Nouakchott - Post Report Question and Answers
What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
How vibrant the social scene is here. I thought I would be bored out of my mind, but the community has made this post a real gem. Nouakchott is not an easy place to live, but the people here make it really enjoyable and are quite bonded. - Jan 2023
Knowing how limited the food options were; we would have brought more in consumables and a wider range of unique items to keep home cooking interesting. - Aug 2021
Research Islam and the culture of Mauritania. Be respectful and be ready to lower your expectations. You will not be in the civilization that you know in America or Europe or anywhere for that matter. - Aug 2021
I wish I had known about how much I was going to like it. - Sep 2020
Have an open mind and a flexible watch (most things will not start on time, so you have to be patient)! People here tend to be very serious Muslims and tend to pray on-time. Events tend to be organized around the call to prayer. Wear sunscreen! - Apr 2019
Unless you have spent time in other developing countries, this place can be a big shock. But once you get used to it, Mauritania is actually not that bad. The weather is great for much of the year, the beaches are clean and great for kids and adults alike, and the post is large enough that there are plenty of people to hang out with. Morale is generally pretty good here and people genuinely take care of each other. You won't find that at a lot of posts in developed countries. So all things considered, this place is OK. - May 2016
Nothing - Mauritania is an interesting place - you have to take things in stride, slow down, and remember you're in a developing country. - Dec 2015
I pretty much knew what I was getting into. Other seem to arrive thinking Mauritania was going to be safe and enjoyable; it is neither. - Apr 2014
