Friday, September 24, 2010

I'm back






What a week.  I am feeling great!  I met my family Sunday night and they are awesome.  I spent the first night with them not knowing any language, but a few greetings, and they made me feel right at home.  I have an 11 year old sister, Sabah, 2 year old brothe,r Adam, and my mom, RabHa, and dad Moha.  Monday morning was the only sense of nervousness and questioning but once I got to school I felt great and my confidence is back!  I have learned so much of the language in just these past four days.  Every morning we have language then break, language, lunch, cross cultural, break and more language.  That varies but the point is we have a lot of breaks and drink a lot of mint tea!! We eat great, actually too good!!  So the school I am referring to is actually a house that the LCF (language & culural facilitor) lives in and we have class there.  There are 5 of us learning Tamazight.  We get along well and enjoy our lessons, making them fun!!  We even have a cook that comes and prepares our lunch and the tea, coffee and snacks for our 2 breaks.  We took field trips the first 2 days to meet the Gandarm (local authorities) in the next village because my village is so small.  We also saw the co-op in our village where the woman weave rugs, shaws, blankets, purses, etc.  Their products are beautiful, I just have to find a reliable way to send them home!!  On the first night, Sunday, we got to witness part of a wedding ceremony in the village with the music, singing and dancing.  Yesterday, was one of the PCT's birthday so her mom invited us over for a celebration, cake, tea and dancing, and most of the village woman came over.  Everyone was having a great time between belly dancing and good food!!!  On Tuesday night I brought out cards at home with my host family and we spent all night playing war.  I know I am going back and forth but I want to get it all out!!  That same night I called RabHa mima (mama) and my sister got so excited, so at that point I was officially part of the family.  Everyday has been something new and exciting.  To speak of the pictures...the first one is my room, which is more than enough, every night you see the shepherds bringing in their sleep and in the morning on my way to Lmdrasa (school) they are taking them out.  On Wednesday night my sister, Sabah, gave me Lhnna (henna) and the pic of the mountain is our view from the rooftop of my school and the last one is from a stop through the national forest near Azrou, where I am today for meetings.  The monkeys are everywhere, even walking along and in the streets.  I feel great, I am comfortable!  Learning this language is much different than learning one in school because I actually am interested and desiring to learn more, not to mention I must learn it because it is my only communication within my home and community! Each day the communication gets better with my family.  The only major adjustment I have had to this point is the bitLma, which is basically a hole to do my business in, with no toilet paper, just a faucet with tap water.  But the adjustment has gone smoothly!  This weekend I will spend with my family going to the Souk (market) and the Lhmam (public bath house) which is a social scene in its self.  The mountain that you saw in the pic of the view from the rooftop we are hopefully going to trek next weekend to see what is on the other side.  There is said to be a very small village and I am not sure what else.  We have a beautiful asif (river) that runs along the village with trees and red clay looking mud lining it.  The water moves quite swiftly when it rains.   Also, there are frogs everywhere and they come out when it rains.  They resemble bullfrogs with lime green stripes.  Also, back to the food, I have been eating the best olives imaginable...I can't wait to come across an olive tree.  They are so fresh...Morocco is  known for its olive trees. I think that is all for now...I do not know when I will be back but know I am enjoying life and am in harmony.  llay armbed...until later if God is willing.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

