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
Outside of being in a major orchestra or being a spy, the Foreign Service is probably one of the only jobs where it’s a good idea to purchase and maintain a Tuxedo. Why you ask? Well, every year, just about every embassy and consulate hosts a Marine Corp Ball around the annual birthday of the
This week features a question I have been asked a couple of times in the last month by a few individuals that will be in the upcoming January MP class. Specifically one asked “now that you have been working abroad for a few months, do you actually like it?” I think based on the content
Boy oh boy does it feel good to be back behind the wheel and on the open road again. The embassy here has a robust motor pool service that has been fantastic through and through, but depending on it for trivial 5 minutes trips to buy bread or milk seems silly, and it’s good to
Now that the majority of our HHE is unpacked, sorted, and placed in it’s proper position, I thought I would share some interior photos of our Nouakchott house. Some folks have asked to see the exterior, but sadly that would be a little too identifying for my comfort. That said, a glimpse of housing the
I first want to start by thanking my wife Angeli for guest writing the last couple of weeks while I have been hoofing it around West Africa. No surprise that her posts seem to already be some of the most popular on the website in terms of views and comments. I really appreciate her viewpoint
This week Nick is on a TDY (temporary duty) assignment abroad, so he was once again kind enough to let me take the wheel. I am going chat a little bit about what employment is like in the Foreign Service, and the process for getting hired as an eligible family member (which is basically any
That’s the view from my rooftop deck. It isn’t anything overly special, but since getting our patio furniture back, we have definitely taken the opportunity to enjoy it with the wonderful Nouakchott evening weather. I would have never guessed moving to the desert I would have a house with a view of a pretty large
