April Vacation

Also, I had a really AMAZING trip with my family in April. And Spring camp. And hanging out with Liz Chon. More on this later. :D :D :D For now, goodnight!

@Mom, see? I'm fixing it. 

Feeeeeeeeeeeelings.

Hey all,

So I saw that it's been quite a while since my last post. Sometimes I think that if you don't have anything really worth saying, then it's probably better not to write it down at all. This statement, at least to me, sort of sums up the last few months.

I am now entering into the last 5 months of service. Thinking about this makes my head sort of reel. Didn't I just get here? I've now started having thoughts about future plans. It's so crazy. I felt for the longest time, all I needed to think about was the next project, the next event, or the next class that I needed to prepare for.  I'm also thinking about the near future in Morocco and how I've still not seen a lot of places here. I think it's time for me to start using those vacation days. I mean, there's the blue city of Chefchaouen that I've never been to, and I'm dying to go. I'd also like to go up north, and check out Tanger, Tetouan, and maybe even try and go to the Spanish holdings up on the Mediterranean coast. I'm really looking forward to this summer. I'm going to try my hardest to get out of T-town and leave the heat behind me. As I was walking by the bank today, the thermometer said it was 41 degrees Celsius already (which is about 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Yikes, it's time for me to take a hike out of the south. 

Speaking of T-town as a hot place, I think it's making everybody tired and slightly cranky. As much as I get lots of positive reinforcement from community members about me being active and teaching, etc. I get the occasional negative comment such as: oh yeah, well, of course, you're a spy or why aren't you wearing a jelaba (Moroccan formal wear-think Jedi robe with hood). I think perhaps, the purpose of this blog today, is for me to vent but also to show that this whole total experience can be mystifying. Sometimes, I'll be having a conversation and I'll feel pretty happy and that things are going swimmingly, and then out of nowhere, someone will point out that I have this huge pimple on my face, and then frankly ask me what is wrong with my face. 

Sometimes Morocco tests my patience.

Sometimes Morocco can be exhilarating. 

I was thinking the other day that if I didn't have commitments at home (aka, a boyfriend, family, etc), I think I might be tempted to stay here for another year. I mean, the life here is pretty great. I can sleep a ton, have my own house, spends copious amounts of time on exercise, making interesting meals, reading books, etc. I also have these amazing days like yesterday, when the association I work with had a good old picnic day at the local lake. We played games, spent lots of time in the sun, went for a walk, played in the water. I think this day will probably one of my favorite memories. I especially like thinking about walking to the water with a bunch of  little girls who wanted to hold my hands. I mean, it's really crazy to think that I can walk through the town, and I hear a ton of little kids all yelling my name so that they can wave at me or come kiss my cheek. That makes me feel pretty special. 

Nevertheless, I seem to always be having some reflection going on in the back of my head. I love hanging out with these kids, and I occasionally enjoy teaching English, but I do miss my own culture. I don't think about home as much as I used to. I would say that I'm used to things as they are here. I don't think about grocery stores like I used to but I did manage to have my first dream about ice-cream sundaes the other day. I'm surprised I haven't had the dream before, honestly. Well anywho, thanks for listening to all my crazy thoughts. Until next time, keep it real kiddos. 

It's finally time....

To party! The camp was a huge success!!!! Not only were 14 Peace Corps Volunteers (including myself), 8 Moroccan ladies, and a few men from the association empowered, but so were 37 girls from T-town and the villages! 

The first day of the camp went by pretty smoothly. All 37 girls arrived by 10 a.m. and we had our opening ceremony where we handed out badges, folders, pens, and ran over the schedule with the girls. We had a representative come from the next big city to talk to the girls about abuse and issues common for Moroccan women. Then the next hour we had the girls take a career path test, to help them decide what work could be in their futures. Then after lunch, the campers  did two more workshops on women's rights and goal setting. Both workshops were lead by Peace Corps Volunteers but supported by Moroccan staff.  The day went by so fast, before I knew it, it was dinner time! Before bed, we managed to squeeze in a film about career motivated women in Morocco. I really wanted this girls to know that if they wanted, they could go out and support their families!

The second day was also pretty fast paced. We had more guest speakers and a field trip. We had women from the local midwife association speak to the girls about the facility where they could give birth and recover and then all the girls saw the local birthing house. I thought seeing the birthing house was important to the girls since so many of them will likely stay in or near T-town and be having babies here. Also, the girls attended a health workshop lead by another Peace Corps Volunteer and a local doctor. And, much to the happiness of the girls, there was a natural beauty workshop. The girls learned how to make their own hand scrub from lotion and sugar and a face mask from natural yogurt, parsley, and cucumber. Then the girls had the evening to party and sing their songs, because of course, 16 year old girls LOVE to sing in front of all of their friends. I am not joking. The singing and dancing went on for like two hours before bed, haha. 

The third day was probably the lest hectic day of the camp. We got up, ate breakfast, did a dance and henna workshop. Even the national news came to check us out. If you want to see a clip, click here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=242430759169118 

Sorry, it's all in Arabic, but it's me and my counterpart and a few of the girls saying that we loved the camp and would love to do it again next year. 

