New Lease

I have a new house. It's not a bad house, really. I held out for as long as I could. After the disaster that my house was in Nema, I knew that I needed something good here, and I knew what to look for-

-A roof that doesn't leak
-Back windows (a cross-breeze is necessary in this heat)
-A good wall around the yard (to keep kids out and the dog in)
-Running water
-Reliable electricity
-An outhouse that doesn't smell too bad

In the end, I wound up with something that more or less fits the bill. I live out of a fairly large rectangle with windows on three sides. No more mud and stone huts for me; I live out of concrete these days. And the dog has a yard to run in and a wall that keeps her from mistaking the ends of that yard. So one of the things that kept me down in Nema is taken care of.

But I don't spend much time at home. I spend my time visiting other volunteers whose rectangles with windows are filled with other amenities, like carpeting and comfortable mats. Or residents of Aleg whose rectangles are improved by A/C units and glass windows. Or at offices and centers where I can get a bit of work done, alone or with other volunteers and Mauritanians.

It's amazing the effect that those other rectangles have on my life. In Nema, where most of my work fell apart after about 9 months, I felt that I was destined to wait out my 2 year stint and go home, pausing at the border only to kick the dust off my sandals. But here in Aleg, I have work, and I have 5 fantastic, dedicated, and positive peers with whom to work. There are countless organizations that not only talk about work, but show me what they're doing. And when I need to relax and decompress, I hang out with volunteers, fellow Americans with whom I can share my language, culture, and interests.

I like my new house. It's a fine rectangle. But if I had to live in a lesser rectangle, I'd say that the other amenities that Aleg offers are much more important to my mental health in what is shaping up to a very positive and productive 2nd year in Mauritania.