Growing old!

Every day, you get a little bit older, but it's not every day that you are reminded of the fact that another year has gone by... But anyway, here's a message to Hanna: I have finally become what you have been saying that I am for the past five months or so... But not a day older!

:-)

Ishtar

Resemblance...

Here is a picture of what the current Internet connection resembles the most right now... I've been trying and trying to upload pictures but the net is a stubborn Taurin Kai that refuses to do as I ask...

If it's of any consolidation, I'm busy as a bee heading out in the bush and watching the beautiful rainy season dry up...

Am hoping for better (Internet) luck tomorrow!

Ishtar

Relationships in a world of epithets

One of the most complicated things about Niger is relationships. They are not the least complicated when you are there, but are very much so when you are absent.

Before leaving for Sweden this year, I made a deal with my jockey, whom I had a very high opinion of. He told me that he was tired of touring and that he wanted to stay with his family in Zinder, working exclusively with my horses (personal loyalty is such a huge issue in Niger). I perceived him as genuine (in being tired of touring, because I knew he loved his little girls), and I decided to give it a try. "No one would be happier than me," I told him, "but if you're going to live of my horses and my horses only, then you need a raise. I don't need you now, but I do need you later on." All cards were put on the table; I told him what I needed, what I expected (and what I would be paying for!), and an agreement was made.

For the first two months, things seemed to be going well. Yaronbaba came regularly and rode out the horses, sometimes to the track, sometimes to the bush. He had my full confidence and I knew the freedom of action was important to him.

In my absence however, something must have happened, for three days ago, I was informed that he had told the workers that he was not actually working for me, but was just "helping out a bit". In fact, he had so many other things to do (read: touring) that he hadn't been to ride my horses during the whole month of July (!). This was not what we had agreed upon.

I don't know what saddened me the most; loosing my confidence in him or the fact that he of all people had told an untruth (and being irritated when doing so). He, my Nigerien brother, who so enjoyed being taken for real, being treated as an equal, who thought truth was the foundation for trust and all those things we kept talking about. His recent behavior was a sudden and dramatic change of character, and such a drastic change that I had trouble believing it at first. What had happened that made him pull out, and why on earth did he start lying about it?

Being so far away, I do not have the answers. I have no idea what went wrong. It could have been lack of money. It could have been lack of prestige as well, because although I make people feel equal when I'm there (by not letting people carry things for me or greet me with two hands as a sign of submission, or bowing (!) when they receive their well earned salary etc), they don't seem to be able to hold on to that dignity when I'm not around, which the entire society telling them that a man in Niger is judged by his tasks. Niger is full of epithets. If you ride a horse for someone, it places you as "the little one who rides the horse to the track". If you are a jockey, then you cannot ride a horse to the track as that is a lowly job; and hence, you need a motorcycle, even if this eats up better part of your salary.

In the beginning, I really enjoyed going to the track and turning a very narrow world upside down. Since owning a horse was one of the highest signs of "social accomplishments", it gave me a immense platform for social development.

In a world of epithets, I was the only "woman" to own a horse (which made me a man, lol!), the only "horse owner" to actually ride her own horses, the only "important person" to sit down on the ground and mingle with the "lowly people", and the only "trainer" who offered my jockey to drink from the same water bottle as herself! There was no end to my inspiration, which was only fueled by the fact that the most prominent "accomplished people" were following suit! All of a sudden, horse owners started to touch their own horses, sit on the ground and "mingle with the lowly people", train their horses Swedish racing manner etc. I was thrilled - and I must admit: slightly hooked. The racetrack became my playground.

There was one big catch however. Despite my good intentions, the racetrack setting (featuring all the who's whos of Zinder) just didn't bring out the best of me. I remember one discussion I had with God, coming back from the track after having publicly humiliated my former jockey. I seem to possess a talent in the art of making people I dislike feel uncomfortable about themselves, and this guy had really let me down. But the one I answer to wasn't as pleased with me as I was. When coming home, a very simple question popped up in my heart, breaking my train of thoughts:

"Do you think that what you did today will inspire him to become a better person?"

