Marriage in Niger

Marriage is always a hot topic with Nigeriens. They like to talk about it with me because my views are so different. When discussing marriage, the question about my status almost always comes up. At 22, I should already be married and have at least one kid. I guess I’m getting to be past my prime so the men and women give me a hard time. I tell them that I don’t want marriage or kids right so they ask when, then they sigh really loud as if I’m hopeless. It’s also difficult and frustrating because the verb for “like” and “want” is the same in Hausa; so even though I mean “I don’t want marriage,” they might take it as “I don’t like marriage,” which gets complicated. At one of the weddings I went to I was offered to become a third wife and a fourth wife by two different women. I had to laugh, and although I was flattered I ultimately decided to turn them down.