Pack your swim suits because your coming to visit me on the beach. I got my site last night and found out that I will be in the Essaouira Province 25km from the beach which is like 16 miles!!!!! I am so bumped, I cant tell you my exact site but ask my dad if you want to know. I am so ELATED!!! Dad I am not going to the desert! My site has similar weather to San Diego I think. I am leaving tomorrow to go to my site we spend the night in Essa and then we will be at our sites on Sunday. I will be meeting and staying with my new host family until Thursday night. My host family has two daughters one 15 and one 21, I have a mom and a dad that is a potter, and I have a grandma. Running water and electricity! I am replacing a current enviroment volunteer. I will be trying to work with maternal health!! I am really excited to be so close to Essa because they sit on the beach playing guitars and painting. There is also a music festival in Essa every June. Everyone start saving your nickels and dimes because you have to come visit me. Dad start doing some research.
I love you all and will have more to say when I return from this adventure.
Love you,
Emmy
I am so happy with where I am going to be for the next two years! This has been a very nerve racking experience. There are some people in my group that are totally bummed about their sites, huh.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Back from the Bled
The bled is what we all call the country it is similiar to those reservation towns we drive through to get to Duluth. I had a better time this time around and my family was a little better.
Nikki called me one of the nights at 3:30 AM and it was wonderful because I know my family was wondering what was happening through my mud hut ways at this hour.
I had a funny moment with my family on our day off when they asked me what my parents names were and when I got to my moms name which is Nikki they were so confused because Nikki in arabic and in Tashleheet means me or I and they were so confused when I kept saying I know I understand what you are asking but my moms real name is Nikki.
I also got to witness a Moroccan love affair which is real wierd when you arent allowed to talk to boys. On my day off I went for a walk in the fields with my host sisters and we got to this point in the walk where we just sat for a real long time. Then my host sister Suad disappeared to meet her igran (field) boyfriend. My Peace Corps friend Anneka and I were told not to say anything because Suad would get into big trouble for talking to a boy. I think I had a relationship like this when I was in third grade; Suad is 26. I asked if they kiss when they visit each other but my sister Hafida told me Moroccan girls dont do that. Oh how Americans are so different.
I find out my site on Friday morning. This is the site that I will be living in for the next two years of my life. I will keep you all informed; I know you probably are just as anxious as I am :) I will be seeing that site for the first time on Saturday.
No Sachel I have not got my donkey yet but there are a plethera to choose from here. If I get one I will definetely send you all a picture. I dont know if I will call him skipper though.
Life is good.
I love you all;
Emmy
Nikki called me one of the nights at 3:30 AM and it was wonderful because I know my family was wondering what was happening through my mud hut ways at this hour.
I had a funny moment with my family on our day off when they asked me what my parents names were and when I got to my moms name which is Nikki they were so confused because Nikki in arabic and in Tashleheet means me or I and they were so confused when I kept saying I know I understand what you are asking but my moms real name is Nikki.
I also got to witness a Moroccan love affair which is real wierd when you arent allowed to talk to boys. On my day off I went for a walk in the fields with my host sisters and we got to this point in the walk where we just sat for a real long time. Then my host sister Suad disappeared to meet her igran (field) boyfriend. My Peace Corps friend Anneka and I were told not to say anything because Suad would get into big trouble for talking to a boy. I think I had a relationship like this when I was in third grade; Suad is 26. I asked if they kiss when they visit each other but my sister Hafida told me Moroccan girls dont do that. Oh how Americans are so different.
I find out my site on Friday morning. This is the site that I will be living in for the next two years of my life. I will keep you all informed; I know you probably are just as anxious as I am :) I will be seeing that site for the first time on Saturday.
No Sachel I have not got my donkey yet but there are a plethera to choose from here. If I get one I will definetely send you all a picture. I dont know if I will call him skipper though.
Life is good.
I love you all;
Emmy
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Reinvigorated
Thank you everyone for your post they made me smile and laugh out loud in this Moroccan cyber cafe I am currently sitting in.
