The Motorcycle Diary

So first I would like to note the passing of one full month in Niger. It was on the 25th of September that I first landed here. It’s one of those interesting paradoxes that it feels like I just arrived and that I’ve been here for longer, all at the same time. It seems like yesterday that I was eating barbecue and drinking sweet tea in the states, but it also feels like I’ve been eating nems and drinking Tuareg tea since I can remember.

During the month I’ve been here I have been without a vehicle. It’s not such a terrible thing now that my French is strong enough to take a cab, which goes anywhere in the city for about 50 cents. But, it has been humbling to rely on others to get around town. Each day I walk to Dave’s house for French class, stick around for lunch, then he and Dankarami drive me around to look at motorbikes. Usually around 5 Dave drops me by my apartment where, either my roommate picks me up to go to the Teague’s for dinner, or I take a cab. Yesterday, after a month of searching, I finally found the perfect bike for the perfect price. As excited as I am to have that new freedom, I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I’ve learned about Africa during my shopping adventures and my life as a pedestrian.

Africa is a continent well aware of its position on the global development scale. Consequently, the people try to hide deficiencies in function with the attractive veneer of form. A corrupt government of aristocratic elites is hidden behind the guise of democracy. A failing transportation infrastructure is garnished with frivolous expenditures such as streetlights that are never turned on and traffic signals that are never obeyed. Appearances are everything.

For example, each morning on my walk to the Johannson house I stop by a store to buy a drink. Right beside the store is a carpenter who makes household furniture. I have watched over the past month as that carpenter has turned pathetic splinters of wood, some old rotting foam and new fabrics, into an absolutely beautiful looking couch, loveseat and armchair set. If I had just seen the finished product I would think these furniture pieces were just like something you’d see in any furniture store in the states. But I saw the process, and I know that underneath that fancy fabric there is nothing but old foam and rickety wood.

Another example: I have had the blessing of Dankarami’s help motorcycle shopping. He’s a market maven who seems to know everybody and where to buy anything. But, he also had trouble understanding my search terms. He kept trying to show me Chinese made motorcycles when I thought I had made it clear I wanted a Japanese brand. He couldn’t understand why I would want to spend more on a used Japanese Yamaha than I would on a new Chinese Kasea. When you get down to it, they look like the same thing. And, should I have bike trouble, there is an abundance of cheap parts for the Chinese bike while the Japanese parts are slightly more scarce and slightly more expensive. But, the abundance of Chinese parts is because their bikes break down almost twice as often and have a much greater depreciation after use. But for Dankaramine it was about form, not function. Why get used when you can buy new? Why buy expensive when you get something that looks the same for cheaper? And the concept of investing in something I could resell is completely lost on him.

In the end he finally understood and introduced me to a guy who sells Yamahas. After a few days they brought a beautiful Yamaha DT-125 that I knew was mine right away. On Monday we are going to arrange all the paperwork and complete the sale. So when Dave drove me home that day I said, “Just think, pretty soon you won’t have to drive me everywhere (form).” He replied “It just means pretty soon we won’t see you as often (function).” I guess Africa has rubbed off on me already.