Merry Christmas to all. I am spending the day in my souk town at the cyber cafe waiting for my family to get up and on skype. Hopefully I will get to see my grandma today!! It is a beautiful sunny day a little chilly but no snow! This past week has been great! Got to see some work by the women of my association. I watched the process of setting up a loom from beginning to end. Asked a few questions and enjoyed my time with the ladies. I spend alot of time with my counterpart, the president of the association, and this week she showed me how she brushes out the wool and then spins it. I attempted each and they look so easy, but they just make it look easy...boy I was entertainment for the crowd. I set up my house check for next week so if all is clear I move in to my own place next weekend...yippee!! I must say I enjoy living with a host family but I need to regain control of my hygiene and food! The women have been doing the final touches in the fields for winter like collecting the last of the almonds, olives and walnuts from the trees. I took a hike with my little sidekick, Miriam. We hiked up the mountain behind the house. Let me tell you she was moving up that mountain but coming down wasn't easy because it is steep and filled with rocks. Yes, you all know I am a clutz and fell about 3 times! She made sure to tell everyone when we got back how I kept falling, but she fell too, lol! I took some pictures from atop to show you all a birds-eye view of my village. I went to souk this week and got 2 big blankets and a real western pillow to sleep on! My host dad took me to souk to get the best deal, which wow he really did help me with the price. They would have ate me up had I gone by myself and they still probably will when I return for more, unless I go to the same guy. However, it was fun going with my hostdad to souk. I attended the stand he must usually go to for all the veggies and he just kept telling my to zayd (continue) and tsh (eat) the oranges. I took him up on that because the local oranges are so good! All I ever hear is zayd, tsh! At each my meal in homestay I am told to zayd, tsh...I alwas have to remind them that I am full, they still insist. My mom usually is the one to say it, but she has been gone this week so my sister took over. Sometimes I tell them to zayd or tsh back and they get a kick out of it. The hospitality of Moroccans is beyond belief! Everytime I go into the living room (shanbray), which is usually at night before dinner, my host brothers are instructed to get me a pillow to put between me and the wall and a blanket because it is asslmid (cold). As far as the rest of my household items...week by week I plan to get the big stuff from souk. It is a pain getting it up to site but mashi muskil (no worries!) Well here are the pictures...Happy Holidays to all!
Hello!
So that is my homestay house/compound second from the left. I wanted to show you all what I meant by compounds. Also this is the beginning/bottom of my village.
This is the center of my village. I will hopefully soon be living in the area towards the right edge of pic. 
This pic overlaps but that is the end/top of my village.
And these are the fields that are the livelihood of my village. It is how the families make a living along with there livestock. The trees are just branches now but come spring the roses, fruit and nut trees will be in full bloom and I can not wait to see it!
Here is Miriam...I let the cat out of the sack...she knows I have a camera and she always ask about it. She is the grandaughter of my counterpart.
Yes I look crazy but it is the third week without my hair being washed and probably five days without a bucket bath...again I am excited to live on my own for that main reason! Plus there is no Hammam in my village I have to go to Kelaa which is not easy carrying my bucket and stool on an always filled transit van. However, the woman of my village make a homemade hammam out of a peice of tarp outside in the sun, I may try that out next week. A hammam is the public bath houses found in Morocco. They are nice and relaxing, well depending if they are crowded. They consist of three rooms, hot/steamy, hot, warm. You start in the steam one until you can't stand it anymore and then work your way back to the beginning when your done. Each visit consist of about 2 hours...it is a social gathering, literally!
So that is my counterpart, Moohou. She didn't want a picture but wanted me to take one of her prized new calf. She is so awesome. I'll get you all a pic when she is "dressed and prepared." Pics are big events for these women because they are a very rare ocassion as to no one has a camera in the village, and many rarely ever leave the village.
This is out front of my house....wow what a view! That is my hostdad's sister Zara and their other sister's son Rachid.
That is my hostdad's other sister, Fatima, I don't think she ever had any children...she didn't want the picture but Miriam was picture happy so I thought I would show you all. These sisters in the pictures still live in the home of the brother. In Morocco, this is usually because they have never been married or they lost their husbands.
That is Khadija, the mother of Miriam, and we are at the place of my counterpart. Again, you can see we are outside and Miriam is taking the picture from the entrance of the izgri (traditional kitchen).
This is the traditional kitchen. That is couscous (sksu) being prepared for dinner and the other oven (affran) is where they make fresh bread every morning, which is dangerously good with zit or fresh made butter!
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