I make myself laugh because after I wrote my previous blog I returned to my hotel and no one was there and most of you think I would have been elated to finally get that alone time I claimed to be yearning for. Well the opposite thing happened I sat down and started to text all of my friends asking them where they were and didnt know what in the world to do with myself. I am doing great and disregard all that was said in that post.
On Sunday I had a day off and went to a Hamam which is a bathing house it is hard to explain but is was pretty cool until a couple of globs of hair passed me by and we all know how much I hate hair. But as with everything I told myself to suck it up and pretend it doesnt exist.
I have been training for the past couple of days on water stuff and today we talked about toilets or the lack there of. For part of it we had a squatty potty carnival with games and I won the game called drop the durham in the whole. I will explain I had to put a durham which is like a quarter between my butt cheeks and drop the durham in the little hole in the squatty potty - everyone cheered, I love that this is the highlight of my life right now.
I am leaving for my language town tomorrow and will return on next Wednesday. I will update you all about my life. I finally find out my site on the 25th which is all I think about these days.
I love you all and I am in great spirits these days.
Love
Emmy
Nikki I need your address again
I make myself laugh because after I wrote my previous blog I returned to my hotel and no one was there and most of you think I would have been elated to finally get that alone time I claimed to be yearning for. Well the opposite thing happened I sat down and started to text all of my friends asking them where they were and didnt know what in the world to do with myself. I am doing great and disregard all that was said in that post.
On Sunday I had a day off and went to a Hamam which is a bathing house it is hard to explain but is was pretty cool until a couple of globs of hair passed me by and we all know how much I hate hair. But as with everything I told myself to suck it up and pretend it doesnt exist.
I have been training for the past couple of days on water stuff and today we talked about toilets or the lack there of. For part of it we had a squatty potty carnival with games and I won the game called drop the durham in the whole. I will explain I had to put a durham which is like a quarter between my butt cheeks and drop the durham in the little hole in the squatty potty - everyone cheered, I love that this is the highlight of my life right now.
I am leaving for my language town tomorrow and will return on next Wednesday. I will update you all about my life. I finally find out my site on the 25th which is all I think about these days.
I love you all and I am in great spirits these days.
Love
Emmy
Nikki I need your address again
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Worn out
I have officially become very worn out from this process of training and learning a language I feel like I will never grasp. I miss all of my friends and family and hope I will not be forgotten. I am doing good though; I know this is what I signed up for and life is good but I need you all to know that I have become tired.
With that said I will explain. I just spent seven days with my host family who has become frustrated with me because I am not fluent in Tashleheet after ten days of training. They laugh at me like I am an idiot and I just want to remind them that I have a college degree and they are the ones who are illiterate. Everyday for the last week I spend nine hours in a classroom learning Tash and then I go home to speak these words that in my head become a cluster of phrases and all I can rememeber is Mnshk alkiman which means what time is it. You can only ask that so many times before they start to question your sanity.
Another one of my current frustrations is I have not spent one moment alone for the past six weeks. I spent the past seven days in a group which I love for the most part except there are some personalities that feel the need to control everything and I dont like to be controlled.
I know this is what I signed up for and being uncomfortable is part of it. I am in the Peace Corps to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. I can officially say I am not there yet after one month of training.
I just wanted to let you know the truths of my life.
I will conclude in saying that I am grateful to be given this experience so I can realize the simple things in life are what matter. I am also grateful that American where I can sit on a toilet and sleep in a bed. I am officially learning the discomforts of being in the Peace Corps. Dad I know as you read this you are smiling because you know this is exactly what I need in my life. I know this is what I need in my life.
I love you all and keep in touch,
Emmy
Dont worry about me all of my discomforts are the reason I decided to join the Peace Corps. What doesnt kill you makes you stronger; right.
