The sun rose over the town of Gouraye, in beautiful and traditional Southern Mauritania. Abdel Obeid got up, yawned, stretched and headed out into the courtyard. The Obeid Estate, which covered sixty acres, was protected by a continuous seven-foot-high cement wall, with barbed wire on top of it. In this part of the world, one simply couldn't be too careful. Abdel's place sat on a hill overlooking the nearby town of Gouraye, and offered a breathtaking view of the beautiful and downright arid Guidimakha region. Abdel drew water from the well, and watered his plants. This part of the Mauritanian nation hadn't changed in centuries.
In Southern Mauritania, farmers raised their sheep, goats and oxen as they had for thousands of years. Older men who kept to the old ways still rose their horses and camels across the desert. Most of the younger people favored driving Jeeps or riding motorcycles. The fancy cars that Abdel had seen on the streets of London and Berkshire couldn't handle the rough roads and rugged terrain comprising the African landscape. In this part of the world, it pays to be both hardy and practical. Such were the rules in the game of survival. After inheriting the Estate from his parents, Abdel kept the place running.
Abdel was serious about growing crops including carrots and mangoes on the Obeid Estate. He had a small menagerie which included a rooster, five hens, six turkeys, and four dogs. The young Mauritanian was fond of animals but believed in living within his means. Abdel's place was more of a hobby farm than anything else. Serious farmers had bigger lands and more beasts to look after. Abdel looked at his motorcycle, which leaned against the wooden shed. A five-foot-tall barrel of petroleum which Abdel regularly filled up ensured that his motorcycle would be fueled and ready next time he felt like riding it. Abdel's motorcycle was his sole luxury. In every other way, the young Mauritanian man led a traditional lifestyle.
A pair of Delco machines provided electricity for the Obeid Estate. Electrical power was spotty in the town of Gouraye. The old hydroelectric power plant had seen better days. Abdel had spoken to Nasser, the village chief, about fixing it. Nasser still had hopes that the Mauritanian Ministry of Infrastructure would make good on its promise of fixing it. Most of Gouraye's people used Delco machines to power their homes, and who could blame them? In this part of Africa, self-reliance is quite simply a way of life. One simply could not rely on outside forces the way one could in other parts of the world...
The sound of barking snatched Abdel from his musings. Moments later, Abdel was greeted by his dogs Lucky, Marquis, Dakota and Harriman. The animals were free to roam the property since Abdel didn't believe in leashes or cages. In Africa, dogs come and go as they please for the most part. It's only in the white man's lands that dogs are virtual prisoners in their masters homes. Must everything that lives be caged or chained? Abdel certainly didn't believe so. The dogs surrounded their master while wagging their tails. Abdel smiled at the dogs and patted each one on the head. He'd feed them leftover goat meat later that morning, and leave jars of water for them. At this point, the dogs were part of his family.
It had been thirteen months since Abdel returned from the United Kingdom, where he'd earned a business degree from Brunel University. Abdel sometimes missed the City of London and its wonders, and he had fond memories of Berkshire and other towns. The nation of Mauritania was Abdel's home, and at the conclusion of his studies, he returned to his country. A lot of international students grow fond of the countries which once hosted them and decide to stick around. Abdel liked the United Kingdom a lot but Africa is home, pure and simple. Africa's brain drain must stop. The African continent's smartest men and women ought to put their intellect and capabilities towards its development and aggrandizement. Abdel firmly believes in Africa's future...
"Home sweet home," Abdel said to himself as he returned inside, and grabbed two goat thighs from the fridge. He tore them into four equal sized pieces, and tossed them to the dogs. The four dogs fell upon the goat meat and stripped it to bare bones within moments. Abdel smiled as he watched the dogs eat. He'd fed them a whole chicken which he cooked the day before, and they were still hungry. Man's best friend is indeed a wonderful creature. Abdel made a mental note to buy some pork from the village later that day. As a Muslim, Abdel didn't care for such meat but he would gladly feed it to his dogs. Haram meat might as well do some good that way.