The question startled me. I was on the verge of defending myself, but in the same moment that the question had been raised, I knew the answer to it. No, taunting a broken soul publicly was not going to inspire him to become a better person. The only thing that had been proven was my talent in fighting with words. I had used the right words, but had the wrong desire, and what I had done might in fact have a worse effect on him than had I just concentrated on forgiving. I was ashamed of myself, and taken aback. Why did I - despite my good intentions - join the line of people who live to achieve their own means? It definitively gave me something to think about.

Now, the recent discussion with some of the most prominent programmers with interest in Africa has taught me one very valuable lesson. You can either spend your energy discussing and arguing in order to point out other people's faults and mistakes. Or, you can leave those things behind you and go do something constructive with your life.

Putting it simple: the rac track is not my turf, and it does not bring out the best of me. Yaronbaba's recent behavior suddenly made a previously difficult choice very easy for me. When the last jockey disappointed me, I broke with him but not with the track. This time, I will break with the track, but not with the person who disappointed me. And the funny thing is that although loosing my jockey would seemingly give me less liberty, it frees me of the (unwanted) social obligations that I have somehow managed to take upon me, concerning the forum for all the who's whos of Zinder.

Let them have their track. The horses were meant to be a blessing, not a curse. I want to live my life feeling alive and in tune with my heart's desires, and the challenge that lies ahead of me - in contributing to help the poorest of the poor achieve a sustainable life - calls for my full attention.

Ishtar

Contemplations

I am tired, but not exhausted.
I am stressed, but not stressed out.
I am confused, but not lost.
I am worried, but have not given up.
I am restless, but at the same time, full of expectations.
I feel small, but I'm in good hands.

Should I be complaining? I think not.
The circumstances may not be the best,
but life is good and I am grateful.

Hope you've all been having a good week!
Ishtar

Lack of sleep

It's amazing what lack of sleep can do to you. After a week of profound joy and internal peace in the midst of human despair, I finally had my moment of weakness. That was yesterday, and I just couldn't understand why my heart kept hardening at the weirdest of things, why things didn't want to look bright anymore and why I kept having so stubbornly negative thoughts all the time, despite my own efforts. Where had the heavenly song gone? No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't keep above water surface. Everything inside me just felt wrong, even though my mind was telling me so clearly that nothing had actually changed. No reason to lose faith, but still, I kept sinking.

It wasn't until this morning when I woke up after eight hours of sleep which felt like the biggest teaser of them all, that I realized how tired I actually am. I haven't slept for ages. The nights have been too short and there has been no time to recuperate. No wonder my psyche is bearing the burden. That's what happens to us when we neglect the most basics of need.

So tonight, I will not philosophize. I will turn off my mobile phone (so I can't be reached), "crawl into bed" as we actually say in Swedish (!) and enjoy sleep to its very fullest. And as soon as my tired body stops claiming my soul, I will let you know what's going on both in my mind and in my heart.

Take care!

Peace

There are different times for everything.

There is a time to be joyful, and a time to be sad.
There is a time to laugh, and a time to cry.

This should be a time of darkness,
and similar situations have previously tormented my soul.
This time however, it's all different.

I feel neither fear nor despair, for there is light in the darkness.
There is peace and there is joy.
There is fulfillment in my heart,
and every time I get back from my mother's hospital room,
I feel overwhelmed with gratitude and hope.

I cannot really describe it -
it is not something I have done through my own power.
It is a gift, and I am so immensely grateful for it.

I know that there are many people out there
who look at my mother's situation and feel despair.
Many who think that we should be angry,
resentful and bitter towards God.
I do not feel any of those things.
My mother is at peace, she is full of hope,
and eagerly awaiting her promised gift.
Although we do not always get the promises that we want,
He always keeps the one he gives.

But no matter what happens in the future,
I do not believe that life can get any better than this.
I never expected my soul to feel such peace in such a dark hour,
but it does.

There is joy and there is happiness.
There is gratitude and there is love.
There is hope.

And all that in abundance.

We have all reason to grieve,
but there is no room left for that in our hearts.
How could my soul do anything but rejoice??