With that said I will explain. I just spent seven days with my host family who has become frustrated with me because I am not fluent in Tashleheet after ten days of training. They laugh at me like I am an idiot and I just want to remind them that I have a college degree and they are the ones who are illiterate. Everyday for the last week I spend nine hours in a classroom learning Tash and then I go home to speak these words that in my head become a cluster of phrases and all I can rememeber is Mnshk alkiman which means what time is it. You can only ask that so many times before they start to question your sanity.
Another one of my current frustrations is I have not spent one moment alone for the past six weeks. I spent the past seven days in a group which I love for the most part except there are some personalities that feel the need to control everything and I dont like to be controlled.
I know this is what I signed up for and being uncomfortable is part of it. I am in the Peace Corps to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. I can officially say I am not there yet after one month of training.
I just wanted to let you know the truths of my life.
I will conclude in saying that I am grateful to be given this experience so I can realize the simple things in life are what matter. I am also grateful that American where I can sit on a toilet and sleep in a bed. I am officially learning the discomforts of being in the Peace Corps. Dad I know as you read this you are smiling because you know this is exactly what I need in my life. I know this is what I need in my life.
I love you all and keep in touch,
Emmy
Dont worry about me all of my discomforts are the reason I decided to join the Peace Corps. What doesnt kill you makes you stronger; right.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Q and A
Sachel has commented on my blog and brought to my attention that I have failed to tell you all what Morocco is really like. So here it goes the people are very nice but dont really know how to treat Americans. Meaning that when I go to the bled (countryside) they stare and watch every move that you make. I have been told by other volunteers you become a celebrity in your community and the surrounding communities. I have spent most of you time here in a conference room training but from my little contact with the people they are extremely nice and will take great care of me.The people in the city are different they whistle and holler at us and say bon jour because they assume we are french.
Moroccans are very conservative and dont show any skin and being a Muslim is their number one priority. It is kind of admirable the devotion they have for God here. I am very interested in learning more about the Muslim culture.
The food is ok there are a lot of vegetables because meat is expensive for the poor. I am doing good though and eating one tomatoe a day and I have dabbled with some peppers and onions and cucumbers too. I dont think I will ever get to the point of craving a salad.
I dont know exactly what my job is going to be yet but I have ideas it will range from teaching kids in schools to brush their teeth and wash their hands or I could be doing prenatal care or water projects or TB stuff. From what I gather it is up to me to decide what I am interested in, I dont know what that is yet. I am hoping to work in a weavng community and to start an association to help them sell their rugs; this is considered a secondary project.
Language I will be speaking Tashlheit which is an ancient berber language. I am working on it and no Sachel I dont sit in the corner and freak out when they speak to me. I bought a cell phone the other day in Arabic; if that proves anything.
My phone number 01121252964454 Call me anytime.
Sachel I hope I answered all of your questions.
I love you all
Emmy
I am doing good besides the fact that I am battling a cold. Back to training and sitting in that conference room; today prepares me for tomorrow.
Moroccans are very conservative and dont show any skin and being a Muslim is their number one priority. It is kind of admirable the devotion they have for God here. I am very interested in learning more about the Muslim culture.
The food is ok there are a lot of vegetables because meat is expensive for the poor. I am doing good though and eating one tomatoe a day and I have dabbled with some peppers and onions and cucumbers too. I dont think I will ever get to the point of craving a salad.
I dont know exactly what my job is going to be yet but I have ideas it will range from teaching kids in schools to brush their teeth and wash their hands or I could be doing prenatal care or water projects or TB stuff. From what I gather it is up to me to decide what I am interested in, I dont know what that is yet. I am hoping to work in a weavng community and to start an association to help them sell their rugs; this is considered a secondary project.
Language I will be speaking Tashlheit which is an ancient berber language. I am working on it and no Sachel I dont sit in the corner and freak out when they speak to me. I bought a cell phone the other day in Arabic; if that proves anything.
My phone number 01121252964454 Call me anytime.
Sachel I hope I answered all of your questions.
I love you all
Emmy
I am doing good besides the fact that I am battling a cold. Back to training and sitting in that conference room; today prepares me for tomorrow.
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