Update

Well... thought I'd just give you a quick update here from Mauritania. Things are moving along well... just had a week of fetes (holidays) for Muhammad's Birthday. His birthday was observed on Tuesday, so usually with fetes, business shuts both the day before and after the fete... so that puts us up to Monday-Wednesday... then since Thursday is the last day of the week, business operates limitly... so I have not had classes for over a week. yikes... but tomorrow back to class! (mind you only for a week... cause then it's spring break for two weeks for all schools.) I kinda have to wait and see how many women can/would come to class while school is out... I'm guessing half? Don't know.

In other news, the current head of State is coming here tomorrow for unknown reasons... speculation is for campaigning? But there may not be any need because with the head of the junta running it's unclear if the international community will recognize the elections. The AU may be lifting its' sanctions on the junta though shortly? The current chairman (from Libya)is recommending that action in any case; while the opposition walked out on talks just the other day because they saw the AU simply siding with the junta. Other political news... ties with Israel are on the way to being severed, if they have not been already. I believe it was Libya who was lobbying in December and January for those ties to be cut to receive funding from them... and I saw a headline today for the plans for a new, huge, beautiful hotel in Nouakchott... paid for by Libya. Interesting.