Full of Beans

When the women in Djibo boil beans, they always add potassium to the water. Without this, the beans are hard to digest and cause the stomach to bloat. Hence the expression, 'mi nyami nyebbe' which means 'I've been eating beans', or in other words, 'I am pregnant'. I am happy to tell you, therefore, that I have been eating beans now for approximately 12 weeks. We're back in the UK at the moment and have been visiting family and friends to give them the news. 

It wasn't really necessary to tell anyone in Djibo, apparently. As one lady put it, 'you don't need to tell anybody; everyone can see it in your face and by the way you are standing'. True, I was much hotter than usual, had less energy and felt nauseous in the weeks before we left, but I didn't know it was that obvious, or that I was standing strangely. Fulani intuition can be astounding. 

Never have I been so relieved to feel a cool breeze as I was when we stepped off the plane coming home. I don't remember being so pleased to put on tights and a jumper and say 'I'm cold'. England is good. It is also incredibly clean (my white clothes from Africa don't look white here), orderly (post office queues are wonderful, believe me), and comfortable (carpets really are a marvel). Having become acustomed to an outdoor, community-based lifestyle, it is a little strange though, and kind of sad that people here live so segregated by walls and weather. And that there is so much packaging on the food.

I have been amazed at the standard of healthcare I am already receiving; a midwife is coming to see me and I am even given a choice of where and how I would like to give birth. In Djibo, most women give birth at home with their mothers as midwives. I recently heard of one lady 100km away in Mali, who was having a difficult birth and so had to come, while in labour, on the back of a motorbike to the hosptial in Djibo for help. We don't know how lucky we are. We have heard devastating news of an outbreak of measles back in Djibo too; apparently several children have already died (when combined with malnutrition, measles is particularly lethal). 

It's been decided under the circumstances that it is better for me to stay in the UK until after the birth. That means I'll be here for at least a year. Steve is going to return in May to finish up radio project work amongst other things, and hopefully come back at the end of July in time for HTB's annual church camp.

I'll be sorry to be away from my friends (and animals) for so long, but I shan't miss the heat. I will be wondering if the neighbourhood children are ok, of course, and looking forward to the day when we can return with our own little girl or boy. They were often asking us when we would have kids of our own and would peer into the car on our return journeys from Ouagadougou, to see if we'd come back with a baby. Next time we will, if all goes well.

In the meantime I'll be staying with my Mum in Chichester until Steve gets back and we can find somewhere to live nearby. I've brought back with me a ton of Fulfulde learning materials (I'm determined not to lose what I've already learnt), and have work to do on compiling a book and exhibition on traditional Fulani horse tack. That's Husseini pictured, a local reins-maker, riding Silale in full Fulani garb. That's the last photo you'll be subjected to of the horse, by the way – he's sadly had to go (to a good home though, thankfully). I will also be continuing to develop a bag/accessories collection while I am here and learning to knit so that I can continue with a creative enterprise on my return to Djibo next year.