MURIEL MEETS HILLARY

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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.

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

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

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.

A MOROCCAN WEDDING

I was at the Cyber internetting when suddenly there was big excitement outside--drums, hooting, and yelling. We all rushed out and there was a donkey-pulled cart loaded with presents, followed by neighbors, friends and relatives, touring the streets of town to announce the wedding of Fatima's daughter. I rushed home to don my jellaba, fancy white scarf, and Arabic sandals--gifts from the host family whose daughter was celebrating the wedding! I hurried over to the house just in time to see the donkey being unhitched from the cart. Salaams, kisses, and hugs were exchanged. Then my host's daughter Rasheta, hurried me inside to what used to be my bedroom.

Ensconced on a high throne at the end of the room was the bride, dressed in forest green satin damask heavily embroidered with gold and gems. Her hands and feet were outstretched and painted with henna in intricate designs, her head was crowned with an elaborate sculpted hairpiece studded with glowing jewels. Mint tea and sweet bread were served to those assembled in the room. Then two attendants came with a gold basin and pitcher to wash the henna from her feet and hands, leaving the stain of the henna designs on her skin. She was carried from the room. Now Rasheta rushed over to me, grabbing my hand and motioning me outside. A huge tent (maybe 40x60 ft) had been erected. The inside was carpeted with matching dark red Persian rugs, partially covered with round tables bearing a white underskirt and a dark red or gold topper. All the chairs were completely encased in red damask covers. Each table seated 12 and there were enough to seat 200, with an open wide center aisle. A band consisting of a keyboard, drum, and a violin played in an upright position balanced on the knee. There was also a lead singer. The music was fairly loud but relatively good ( or else I just getting used to the sound) We seemed to wait endlessly, but finally in came the bride, balanced on the shoulders of four men dressed in a white cape-like garment and white harem pants, sporting red pointed caps. The bride was elegantly dressed in another colorful beaded gown and crowned with a gold tiara (there were so many outfits I lost track of the colors).

Four other men in the same outfits danced around the group bearing the bride. All the while the bride was being spun around and bounced up and down, trying to maintain her balance while smiling and waving to the crowd. She was finally seated on a double throne covered in white satin beribboned with bows and flowers. Then the groom was brought in and treated to the same spinning and bouncing entrance. After they both were seated came photo op time as one group after another vied for a chance to pose with the couple.

This procedure was followed at least six times over the course of the evening. I lost track. One time the couple fed each other a sweet and a cup of tea from a gold cup. On another they exchanged rings. In between there was dancing by the guests, not as couples, but individually including all ages and both men and women, boys and girls. We were again served tea and a sweet, later bread and tajines holding three roasted chickens were delivered to each table, followed by a tajine of lamb covered with prunes. Both these dishes were eaten by dipping small pieces of the bread (the bread is like pita bread only plate size) into the common bowl and securing a piece of meat as well as the juices. This is quickly transfered to the mouth. Bottles of orange soda, Pepsi, and water were placed on each table. Dessert was a huge watermelon cut into serving slices and surrounded by honeydew melon chunks. And the music and dancing contined and the bride came again in another outfit, followed by the groom. At one point small decorative boxes of those cookies the women had been baking for two weeks in 3pm to midnight marathon, were given to each guest. And the dancing continued. Actually it's not dancing by out standards. The women raise their arms and swivel their hips in a senuous movement, all the time hollering and clapping in time with the music. The bride finally came in again. This time elegantly gowned as a bride, but with the same swirling around--his time as she stood. After that display the party seemed to wind down a bit and it was my clue to go home. Unfortunately I forgot my cookies, but when I left the tent I was surprised at how light it still was. I had arrived at eight o'clock and it wasn't dark yet. Arriving inside my door, I was extremely to discover it was six o'clock in the morning.

A NEW HOME

It's July and I'm on my own, in my own rent-paid apartment.

The bitelma was newly enlarged and tiled half-way in soft blue design tile, and half painted a soft yellow. There is a large window with an unobstructed view of the distant moutains. The center room floor is tiled black and white and has the same view. Of the two small rooms in back, one is on the same side - the other has a westerly window. On the other end of the apartment is a large room the length of the building. The kitchen is in the middle and has a tiled sink counter on one side with a stainless steel sink and a drain for the running water! The floor is also tiled. But there are no shelves or cabinets. The place is TOTALLY BARE. not even a hook. So shopping is my game and confused is my name, to paraphrase the Bingo slogan.

Yesterday Brian, the volunteer from the next town, came to help me get my stuff - suitcases and books and sleeping bag, etc.- to the new location and to help me get a stove and some bedding. I have to sleep on the floor until I can get a mattress, hopefully tomorrow when I go for tutoring. I will have to bring it home by taxi and get a local cart-boy to deliver it to my house. The boys wait at the bus stop and taxi stand with their homemade bicycle-wheeled carts and tote your load for a couple durhams.

An old Berber saying is: Little by little does the camel go through the eye of the needle. I have calendar pages to tape to the walls and family photos to brighten my eye. And so I will fill the space with treasures.

Bought some paint to brighten up the doors in my pad. Only to find out when I opened it that it was half empty. I brought it back and the guy just shrugged, put it back on the shelf and gave me a different one and a refund of 10 dirhams. Morocco!

The temp now reaches in the high 90's most every day, but cools off after 5pm a little. By sleep time its quite comfortable.

The work pace here is not. I have divised a plan to meet with the school director in the fall seeking to talk with the English teacher to meet wth her class and tell them about the PC purpose and introduce the toothbrush campaign. At least the plan gives me some purpose. I will talk in simple English translated into simple Tashilheet. Brian the PCV in the next town will help. In the meantime I go on Fridays and Sundays for 2 hour tutoring lessons. That is, providing the bus and/or taxi is working. Today no transportation.