Swear in Speech-- English Translation

Ladies and gentlemen, honorable guests, salam alikoum!

Thank you so much for being here today to celebrate with my friends and me this landmark event in our Peace Corps Niger careers.

I would like especially to thank Madam Ambassador Bisa Williams for offering her house to us, the Deputy Ambassador for hosting us, and the Secretary General of Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his presence with us today. I would also like to thank Country Director Valerie Staats for all of her support during our training.

I speak on behalf of all my stage-mates when I thank, from the bottom of our hearts, all the people who have worked with us over these last few weeks. In particular, I would like to extend our gratitude to all the Peace Corps staff, current volunteers, employees of the training center in Hamdallaye, our host families, our teachers, and of course, Tondi. It is only thanks to your work and infinite patience that we are here today. Thank you so much.

Before I continue, I would just like to highlight that my friends and I have been diligently studying Hausa and Zarma during our entire training period. And now, I have been asked to give a speech in French.

These last few days in Hamdallaye have been difficult for me. We have had to say goodbyes to people who have become our friends and our families. During one of these goodbyes, I told my neighbor that her daughter, Aida, had grown a lot since my arrival. In October, she could barely walk, and now she runs all over the place. Her mother responded that just as her daughter has grown, my understanding of Niger and Hausa have grown as well.

Before arriving in Niger, I knew almost nothing about this country. But now, after two months, I have learned a lot.

At the same time that Aida has learned to put one foot in front of the other, I have also learned how to walk and talk here. Our understanding of Niger’s richness, in particularly the richness of Nigerien people, grows a little bit more each day.

My stage mates and I, we are health, agriculture, and environmental volunteers. Our most visible work lies in the development of humans, trees, and animals. But, in the villages we travel to tomorrow, and where we will spend the next two years, growth will also be social development—between us and our neighbors, our friends, and our Nigerien families.

For good growth, trees and humans both need a good foundation and strong roots. Each one of us arrived in Niger with our own base, but we have established important roots during our formation.

Now, training is over.  We are ready to go off.

After this moment, with a strong foundation and solid roots, the real work of growth and development begins with our Nigerien friends.

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you.