Ishtar

What really matters

After a very painful night with no sleep, my mother was finally brought to hospital early yesterday morning by ambulance. My sister and I joined her a few hours later and stayed until reception hours were over; having a very good time together.

I have decided to stay off work for some time, even though I need the money. As a volunteer for Eden, I have no salary and that is why I've been working as much as I can during my summer stay in Sweden. I should also have started looking for sponsors by now, but there hasn't been any time for that. Financial issues however are very low on my list of worries right now, because my heart's desire is to be there with her daily until my dad comes back from Niger, which is in about two weeks time. What does it matter if I don't get to go to Niger as early as I was hoping for or if I can't stay there for as long as I had planned? There are things in life that are more important than others, and there is a tremendous internal freedom in letting go of the so called "control".

One of the things I value about Niger is the fact that we are constantly reminded of our human shortcomings and don't take it upon ourselves to live the perfect life. In the Western world, we have all these possibilities and options (but not all of them - we are still mortal) and strive to achieve perfection, but what is "the perfect life" anyway? Few people in the Western world take the time to be with one another. A lot of the patients on my mother's ward are lonely and without visitors. There is so much despair in that part of the hospital, and cancer has ruined their lives.

It was a very weird day yesterday. At first, I cried, but I think it was mostly due to exhaustion, since I hadn't slept more than four hours. But then I was reminded of the steady song in my heart and my great expectations for the future. If nothing else, my prayer is that all the patients on my mother's ward will be able to share that heavenly peace of hers and to know that there is more to life than what meets the eye. I do not see any injustice in what is going on. I only feel immensely blessed that we can have such peace in a moment like this.

Take care you all!
Ishtar

Picture of my sister's dissertation

Jönköping, June 20th 2007

After the Defence, the head of her supervising committee held a speech

Having passed, my sister is awarded her very own Swedish PhD hat - which I didn't even know existed!!

There was even a dissertation cake! The things I learned about Swedish formality...

Over at the feast location, the flowers were being places on the tables

And my sister and I traded states of mind - she started to relax and me started to worry, as my part of the evening (as toastmaster) was just about to start.

The evening went great however, and the ambiance was wonderful!

So glad we could all be together!

Both my parents held speeches, which were very much appreciated!

My sister then got to open presents, which she seemed to appreciate, even though she's never really enjoyed being the center of attention.

Much unlike her younger sister, who voluntarily had put together a play where she went out of her way to play the role of a young ambitious overly optimistic research apprentice who soon found out that the road to perfection was not as easy as she had first imagined...

And last but not least, the food was great!
Hope you enjoyed, for we most certainly did!

Ishtar

Preparing for hospital

The hospital called today to say that they have finally managed to make room for her at the hospital. So tomorrow morning, the ambulance will arrive to pick her up at 06.30 am - if all goes well. My sister and I will follow in our car a little while later, and from then on, we'll just have to take things as they come.

I don't know what is going to happen in the future; when I will go to work again, when I will be home, when I will have time to blog. Those things are of lesser matter than being there for her during the two weeks that remain until my father comes back. In the mean time, I leave you with a family picture from my sister's dissertation on the June 20th, when the whole family was gathered in one of our rare complete family reunions. Will let you know of any development as soon as I can.

From left to right: Me, my Dutch sister-in-law, my Scandinavian brother, my Norwegian father, my Swedish mother and my multi-linguistic sister who is now the proud possessor of a PhD...

My sister and my mother, right after my mother's beautiful speech.

Greetings,
Ishtar

Trusting the impossible

My mother and I, Cyprus 1983

Once again, I don't exactly know what to say, but the difference between tonight and two posts ago is that this time, I'm not feeling down. Things have been looking very gloomy indeed and my mother is getting weaker by the day. Today, she could hardly walk and her body was aching everywhere. It seems that this cancer is living a life of its own, because this is not the forecast we were given eight weeks ago. Although I felt that old panic resurface when my mother talked about her immense headache and the possibility of the cancer having spread to her brain (she has been correct in her predictions so far, so there's little use in trying to tell oneself that the odds are against it and it would be far too early according to the doctor's predictions), I also felt a new kind of clear-sightedness take hold as my sister and I went for a walk and talked things through.

