The Color Orange

Allow me to introduce you to Hawa, my host 'sister' (she's actually my host mom's cousin). This is Hawa and her mother (who comes from Cote d'Ivoire) and her little sister Selma one morning in October. Hawa is about 22 and has finished lycee, or high school, and is hoping to sit for the baccalaureat in the spring. She lived in Cote d'Ivoire until about six years ago and speaks Bambara, Hassaniya, French, and a good amount of English. She is studying for the science Bac (in French) and hopes to be a doctor. She dreams of going to school in Belgium or Canada.

Hawa has been a major blessing for me. She really has been like a sister and has gotten me through some ugly days. She shares a birthday with my dad and reminds me of my own sister in many ways. I would have left my homestay long ago if she hadn't decided to take a job at the mayor's office and remain in Nema. She has a wonderful sense of humor, is tres intelligente, borrows my eyeliner, and is empathetic and in many ways more perceptive and understanding than many of the older host nationals I know. There are cultural barriers and misperceptions, to be sure, but Hawa 'gets it.' And we enjoy laughing together. I miss my sister so much sometimes, thank God for Hawa.

I wear the mulafa well because I have stylish women like Hawa to imitate. Just as in any culture, some women wear clothing better, no matter what it is, from mulafas to bikinis. Hawa is super stylish-you can tell she's spent alot of time in Nouakchott. She's also a fantastic cook and I absolutely loathe the weekends she goes to the badiya (countryside) to rest and visit her family. Forgive my French, but everyone else's food sucks. C'est vrai!

I'm moving into my own house soon and Hawa will probably go to Nouakchott. I will miss her but think we'll still see each other and, hey, it's Mauritania. It's really impossible to burn bridges-even if you want to! I call my host family in Initi every few weeks. If I don't, they call me and ask if I'm dead or something. Plus there's the guy I can't remember meeting who thinks he's madly in love with me. Everybody send good thoughts and prayers Hawa's way-she's up against alot here in the RIM and will need all the luck, grace, whatever you can spare.

Traveling mercies, Hawa. A handful of women like you could turn the world on its ear, alhamdulillah!