Well, after 6 weeks of orientation, the day our class has been anxiously awaiting finally arrived, and in a whirlwind of information, nearly 200 individuals learned exactly where they will be going across this globe of ours.

I am happy to announce that my first post with be in…..

If you’re seeing that flag and scratching your head a bit, you’re not alone. Mauritania is one of the least visited places on earth. The capital Nouakchott is one of the largest cities on the African Sahel, and it’s quite literally where the Sahara meets the Atlantic.

A relatively new country, Mauritania gained its independence from France in 1960, is a predominantly Muslim, multi-ethnic country with a generous mix of Arab and Sub-Saharan populations. The capital Nouakchott sits on the Atlantic ocean and is a rapidly growing city with a population of 1.2 million people.

I couldn’t be happier with my assignment to Nouakchott, and it was one of my highest bids. A true hardship post, it comes with a 35% hardship differential and 3 R&Rs in a two year tour. Some of the reasons I bid it highly was it comes with a good amount of equity, which means I’ll get higher pecking order for my next assignment in 2 years. Financially it is one of the highest paying posts, with great opportunities to save. From a work standpoint, the health unit will be mine to run, and I feel like it’s a great place to learn how things work in the State Department, while still practicing autonomously.

For my family, it checked so many boxes. Work opportunities for my wife. School and embassy very close to the housing. Housing that is humongous, and often with swimming pools (huge plus to my daughter). Pristine beaches and world class bird watching. A small, family friendly community with lots of young kids. Despite it’s reputation, it isn’t a high threat level post and is actually quite safe. My wife really liked the 3 R&Rs built in, and with Nouakchott having direct 90 minute flights to the Canary Islands and their wonderful all inclusive resorts, it’s going to be quite easy to use them all without difficulty.

Ultimately though, I joined the State Department to get myself off the beaten path, and I don’t think there’s a place on earth that’s more off the path than Mauritania. I am so looking forward to this adventure with my family, and can’t wait to get to post in the next couple of months. Here’s to a new adventure! –Nick