There is a battle going on, for someone is desperate to have her "out of the way". It wasn't enough to have her banned from Africa and sentence her to a life away from what she held so dearly - for that was the prospect after her heart failure evacuation in January 2005: Never to go back to Niger, West Africa.

Then her cancer was discovered. It was said to be a very aggressive one and the doctors talked about it returning within a few years. Not an if, but a when - that when however being in a few years' time. Four months after completed treatment however, it was already back, having spread throughout her skeleton and to her lungs. The good news then was that skeleton cancer is so slow, and that there wouldn't be much pain involved. Well, the doctors have been wrong there as well. This is a very speedy thing which is being fuelled for a reason far greater than I can understand.

Now, that pestering little voice I was talking about two posts ago has been proclaiming lately that her time is up and that from now on, everything we do for her is useless. She will never get to go home to Niger again and we might as well back up the project and leave. However, there is a different song singing in my heart. It doesn't say anything about the what, the when or the why, but it tells me to where to put my trust. It tells me to believe in the impossible, and to rejoice, even though times are hard. And I will.

Ishtar

It seems my blog has come to life!

Wow!

Thanks for all the support, guys! It means a lot to come back from a ten-hour-shift (being away from home for 12 hours) and find that my blog has been living it's own life while I was gone!

I am unfortunately working tomorrow as well (but not as long as I did today), so I might have to wait until Sunday until I can do you all justice and answer your comments with the attention they deserve! In the meantime, I will try to keep by head above surface and listen to the voice that whispers so clearly in my heart who bears my burdens and settles my fears. It's amazing how hard it can be to allow oneself be small, but it's such a relief when one does. I was doing that a few weeks ago when I was running on the water surface. Perhaps I started taking all the good moments for granted again?

Oh well, will go in and check on my mom, have a long talk with God and then see what tomorrow brings. Take care you all!

Ishtar

The art of walking on water

It's been a long time since I was down. Despite my mother's illness, May was a month of hope and I had a heavenly song of joy singing in my heart. June was a month of family reunion and celebration. Now is a time of... I don't really know, for sure. Internal battle, perhaps?

There is a curtain of melancholy lying like a heavy cloud over my head, that someone insists on pulling down in order to dim my view. I've been battling that curtain for a few days now, and there has also been a touch of despair and anxiety lurking in my shadows. My mother is hurting, and it makes my heart bleed not to be able to do anything for her. There is nothing in my power that can ease her pain.

A little voice is stubbornly proclaiming that the good times have come to an end, and wants to bring me back into a state of mourning. I know that voice and I care little for the insinuation, but a bleeding heart makes an easy prey for despair. Hence the curtain-battle. But I have all reason to hope, even though my heart is being a bit resistant right now.

I wanted to write something deep about Niger tonight, but I have no concentration for that. Instead, I will tell share something that happened on the 19th of May. Something I've been needing to remind myself of for the past few days.

My mother was woken at 06.15 am by a voice, saying: "Bettan, you are to receive a great gift." Her first thought was, "Have I been healed?" but she hadn't, not then at least. A little while later however, my brother and his wife came to tell her her that they were expecting another baby - her second grandchild. That was indeed one of the greatest gifts anyone could possibly give her.

I'm not easily moved to tears, but when my mother told me this, I had tears of joy. My mother could not have been given a greater gift than to know that she will have another grandchild, but above all, it is was the fact that God sent a messenger to tell her that moved me to tears. Somehow, he just knew that she needed to know from him before she heard it from anyone else.

The funny thing is that things have been looking very gloomy lately with my mother's health deteriorating day by day. And yet, I am full of hope because God is with us and my heart is singing a song of joy. How could I want life to be otherwise when I have peace in my heart and overwhelming joy and thankfulness? How could I be anything but grateful?

I don't care about the outcome because I have a hand to reach out to, and I will squeeze that hand tight and savor every minute that we have together. And I want to live my life wholeheartedly and invest every day as if it might the last.

