Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Giraffing

It's hard to believe, but my service in Burkina is ending next week!  A lot has been going on here and I can't begin to explain the last month.  It's been crazy and stressful and the best way to deal with stuff that's stressful is to visit giraffes!

The last remaining self sustaining herd of West African giraffes (also know as the Niger or Nigerien giraffe, scientific name: giraffa camelopardalis peralta) is located in south western Niger. This subspecies is currently classified as endangered, but the population is on the rise because of conservation efforts.  Another article here.

(heads up: Niger and Nigeria are different countries; Nigeria is directly south of Niger)


View Niger in a larger map  (supposedly the blue pin is Niamey and the green Kouré, but from the view on my computer they're off)


Last Wednesday two friends and myself set out for Niamey.  The bus ride was uneventful, but hot ... really hot.  We arrived at the Sonef bus station in Ouaga at 4:30 am for our 5 am departure. The bus initially looked very nice since it was the air-conditioned model where the windows don't open because it's air-conditioned.  Unfortunately, later that morning when it started getting hot we discovered the air-conditioning, and the air fans in general, didn't work.  The only ventilation was two roof vents in the front half of the bus... we were sitting in the back.  Hottest bus ride ever.

We arrived in Niamey with no problems, found the Peace Corps Niger office and settled in at their hostel.  Niamey observations:
1) there are more cars than motos (Ouaga is exactly opposite)

2) the women cover themselves more (made Burkina's ladies look like harlots in comparison)
3) the taxis function, are clean and there is no haggling over price
4) it seemed hotter, but I could be getting soft with my Ouaga living
5) there were hardly any street vendors; in general people were very respectful and it was a no hassle trip
6) (not Niamey) once we crossed the border into Niger the number of largish trees dwindle almost none

OK giraffes...  We hired a car to take us out to Kouré the next day.  At the giraffe "center" we paid something like a park entrance fee and pick up our guide.  Then we drove out to find the giraffes.  Our guide climbed a tree to spot them and then we headed off road.


and then ...


We ended up seeing 20 or so giraffes.  At first we came upon a group of 7 and then we followed them on foot as they joined up with a larger group.  They didn't seem concerned about our presence, although they appeared to be asking "what do you want?" a fair bit.  Only one spooked and started to run as we approached.  The coolest behavior was watching them rub necks.  It didn't look like they were fighting even though it was two males, so I'm guessing they were really good friends.

necking behavior


mom and baby


how thin can the neck appear?



I really like the picture above because it nicely demonstrates the giraffe's bizarre gait.  They start their movement by moving the front foot and then the back foot of the same side.  Which means that they are constantly shifting their weight from side-to-side as seen in this photo.


like cows, they were constantly chewing


With a little help from the giraffe, Jen was almost the same height... almost.


This one with the cockeyed horn is an older female.  For inexplicable reasons she was my favorite.









Photos generously provided by John Barbour (out of over 200 taken, these were the only usable ones).




Friday, June 4, 2010

Running with Bats

While staying in Ouaga I've started running again.  I stopped in Ouahigouya because there's a pack of dogs in my neighborhood that are quite scary and give chase.  In fact when I leave Burkina I will take many memories with me as well as an intense fear of strange dogs.

Luckily I have found new motivation to run ... large fruit bats.  The bats are located in Bangr-Weoogo Park.  The first morning I went running this week I noticed huge dragonflies flying above my head, then my eyes latched onto dozens of bats.  I was really out of shape on that run and barely had enough energy to focus on running.  The second morning though I tracked down the nesting trees of the bats.  There must be thousands of them in the park.  Walking under the trees one is assaulted by intense quantity of noise and the water dropping on your head may not be water.  The third morning I went running and my camera came along for the ride.

flying around

hanging in the trees

more flying

the bats' tree homes

a bat wing with my foot for size comparison

Computers

I've been in Ouaga for the past week organizing lesson plans, scanning my own lessons onto the computer and writing-up reports for Peace Corps.  Part of my coming to Ouaga was to take a break after the end of the school year.

Last year a super awesome small enterprise development (SED) volunteer, named Casey, started a project to order computers from the US.  He did an incredible amount of work which ultimately let to the arrival of 150 affordable computers from the Seattle company InterConnection in the middle of May. (Computers are expensive here because of customs fees etc.)  Before ordering the computers we collected money from organizations and teachers who wanted to buy a computer, some for the first time.  In Ouahigouya we ended up ordering 21 desktop computers and 14 laptops for my school, teachers and administration.  It was a lot of work, but Peace Corps helped transport the computers to Ouahigouya.  Unfortunately the monitors are still in Ouaga for the moment.  

Casey and all the computers at the Peace Corps office

Computers ordered by Yamwaya and area teachers


The proviseur (principal) of Yamwaya, me, and the intendant (our money guy).