It took a while... Happy Holidays
Door: Willem van der Sanden
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Willem
23 December 2008 | Mauritanië, Nouakchott
Salamou aleikoum
It has been a while since my last message, but I than again it has been a rush the last couple of weeks as well. Therefore I have not been able to update as much as I would have liked. I hope all of you are well as well.
Since my last message a lot of things have passed. I have been to Senegal, started playing with Les Fennecs d’Amoukrouz, have made some trips within Mauritania and went to the second largest city (village) in Mauritania, Nouadibhou.
In November I went to Dakar, Senegal for business for a week, which is a world of difference with Nouakchott as Andorra compared to the US. Have to say you can see the French influence much more in Senegal and it is more colonial than Mauritania.
During my stay of course I had to work, but besides that had time to go out for dinner and drinks with colleagues (Thomas, a colleague I knew already from the Netherlands) and some locals. I have enjoyed Senegal very much and will certainly try to visit it a couple of times in the future. This also since St Louis is close to the Mauritanian border.
I have also started playing rugby three times a week with the Fennecs d’Amoukrouz, which is the local rugby team. The team is very much a combination of nationalities with French, US, Lebanese, Gambian, Senegalese, Moroccan and local people playing. This is also very much a help to create a social life, as this team is sort of like a family and also during weekends there are some gatherings and parties which enables me to meet new people. I met a couple of Americans, with whom I will also spend the coming holidays.
Further I have been driving around in Mauritania a bit and made some work related trips and some for fun. I have noticed that landscape does change here very much!!! Some different colors; since you have white sand desert, yellow sand dessert and brown sand dessert. It is very much dry in the whole of Mauritania. I am planning on going to St. Louis in Senegal in early 2009, which I have been told is a bit more green with a river coming into the country, also being the border between Mauritania and Senegal.
The last weekend I have been to Nouadibhou, which is a fishermans village in the north of Mauritania close to the Morrocan/Western Sahara (political discussion) border. This village has a lot of Spanish influences because of the fishing and the close range to the Canarian Islands. The skyline is fabulous with at least hundreds of sunken ships!!! During my stay drove around with some colleagues and also had the opportunity to see the longest train(still a bit interest since my previous job) in the world.
Then we are again at today where we are working hard to finish up work before some limited holidays, since it is a Muslim country, which does not celebrate Christian holidays. At least we get 1 day off for 1st day of Christmas.
Looking forward I am even more thrilled about living here and am very much enjoying everything. However I am glad to be able to escape for at least 2 times in the beginning of 2009. I will be in The Netherlands from the 15th January till the 20th and I will leave Mauritania for the Philippines on the 10th of February till the 3rd of March. Then afterwards it will be working a lot to get some more opportunities to explore the world.
All this leaves me with wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, or joyeux noél, bonne et heureuse année !!!
Greetz and hope to see you soon.
Willem
PS: Photos take about 15 hours to upload so I will try to do some in the coming days.
Hallo opa en oma,
Ik weet dat jullie het bovenstaande niet heel makkelijk kunnen lezen, maar ik denk dat pa of ma dit tijdens kerst wel willen vertalen voor jullie.
Ik wens jullie in ieder geval een fijne kerst en een gelukkig nieuwjaar en ik zal jullie tussen 15 januari en 20 januari zeker nieuwjaar komen wensen!!!
Groeten Willem
It has been a while since my last message, but I than again it has been a rush the last couple of weeks as well. Therefore I have not been able to update as much as I would have liked. I hope all of you are well as well.
Since my last message a lot of things have passed. I have been to Senegal, started playing with Les Fennecs d’Amoukrouz, have made some trips within Mauritania and went to the second largest city (village) in Mauritania, Nouadibhou.
In November I went to Dakar, Senegal for business for a week, which is a world of difference with Nouakchott as Andorra compared to the US. Have to say you can see the French influence much more in Senegal and it is more colonial than Mauritania.
During my stay of course I had to work, but besides that had time to go out for dinner and drinks with colleagues (Thomas, a colleague I knew already from the Netherlands) and some locals. I have enjoyed Senegal very much and will certainly try to visit it a couple of times in the future. This also since St Louis is close to the Mauritanian border.
I have also started playing rugby three times a week with the Fennecs d’Amoukrouz, which is the local rugby team. The team is very much a combination of nationalities with French, US, Lebanese, Gambian, Senegalese, Moroccan and local people playing. This is also very much a help to create a social life, as this team is sort of like a family and also during weekends there are some gatherings and parties which enables me to meet new people. I met a couple of Americans, with whom I will also spend the coming holidays.
Further I have been driving around in Mauritania a bit and made some work related trips and some for fun. I have noticed that landscape does change here very much!!! Some different colors; since you have white sand desert, yellow sand dessert and brown sand dessert. It is very much dry in the whole of Mauritania. I am planning on going to St. Louis in Senegal in early 2009, which I have been told is a bit more green with a river coming into the country, also being the border between Mauritania and Senegal.
