2005-04-11 - 10:47AM

Journal Entry Dated April 9th, 2005:

I met Marieme in Aleg for the first time, while having lunch at the Prefet’s house along with the US Ambassador, his wife, and staff members. For a very long time during our fancily catered lunch I thought she was the Prefet’s daughter. The only Moor woman, the only local woman for that matter, in the room. She was sitting not too far from the Ambassador, reading a book (in English!) while trying hard not to be distracted by our conversations. I thought the book was a clever silent pickup line to get to talk to the special guest... so wrong was I!

I later learnt, and with much pleasure indeed, that she was part of the embassy staff and was taking advantage of her vacation time to travel with the Ambassador’s mission and see parts of the country she had never before visited.

I saw her again in Magta Lahjar where I was finally able to talk to her more, in the comfort of our “women only” room designated for Marieme’s overnight stay (as the only female staff member in the group). She was chirpy and outgoing, more than willing to share her life story with me... in English! Very good English I must add!

I was awe-truck and intrigued by the modernity that laced her thought and attitude towards life. We talked about her studies, career path, family background, ambitions, obstacles and challenges.

I met her again today in Nouakchott and she took me walking of all things! Walking around the Stadium along with many other Mauritanian men and women in their melhavas and boubous taking advantage of the cooler sunset hour to get their blood pumping.

We then sat on some steps by the stadium and talked for what seemed quite a long time about politics, women’s rights, economic development, Islamist policies, etc.

Marieme is ten years older than me, speaks Hassaniya, Arabic, French and English fluently – yet has never lived abroad nor visited her own country for that matter. But she is very much unlike the majority of local women, making her stand out at my eyes with immense respect and delight.

She has never been married and does not intend to marry until she is able to save enough money to grant herself financial independence from her future husband and guarantee herself and her future family a comfortable life. By the age of thirty she managed to save up for the Hajj, the pilgrimage a Muslim should do to the Mecca at least once in his/her life if he/she has the financial means. She drives a car, the car she purchased for herself. She still lives with her family but contributes to the household expenses by paying the phone bill and for her weekly private Koranic lessons.

She works out two to three times a week by the stadium in her sneakers and colorful veil. She regularly reads novels in English to keep up her language skills. Marieme openly speaks up about topics that are normally taboo such as AIDS prevention policies, political freedom and democracy, women’s role in politics and society, the Islamist Wing, human rights, the oil business, corruption and embezzlement, pre-marriage dating, etc.

She has a voice of her own and Mashallah she is not afraid to use it! Such a refreshing woman to know in this country and culture! I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about the typical western stereotype of Muslim women and compare it with the sight of this bubbly colorful veil-clad woman, sporting sunglasses on her head and a bright hopeful smile on her face. As she put it: “Women in Mauritania don’t have any problems with equal rights. They just need to knock a little louder and push a little harder to get doors open... but at least they are there ready to be opened!”

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