A bit of news

(while the internet holds, I'm typing past entries I've written but not posted)

1 Juilliet 2006

This morning we arrived at 2 O clock from Nouakchott, in our white land cruiser caravan tumbling over the ruleless roads at 60 mpg through the desert and desolation, and trash and villages. Ten men were packed into my gender segregated car, stuffed tightly like sardines in the desert heat, sitting face to face along the sides, paratrooper style. They/we waxed by turns philosophical and crude, each like an embodiment of some distinct demographic: wise, worldly and Yogic D, sweet blond Preston from Salt Lake, avuncular Nick and others.

I saw sand dunes! I saw camels! I saw riding donkeys. And at 2 oclock I saw Kaedi and the Lycee, and the whole of our sundry welcome party (there were a lot of them) We were let in through the gates and piled out of the cars. Several million handshakes, Bonjours, Aselemu Aluykums and Ca Va?s ensued.

The lycee is set up like a big compound. In through the gates is a huge courtyard area but without landscaping, stones or grass. Its all sand of course, with a few big trees for shade (you wouldn't believe the diff in temperature between sun and shade) Around the perimeter are many rectangular white or tan colored buildings of unequal size. They are all trimmed with turquoise- green, the doors and windows, which open like wings in mid-flap.