Best Foot Forward

Bird resting in mosque window

Teaching yoga at Woman's Association

New socks and converse

Teacher at the Woman's Association

Teaching yoga to girls at the Dar Taliba

Sign entrance to the Dar Taliba

Things still blooming here

 Woman in classroom at Association

 Tricia  at IST Suq Prom

Larissa at IST suq Prom

Beautiful High Atlas Mountain view

My Village

Christmas box from home

A little American pride

There is a lot of construction in the village

My Christmas tree

New handwoven hat for Christmas

 New coat rack 

Christmas was better than I expected. It was spent with good friends in Tauoma. Two volunteers from the Health staj attended and I had the opportunity to get to know them better as they traveled from Kaalat Maguna region, South near Ouarzazate. An American joined us from from Boulder, he is a friend of  one of the volunteers visiting Morocco for the first time. Together, we prepared and ate an amazing meal of spiced potatoes, coliflower pie, chicken tajine, stuffing, apple bread, apple-prune sauce, cheese and toasted almonds, hot chocolate, wine and dark chocolate. We definitely don't disappoint. As we ate late, around 12am, the latest dinner I've ever had, we passed the time playing fun games, chatted, talked about our traditional holidays in the states and watched, 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' and 'The Grinch Stole Christmas'. I was so tired, I could hardly keep my eyes open... The next day, I  visited the Woman's Netti in Tauoma which was a treat to see handmade rugs, pottery and purses, all of which I wanted to buy. Back in my village, I received a few letters, postcards and packages from home which made Christmas feel special. The first time I was pick pocketed was when I returned home in the suq bus. I saw a young man with his hand in my sweater pocket as he was sitting on a seat while I was standing up. I waited because I knew what was inside my pocket, a gross freshly used Kleenex with snot all over it... As he quickly removed his hand after grabbing the wet Kleenex, he was surprised! I made eye contact with him. I said, "God is watching you", he said, "you are Moroccan". We both laughed and he shook my hand as I got off the bus. When I got home from traveling, I received several gifts from community members; fresh oil from the man that sells me nuts, earrings from the teacher at the Association, fresh fruit from a local hanut and a jacket from my family. I feel very blessed to be here over and over again. It's all the little things that make this place special and makes me feel alive and appreciated. I am often reminded that no matter how less fortunate we think we are, there are others who are even less fortunate. Looking back and letting go of 2011, many changes took place, not an easy transition from leaving family and a life I loved behind in order to try something new. Moving forward into 2012, I am looking to all the new challenges I face with openness, a sense of humor, gratitude and courage.