2005-10-31 - 3:12 p.m.

October 24, 2005

The cool breeze of the morning hour is caressing my skin as I sit drinking Mauritanian tea in the ancient town of Atar in the northern part of this country. I woke up on the roof in time to catch a glimpse of the fire-like sunrise behind the sea of date palms. I did not hear the morning prayer call but I did tune into the animal sounds of the neighborhood: roosters, birds, goats, dogs, donkeys, and the children playing along, screaming, crying, running and jumping. I sat up and looked around. Got a glimpse into the morning activities of the mothers nearby, answered the friendly greetings of one of them, enjoyed the pleasant touch of sun and breeze.

Aaron and I got into Atar yesterday morning after spending the previous two nights at an oasis 30 km from here called Tirjitt. A magical place that made it hard for me to believe that I was indeed still in Mauritania: fresh spring water dripping from the steep mountain wall, our traditional “khaima” tent right under the cool shade of a cave, our “matelas” laying in the perfect spot giving us a private view of the bright stars peeking through the lush palm trees, the water stream besides us.

As the day rolled in and the tourists came strutting along with it, we took a walk away from the spring into the village secretly looking for a non-fasting family to eat with. We found a group of little energetic girls instead, their mothers grouped at the local boutique “taking inventory”. The girls led us up the hill to a little room and made us tea, while singing, dancing, telling us stories and each one of them “fighting” for our attention we walked back just in time to see the tourist cars drive away leaving the oasis to us again… for another beautiful night of nature-lit peace with fireflies and shooting stars.

Getting to Tirjitt was an interesting and amusing experience. We got to the garage in Nktt early in the morning and waited for a couple of hours for the car to fill up with passengers. Seven hours later, we got off the 10-people packed car and tiredly sat beside the friendly “gendarmes” who swore that multiple cars would soon be coming and we’d be able to find a ride off the paved road into the oasis. Eight hours later, after breaking fast with them, deciding to give up for the night and surrendering to sleeping at the post on hard gravel, we were woken up and loaded in the Tirjitt’s chief’s car: a perfect example of Mauritanian hospitality. I was so glad Aaron got to experience it so early on into his stay, helping him melt away his initial apprehensions about being in a foreign “Islamic Republic” in these times and days!

We’ll be staying in Atar with the local volunteers another night before heading off to Chinguetti for our eagerly awaited camel ride in the desert!

Ma’salaam,

Jordy

P.S. Happy Birthday Esh!!

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