10 Months of Radio Silence: An Update

WELL... here we are ten months later. I am still in Niamey, and like most places in the world not much has changed, except me. My summer blog posts were foiled by my inept tech skills in posting with only an iphone, it's harder than one might think. I hope you were able to keep up via Facebook. Upon return to Niamey I hit the ground running. For the 2014- 2015 school year 6 out of 8 teachers were new, the role of internal coordinator for the impending MSA visit became very real, and I took on many new roles of leadership and responsibility within the AISN community. In the mean time I found myself a Moroccan soul mate, and oh yea, got engaged! That about sums it up. Let's revisit the part about how I view myself in comparison to where we last left off. My trip last summer was the pivotal moment in my transformation. What in most places is referred to as culture shock-defined by Merriam- Webster as: a feeling of confusion, doubt, or nervousness caused by being in a place (such as a foreign country) that is very different from what you are used to, is known as transition here in West Africa. Transition, defined as: a change from one state or condition to another. It is my belief culture shock only happens to some people in places like Thailand or South Korea and is a more temporary condition. Transition in Niamey happens to everyone, and if someone tells you otherwise they are liar liar pants on fire. When you are in the throes of it, it's nearly impossible to recognize. It doesn't matter how much you read or have people tell you what is happening to you. Until you work through transition (which actually has 5 documented phases), you only think you know. Studies on transition show that a person has to be "pulled out of it." In my case it was my summer in Turkey, Spain and Morocco where I pulled myself out. It all really boiled down to a simple conclusion: You can't control what others do, only your reaction. I made a choice. A choice to let things roll off my back, to see my time here as not just a means to an end but also as a commitment I have made where if I bring to the table a genuine investment straight from the heart, I will make a difference. As crazy as it sounds, I love Niamey and AISN. I love them because I choose to focus on the good. I choose to not sweat the small stuff, work my tail off, learn how to say no, and ignore the negativity as much as possible. One might also argue I am slightly insane and thrive on chaos, and to that I would not object. Now that I am on the outside looking in on those who are experiencing transition I see them clearly. I see myself 12 months ago and how it reflected to the people around me at the time. I believe that you have a choice as to the experience you have while living in Niamey. Option 1: See it as a means to an end and do your time until your contract is up, end of story. Option 2: See your time in Niamey as a means to an end while embracing the chaos. I chose the latter. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Well only time will tell, but what I do know is that I am not miserable, I do not want to leave (permanently that is- this dusty 111/44 daily hot season weather is enough to make anyone long for cool breezes and fresh air), and there is nothing that makes me happier than the smiles of the kids and staff (foreign and local) that I encounter daily and the satisfaction I feel in knowing I am paying my dues while learning how good success from hard work feels. I have now signed on for my third year and ensuring I leave here with the certification and masters I intended since the beginning.