Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Rain, VSN, Work


 9/18/08

So today is a good day.  We had our first big rain since I arrived in site; it has been raining all day long!  (Apparently it hasn't rained like this in 3 years!) The best part is….I only have 2 leaks in my whole house!  I had pictured buckets everywhere, catching the rain coming into my house….but so far so good.  There is a leak under my front door, and then one in the hall ceiling.  But we are talking slow drips…nothing a little bucket can’t take care of!  So that’s good. 

 

This morning was actually my first time back at my site in an entire week!  This past week I had VSN (Volunteer Support Network) training about 12 hours away, near Taznakht.  VSN is a volunteer-based peer support group for Morocco PCVs.  We had a great time, 6 of us being trained in basic counseling skills.  We had 3 great trainers, and had a lot of fun altogether.  The training was at a Small Business Development Volunteer’s house, a sprawling traditional house that made a great training site.  Her women’s association weaves carpets…..absolutely gorgeous!  I plan on saving for one to buy before I finish my service here.  It is sad though, because the women do not get a lot of foot traffic through their association, so like in many places in Morocco, they give these incredible carpets to store owners who sell them in Marrakech for absurd amounts of money.  In exchange, the women receive goods like flour or sugar….but NOTHING compared to the price the store owners get in ‘Kech. 

 

Pardon my digression…..so yes, we had a great week, with some great food.  Turns out our hosting volunteer is an amazing cook so we had Penne a la Vodka, Lasagna, Coconut curry, and stir fry as dinners.  DELICIOUS.  Of course I, along with 3 other volunteers, had to miss out on some delicious lunches (Ramadan is half way over!), but the dinners were phenomenal. 

 

So on my way back to site yesterday I stopped in Tiznit to meet with some Ministry people, and had a very successful day.  After meeting with the Ministry of Health rep, and the Ministry of Education Health Education rep, I am officially approved to begin teaching in the schools here.  I will be working in 5 schools, 4 primary schools of about 25-30 kids each, and a junior high with 150 kids (only 22 girls L ).  It took some badgering, but I got the Ministry of Education rep to send out my authorization this week so I can meet the kids in the next 2 weeks and begin teaching in October.  I will be doing lessons ranging from dental hygiene, to nutrition, to first aid, to reproductive health. 

 

In addition, a Youth Development Volunteer in my region and I have been discussing the plans for an HIV/AIDS awareness event with the youth of the region.  There will be an AIDS skit competition, which will be videotaped and compiled to make a video for PCVs to use throughout the country.  The YD Volunteer has secured the venue and met with the local AIDS organization in Tiznit, and I got a commitment from the Ministry of Health to participate in the event.  We are shooting for 2 days in November…..we’ll see…inshallah all will work out.      

 

 

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Me and little Chandler watching Friends during Ramadan :) Guess who his favorite character is?

Chandler!

Blog 9/4/08

 

Well here I am, sitting in my house typing up a long overdue blog entry, listening to my stomach growling, with little Chandler Tamast Bing lying in my lap.  My hunger is due to today being Day 3 of Ramadan.  Although as a foreigner and Christian, I am not required by any means to fast for Ramadan, many of my fellow PCVs and I decided to fast with the people of our communities.  I am fasting in solidarity with my Moroccan counterparts; however, I also support the concept of forcing oneself to take a small glimpse into the lives of those who do not have food and water easily accessible to them.  It has been interesting so far! 

 

This past weekend I accompanied the midwife from my health clinic to visit her family in Taroudant (5-6 hours away).  We spent a couple of days with her family, where I obtained a new family member, a 12 week old kitten.  Ever since Chandler was born, I have been waiting for him to be old enough to bring home with me.  Regarding his name, he acts a lot like Chandler Bing, from Friends, but he was born in a douar named Tamast, hence Chandler Tamast Bing.  Seriously, I cannot even describe how cute this kitten is!  He is very cuddly, and our favorite game is what I like to call “lovefest,” where he curls up on me purring while I pet him for infinite periods of time.  Makes both of us happy!  I am proud of how he has held up over the traumatizing experiences the past few days.  First, I separated the poor guy from his mom, brought him in this big scary plastic cat carrier, squished him in multiple taxis in the scorching heat to my site.  We spent the first night at my site at my midwife’s house, so little Chandler was getting settled when I uprooted him again yesterday to take him to my house.  And then I tortured him a bit more by giving him a bath and picking off lots of icky fleas.  Needless to say, I think he has forgiven me, although he gets nervous at loud sounds.  And he picked up the litter box thing in less than a day!  My smart little kitty!

 

I feel like a parent bragging about her child!  J So back to Ramadan.  Day 1 was the travel day from Taroudant to my site, and wow, that was tough!  Fasting means nothing can pass your lips from the morning prayer (4:30am) until the 2nd to last prayer (7pm).  This includes food, water, even brushing your teeth.  So my first waterless day was horrible, but it has gotten progressively easier.  You break fast as soon as you hear the evening prayer call.  Traditionally here, people break fast with dates and a glass of water.  Then they eat harira (a light soup), figs, bread, and shebekia (a DELICIOUS pastry made especially during Ramadan).  After 15 hours, all I wanted to do is drink 20 liters of water, but I was warned that I could get very sick very easily that way. 

 

A little later in the evening, people make dinner (10pm-ish), usually a filling tajine.  Then its off to bed!  4am is wakeup time, to eat before another day of fasting begins.  I think most people eat tajine or couscous in the morning, but so far I’ve avoided too much heavy food.  Its hard to force meat and vegetables at 4am!  And then its back to bed and fasting begins.  And people are so generous and welcoming during Ramadan.  I mean, Morocco is generally a very hospitable country, but during Ramadan, families and friends come together to break fast together.  I broke fast the first day with my midwife, I will today at my host family’s house, and tomorrow at some extended family’s in souk.  It truly is a great experience.  

 

It is just so interesting, because the whole country changes for Ramadan.  Work hours change to 9-3, since there is no lunch break, cafes are closed, and people are just a little calmer and move a little slower.  And stores stock up on dates, figs, and shebekia.  It makes me think of my muslim friends back home who fast.  It is hard enough to fast when everyone around you is doing the same thing, but if the person next to you is chowing down on Taco Bell while you are fasting?  Can’t even imagine!

 

In other news, I am sure word has gotten around, my wristlet was stolen a few weeks ago in Agadir.  Of course, it happened to not only have all of my money and my credit cards, but my passport too.  Now, I welcome any lectures regarding the wisdom of my friend and I walking to our hotel at 5am instead of taking a taxi.  Fortunately, she was able to lend me some money, and my parents were able to wire me some more, so the following week I headed up to Casablanca (its far!!) to apply for a new passport.  Ironically, a friend who accompanied me to Casa and I had to spend an extra night since the US Consulate took longer than we expected, and we ended up in a hotel with TVs in room.  Which meant I got to see the first night of the Democratic National Convention.  We stayed up until 4:00am in order to watch Michelle Obama give her fabulous speech.  There was so little drama surrounding the DNC, and it seems I can’t say the same about the RNC……..

 

Well I am off to do some lesson planning, since I will be starting health lessons in the local primary schools and junior high in October.  And hey, only 6 ½ hours until I can break fast!