The last weekend I have been to Nouadibhou, which is a fishermans village in the north of Mauritania close to the Morrocan/Western Sahara (political discussion) border. This village has a lot of Spanish influences because of the fishing and the close range to the Canarian Islands. The skyline is fabulous with at least hundreds of sunken ships!!! During my stay drove around with some colleagues and also had the opportunity to see the longest train(still a bit interest since my previous job) in the world.
Then we are again at today where we are working hard to finish up work before some limited holidays, since it is a Muslim country, which does not celebrate Christian holidays. At least we get 1 day off for 1st day of Christmas.
Looking forward I am even more thrilled about living here and am very much enjoying everything. However I am glad to be able to escape for at least 2 times in the beginning of 2009. I will be in The Netherlands from the 15th January till the 20th and I will leave Mauritania for the Philippines on the 10th of February till the 3rd of March. Then afterwards it will be working a lot to get some more opportunities to explore the world.
All this leaves me with wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, or joyeux noél, bonne et heureuse année !!!
Greetz and hope to see you soon.
Willem
PS: Photos take about 15 hours to upload so I will try to do some in the coming days.
Hallo opa en oma,
Ik weet dat jullie het bovenstaande niet heel makkelijk kunnen lezen, maar ik denk dat pa of ma dit tijdens kerst wel willen vertalen voor jullie.
Ik wens jullie in ieder geval een fijne kerst en een gelukkig nieuwjaar en ik zal jullie tussen 15 januari en 20 januari zeker nieuwjaar komen wensen!!!
Groeten Willem
-
23 December 2008 - 18:08
Ron En Yvonne:
Hoi Willem,
Leuk om te lezen dat alles zo goed gaat met je. Wij wensen je fijne dagen en een goed nieuwjaar!
We zien je in januari!!!
Groetjes,
Ron en Yvonne -
23 December 2008 - 20:09
Tien & Daan:
Hé maat,
Ook jij fijne dagen en uiteraard een mooi 2009. We zien elkaar zo ie zo in januari.
En, we zullen over een paar dagen nog even aan je denken als we de heli weer zien landen in de sneeuw.
groetjes,
10 & Daan -
23 December 2008 - 21:15
Eveline:
He kanjer,
wat leuk om al die belevenissen te lezen. Jij natuurlijk een goed begin van het nieuwe jaar gewenst (fijne feestdagen is geloof ik minder van toepassing). Heel veel plezier daar aan de andere kant van de lijn, maar dat gaat vast goedkomen.
groetjes en knuffel op afstand,
Eef -
24 December 2008 - 07:52
Merel En Dennis:
He lieverd,
We hopen dat je in de tijd dat je hier bent in Nederland je ff tijd hebt voor ons!
Wij wensen jou fijne dagen toe en een spetterend 2009...
we denken aan je.
tot januari.
dikke Kus -
24 December 2008 - 08:36
Ad & Vera:
Hoi Willem,
Was lang geleden iets van je te horen, maar het gaat je goed zoals we kunnen lezen. En rugby... tja dat is nog eens iets anders als dansen. We wensen jou ook het allerbeste voor 2009 en wie weet zien we je nog even als je terug bent in Nederland.
Pas goed op jezelf en we wachten je volgende berichtje weer af.
Groetjes,
Ad, Vera, Morris en Ruby
-
24 December 2008 - 12:27
Diana V. Moorsel:
Hey Willem, Ik was blij weer wat van je te horen. Vooral dat je zo bezig bent met van alles. We wensen je fijne kerstdagen en een heel gelukkig nieuwjaar.
Groetjes Diana Peter en Felix -
27 December 2008 - 14:10
Joost:
Hey Willem,
hoop dat je een beetje een leuke kerst gehad daaro!
Ik wens je een goeie jaarwisseling, en niet met vuurwerk spelen hè? ;)
Groet Joost -
31 December 2008 - 14:16
Leontine:
Hey Willem,
Natuurlijk vanuit Geldrop een heel goed en voorspoedig 2009. Fijn om te lezen dat je zo geniet van alle ervaringen die je opdoet.
Misschien tot ergens volgend jaar en we blijven je volgen.
Liefs van ons allemaal (de Greefjes) -
08 Januari 2009 - 14:50
Elizabeth:
hey willem,
Ben echt blij als je er weer even bent volgende week!!
Zie en spreek je dan!
x Lies -
27 April 2009 - 22:03
Arjenne Vroegindeweij:
Hi Willem!
Dat is lang geleden! Zat eens rond te kyken, en kwam je hier tegen. Zie dat je flink rond aan het reizen bent! Zit momenteel in London voor afstudeerstage vandaar dat ik hier ook ben:d
Succes verder daar!
Groetjes, Arjenne -
30 April 2009 - 16:35
Arjenne:
Hi Willem,
Jy ook bedankt voor je berichtje! Ja is weer eens wat anders dan NL..:D
Maar Mauritania is wel heel wat anders! en zeker voor zo'n lange tijd. Ben je al klaar met MISE nu of nog niet?
Veel succes en spreek je later..
X Arjenne
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