstation (original) games you have laying around
* oreos
* honey roasted almonds
* candy canes
* ANY candy really (if you think it might melt ... please ziplock it)
* playtex tampons (plastic applicators please girls)
* any instant boxed meals that you can do with a stove and that dont involve butter or milk (random but i eat the same things every day)
* parmasean cheese
* velveeta mild mexican cheese (ziplock this)
* cross stitching thread (all colors)
* yarn (all colors)
* jiffy pop popcorn
* butter flavoring powder (it exists)
* slim jims
* doritos (dont care if they get crushed because i will eat the crumbs)
* peanut m&ms
* nutty bars
* decks of cards
* twizzlers
* individual tissue packs
* pads with wings
* macaroni and cheese (velveeta shells and cheese too)
* razors without lotion strips
* books (anything from the popular section at walmart or meijers is usually what i like) im into fiction and i tend to be into comedy/romance/or muder mystery stuff
* pretzles (esp sourdough)
* mascara
* small battery operated fans (if you can find them)
* board games (candy land, junior monopoly, trouble, sorry, yahtzee)
* squirt guns, balloons
* scrapbooking materials (books and paper and dbl sided tape)
* weight watchers choc pb bars (also good are the power bar anything with choc and peanuts)
* zattarins red beans and rice
* boil a bag rice
* TUNA
* choc/strawberry poptarts
* parmasean basil wheat thins
* triscuits
* cheese pb crackers (little snack pack things)
* kazoos
* corn bread mix (for when im at the hostel)
* carmel
* sweet, shredded coconut
* reeses pieces
* gummy worms
* trolli sour eggs
* starbursts
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