lune-y

I always loved that line in “Out of Africa” where Meryl Streep/Karen Blixen says, “the african moon, lying on her back.”

Here in Niger the moon really does lie on it’s back. It doesn’t wax and wane side to side, but top to bottom.

And we are so close to the equator the sun goes down about the same time every night, and comes up around the same time in the morning, all year. It contributes to the disorienting feeling of not having any seasons. The sun blares brightly when the kids go to school in the morning, and goes down between 6:30 and 7 pm, on Christmas eve, the last day of school and today.

Last night was the 27th night of Ramadan, Lailatoul Quadr, and everyone took turns praying all night, you could hear the prayers from the mosque, under the African moon, laying on her back.