Blogs from Tadla-Azilal, Morocco, Africa - page 2

Looking at my blog it seems like I am always on vacation. Peace Corps can be a lot of fun and I am so lucky to live in such an amazing country that has so many tourist attractions. But I am most often in Kelaa and usually doing something productive. This was a big weekend for me. On the 19th the women’s association I’ve been working with, El Ghad Al Bassim, organized a “cultural competition”. I’ve never seen anything like it in the US but it seems to be a fairly normal event here. There was a performance by Kelaa’s star lute player, Abderrhmane. I’ve seen him at events around town before and always noticed him for playing and singing beautifully. What I didn’t know until Saturday was that he speaks English perfectly. He’s never noticed ... read more

Woke up to what sounded like hard rain pouring down, so was feeling a little glum, plus the fact we had to get up at 6am in the morning to get ready for our trip. The Riad staff were really nice because they got up a little earlier then usual to make our breakfast. It was a good thing because we had a 3 hour journey ahead of us!!! When we finally arrived at Ouzard, the sun was starting to come out!!! We were asked is we wanted to have a guide to show us around the village, gorge & waterfalls and everyone agreed. It was only 50 dirhams each. The tour was great because he talked us through everything, from the olive growth, the food and herbs the people used and the gorge! There was ... read more

When my parents announced to me that they had bought plane tickets for Morocco and really would be visiting me here I asked them what they wanted to see while they were here. I had grand ideas about trips up to Fez and Sefrou or across the Atlas to the Sahara so they could see Ait Ben Haddou or ride camels across the dunes to spend the night in nomadic Berber tents. When pressed as to whether they would prefer camping in the dunes or hiking in the Atlas my parents replied they really just wanted to see me. Given how my parents have spoiled and doted on me for the past 25 years that answer shouldn’t have surprised me as much as it did. I decided I wanted them to see my town, then I ... read more

NOTE FROM RICH: "The following blog entry comes from an article I recently wrote for an upcoming issue of Peaceworks, a volunteer produced Peace Corps periodical. Enjoy!" "High Atlas Training of Trainers Hike, September 2006" (or "Four City Volunteers Take on the Great Moroccan Outdoors") By Rich Landrigan YD Ouaouizerht, Morocco Nestled up in the Azilal region of the High Atlas Mountains there’s a sleepy little valley named Ait Bououli. The hike from the top of the pass down to the dirt road that runs along the river bed boasts some of the most awe inspiring views in the Morocco. There are towering peaks of clay and sandstone, ancient Berber mud mansions that house entire extended families (called igrams), groves of olive, apple, and walnut trees, and trains of mules and donkeys carrying the loads of ... read more

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 ... read more