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.