Ishtar

I could write pages on my current state of melancholy, but I know, deep inside, that it's all about having faith. It's not the rain outside that brings darkness to my soul. It's the constant battle of daring to venture into the unknown, choosing to follow that whisper in my heart that gives me peace.

Even though I walk through the shadows of death, I fear no evil, for you are my comfort.

Although I call it a battle of curtains, it's actually all about daring to walk on water. I was running on the surface a few weeks ago, eager to reach my goal and to follow my heart's desire. Now all of a sudden my legs are made of concrete and the impossibility of it all is making me sink.

I know where to find comfort, and I know whose face I will seek. I know who carries me when my soul is weak and my legs are limb and even when my heart is bleeding and my tears have run dry. I know who takes over for me when I am losing the battle of curtains. I just need to remind myself to actually go and ask for help.

Copyright Eden Foundation 2006

Ishtar

Land of Eden

My turn to be peopleized! Szavanna, the Hungarian music lover (currently living in SA) whom I interviewed a little while ago, has interviewed me back! The original interview is posted on her site Szavanna Blog, entitled Niger - Land of Eden - as seen by Ishtar.

Niger - Land of Eden - an interview with Ishtar

Peopleized by: Szavanna - Monday, 25 June 2007

About Ishtar, Niger and the Eden foundation - just an intro actually - make sure you get the bigger picture on Ishtar's blog - once you have seen her it - you will probably spend the rest of your night reading through all her stories.

Szavanna: Hi Ishtar - thanks for agreeing to answer my questions. My first question of course is - how did you end up in Niger in 1986? What connections did your parents have with Africa?

Ishtar: My Dad first crossed the Sahara desert the mid 1970s, when the first seed of Eden was born. There’s an article on Eden’s website entitled The Lost Treasures of Eden, which talks about how he came across a plant growing in the middle of nowhere. He was struck by its potential and wondered what the consequences would be if such a plant could give human food.

My parents chose Niger because out all the countries in West Africa, it was the country most threatened by desertification, and yet was at the time receiving the least international aid. So that’s the reason why we packed all our belongings and drove south from Tunisia to Niger, a journey that took a little more than five weeks.

Szavanna: You write that you stay 6 months in Sweden and 6 months in Niger - what do you do in those half-year periods?

Ishtar: Well, when I’m in Africa, I work with PR, writing Eden newsletters and articles, working with correspondence and training the Eden field team in what kind of information our sponsors (most of the private people) are interested in hearing. We have a very rich material with 7000 pictures and lots of social documentation, so to me, it’s a dream job because there is always something to say.

The only catch with working as a volunteer in Niger is that I don’t get paid, so when I’m in Sweden, I mostly work (for money, currently I have two jobs), hold Eden presentations and catch up with friends and family.

Szavanna: Describe a day in Niger - what do you do from the moment you wake up till you go to sleep?

Ishtar: Wow, what nostalgia you awake! Normally I start the day with work, but it’s my intension to start every morning with a quick ride, even if it means going up at six o’clock. Just have to get to bed later, meaning I can’t sit up and blog, hehe! Anyway, work hours in Niger are between 07.30-12.30 followed by a long siesta, only to pick it up again in the afternoon from 3.30-6.30 pm. When I was studying, I used bring out my books in the sun after lunch and wrap up in time to have a ride in the afternoons. Since discovering the solar oven, I normally fix the next day’s lunch in the evening instead of in the middle of the day, and this saves a lot of time as food is ready when you come home and you just have to take it out of the solar oven.

So somewhere after supper, I normally go into the kitchen and put together what seems to be a good mix. I really enjoy cooking and the solar oven has been an intriguing challenge as you have to rethink, as slow cooked food needs to be positioned in a certain way, and you also have to think about differences in texture and moisture. The best thing about solar cooked food however is neither that it’s time consuming or cheap, but the amazing richness is taste that you get!

