Spring Break

Well, I have just finished my first week of school since returning to Akjoujt from a well deserved break. I spent my spring break, I actually got two weeks because the Lycee d'Akjoujt wouldn't allow me to monitor tests, in Atar and Nouadhibou. I went to Atar for the third annual trash pick-up/demi-marathon. I had a good time partying it up with other volunteers, while helping the community. The gender dynamics of this weekend party was strange for the Peace Corps. Typically, there are way more girls than guys at events due to the higher rate of female volunteers as a whole. This particular party, however, had way more dudes than ladies. As a result, it turned into a pretty awesome/silly man party with lots of wrestling, practical jokes, nudity, and Point Break watching. The main party of the Atar marathon was at an oasis called Terjit. This place is absolutely beautiful, and the pool makes an excellent party local. Lets just say, I had a pretty good time.

After the marathon I hung around in Atar and then took the iron ore train to Nouadhibou with some second year volunteers heading to the COS conference in Nouakchott. The train was cold and dirty, but something I'm glad to have done. The train leaves from Choum, roughly three hours to the north of Atar, where you climb into train cars filled with powdery iron ore. Twelve hours later you arrive in Nouadhibou. Nouadhibou was fantastic, although I'll have to visit again to tell you if it has anything more than good food and television. I essentially spent all my time eating hamburgers and chinese food and watching John Langdon's collection of VHS tapes. I also got to catch up on new episodes of the Office, which was nice.

My fourth and sixth year students are preparing for the national exams and I am delightfully busy. The English teacher for the sixth year students was asked to quit while I was at WAIST, and I was asked to take on the classes. Unfortunately, these students are so far behind the national syllabus it will be difficult for any of them to pass the national exam in June. I don't know if I can remedy the situation, but its my job to try. The hot season has begun. I have not idea how hot it really is, but it is hot enough that I sweat almost twenty four hours a day. School should keep me busy the next month, but I am eagerly awaiting my trip to St. Louis for Jazz Fest.

Also, Akjoujt now has cheese. Massive wheels of gouda. Take that every other volunteer in Mauritania!