Parents' Visit!

I know, it's been three months and I'm only getting to it now...

In late March, my parents came to visit for 10 days. It started on a rough note thanks to some snow and delays but they finally made it safely to Niger; the two major airlines only fly into Niamey every few days so if you miss one, you have to wait for the next. After a day in Niamey to sleep and catch up, we left for Maradi and my village. I borrowed the Inspection car, at the cost of gas and per diem for the driver, which made traveling smoother and faster; compared to the buses volunteers usually take. Everyone was very hospitable and excited to meet my parents. They were given the star treatment with dinners and presents. I also scheduled things so they could see my market and how crazy my village can get. The previously empty spaces fill with people, animals, and all kinds of merchandise, not to mention the butcher's corner.

While in Maradi, my Peace Corps friends organized a barbecue and we hung out at the pool. My parents were happy to meet my friends and also to speak with people without needing a translator, i.e. me. Before they left Niger, we took a trip down to Park W for a night -- Park W is a wildlife reserve on the borders of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Benin with animals like gazelles, buffalo, elephants, lions, and monkeys. It was a treat for me because I didn't feel like I was still in Niger. We were lucky, too, about 30 minutes into our visit, standing on an observation deck near a watering hole when two elephants came out of the trees and crossed the river. We also saw all the animals I listed, except for the lions.

All in all, it was a great visit. Almost every night was spent laughing and catching up, like we were too giddy to sleep. It was so surreal and went by so fast that sometimes I forget they came and I have to look at pictures to remind myself. I also feel very lucky that my parents wanted to come and had the means to do so. It's important that I had someone from home see my life here so they have a better idea of what I am going through. And who better than my parents? They were troopers and had the best attitude and the most patience with traveling, the food, the heat, and, most of all, me. I'll never forget it!!