The next move

Started out this morning with some meetings and I found out that I will be learning a berber dialect, which is what I longed for!  Many people are wondering why, because that means I will be in a more remote area, so I want to make it clear.  One of my intentions with the Peace Corps was to immerse in another culture and have fewer "connections" to modernization.  So learning Berber means I will be in a rural area with some of Moroccan's first inhabitants, Berber tribes!  I will be training at the bottom of a mountain in a small village of about 300. Tomorrow, Sunday, I will begin to stay with a host family and officially become part of a Moroccan family and I am really anxious for this.  My LCF, language & culture facilitator, seems to be great and I already enjoyed being around her!  Along with that I will not have internet at my site so I may not be back for a week or more, but know that I am ok, in a safe environment, amongst beautiful people that will look out for me!  After all the excitement this morning we took a trip to the nearby town and went to the souk, market, and I got a cell phone and an adapter for a European plug so I guess I am official now.  It was very interesting to see the many different lives and styles of Moroccans.  This was a great oppurtunity for me to observe and I enjoyed what I saw.  I took one last walk on the beach for now, atleast the next 11 weeks until I get my final assignment!  Also, I have confirmed that I did bring poison ivy with me over here and I think it may be from having too much fun with the kids while I was at home, but it was well worth it.  I am keeping it under control.  Anyways I must get some rest for my big day tomorrow! Farewell for now and maybe a week or more. Much love!  One more thing...CONGRATULATIONS MADDOX on scoring two goals at your soccer game today!! You make me so proud buddy...keep it up!

Friday, September 17, 2010

TGIF

This week has gone so quick and I have learned so much.  Today was a day full of meetings. Some current volunteers visited us today to give us an idea of what to expect, which was great.  They actually got me more excited to meet my host family.  Walked the beach this afternoon and got some lessons on wrapping scarfs.  I will hopefully be learning Berber and staying in a very remote area. I think I will find out tomorrow, if not Sunday when we travel out to our PST (Pre-Service Training) areas.  I will spend the next 10 weeks there living with a host family starting Sunday.  This will be my first experience with a host family abroad, which I am actually excited about, however the nerves may arrive on Sunday.  It was another beautiful day on the coast enjoying some sun and the breeze! Off to another good night of sleep.  Now you all are being spoiled this week because of my internet connection, come Sunday this will not be as accessible.  But I enjoy letting everyone in on my excitement.  Oh yea, and we have been eating great food as usual.  However, today I ate a really good "salmon" patty.  After I was done I found out it was a sardine patty.  Some things are better left unkown.  I think I enjoyed it more thinking it was a salmon patty so from now on I just won't ask!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Bring on the Heat

So ya that is my name in Arabic...just part of the many things I have learned since I boarded the airplane.  The plane over here was wonderful...I was served steamed veggies, wild rice and Salmon, plus salad and cheese and so on. When we landed we had a warm welcome by many.  To begin our meetings on Wednesday we were welcomed by four men in elaborate robes dancing, singing and playing instruments.  If you know me well, I love the beat of drums and music that you can "feel" and trust me I had chills.  The food is AMAZING!  I don't know how well the weight loss plan is going to work...I think it is going to be more like weight control.  It is all fresh, however your meals are anywhere from 3 to 5 plates.  I was riding the waves of the Eastern Atlantic coast before dinner the first night.  When we entered the beach there was a family of Camels walking along the shore.  It has just been amazing by far.  Today, Thursday, we had meetings all day and learned some basic Moroccan Arabic, as well as meeting the US Ambassador for Morocco.  By Sunday I will be with my host family which I am anxious about!  Oh and to cover a few basics I forgot to mention...back to the beginning.  I came over here with approximately 70 other trainees that are with either Small Business Development, like me, or Youth Development. I am heading off to dinner now, which should be lighter like a soup and some meat or fish.  Wow was the fresh soup good last night, can not wait to see what is in store for tonight.  Yes, I do look forward to our meals because it is always a surprise!  Oh yea and I said bring on the heat because it has been HOT since we got here...I couldn't wait to get into the ocean last night.  However, we just had a thunderstorm pass through so we have a nice refreshing breeze now!  Peace!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

To Begin

So it is official...bags are checked and I am waiting to board for Casablanca.  Yesterday was quite a day between cancelled and delayed flights, missing the staging event, and my hair gel busting all over my suitcase.  Yes, I am glad it is all behind me; on to the good stuff.  Blogging is new to me, so bear with me.  I just want to let everyone know that I am doing great and anxious to get there.  I have met many new people already and learned so much from them.  I am going to close out for now. But, before I close I want to say thanks to you all for your support in this venture and to send a special message of love to Maddox and Leila!!  Talk to you in Morocco!  Yes, tears of joy are rolling already because I can not believe this has really come true and I will wake up in Casablanca! Peace!