VSN Training at my pad

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Today was the second day of the VSN training, which I hosted at my house. I was dreading the end of camp and having to return to the molten interior of the Shergie (the wind from the south that is painfully hot and carries sand from the Sahara into your eyes and makes food gritty and everything constantly covered with dust). I knew I had gotten spoiled going to the beach every day and living with other volunteers. The close quarters got on my nerves at times, but after the loneliness I had experiences in June and July, I knew I had it good at camp.

So I was excited when the Volunteer Support Network coordinator contacted me about hosting a training at my house the weekend after I got back from camp. I have wanted to invite other volunteers over for a party or something for a while now. This would definitely be something. I attended VSN training back in February in Tinjdad, so I knew what the training would entail.

Basically, two other volunteers some and lead the training and five volunteers from the new group of Health and Environment volunteers who swore in as Peace Corps four months ago would all come hang out at my house for three days. All I have to do is cook for them and enjoy their company.

I have learned to enjoy cooking (though I still loudly reject the idea that a woman’s place is in the kitchen) so I was looking forward to making all sorts of good food this weekend. The five new volunteers had two or so months of training, then after swearing in another two months of homestay and have now been in their own homes for two months. I thought they might need a break from Moroccan cooking and the kinds of food they can find in their sites. Health and Environmental volunteers are almost always in much more remote areas than Youth Development (me) or Small Business volunteers. Lots of them can only buy fresh vegetables once a week, if they’re lucky.

So the first night I made a big sweet and sour stir fry using exotic ingredients that can only be bought in Marrakech, like ketchup and canned pineapple. The next day, Saturday, I baked cornbread for breakfast, since cornmeal is quite rare here. That afternoon I had melted the butter for alfredo sauce and was stirring in oregano when I managed to tip the pan all over me and burn myself pretty badly. I freaked out at first, not knowing how much of me had burned, only feeling pain. I ran into the bathroom and turned on the shower, stripping off the clothes that had boiling butter soaking through them. Luckily the trainees were Health volunteers and they took good care of me, got on the phone with the Peace Corps doctor in Rabat and got me to the hospital. This was my first visit to the hospital in Kelaa, and I had no idea what to expect. The place was nearly deserted; I guess Saturdays around lunch time aren’t busy. The nurse on duty calmly looked at me as I came in hyperventilating and talking as fast as I could in Arabic. The Health volunteers only learn Tashilheit (the southern version of Berber) since that’s what their communities speak, so they couldn’t talk much to the nurse for me. In my panic it seemed the nurse was taking for ever. He sauntered over to me and glanced at my arm, which hurt more than I thought possible. Eventually he told me that he would call the doctor and tell him to come to work.

After I calmed down and realized I wasn’t burned all over my body, but just a little on my left wrist, and the doctor debated on the phone with the Peace Corps doctor about what sort of creams to put on the burn, I got to go back home. The volunteers went out and brought back sandwiches and fries for lunch.

And they took wonderful care of me the next couple days, washing the dishes and helping immensely with the rest of the elaborate menu I had planned. I got a good review of VSN counseling skills and loved having guests again at home.

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Comments

[Jesselyn]

My very own Ez, I find it very amusing that I'm reading your blog because I'm down in the capitol, the only place in the wee country of Togo that has internet connection fast enough for me to have the patience to check out your bloggy blog. Regardless, I'm IN Lome in fact for, lo, Peer Support Network training! Oh, how are spirits are linked from south to north on this continent. A 05-06-07 baby!!! Take care of that arm, and, yes, I thank dear sweet Buddha only a small part of your beautiful bod was effected. Much love sweetness, can't wait till you're my personal chef down here...no, no really I'll spoil you rotten with my rotten veggies that I get, yes, once every 2 weeks since I am one of those health volunteer kids. Amour!!!!!!!!!! et Bisous!