As for the rest of the household chores, there is often a lot of people coming and going while you’re at home. There’s the greengrocer man who sells fruit and vegetables, the meat man who (obviously) sells meat, the egg man from Kania and so on …

People are really into coming home to you in Niger, which is cool since you don’t have to rush around town trying to get hold of people, but it can also get a bit too busy, going from one person to another. There’s a man for just about everything, but the greatest luxury is having your personal tailor come with clothes you get to try at home, and if there is something that doesn’t fit, he fixes it! At least as long as it’s still fixable, that is…

So as you can see, my days are pretty much filled up with work, horses, household stuff and seeing people, an “obligatory” half-an-hour in the sun (I seem to need it as much as coffee and my daily timeout with the horses) and then finally keeping in touch with people in Europe. That’s why I started the blog in the first place, so that I could post all the pictures in the same place and not have to send them around all the time. I was into writing personal newsletters (still do, although not very frequently), but by the time I got them out, all my close friends had already heard the details, so they didn’t find them very interesting anymore…

Szavanna: Please introduce us to the Eden Foundation.

Ishtar: Ah… Eden Foundation is next to Niger the love of my life! Eden is, simply put, quite unique. It’s visionary, it’s down-to-basic kind of aid that makes a genuine contribution. It’s not the place to go if you’re a mainstream kind of person, because you wouldn’t like the time tables we use. If the development work you do is going to be sustainable in the end, it has to start from the inside, and Eden has a lot of patience. We believe in a simple solution, but we let things take their time. And the success has been huge. I came into Eden at a time when there were things to show for all the hard work, but my parents started off with just a vision. My role is easy: I look at the changes that are taking place within our Tanout society and I translate it to Western people so that they can see it for what it really is. I love telling people about Eden. I love holding presentations and telling people about the awakening that has taken place amidst the least developed area in the least developed country in the world. I show pictures of genuine happiness, of proud mothers and their healthy children, of fathers who have understood the value of trees and who have gone against local customs and stopped cutting down their perennials in order to get rid of crop-eating birds. When I present our Eden families to the rich in Europe, they marvel. I still remember the top bankers at a Swedish Rottary club who tanked me for coming to them, saying “We just can’t believe how those people can be so happy.” For them, it was an impossibility. Poor people with nothing but fruits – how could they be so happy? You see, Westerners have all the material but not the happiness. My dad is right when he writes: “It is difficult to understand, but just as the rich never found the right food, they never seem to find the right values either. The worst thing we can do is to be contemptuous toward the poor and their lifestyle. Electricity will not solve their problems, neither will cars. The infrastructure that would open Africa for export and import will not solve their problems and it may never even become a reality. By enabling people to produce their own food, so retaining their intrinsic dignity, they are being given a chance not by being told what to do, but by being given multiple options in life.” He wrote that more than twenty years ago and I still marvel, because there’s continuity about Eden and I like that.

Copyright Eden Foundation 2006

Szavanna: How would you describe Niger to someone who has never been there ( I know it's not easy to give a short description )

Ishtar: Niger is the country that stands still, for better or for worse. It’s a country where things take ages to come about and where stressful people go berserk. But that’s just the thing really. The first two weeks in Niger, when coming from any progressing areas, are disastrous, unless you’ve come for a vacation. However, after those first two transitional weeks, something within in you will change, and the real culture chock actually arrives when you come back to your home country, wondering why everybody is doing what they are without ever asking themselves why…

Szavanna: How did Niger and travelling in general changed how you look at life?

Ishtar: Ah… Niger is my little “life secret”. It’s a special pulse that I carry within me wherever I go. On the outside, I make a perfect Swede, but not a day that goes by when I’m away from Niger that I don’t think about it, when I don’t count the days until I go back. Traveling in general has made me a lot more humble towards other societies, but since I have been traveling since the age of 1, I don’t really know what I was like before I started traveling… :-) It’s just a natural part of my life, living in a world where we may all be very strong individuals, but where we still have to share with all our neighbors. Regardless of how much we have or don’t have in common!

shtar's Page

Authors Page: Szavanna

powered by Peopleized!

Thanks the interview, Szavanna! Loved the questions (as you can see)!
And the photo collage was great!