Then we lunched and had a 3.5 hour award ceremony. I kid you not, these things are impressive in length. My counterpart had a bunch of little kids come and do dances and songs for the girls. But the girls themselves were not to be outdone! They h of skits and dances for everyone as well. There were a lot of community members there and it really made an impact on everyone who attended the ceremony. 

When the girls and volunteers finally did go home, I felt like I could finally breathe again. I think this experience really made an impact for me and I learned a lot of valuable lessons on management, scheduling, designing a camp like this, and how to affect and empower girls from small villages. I think this camp is probably the defining week for my service here in Morocco. The girls were seriously interested in goal setting and women's rights. These young girls want to have successful and interesting lives! I sincerely hope that they take all the information they learned here and take it to the villages. 

And now it's time for me and my counterpart to thank everyone and pay all the vendors. It's all part and parcel of writing a grant and doing a successful project. I'm still beaming from accomplishing this event. 

Here are some photos from the camp:

All of us together!

Here's a great shot of Liz and Abby leading morning aerobics for the girls. 

Here is Hannah in the cha-cha line with all the girls. 

And here is team T-town-otherwise known as my best friend Simo, myself, my sitemate Sairah, and my counterpart Abdelaaziz. We're standing in front of the Dar taliba (the girls boarding school. The sign says that this is a 3 day camp supported and run by Peace Corps and Ahlam Taffoula (Abdelaaziz's association) and funded by Peace Corps and the International Rotary Club). Thanks Rotary, Peace Corps donors, and Ahlam Taffoula!

And seriously, for those of you who funded this grant, (Including Rotary International) God bless your parents! You are amazing! You helped empower and inspire everyone who was a part of this camp. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The day before the camp!

Hamdullilah (Thanks be to God)! It's January and that means we have been rushing around in a flurry of activity preparing for the camp.  In the last two months, El Jallali Abdelaaziz (my counterpart) and I have been having meetings everyday, crossing our 't's and dotting our 'i's for this three day camp. 

This is a picture of me, my site-mate and my counterpart (Seated in front of the computer). 

Let's go over a checklist of all the things me and my counterpart have been doing.

• We've been talking to all the women who are: going to be counselors for the camp.
• I've been coordinating between all the Peace Corps Volunteer girls who want to be joint counselors activity leaders.
• We've been arranging spaces for all of us (that is a total of 85 people all told. I know the camp is for 50 girls, but that is plus 14 Peace Corps Volunteers, 3 kitchen people, 8 Moroccan Women Counselors, and a few members from the association that I work with.)
• We've sent out faxes and called local tv stations to get media to cover the camp.
• Gathered the permission slips of 50 girls and acquired the permission from their fathers (No small feat for girls from very small, conservative villages.
• Printed 100's of pages for girl empowerment workshops
• Finalized and handed out the order slips for the food for the camp (this seemed to take the most time out of everything else).

This is the majority of last week's activities. But let's also quickly preview the program for the camp:

This weekend on Saturday the 28th, all the Moroccan and American volunteers will meet before the camp so that they can become acquainted with each other and do a general introduction of activities, rules, and expectations of the camp.

Sunday, the 29th, is the beginning of the camp! The campers come at 10am, and then it's introductions, the outline of the camp, lunch, and then the workshops begin. The workshops on the first day cover a range of topics like women's rights, a personality test, and a guest speaker from an organization against violence. We're also showcasing the Moroccan and Peace Corps Volunteer film called, 'You Can Dream,' which interviews empowered Moroccan women who are working. 

Monday the 30th, is more of the same, but with a woman doctor and a midwife from the area who are going to talk about their experiences. There will also be workshops on health and a henna workshop!

Tuesday the 31st is actually a really fun day. We're having workshops on dancing and on how to make natural makeup. We're also having a party and an award ceremony for all the girls. My counterpart has also asked the children he works with to do a dance for the older girls. And then after that, the girls will return home. I think this camp is going to absolutely swimmingly. I am really excited and am keeping my fingers crossed. 

T-town is really pulling this camp off and I'm so proud to say that this project is not just a dream but an actual working experience for all the participants involved.

Wish me luck! 

 

Actually, this is gross.

So today has been stimulating and sort of soul crushing.

I mean, it started out alright. I came to Rabat this last week because I chipped a cap on my molar and had gone to see the dentist. I left this morning on the train and then transfered to a taxi in order to get to my friend's site. I got into the taxi with two seemingly very nice little girls and their dad. Now, have I actually ever told you what it's like to ride in a taxi in Morocco? Just in case I haven't, you're in a normal sized sedan, with 6-8 people in it. Usually 7, but in hard times, more. This means that you're usually squished either in between the driver and the stick shift (think: stick shift continually shifting where your hip is resting) or you're squished between a variety of fun people (think anywhere from big Berber mommas to very skinny men). It's a regular box of chocolates; you never know what yer gonna get.

