Monthly Archives: May 2013

My time in Nouakchott is flying by. Week 2 of work was as busy, if not more so, than week one – plus we ended up with a day off for May Day, which is apparently a holiday almost everywhere except in the U.S. Fortunately, our embassies usually celebrate both American holidays and the holidays of the host country, so that works out quite nicely!

One of the highlights of my second week in Mauritania was a visit to a local school. The embassy does book donations every once in a while from its stock of French, English, and Arabic books. I was the designated American for one such donation to a primary school in town. These types of things make for fabulous, not-at-all-awkward photo ops like this one (although we are actually talking to each other in the first picture – it’s not posed…):

But after an adventurous conversation (our common language – French – was neither of our first languages, which makes communication all that much more exciting), I was taken up to a classroom where about 50 students were waiting for me to read to them. I chose President Obama’s book “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters“. Of course the version I read was “Lettre A Mes Filles“. Here’s me, reading to children!

The kids were super attentive, it was really impressive. I think it had something to do with the spectacle of the American lady trying to speak French. But my trump card to get them to care was Bo. Before I read the book I did a little spiel about the First Family. Everyone knew who the President of the U.S. was and jumped out of their chairs to tell me when I asked. But they didn’t know about the rest of the family. Their excitement upon discovering that most of them were the same age as Sasha was topped only by their discovery of the First Dog. And can you blame them? Bo is awesome.

Also, when I got to the part of the book where “Yes You Can” appears (it’s in English, even in the French translation), I had the kids repeat it, which they did with gusto. The teachers were also super into the “Yes You Can” thing and made them repeat it again a couple times before I left. I imparted inspirational Americana knowledge, everybody! Mission accomplished 😛

Next, I was ushered into another classroom where a couple kids recited poetry, then performed a skit that I think was supposed to have something to do with President Obama.

Unfortunately several elements conspired against me, preventing me from actually understanding too much of what was going on. First, I was sitting with my back to a window that opened onto another classroom where the kids were being loud. Second, the staging of the skit was such that most of the kids’ backs were to me, and third, the kid who I think was playing the part of Obama was talking a mile a minute. There was no hope. But they were cute!

Finally, I popped my head into some other classrooms and said hello before we headed back to the embassy. All in all, pas mal. Also, I think kids who speak languages other than English are automatically bumped up a few cute points.

I can’t not write about the driving situation here in Nouakchott. It’s a huge adventure. It’s unclear whether there just aren’t any rules of the road, or whether there are rules of the road, but everyone just chooses to ignore them.

Essentially, everyone drives as if they’re the only car on the road. They pull out, back up, turn, drive through intersections and around traffic circles regardless of the proximity of any other car. Pushier vehicles have the right of way every time. If a car at the back of a line of traffic gets tired of waiting, the driver will simply pull out onto the side of the road or into the oncoming lane of traffic and blow past all the stopped cars. The saving grace in all of this is that everyone sort of goes with it. If you pull out in front of someone, they slow down. If someone swerves around you and cuts you off, you hit the brakes. Plus, the roads are pretty bad so no one drives particularly fast, so wrecks are apparently generally limited to fender benders.

The best strategy for successfully navigating the non-rules of the road has been described to me as “patient, but aggressive.” You have to be patient, or you’ll get in an accident. But you have to be aggressive, or you’ll never get anywhere. The bottom line here is that driving becomes like navigating an obstacle course.

So far I have only seen 2 intersections with stoplights. But, like other rules of the road, they seem optional.