We Didn't Start The Fire

Greetings from beuatiful Kaedi! Kristy and I will be posted here for the next 2 years. This city is fantastic, the market, the mix of culture, and the ample opportunities that we will have to work with people that are reseptive to Americans (inshalla).

As previously announced my phone is up and functioning and I have realized no one has my didgits. They are 011.222.427.7203 This is an international call and would prolly be best to use a phone card or skype. When calling please do remeber that I am 4 hours ahead of you, but call I want to hear from you.

21st Century (Digital Boy)

Hello to all, this will be short and sweet. I really wanted to say that I have uploaded a few new pictures into my Picasa account. We are back at the center and are to learn our permanent sites soon. It is great to see everyone again. It is amazing to think its not even been a whole month yet!

I have lost over 20 lbs, it is a bit bitter sweet for me. While I have been wanting to be a bit more man-trim for a while I think a bit more than anything is muscle mass. I am going to have to exercise more. I have been walking a lot more and there is no actual fast food in my diet but I may get as much grease and oil. I think my weight loss can be summed up with: lots of walking, drinking at least 3 liters of water a day, the occasional battles with the Mauritania version of Montezuma's Revenge, and my portion sizes are different, by different I mean I try not to eat my families cooking unless I can identify it. I fully expect to get some weight back as soon as I am able to have a bit more control of my diet.

We have our phones back and I will post the number soon for the people who don't to chat for free with Skype. I guess there actually is an option with Skype that you can call internationally and it may be cheaper then making a long distance call, look into it if you want to talk. I have got to get moving soon, mosquitoes are eating me while I sit and type.

OH! If there is a teacher out there that would like to do a long distance project with me there is some possibility in that - email or leave a message on the blog here.

A Horse With No Name

So I have some time... not much but we shall see.

My Host Family

Many people have asked us so I will break down my take. First off my new name is Jibril (The Archangel of Allah - Gabriel) and Kristy's name is Layla (Born at Night, Dark beauty). We live with a black moor family in a suburb of Rosso. Our dad is a taxi bruss driver and our mom is one of his 3 wives. There are 3 kids that live with us 2 boys and a girl. The kids are great, the dad is stoic, and the mom kinda ignores us a bit. We are considered adults so I think that they kinda just let us be. They are genuinely concerned for us and I think that they like us. Almost the whole family speaks French and we have our own room. The food is ok... sometimes, it is really oily and is often goat or mutton - it does not always agree with us.

Kristy and I are studying French for now and will move on to Hassānīya. This does not give us much of a hint for where our placement is going to be as they kinda use both of those languages all over Mauritania.

I promise more pictures as soon as I am able to take some. We have not shown our cameras to our host family. Mauritania's as a cultural aspect ask for gifts of things that they really like and our family has not asked yet... or I am a bad enough speaker that I have not figured out what they have said.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Hello everyone!

Its my birthday today I made it to the big 30! I have to admit that its harder today then I thought it was going to be. I have great friends and a loving wife who have wished me happy birthday wishes here though and the thought and love they have bestowed on me is wonderous.

I am still very much struggling with French and I know that my inability to speak is my largest downfall here in Mauritania.

I want to list some joys I have found here to keep me sane

Kristy's smile
baby goats
Fanta
Summer's mom jokes
gettign fish instead of goat for lunch
my host siblings
every fricken PCT and PCV and all of the people here that help the PC out
cool nights
kind patient teachers
the small moments where I get to steal a kiss - no one may see our affection its a taboo
my solar shower
knowing how to get home
wrapping my turbin well enough to get props
feeling like I will be able to work to do some good here

Sweet Home Alabama

Greetings,



I made it to an internet cafe and payed for some interwebing action so I will make this quick. I apoloze ahead of time for my typos there will be more then usual I am on a sand encrusted french Keyboard. New fam is pretty cool, we cant really talk to them so that is a bit of a downer but they are good hearted people. They laugh a lot (I think mostly at us).



Its hot and challenging but we are trudging through I think that the biggest difficulty that hits us as of late is laguage. We go to classes and it is first week. Its hard to think that the 4th of July is so soon. Oh and my Birthday too. I will be 30!!!! In Africa!!!! wow that is fun stuff there. I hope that people send me mail. I get a comment or 2 every now and then I am glad to know people read this, even if it is only 2 people :oP



I am running short on time...

love b