Off to the Market!

 

The Local Market here in town is called the Naiger Market. After leaving the Ship you walk about 10 minutes away from the Port. When you enter the market you come across stalls filled with spices, light bulbs, slow cookers, fresh meat, and fabric. The people are friendly inviting you to come and find something you need, and if you ask for an item they do not sell they ensure that you will find it and take your hand and lead you through the market until you arrive at their cousin’s stall filled with the very item you have requested!

Five days after arriving here in Guinea I was eager to buy some fabric and have a skirt made. Bartering is never fun I find. The ladies start at 120 000 GF (that is about $17.00) for 2 meters of fabric. Lucky for us we were with a fellow volunteer who had purchased fabric the previous week. I looked to her and she told me not to pay any more then 30 000 GF($4.20). The lady and I went back and forth throwing prices out there. I disagreed on the price and went to walk away, she cut the fabric from the spool and insisted I pay her 60 000 GF I continued to refuse. As I walked away a fellow ran after us saying she would sell it to me for 30 000GF. It is so hard to figure out what the fair price is. On one hand I do not want to argue a dollar, it makes little difference to me and could be the difference of food for a day for her. However if we allow the locals to charge us grossly more than that in return is not good either. 

From the fabric stand we entered the Naiger Market and made our way down a narrow alley towards stairs that lead is to the tailor’s floor. The sewing machines are peddle powered of course and the surge of the needles made a constant humming sound. Little 10 feet by 7 feet stalls filled with 6+ people and machines lined either side of the top story. I made my way down the center aisle looking into each cubical looking until a booth of lively young ladies caught my attention. With my broken French we agreed on a pattern for the skirt. They took my measurements and I was to return in 2 days to pick up my custom made skirt.

 Upon returning to pick up my skirt, it was not even started! But here were there really are deadlines I was not too concerned. I returned the following day and picked up my beautiful skirt! The ladies did a great job and the trimming looks so lovely. Since then I have had another wrap skirt made and a purse. The wrap skirt turned out fabulously and several others here have requested the same skirt from our tailor. The purse however did not materialize into what I described. While pointing to a friend’s fabric skirt I requested a Zipper and the dimensions. What I received was an over sized fabric Envelope with a button made out of left over fabric! The bag is large enough to serve as a skirt or even a dress if need be.   

It is so much fun to bring fabric to the tailor and mimic out the details of your request. It is almost like a game of telephone! You do not know until you return what your item will turn out as! Here are two pictures, one of me and Crystal in our lovely skirts and another of our Cabin group shot all wearing our African Skirts! Some volunteers have had dresses, tops and pants made! Anything is possible; you just have to communicate them!