'Tiwizi'; Community Spirit

Traditional hummam or bathhouse

Chicken and fries with olives

Traveling has become second nature

Moroccan man loading food on top of bus

Caught a quick glimpse of two men waiting at the bus stop

The taxi dilemma, which one, where and how much?

Moroccan dish called 'fisa', lentils, chicken and msinmn bread

Girls at the college, English class

Different teas, mint, nah nah, sheba, louisa

Standard Moroccan ovens called; 'foran'

Village friend has a baby, 3 months old named Sara 

Village boy poses for photo with  rabbit

Mom and baby making tajine and bread

Another carpet started

My apartment complex, middle unit

Afternoon grass in field behind my apartment

Finished carpets

Tents where nomads are moving through the village

 Large snap peas called; 'fol'

Yes, every now and then I have a coffee out at a cafe

I have been very busy teaching English and yoga and putting together lesson plans. The Woman's Association has begun and it has been a pleasure teaching primarily yoga and health lessons there three times a week. There are about ten woman so far and will likely grow. I have asked them to help me better understand their culture by teaching me some of the local crafts, they seem excited to get started. I spent the last several days meeting with the Delegue in Kalaa where I am awaiting official documents and papers to be stamped in order to teach in the school. It's not an easy process. I was pleased to understand our conversation and tell him my goals within my community and mission with Peace Corps. I have been enjoying gatherings with neighbors and families in the village from time to time. Slowly, I have been continuing to furnish my place or get the necessities I need to make my life more comfortable here. I  am happy and am looking forward to continued tutoring with a local English teacher, my colleague whom lives closer than my last tutor. I am looking forward to spending Christmas with good friends in Tauoma the end of this week and sad to leave my community as things are really moving now. Perhaps missing the community is a good sign as it shows my dedication and love for where I am living and working. Community spirit is working it's best here as many seem to be working together and interested in my role here.    

Final Peace Corps Training; Mehdia and El Jadida

Marrakech Film Festival

Cindi Sued Hotel Door in Marrakech

Ginger Tea at Jamaa Elfna in Marrakech

Large Egret's in Kanitra

Stacked Toilets I found artistic  

Mehdia Sunset

Pink high-tops to add to my shoe collection

My imaginary future home in Mehdia

Beautiful Mehdia Sunsets

Teaching Yoga Evenings in Lobby At  Mehdia

The Mehdia Beach

Do you see what I see? A green roof...

El Jadida at night

Popcorn or ice cream, always tough, why not have both?

Fresh Eggs Galore

Neat Architecture 

El Jadida Beach

What is This, It's Alive!

Camels have the Cutest Eyelashes

Outside the Medina at El Jadida

Best Fish Meal on Beach

Fabulous Door

Artichoke and Turnips at Outdoor Market!

Fish and Crab everywhere, yumm...

Castle Like Architecture in El Jadida 

Girls at Dar Taliba in Village

Room Where I Teach

Hesna and Kadush in Kitchen

Where the Students Sleep

Graffiti in My Village                       

The last training called IST (In Service Training) means we as volunteers have successfully completed one third of our Peace Corps service. We received a lot of information on teaching in the classroom, standard goverment procedures as well as presentations from Peace Corps volunteers that had good advice for getting started as many of the volunteers don't have work yet in their villages. We also heard from the US water and Forest Department and their role in Morocco and opportunities for when our service ends. It was great to see many fellow volunteers that sadly, I may not see again as our site locations are very far from one another. The next checkpoint will be medical checkups in May which will be my one year anniversary as a volunteer. I am continuing to enjoy seeing different places in Morocco and learning new things and am looking forward to spending the Christmas and Hanukkah holiday with friends in Touama. Teaching lessons and final authorization to teach in the school has arrived and I am eager to get started with yet another teaching program this week. My schedule has tripled in terms of work and it looks as though I may be teaching Monday-Saturday. When it rains it pours.. As the Woman's Association is still on hold, I have enough to keep me busy with a nice balance of work, travel and play. I am delighted...

'Nqta b Nqta Kay Hml l-wad'; "Drop by Drop the River Rises"

Yoga

For sale at souk

Young adorable student

My favorite short friend

Time for hair Henna again

Learning the bread process

Mother and daughter gathering grain from the field

Beautiful flowers still have life this winter

Dog and sheep are friends

Disabled man in village

As things are unfolding, I am allowing it to happen. I was grateful to be approached by a disabled man in my village that wants me to help him get a wheelchair, the new term is; karota, Darija Arabic. Through a bit of research, I am working with a man from Italy who works for a non-profit company that will help me get a wheel chair sent to my village. I have been teaching a combination of English and yoga to 48 girls at the Dar Taliba three times a week. I go in the early evenings and am usually greeted by the girls ages 12-17, then have tea and coffee bread and olives with the President, Mudir and kitchen staff. Afterwards I head to the lecture hall where the girls are quiet and attentive. I feel very welcomed there. As it’s dark by the time I go home a nice man walks me to my apartment which makes me feel very supported here. The Dar Taliba is a place for girls who don’t live in the village a safe place to study and are provided housing close to school. Many of them are from very rural areas where there are no schools. Most of them have a strict schedule, arise at 6am, pray, study, breakfast, clean, go to school and come back after where I then teach them, dinner and lights out by 9pm. I am still waiting for clearance to work in the schools and the process in Morocco is tedious in order to do so waiting for all the authorizations and paperwork. The Woman’s association is on hold until this month before it gets up and running again. There are two schools in my village, one is an elementary school which my neighbor teaches at and the other is the college which is more like high-school. The younger children are placed in the Woman’s Association where they learn the basics. I visit them at least once a week. All the kids wear different colored coats depending on where they attend school. One new project aside from the wheelchair is helping my village with funding for a patisserie in the center of town where there seems to be interest and a need. The nearest patisserie is about a 20 minute bus or taxi ride away. With the center of town being a major bus stop for tourists it would bring in good revenue not to mention all the locals that would utilize it. I recently learned the town just received a communal oven to bake bread which will help those who can’t afford ovens or are too ill to prepare in their own homes. I am fully embracing this teaching experience and lke it a lot, I am grateful it comes natural.