not good at good-byes

Tomorrow I leave Niger, after two years of this being my home. I will miss the soft handshakes and the goats on the road, and my floor being mopped everyday by someone whose floor I should mopping, she is so gracious and wonderful. I will miss sunsets at the Grand Hotel and the giraffes and the hippos in the river. As a long-time resident of the Pacific Northwest, I will miss waking up to bright blue skies, day after day. The list of people I will miss, the best part of this place, is too long to start.

I keep thinking of the words to Eddie Vedder's song, from his new-ish Into the Wild CD:
Sure as I'm leaving
sure as I'm sad,
I leave this place knowing,
love has no ceiling.

You can visit me at place2place.blogs.com. I hope to join the ever-so-talented Irina and I will attempt a Moscow photo-a-day, (if the good people at City photo-a-day will allow me) after a summer in Northern California and Portland, Oregon, my homeland.

This website has been therapy for me, thank you for the love.

Comments

[RamblingRound]

Oh, I hate to see your fantastic photos of Niger go! But all the best to you and your family! what an interesting life you live! Will look forward to Moscow.

[Fabrizio - ikol22]

I find that words of Eddie Vedder's song are matching great and it's a bit touching to leave a place that we have learned to love.

[Jackie]

I've really enjoyed your blog - have a great break and I'll look forward to Moscow.

Take care of yourself.

[mc]

SAD TOO

I'm missing Niger already, and I've never been there but I've seen it!

[niger1.com]

You are leaving too , man, too many goodbyes lately , i don t know you but i can say you have done a lot oin contributing on putting Niger on the internet map
I hope it s not because of the Areva kidna
Two years and you are leaving , They should have laws stopping all these goodbyes
every week i meet with some one from New york going or coming to Niger
anyway you stay in touch with Niger via http://www.niger1.com

[niger1.com]

You are leaving too , man, too many goodbyes lately , i don t know you but i can say you have done a lot oin contributing on putting Niger on the internet map
I hope it s not because of the Areva kidna
Two years and you are leaving , They should have laws stopping all these goodbyes
every week i meet with some one from New york going or coming to Niger
anyway you stay in touch with Niger via http://www.niger1.com

[niger1.com]

You are leaving too , man, too many goodbyes lately , i don t know you but i can say you have done a lot oin contributing on putting Niger on the internet map
I hope it s not because of the Areva kidna
Two years and you are leaving , They should have laws stopping all these goodbyes
every week i meet with some one from New york going or coming to Niger
anyway you stay in touch with Niger via http://www.niger1.com

[niger1.com]

You are leaving too , man, too many goodbyes lately , i don t know you but i can say you have done a lot oin contributing on putting Niger on the internet map
I hope it s not because of the Areva kidna
Two years and you are leaving , They should have laws stopping all these goodbyes
every week i meet with some one from New york going or coming to Niger
anyway you stay in touch with Niger via http://www.niger1.com

[niger1.com]

You are leaving too , man, too many goodbyes lately , i don t know you but i can say you have done a lot oin contributing on putting Niger on the internet map
I hope it s not because of the Areva kidna
Two years and you are leaving , They should have laws stopping all these goodbyes
every week i meet with some one from New york going or coming to Niger
anyway you stay in touch with Niger via http://www.niger1.com

[Igor]

We will miss Daily Photo Niger! We look forward to seeing a Moscow daily photo. In the mean time enjoy your stay in the Northwest. Summers can be gorgeous over there!

Igor

[nathalie in avignon]

Dear Dina,
So now is the time!
I knew it would come yet I am very sad. I had come to appreciate a nice person behind the photos. And also, so few people blog from Africa.

Your comment about the tower falling down and your computer melting down highlights the technical problems one faces with IT in Africa.

I wish you a wonderful holiday back home and lots of energy for Moscow, I hope you find some nice people there too. Irina is a good start, isn't blogging wonderful?

Do let us know of your whereabouts.
So long,

Nathalie

[Felicia]

Hi Dina,
Thank you for sharing your experiences of Niger with us - it was a real treat to visit your blog - wonderful photos and a very nice person behind the camera. I hope you have a wonderful summer enjoying everything you missed about the states and best wishes in Moscow - I look forward to visiting you there.

[Katelyn]

You were my favorite daily photo blog. No joke. Your take such beautiful and tastful pictures. Please let me know what you start up again.

Thank you
Katelyn

[Chuck]

I'll miss these colorful posts. What a wonderful window into this land you've given us. Thank You. Portland is not so bad, though it's not Seattle ... which come to think of it is probably Portland's best recommendation :)

[Ben Wideman]

I really enjoyed getting to see Niger from your perspective. Thanks for all you have shared!

[Kris]

First, my apologies for a bit of cut and paste commenting. I have been doing the rounds via Bloglines and looking at all the pictures from my favourite photo blogs, but haven’t been leaving comments. Generally, I try to comment as much as I can (I know how good it is for ‘morale’ to know that someone is out there appreciating them), but after the birth of my second son, I am a bit knackered to think up something witty and insightful on the hop. Thus the resort to Control+C and Control+P!

[Michael]

I just wanted to share something with you, hoping you're still reading from time to time.

A long time ago, I shared your blog with a young trainee working for me who is from Niger. She is getting ready to finish her internship and she mentioned to me that she had continue reading your blog. So this morning, we went photo by photo and she told me all about her country.

I also wanted to tell you how wonderful your photos are as well. I do hope that they will serve as a fond memory post for you and your family as you move on to other things.

Eric really didn't know what he started when he began this Daily Photo venture, but I'm glad he started it just the same.

Good luck!

[Gerald]

Sorry to hear the blog not continuing but these things happen - I hope you are able to leave all the archives so we can come back to them.

Good luck with any future endeavors.

[Ann (MobayDP)]

Oh :-(

I will miss Niger Daily Photo indeed. I'll be sure to follow your new blog from Moscow. All the best in your new home! :)

[Filipe Santos]

Hi, i am brazilian and i lived for two years in a village called Gotheye, 75 km from Niamey! Thanks to give me the oportunity to see the beatifull pictures of Niger. I love this country ... have a very nice time in Moscow, and God Bless you all.

[Debbie]

Thanks for the wonderful comments & photos on daily life in Niger. It was kept me in touch, while my daughter lived in a village 8 hours west of Niamey. She too has completed her tour. good luck

[Ashley Coombs]

I just googled Niamey a few different times - I recently found out (about two hours ago) that I got into the study abroad program there - and what a pleasant site to come across!! I am so eager to firsthand enjoy all the beauty that you photographed and wrote about. This is by far the most resourceful web page I have come across, with vibrant images and compassionate discourse. Thank you for posting such rarities.. I so look forward to spending time in this country in January 2009!

[clay]

Yes, I too will miss this site.
How about Moscow? Have you posted there? I don't get a response when I click on it.
Bye bye Niger (remember, it's not just bye bye for you folks).

[piano lessons]

I'll miss these colorful posts. What a wonderful window into this land you've given us. Thank You.

[Piano instrumentals]

All the best for you and your family! Kind regards from italy!