November 2-6, 1980

NIAMEY, NIGER
Among the exciting things I've done during the past five days is: gone to a soccer game; started a new book at the American Library, swam in an Olympic pool and seen Michel. Jonathan offered to lend me $300 to make my trip more comfortable, which I gladly accepted. With this buffer, I convinced myself to take my previously aborted trip to Ayrou, a primitive Nigerien village where a Peace Corps volunteer could show me around. I was feeling a little guilty about not seeing the "real" Africa and bought a bus ticket. Because these buses don't leave until full, I sat in this one for 3-1/2 hours, before coming down with diarrhea. Gratefully, I had sense enough to call the trip off and was able to get my money back.

Meanwhile, I'd decided to get an extension on my visa, which would expire on Nov. 9, because my money might not come in by then.

I went to the Sureté Nationale (a sort of national police), who sent me to a building nearby. Here I ws told I needed to write a letter saying exactly what I wanted to do and bring it to the first Sureté office. I went home, wrote the letter, brought it to the Sureté receptionist, who didn't know what the hell I was doing. Back at the second office, a different man told me that no, the letter must say where I live and be stamped with a seal. Whose seal? The seal of the person I'm staying with. He doesn't have a seal? Who does he work for? Peace Corps. Get it stamped with a seal from the Peace Corps Office. I also had to buy a stamp for $5. From where? The treasury building across town. This I did, but couldn't find Jonathan before all the offices closed for the day.

Next day, we went to the Peace Corps office, got some official stationery, typed the letter that said I lived with Jon and brought it to the secretary, who wouldn't stamp it because it wasn't official PC business. She rewrote the letter for me and told me to bring it to the Commissariat de Police (local) to get it stamped. I retyped it and went. The policeman was about to accept it, then refused because it didn't say "Certificat d'Hebérgement" at the top. It was now noon and all the offices closed. At 4:00, I went back to the PC office and retyped the letter with the proper heading. At 5:30 Jon and I went back to the Commissariat, but they had closed early. Jon said we could go back in the morning.

Next morning (today), I went to the bank and found that my money had finally come and I wouldn't need to stay in Niger past the expiration date of my original visa. Jens had found a truck leaving for Ouagadougou tomorrow, 5000 francs. We couldn't find the driver, to ask if there was room for another. I threw a wine & cheese & fruit party for Jon and me. Went to bed late.