Click here to see the photos.
Friday, November 27, 2009
ANOTHER 15 MINUTES OF FAME
AARP magazine recently published an article about the Peace Corps
with a profile on yours truly.
Here's the link.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
NEWS
We had all 8 of us piled into a taxi for our return trip to Emmy's house where we were staying for our training session. It was Ramadan and close to sundown and FOOD for those fasting was riding in our trunk. So everyone was eager to get home. 8 PCVs and a driver were already loaded when another devout fasting Muslim pleaded to join us. He climbed on our laps in the back seat & off we went over hills & valleys,and across streams, laughing & joking. Arriving just before the magic hour, we unfolded from the taxi all 9 of us and went to the trunk for our pizzas only to find 2 more "brothers" in the trunk with our Italian treat
Lo and behold we are finally off and running. October 15 marked the special day we, Brian, Blake and me, had a program at the primary school, MSMOEAT LMDRASA TANANT. We had met with the Director of the Ministry of Education and he was most gracious and gave us immediate authorization to work in all the schools in our towns, and called the permission so we could act at once. Fortunately we met the school's Mudir (principal) at the store and made arrangements to visit is the next day - October 15th! He took us to 6 classrooms where we talked about the 5 critcal reasons for hand washing with soap: Water alone does not kill germs, Washing with soap prevents the spread of germs, The most important times for washing are after using the bathroom and before eating, Children are agents of change and can influence others to use this practice, Many lives are saved, Lots of money is saved. We made our demonstration to 191 students! We plan a follow up next month.
Lo and behold we are finally off and running. October 15 marked the special day we, Brian, Blake and me, had a program at the primary school, MSMOEAT LMDRASA TANANT. We had met with the Director of the Ministry of Education and he was most gracious and gave us immediate authorization to work in all the schools in our towns, and called the permission so we could act at once. Fortunately we met the school's Mudir (principal) at the store and made arrangements to visit is the next day - October 15th! He took us to 6 classrooms where we talked about the 5 critcal reasons for hand washing with soap: Water alone does not kill germs, Washing with soap prevents the spread of germs, The most important times for washing are after using the bathroom and before eating, Children are agents of change and can influence others to use this practice, Many lives are saved, Lots of money is saved. We made our demonstration to 191 students! We plan a follow up next month.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
BIRTHDAY
Thank you all for the greetings on my birthday. We were at a training session for the Volunteer Support Network which counsels those who are having problems. There were 6 of us and 2 trainers all staying at Emmys house in Imintlt which is south of Essaouris on the Altantic coast. The water situation was pretty bleak, but she had a "waterboy" who twice a day refilled our water containers. The rest of it was a hoot. On my birthday they baked a large brownie topped with candles that wouldnt blow out! Nearly set fire to the Place amid gales of laughter. I had 44 emails, most of which I answered, and numerous text messages including one from our Director David Lille. The 8th was supposed to be a travel day homeward bound but I went with Kaitlin to the beach at Essaouria. And that was a treat. We bought ice cream cones and watched the ocean while we ate pizza. I spent the night at her house and returned home on the 9th, pooped but pleased with my 85th
Monday, August 17, 2009
DAILY LIFE
The following is from an email was sent to a dear friend, Fabienne Gauthier, who was inspired to become a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco as well:
A lot depends on your site. The first 2 months are intense training in culture, customs & language. (You might want to study Moroccan Arabic before you come. You'll probably learn one of the Berber dialects but Arabic is helpful.) With site assignment you will know better what the options are. Some of my buddies have been assigned near cities and others are at really remote sites with water & electric only a couple of days a week. I am lucky because I have everything at my fingertips: water, electric, hanuts, sibtar, souk, Cyber, hamman, post office, and cafes, only thing missing is a bank.
Because of my language lack I haven't made any "friends" but everyone is welcoming and affectionate. They are amused with my stumbling tashilheet, but encouraging. Many of them, expecially tradespeople, understand a little English so we get by. Each day I study language, read a little and shop. Right now my project is on hold until school reopens and Ramadan is past in October.
Normally I have tutoring twice a week for two hours which takes most of the day since I have to travel an hour to the tutor and wait for transportation. Some of my best hours of meditation are spent in taxi stands. Right now the tutor is on vacation.
