The End of (Training) Days

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Disclaimer: This blog and all of it's contents are solely mine and do not in any way reflect the views of the Peace Corps or the United States of America.

My training is almost finished so I am savoring my last week in my host site. I feel a mix between wanting to stay here and readiness to move onto my final site. My family here is wonderful, I couldn’t have asked for a better Moroccan mother and sister. They are so patient with my language and domestic skills. I have learned how to purify water, cook chicken tajine, make bread, milk a goat, clean a house, wash clothes by hand, take a shower with one bucket of water, dance to Moroccan music, and have fun. In return, I have showed them how to crochet a scarf, dance to Beyonce, and (hopefully) that Americans are warm, good people. After 8 weeks of training I feel about as adept as a 5 year old, in fact one of my best friends here is a little girl who is 5 years old. She teaches me my colors, numbers, and articles of clothing.

I want to share a few of my favorite memories here because I have had so many moments when I say to myself, “Holy Shit I’m in Africa!”

I find that most of the best moments happen when I pulled away from studying. Consequently, I study very little haha. Like this one night my sister grabs me by the hand and brings me over to this big tent were there is clearly a party going on. Inside our very nicely robed women sitting in a circle on pillows on top of beautiful hand made rugs. Everybody is clapping along while others are drumming. A bunch of little girls (who are apart of my running crew now haha) are dancing and pull me up with them. I throw on a scarf and try my hand out. It is fun, but I have found I am much better at drumming. Everybody is singing and I find out this is all happening to celebrate the naming of a new born baby boy. Moroccans are some of the most welcoming people I have ever met and they know how to throw one hellova party. I am ushered in to great the mother and the baby who is fast asleep a mid a congress of people around. By far the best baby shower I have ever been to.

My dad got it in my head that there are camels all over the place like deer or something so I couldn’t wait to see one roaming the savannahs. Instead I found nothing but donkeys and roosters that wake me up everyday. So when my language teacher told me that there was some kind of camel show I was all for it. I have always been someone to go into things with few expectations and have been surprised many times because of this. Me and the other 5 Americans in my group walk to the next dowar (town). When we get there we see hundreds of Moroccans gathered off the main street. It is all really exciting because the men are moving like a swarm of bees around this camel and the women are “yoo yooing” (high pitched excited exclamation used during most celebrations). My teacher explains that they have selected this camel to be taken in honor of King Mohamed’s birthday a week earlier. I should say that this has nothing to do with the Islam religion and this is one of the very few places to practice this merely out of tradition. I try climbing part way up a light pole, but soon the crowd is so large I can’t see the camel anymore. A sword is raised in the air and the crowd goes wild.

To sum up my experience so far there have been a lot of ups and downs and in Peace Corps speak this is referred to as “riding the wave”. I feel welcomed all the time and am invited daily to mint tea and meals at several families’ houses. If you mention something is “zwine” chance are they are going to try to give you that object - hospitality is the rule here. Almost ever night the American guys and I hang out at the café and play cards with some of the local men. My favorite is Eucre and Hearts. This is a past time I will miss the most because in my final village only men hang out at the cafes. There is so much I want to tell you all like about the hmmam, each wonderful person I have met, and random other funny things, but know that I am feeling much better about being here and since the Environmental Education program we gave for 140 kids here in Derija I feel more and more dedicated to the cause.

Thanks for the comments. I love hearing from you. Next for me is swearing in with the Ambassador and then moving to my final site near FES!!!!

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Photos

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My teacher and I on a hike.

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They stuff atleast 7 people in the old Mercedes before the taxi will even think about leaving.

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The royal treatment: henna, nice clothes, dancing, and naming when I first got here.

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I was the only women swimming that day. I'm guessing it is hshuma.

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Me and a baby goat named Casey.

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Visited Falesha and James - in another town - all by myself awwww

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For Earth Day we gave a program for 140 kids in arabic!

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Cooking our first meal - enchiladas with homemade tortillas (meh)

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On a hill looking down at my town.

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In Azilal with my running crew.

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At the tallest waterfalls in Northern Africa - Cascade d Ouzoud