March Bike Tour

Marrakech Airport, meeting guests

Bivouac, Zagora

Windy Sahara

Drivers, Rachid and Brahim

Ich Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate

Ich Ben Haddou

Artist in Ouarzazate

Ich Ben Haddou resident kids

Tiz n Tichka Pass

View from the route

Ouirgane

Gloui Castle, Ouirgane

Hotel in Ouirgane

Dancing at Argan coop

Guide in Essaouia

Women in Essa

Essa dog

Making tajine with drivers in Essa

Marrakech women

Essaouira coast

Marrakech Garden

Visit In Fes

Cafe Clock, Fes

'Feefla Harra', hot peppers

Local man and his donkey

Donna and tannery

Local man on roof

In front of Mosque, Fes

Tannery purses

Medina, Fes old purses

Eggs in medina for sale

Donna and me inside carpet and scarf store

Inside medina looking over the tannery

Local cat lady in medina

Inside carpet shop

We met up with another Peace Corps volunteer

Cats on top of hanut, owner feeds them

Just before COS in Rabat, Donna and I visited Fes to meet up with Vicky, my friend from Lafayette, Colorado. It was so nice to see a familiar face from the states. Vicky and her friend, Jane, visited Morocco for a few days seeing both Marrakech and Fes. We showed them around and attended a tour of the windy medina in Fes. As the sights and smells loured them in, I was able to describe my experience and give them more details on Moroccan culture and traditions. It rained, but it didn't stop us from going out. We saw the great tanneries and medina, stopping more than once at Cafe Clock which was a pleasant and delicious experience.    

Close Of Peace Corps Service and More

Last health and environment staj, Morocco 2011-2013

Cat in medina

Clean bill of health, teeth

Staj mates celebrating

Leslie, site mate in Midelt

Friend, PCV, Maggie from Itzer and her new puppy, 'Suksu'

On a warm day for a walk in Midelt

Woman's and girls Empowerment and Yoga Seminar, Boumia

 Hiru snuggling

The past several weeks have been busy and full of activities, the main one being, 'Close Of Service' for those going home in my staj, both health and environment sectors serving as Peace Corps volunteers from 2011-2013. We spent a week in Rabat attending meetings and taking care of medical requirements in order to leave Morocco. I was glad to see friends that I most likely won't see again and am glad the festivities are over. Out of nearly 54 volunteers, four have been invited to continue serving a third year, myself included. I am looking forward to returning back to the states for the first time since I left 27 months ago. Things look promising for my return this late Spring. I was anxious to get back to my site in Midelt where I started work and a schedule and have still been unpacking. As things continue to move forward,  I have been dealing with several apartment problems with electricity, water and broken items while I am getting things set up for a more normal living environment. My apartment is older than the previous one. Two of the most recent activities have been with 'International Women's Day', participating in a day long 'Sexual Harassment' and 'Yoga' expo in a village close by called, 'Boumia' and with the local  'Netti Neswi' and their health week and many events one which I participated was aerobics and basketball. I am getting used to having people around me more frequently and have finally enjoyed some time alone.     

Moving in Morocco

Moving transit, 7 hours to Midelt

Saying goodbye to Ouargui, local hanut

Midelt, middle/high Atlas

'Hiru', kitty love......

Breakfasts on the roof with PCV and friend, Leslie; also, 'Leila'

Proud owner of a wood burning fireplace

 My apartment is connected to a mosque

Hiru on his favorite chair

Mounaim in salon with Hiru

On the way to suq market

    

Rainbow on the way to Itzer, a rural village nearby

What can I say? I made it to Midelt and have been getting settled over the past few weeks. Midelt is definatley city living with almost everything at my finger tips. The suq and food is abundant and community spread throughout with 60,000-65,000 people. Midelt is a gateway to Ouarzazate and the High Atlas mountains with a major road going to both. As it is considered a touristic town, there is an industry of local crafts, exporting of apples, fossils and environment national parks and education. Needless to say, Midelt is growing and is a overall healthy city with many locals interested in sports. Everyday I have been busy going different places, meeting new people and getting my apartment in order as well as getting together with other volunteers in rural communities just outside of Midelt. There have been many house repairs but things are getting fixed. There is so much opportunity here and I am getting a schedule together. I will be updating you on all the wonderful experiences that I will have in my third year in Morocco. In addition, I have a fabulous site mate who lives in the same apartment building who is from Lafayette, Colorado and we have a lot in common. We enjoy one another's company and have been sharing our healthy food recipes and doing our workouts together. Here's to celebrating one more year in Morocco with a whole new focus, friends and kitty!