Still Here

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Hello, folks. It’s been some time since my last post, so I wanted to let you all know that I’m still here. I am still giving lessons, still working out computer problems, and still getting out into the community. I am, though, I must admit, a bit winded.

As some of you know, my computer was stolen from my house while I was sleeping on my roof. It was stolen around 3 weeks ago. The thieves broke the lock on my door, came in, took only the laptop in its case, and left without waking me up. The machine was nice, and I’m certainly sorry I lost it; especially considering that my parents graciously helped me out when purchasing it. The real loss, however, is data. From pictures to documents to contact information (even birthdays), I was lax in backing up data after losing many of my normal avenues for backup, and it caught up with me when my computer was stolen. In addition, I book that I had spent much of my first 3 months updating on how to use computers, was not backed up.

The morning of the break in, everyone in the town was very kind and helpful. Some said the thieves were probably still in town, others that they were long gone. Everyone, from the college educated to people who couldn’t read or write, said that I needed to go to the big marabou, and I’d find the laptop right away. I, instead, went to the police, and I haven’t found it yet. My whole neighborhood crowded around my door, curious about what all the commotion was about, and when they found out, they shook their heads and said it was so sad. Most people I spoke to said that things used to be fine, no one ever stole anything, but in the past 2 or 3 years, thieves had come. They say that because these thieves have no home in Atar, they have to steal. The interesting thing is that here there were a lot of racial accusations. I kept hearing that things were fine here when it was just moors, but since the African Senegalese had come, they’d brought some problems, and formed gangs. The assumption that the crime increase is due to the introduction of black Africans to the town is in line with a general belief here that black people are not to be trusted. The racist comments are not surprising, as race is a very tense point in this country, in a way which is much closer to the surface than in the US.

I considered leaving because I felt beaten, and felt that so much I’d done had been lost. But, the thoughts were fleeting, and I only entertained them for minutes at a time. I will not leave, but I have resolved that if I stay, I will not stay just to “finish”, but will actively pursue the goals of Peace Corps here.

I am still on track to do my training on July 30, called Computer Science camp 2006. I will take 12 students from around Mauritania with 14 students from my home town, and show them how computers can be used in the sciences. I’ve worked with the science teachers at my high school to come up with a lesson plan that will show them all the diverse ways they can use computers to do more. I’ve programmed classes on Math graphing programs, Fractal programs, and VR dissection programs. Friends will be doing classes on fruity loops (a music suite), biology done with computers, and other programs. We’ll be using the internet and multimedia to show all the many ways they can use computer technology to do whatever they want to do. The goal is for the camp to feel somewhat like a cross between a science fair and a classroom. Right now everything is on track, and I am working with the science teachers at my high school to give these kids a great experience.

So, right now I am hopeful that I can still make a great experience out of my service, even having lost some of the work in my first year, but doing great things in my second year.

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