Ishtar

What people type to find my blog...

Ever wondered how people find your blog? I had a thorough look at the keywords used to find Ishtar News, and it gave me such a good laugh that I just had to share... :-)

1. heartbroken

One of this site’s top keywords – so much for me trying to show a positive attitude!

2. is riding a camel safe?

Well, I for one didn’t feel comfortable; I guess it’s all about the camel and your relationship to heights! If you're interested in my personal experience, look at the post Learning the art of riding a camel. At least I didn't fall off!

3. sahara race track

Sorry, Sahara does not have a race track, unless you see the entire desert as a track.

4. chocolate eating gallop poll 2007

Now this one is hilarious and I cannot even answer it, as just keeps on making me laugh!

5. jockey saddle

Yes, I’m looking for one as well, so let me know when you find one, ok? Actually, a good tip is to looking for racing tack. I couldn’t find a jockey saddle on the web until I looked for “tack”.

6. african carnival

I’m into blog carnivals, actually. The Beautiful Africa Blog Carnival to be more precise.

7. we'are very tired after long essay

Yes, we certainly are, but I won’t be blogging much more about that now that I’ve finished the course!

8. time for you to make an effort

You don’t like my blog? Not posting often enough? Not sure I can help you though! Blogging about working as a volunteer is actually seconded by the work itself…

9. news about desertification in 2006-07

You should go to Eden, I have only mentioned desertification briefly so far.

10. lazy niger

I never said that!

11. alsacian riding school

And what exactly would we be talking about then, if I may ask...? Something like this?

12. eden south of tanout

Yes, that would be us. But this is not the project site; go to Eden Foundation instead.

13. niger sport newspapers

Ah, need to go into sports, do I? Well, in a sense its pretty easy because the variety is limited. In Niger, you have wrestling, horse racing and football. Period.

14. best country to raise children is where?

I told you it was Niger but you didn’t believe me… Why don't you go answer the quiz?

15. "there is always tomorrow"

Oh, yes! Africa explained in a single sentence.

16. what custums come with the running of the bulls

Sorry but this one is above my understanding. Running with the bulls? Hey dude, have you seen their horns???

17. dan zinder, wedding

Not marrying Dan in Zinder, no.

18. "[my full name] " +"niger"

You got it! Sorry you didn’t leave a comment so that I could see who it was that’s gone looking for me!

19. working days in sweden

I have far too many of those. Please do not remind me…

20. snygging in swedish

Snygging [“handsome”] in Swedish would be just that, snygging. Or were you actually wondering what snygging was in English? Sorry, I don’t offer translation services…

21. western media exaggerate poverty in africa

Bingo! You hit right on! I've got two posts here, Cash Handouts are Not Helping and Niger in the News. But the best post is the article on Eden's website.

22. pictures of signs of impending birth in mares

Sorry, my horse didn’t give birth in the end… No pictures to show except of all my speculations around her non-existing belly. Still love her though!

23. sunbathing sweden photos

Wouldn’t show them for anything in the world!

24. miss niger

Well, you actually inspired a post of your own. You should go and have a look!

25. camel, training a, stubborn

Sorry, not into camels.

26. aid to foreign countries needed

Aid needed but should be directed towards a sustainable solution only.

27. women's daily life in zinder

Well, I can really only show you mine, can I? If you stick around however, I might start posting some people portraits.

28. reasons why niger is a least developed country

Hey, don’t put pressure on me! This is advanced level – and here I was, taking things a bit easy…

29. national celebrations in niger?

Lots of them! And lots of postings on this site! Look at the side bar!

30. hausa outfits

Ah, want to see me wear those? Will have to think about that one… Here's the closest posted on this site!

These people however do it better than me:

31. nigerian jockeys

Sorry, I have Nigerien jockeys… And I’m not handing him over!

32. holy cows uganda

Can’t really understand what you found in my site since I speak of neither holy cows nor Uganda, but you did stay for a while… The only cows I have presented are very skinny ones:

Copyright Eden Foundation

Hope you enjoyed it!
Ishtar