There is a certain amount of washing of floors & clothes - the dust is wicked - and the heat is debilitating, so napping is a major thing for me. It's quiet here at night. Sometimes I sit outside with the neighbors & chat, or just read. Food is no problem. Fresh fruits & vegetables are plentiful and cheap.
The apartment boasts two plastic chairs, two wooden tables, a fancy bed! and some kitchen stuff. No blender, pressure cooker, or couscous pot and no refrigerator as yet, but mashi mushkil, no problem. Just have to shop everyday.
And that's the scoop. Keep the faith. love Muriel
Saturday, August 15, 2009
LATEST NEWS
Just returned from 2 weeks training in Azrou were the weather was delightful and the hotel quite plush. A little shopping area was close by and we walked to town for treats. Some of the others returned with me to my home base to visit their host families. I entertained my first company who cooked supper for me and slept on my roof.
Rachel, another PCV, convinced me to accompany her the next day partway to her site with a stop in Marakeech. What a hoot. Getting off the bus into hordes of tourists left me bewildered and I was happy that Rachel was an experienced traveler and speaker of Tash. We taxied to the medina, center of the old town. Here we wandered in and out of a warren of lanes until we found the hotel Rachel had chosen, Hotel Aday. We booked space on the roof - yes on the roof 3 stories up a narrow staircase and finally a ladder - and left our gear at the desk, all for only 30 durhams.
We wandered around enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells. There was every kind of kiosk imaginable, from ice cream stands to fancy carpet shops. We looked at a variety of exotic jalabas and Moroccan slippers. I bought some spices. Rachel looked for a program for her computer and finally found what she wanted, but the cost was almost a whole month's allowance! So forget that. We continued our wandering and I spotted a gorgeous woven silk bag, but again unaffordable. But it doesn't cost to look and that we did.
The medina in transformed at night into a noisy, crowded wonderland with flashing lights and clashing music. The center is filled with food of every sort. The juice dispensing stands are lined up in a row. The oranges stacked behind the counter form a long lines of their bright color as the stands blend one into the other. Behind them are tent covered tables, all numbered. Here you can order you favorite food from shish kabob to French fries, and everything in between. Time spent people watching can fill an entire evening. A what a show it was for this village oriented PCV. Every mode of dress, from short shorts and halter top to complete coverage of a hooded jalaba and face veil. Hikers, hippies, all sorts of tourists and families, from grandmothers to infants swarmed the medina. The crowd was friendly and noisy and really, really BIG.
With full tummies and tired feet we headed to Hotel Aday and the 3 flight climb to the ladder that led to our resting place. With pillow, mat, and blanket we snuggled in under the stars.
Rachel, another PCV, convinced me to accompany her the next day partway to her site with a stop in Marakeech. What a hoot. Getting off the bus into hordes of tourists left me bewildered and I was happy that Rachel was an experienced traveler and speaker of Tash. We taxied to the medina, center of the old town. Here we wandered in and out of a warren of lanes until we found the hotel Rachel had chosen, Hotel Aday. We booked space on the roof - yes on the roof 3 stories up a narrow staircase and finally a ladder - and left our gear at the desk, all for only 30 durhams.
We wandered around enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells. There was every kind of kiosk imaginable, from ice cream stands to fancy carpet shops. We looked at a variety of exotic jalabas and Moroccan slippers. I bought some spices. Rachel looked for a program for her computer and finally found what she wanted, but the cost was almost a whole month's allowance! So forget that. We continued our wandering and I spotted a gorgeous woven silk bag, but again unaffordable. But it doesn't cost to look and that we did.
The medina in transformed at night into a noisy, crowded wonderland with flashing lights and clashing music. The center is filled with food of every sort. The juice dispensing stands are lined up in a row. The oranges stacked behind the counter form a long lines of their bright color as the stands blend one into the other. Behind them are tent covered tables, all numbered. Here you can order you favorite food from shish kabob to French fries, and everything in between. Time spent people watching can fill an entire evening. A what a show it was for this village oriented PCV. Every mode of dress, from short shorts and halter top to complete coverage of a hooded jalaba and face veil. Hikers, hippies, all sorts of tourists and families, from grandmothers to infants swarmed the medina. The crowd was friendly and noisy and really, really BIG.
With full tummies and tired feet we headed to Hotel Aday and the 3 flight climb to the ladder that led to our resting place. With pillow, mat, and blanket we snuggled in under the stars.
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