Anywho, I thought today's trip was going to be a breeze. Two pumpkin sized children who were napping and the father was looking out the window. I wasn't smushed or bothered at all. I really only had a 45 minute taxi ride from the train station to my friend's town. Lo and behold, 5 minutes until my friend's town and tragedy strikes. Not only do I look out the window in my happy reverie to see an over-turned vegetable truck! but little squirt has actually dumped the contents of her lunch on my white pants. The only time I wear white pants in this country and it was disaster. I'm actually pretty confident that my wearing of the white vestments actually challenged the universe and the only thing the universe could do was but smite me in it's deeply self-pleasing and ego-centric way. You ever know notice how the universe only cares about itself? It's down right un-conscientious.

I do feel bad for the kid though.

So, anyways, after meeting up with Liz in one of my most disgruntled moods, I basically ran to her house and hosed myself down. Then I washed my pants with tide, then bleach, and then more tide. They are currently drying over the window. This is really an unfortunate matter concerning clothes here....I mean, either they're ripped, gross, or covered in God knows what. I really do think that dressing like a hobo here has its own sense of propriety. At least it's modest. 

So, on my way to Rabat for a yearly medical exam, I have stopped at my friend Liz's site near Casablanca to help her with a project. We have also had some time to make some freakishly delicious food. I know I talk a lot about food but I think it's because it's something I really miss a lot since I'm not at home for the holidays. Needless to say we've been making orange chicken, teriyaki beef, and most importantly today apple turnovers. Not only did we make applesauce to go into the turnovers but we were listening to Christmas music while making them. 

Liz enjoying orange chicken (which we called for sake of the dish, but it's actually orange turkey)

Watching Liz cook the turnovers on the stove. You never know what cool things you can do with a stove until you don't have an oven. 

Liz wanted to give a box of applesauce and turnovers to her shop keeper who lives nearby.

Well now that we gave the turnovers to the nice hanut lady, she invited Liz and I to her house. Hooray! She happened to have a bunch of family who lived upstairs and they had a baby. They let me hold the baby and I got to coo at it! I was stoked, haha. And then of course we watched the baby naming ceremony they had on dvd. Basically an Usbu3 (baby naming ceremony) is a party where everyone comes to the house and greets the newly-named baby. So, why are we watching a baby-naming party? Generally at parties or weddings there will be someone taping everyone and the bride and groom or baby and mother. Therefore, you can show every friend and relative who wasn't at the party what they missed! 

And thus ends another good day here in Morocco. :D

Girls Empowerment Camp

Since September, I've been working with my counterpart, El Jallali Abdelaaziz on designing and funding a Girls Empowerment Camp. I walked into the Dar Chebab (Youth Center) one day in September and we sat down and I asked him if he thought it was a good idea to make a camp whose goals were to encourage education, employment, and self-reliance among Moroccan teenage girls. The camp will be held at the end of January during the winter break holiday at the local girls' boarding school. The 50 attending girls are from my town and the surrounding rural villages, ages 15-17. Jallali and I have asked a female doctor, lawyer, and  leader of a carpet cooperative, all from my area, to speak to the girls. I have also asked 10 other Peace Corps Volunteers to come to the camp to help implement activities such as discussions on women's right's career development, women's health, and of course, dancing. The camp is also designed to empower more adult women in my community. I have asked for 10 women from the community to pair with a volunteer so that they may better instruct the girls through each activity.

Honestly, Jallali has been meeting me almost every day to help plan this camp and I'm pretty sure it could not have happened without him. He's helped me get this camp off the ground by turning in paperwork to the president of the community, arranging the camp space in the girls' boarding school, and talking to the ministry  of youth and sports about the camp. He's also been curious about writing his own grants, which in my opinion is fantastic. I am really looking forward to helping him make connections with various international and Moroccan organizations that will help him continue to do development projects. In my opinion, this is Peace Corps' goal number 1 in action (goal number 1 being: volunteers bringing technical assistance to interested countries).  

However, El Jallali and I are now looking for grantors, which happily, can be you dear reader! Feeling the Christmas spirit? Interested in International Women's rights? Why not donate to this camp and see the direct benefit to a camper's life? I invite you to donate to this project by clicking here: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=378-175

And of course, picture time: 

Here are the wall paintings that Rachel and I did during 3id K'bir (and talked about in a previous post). 'Bismillah' means, 'In the name of God.' You also say it when you eat and this is why we painted it in the kitchen. 

Here's the hand of Fatima we painted in Rachel's salon!

And here's me being ridiculous with Rachel's monster refrigerator. It's literally a monster. 

Do you see how ridiculously good our Thanksgiving was? It was SO good. Myself and a bunch of other volunteers celebrated Thanksgiving at Rachel's (another volunteer who lives close to me). We even had bacon-wrapped turkey! Egads!

And, of course, during 3id k'bir (the big holiday) I got bored and made pickles. :D They were delicious!!

So now you've seen some holiday fun with us. Please support our holiday fun by donating to my grant! You'll have my thanks forever, and if you tell me you donated, I can send you something neat in the mail! 

:D :D :D