There are only 3 Islamic Republics in the world, Mauritania being one, and the other two being Iran and Pakistan (Afghanistan is close being designated an “Islamic Emirate”). Within that grouping, Mauritania has by far the freest press according to Reporters Without Borders. Out of 180 countries, Mauritania places 97th. At first glance nothing special,
After nearly 8 months in Mauritania, I finally found myself setting foot in the Canary Islands for a wonderful 1 week getaway. As some may recall, back in the fall, my wife and kids took a trip to Gran Canaria with some embassy friends, and came back singing its praises. It was all the more
This month, for the first time in over half a decade I received a pay raise. It feels good. This is not because I am awesome or because I deserved it, but because every year congress or the President authorizes a cost of living raise, tied to inflation, for all federal employees. I should caveat
Recently, our family had a great opportunity to take an embassy trip out to Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania. Banc d’Arguin is a large UNSECO World Heritage site located on the coast between Nouakchott and Mauritania’s second largest city Nouadhibou. It is a major breeding site for over 108 migratory bird species such a pelicans and flamingos,
One thing you quickly discover when joining the Foreign Service, is you are surrounded by a team of nerds. Being a nerd myself, I quickly acclimated during orientation when I was invited for board game and trivia nights, and it has carried over into Mauritania. Since arriving, I have been able to get a few
This week marks 6 months in Mauritania. I have completed 1/4th of my tour here, and somehow I feel like I just barely arrived. The first batch of officers I met since moving have departed post during the usual winter cycle, and a new group of individuals have recently arrived. I am no longer a
Happy New Year!!! Wow, 2022 was a whirlwind of a year. Thinking back on my entire life, I don’t think there has been a single year that had as much excitement and movement as 2022 did. I entered 2022 working as a hospitalist in Southern New Mexico, my wife had just had our youngest daughter
Just wanted to very briefly say Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all the readers here. This holiday season finds my family and I enjoying our time in Mauritania and I couldn’t be more grateful. It’s so nice to have a job in healthcare that doesn’t demand I work the holidays and I can actually
In 1981 Mauritania became the last country in the world to abolish slavery, and it wasn’t until 2007 that it became criminalized. That’s the sort of fact that is really difficult to wrap your head around in today’s day and age. Yes, various forms of indentured servitude/trafficking bordering on slavery exist around the world to
I want to first start by saying thank you to my wife Angeli for her awesome trip report on Senegal during the short Thanksgiving break. It was a wonderful trip and she captured our thoughts on it perfectly. Thank you Angeli! This week I want to start a new series of posts where I discuss
