July 10

Moussa came over at about 10 after sleeping in. We went a bagel place around the corner on the way out that has a wide variety of cream cheeses. We decided on splitting a lox spread and a sundried tomato spread. Moussa really liked the lox, but took a bite of the sundried tomato and gave me the "this is most definitely not dadi" look.

We left from there to the Islamic Center of New York. Since we got there a little early, we took a walk down museum mile, peaking into the Guggenheim, a church next door, and the MET. We also got to walk past the giant windows next to the the Temple of Dendur. On the way back to the mosque, I got some water and Moussa decided to greet the Bangladeshi water seller in Zarma...and not in that short "fofo...haha" way, but in this extended funny (because it was so akward for the dude) way. They made friends in the end though.

We ended up back at the mosque and I hung outside while Moussa salaed. The mosque is the biggest in Manhattan at least, and possibly the biggest in the city. It's pretty crazy how diverse the crowd was. On the way out, we even followed some Nigerian Hausas.

Next up, Chinatown. I kept saying we were going to the Ville Chinoise, and Moussa would joke back "in Niamey" and "do you know Karate"? When we got down there, I think he was pretty amazed by the number of asians. He kept making short jokes, greedy chinese kasuwa jokes, look theres a pig head jokes.

Looking for food was pretty hilarious also. I kept trying to get Moussa to tell me what he wanted to eat. In typical Nigerien fashion, he would say, "whatever you want." We kept going into chinese restaurants and he would nix it. Finally, I got that he "didn't agree" with chinese food, so we went off in search of american food. Later we found out that he didn't agree, because he thought Chinese people were like Nigerians and would substitute dog or pig without saying.

We finally ended up at McDonalds, for truly american food. Now, I haven't been in a McDonalds in like a million years, so it was already weird trying to figure out what did and didnt have bacon or other forbidden goodies. He ended up with a chicken sandwich and we went upstairs to eat. He was just about to take a bite, when what should i see, but a delicious little piece of bacon sticking out. In one of those slow-mo movie scenes, I reached across the table and knocked the sandwich out of his hand just before disaster. Stupid, stupid McDonalds.

Tired, we returned to the apartment, where Moussa hid on our loft bed from my 135 lbs. dog. Moussa wholeheartedly is not stoked on Gracie. He thinks I should sell her in chinatown.

-cp