Date: 04/03/2007
From: Michael Redman
Subject: Michael in Niger - 03 APR '07

I will make this short & snappy as it is long overdue.

After some hemming & hawing at the end of last year, and a few months of things being up in the air (until a little less than a month ago) this year, I know a bit about what my near-term future will look like: much the same as the last two years. I've decided to extend for a year here in Niger.

From the middle of this month, I will begin work with an NGO, Plan International, helping them out in their communications department.  The specifics of what I'll actually be doing are still a little fuzzy to me at this point, but I have a feeling I'll pick it up.  I will be living here in Niamey, the national capital, but I'm hoping the work will allow me to travel out into the bush from time to time (the bush & the people in it were major motivators in my decision to stay).

I moved out a Safatane yesterday morning.  It was not all that traumatic of a leaving, especially since I have plans to get back there pretty regularly (I could easily make it a weekend trip).  In fact, necessity compels it- with me being away the whole month in February, and then my village chief leaving, the well work has stalled.  This has made my leaving feel unsatisfactory and un-whole, but once my chief gets back from Ghana & elsewhere, I will head out to follow up on it.

So, that's about it.  Over the next few weeks, I'll be making my transition to living here in Niamey, and once I get my new job, I'll have internet access while I'm at the office, so I hope to catch up on the backlog of communications I've allowed to accumulate over the last few months.  So, write me!

Sorry to all who were hoping to see me, well, a month ago (especially Mom & Dad), but getting to stay here is an opportunity I will probably never have again, so I took it.  However, I will get a month of Home Leave sometime in the next few months, so I'll get to see some of you pretty soon. That's good news, eh?

My snail mail address has reverted to the one listed below, but I think having anything package-sized would still do well to get sent to Gotheye (I'll have friends there still checking & picking things up for me).

- Michael

--
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 10537
Niamey, NIGER
West Africa
+227 96-53-88-30

Disclaimer: The contents of this Web site are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.