T minus 23 hours: Massachusetts, USA

holy ish. im leaving in less than a day.

i've had a pretty eventful week, sleeping until half the day is over and socializing at night. its pretty awesome. i went to cheesecake with the gals, and last night i went to bu. which was so weird. everyone is just moving in, and i spent my whole summer there, when campus was dead. everyones starting a new year without me :( . but my bu crew went to brown sugar (im so surprised we got seated so easily, there were about 20 ppl... go to brown sugar its so good for this reason and so many more). so after reminiscing of fun times and what not, the lights go down and the brown sugar staff looks like they're going to a table to start a birthday celebration. now, this is a really funny sight. because not only do they sing and clap, they have a really cheesy int'l version of happy birthday blasting in the background. AND. they take a flashlight and wave it around the birthday boy/girl. which in this case was ME. so fun i was so excited. i told my friends that it was probably better that my actual birthday usually is. you guys sure know how to make me miss you all.

buutttt now im just finishing packing. taking my pills, packing bedding, packing my teddy bear DONT JUDGE. i don't think i'm fully aware of the fact i'm going yet. i don't think it'll be real until i'm in Niamey. but yea thats it for the moment, i guess i'll see you guys on the other side of the atlantic!!!!!!!!!!!

SO to all my peeps, because they were all jealous they didnt get a shoutout. maybe itll be motivation for you to keep checking my blog just in case i mention you :)

love ayesha

T minus 6 days: Massachusetts, USA

okay so weird... so i'm sitting on my bum at home watching mtv, and a promo for this new show "exiled" came on tv. remember that show "my super sweet 16"? well, their parents are tired of their spoiled children. what's the logical solution? send these kids to third world countries! obvi. they get to go to kenya, thailand, india, the arctic circle, some pacific island, etc. sounds like a vacation to me. too bad its given as a form of punishment. i wonder if they'll hit up niger...

shoutout to omar- you wanted a shoutout
shoutout to nazita- love you girly

love ayesha

T minus 8 days: MA, USA

i've been told so politely by numerous individuals (just taimur actually) to update my blog. i'm still here in good ol' massachusetts, enjoying the last few days in america. coincidentally, these days have been the only sunny days this summer. so let's see... i've gone to martha's vineyard, got tan, and then went to plum island with sarah, and then got MORE tan. needless to say, i think i'll fit in better with the locals :) .

and what else... i'm spending my first friday night in my home since.... maybe this past winter break. that's an exaggeration, but this summer has been really busy, i can't believe it's all over. I'M GOING TO NIGER IN 8 DAYS. THIS IS PSYCHO. i'm so excited, there's been so much anticipation. i think i'm ready to go. i had my good bye party a week ago haha. it's time. i just hope i don't freak as my flight gets closer and closer...

holler at me. i leave 8.30.08.

love ayesha

T minus 17 days: Massachusetts, USA

Hi everyone!

Sooooo I'm leaving Mass in 17 days. How crazy is that! This is my blog, I hope you enjoy it. Even if you don't, pretend that you do and leave me pleasant comments :)

So I have my info. I don't know if I'm taking my computer yet, but if I do it'll be like I'm in your backyard with Skype, FB, AIM, GChat, and everything else. Emails will do and I will get back to them iA. I'll definitely have access to the internet at school and at internet cafes.

If you want to communicate the old fashioned way, my address is as follows:

Ayesha R
BP 10652
Niamey, Niger
West Africa

I'm going to try to let y'all in on what Niamey is like. I don't know too much about the city myself, but I have done some research.... using Google Earth.

So this is Niamey, Niger. If you squint it kind of looks like Boston, yeah? The river's there, a bridge etc. The pushpins and desert are part of the beautification project, you just missed out :). The pushpins are where I'm living and going to school. Heres a closer look:


The Pushpin on the southern side of the city is where the University of Abdou Moumouni is. That side of the city isn't as happening as the other side, so I'll be living across the bridge. I think I'm living near the government buildings and hotels, but I'm not super sure about that.

That's it so far. Hopefully I won't suck at updating this thing.


love ayesha