So...this is Africa

Out of all the things I expected in Africa (such as zebras, men
wearing nothing but loin clothes, and a scorching sun) I was right
only about one thing: merciless heat. Here is a list of things that
are here a-plenty, that I never would've guessed would be in my life
someday:
1. sheep without fur. honestly, i thought they were goats until just a
few days ago. the only way they look different than goats is the shape
of their head and their long tails. the whole purpose of sheep (duh,
their squishy goodness wool) is nonexistent here. when i questioned a
mauritanian about this, they seemed to think that sheeps were good for
eating. not surprised about that, since they will eat any type of
mammal here. (in fact, i think the dog that my host family in Garly
owns will soon be in the communal dinner bowl.)
2. which brings me to the things that i think i have eaten: camel,
every organ that exists in a goat, fish bones...the last one is purely
because i have also gotten quite lazy here and don't like to pick out
the really little bones. as long as i don't bite too hard i can keep
all my teeth intact.
3. i didn't expect my senses to be so heightened. listening to my iPod
can be such an intense experience that i can only use one side of my
headphones. eating peanut butter (i had my first bite yesterday for
the first time in two months) is a full body experience, and a
temperature drop of ten degrees is enough for me to put on a long
sleeve shirt.
3b. some more things that are way better in mauritania than they would
be in america include: processed cheese, chairs, clean fingernails,
water that isn't hot to drink, chocolate. oh man, one hershey
chocolate square is almost too rich. (yes, i said almost, but i really
don't think i could've handled another square).
4. to get back on track with things that are here in the middle of the
sahara: coca-cola, phil collins CDs... (they LOVE him here. weird.)
and jelly sandals. i remember when it was cool for adolescent girls to
wear these, but here they wear them during soccer matches. if they are
wearing shoes at all.
-yeah, maybe that's about it. i guess i am more often surprised at the
national geographic world i am living in. women with platters of
mangoes on their heads and donkey carts loaded up with colorful
fabric. the dust that makes its way into every crevice in my ear and
the adoration of the rain. yep, sometimes i feel like i am in the
heart of a western africa travel magazine. although i think Lonely
Planet described Mauritania as THE place to skip in West Africa.

Laura's address

Laura Smith, PCV
Corps de la Paix
BP 222
Nouakchott, Mauritania
West Africa

Read Laura's August 10th entry for more details on mailing stuff to her.

Garly

Garly (Written 8-15-06)

The village where I will be spending the next two years of my life is gnarly without an n. That was the first good sign. The second was that we got to go off-roading for a few hours just to get to the tiny village. The final great sign was that it rained the night I arrived. Unlike in the states, when it rains here it is a really good sign. Rain on a wedding day for example, means that Allah supports the marriage. It rained a lot my whole visit, so the whole town said I brought the rain.

Even though I hardly speak their language, I felt that the town welcomed me with open arms. My host family has a bunch of cows and a dog that the children harass. I will be living in a mud hut without running water or electricity. But I do get my very own hole in the ground for my showers and other business.

Things I am Better At Than You -- 8/10/06

Things I am better at than you:

-ignoring multiple flies in and around my face, ears and mouth
-washing my thoroughly dirty clothes in a bucket with a bar of soap,
and actually cleaning them
-licking grease from my elbow to my arm...while staying in cultural norms
-shooshing away goats from the lunch "table" with the classic Pulaar
go away noise described best here as "giessh!"
-pretending to understand what is going on and being said (I am so
good at this that sometimes I convince myself even that I get what's
happening...and then my host family calls me out- "a famaani" or "you
don't understand").

Wish List:
If you are in the mood to send me a package, I recommend sending a
padded envelope with my name in red and draw crosses on the envelope,
so the whole thing appears official and religious. I am after all, in
an Islamic Republic.
Here are some items that I would appreciate and would be quite light to send:
-juice/drink mixes like gatorade, crystal light etc.
-sauce mixes that require just milk or water
-dessert mixes also requiring only milk or water
-pretty much anything that i can eat...keep in mind that some packages
take 3 months to get here
-Luna/Clif/Pria bars (these are a bit heavier, so may be more pricey)
-news clippings that are funny or important

Lost/Gained in Mauritania--8/9/06

lost/gained in mauritania

my sanity/sand
ability to use slang/23 words for "the"
electricity and a bed/three goats and a donkey
money/$2 a day
squirrels/push up lizards
grass/mosques
paved roads, trash cans/my window as a wastebasket
toilet, toilet paper, bathroom/ the runs
beer, wine, etc./tea. lotsa tea
the name laura/the name koro (pronounced koo-row, which all the kids
know and yell at me as i walk by)
women's empowerment/ men in dresses (ok, they call them robes but whatever)
a sense of privacy, control and street smarts/ ability to laugh at
just about anything