Happy Inauguration Day

I hear the weather in Chicago has been, lets say, a bit cold (?) recently? I have complained that living through a winter without any form of heating is difficult but after hearing about the subzero temperatures in Chi-town, I retract any complaints. Yes, my site can get very cold, windy, and rainy, but for the equivalent of $4, I can get to Agadir, where I spent this past weekend. It was about 80 degrees the whole weekend…..I even got sunburned. Not that I am gloating or anything. Just saying. ☺

I was in Agadir for my friend Michelle’s birthday, and we had a great time lying by the beach and catching up with PCV friends who live in other regions.

I had to go late to this get-togethr, due to idurnan, the holiday we celebrated in my site on Friday. Apparently this was neither a national holiday or a regional holiday. It was an Erin’s site holiday. So I spent the day with my host family, cooking, making bghrid and shfinj, a pancake like thing with a million holes, and fried donuts, respectively. Talk about goooood food. We also did henna, so I have a new design on my hands.

Currently I am in Tiznit for inauguration day. We are planning a themed party, with Kenyan food, Chicago-style pizza, and Hawaiian pizza. I also have to make a stop by the Ministry of Education. Last week a couple of the women in my village as well as the local teacher came to me asking if I can use my relative influence to get a teacher sent to my village. Since the beginning of the school year, there has only been one teacher at the school-a French teacher. Therefore, the students are not learning any Arabic and are falling way behind. The idea is that being a foreigner, I will be able to go into the Ministry and talk directly with the delegue. We shall see how this goes.

I wish I could take credit for the pictures of my house, but unfortunately I am not that technologically capable. So kudos to Dad for it! Very cool!