Since I discussed my bathroom experience and cussed in my last blog, I guess I am getting more comfortable with this forum.  I do, however, promise to keep that kind of talk to a minimum for the sake of more sensitive readers. 

Today I rode a camel. As expected, it was bumpy, smelly, and funny.  I would highly recommend this activity if you need a good laugh, but make sure it is not at the camel’s expense. I didn’t get any of my own pictures because I didn’t have my camera.  It is likely that I will ride a camel again so I will try to capture this moving experience on film next time.  I also ate kaskrut (afternoon snack) at a very lovely home that had a pool, a lawnmower, trimmed hedges, and a western toilet next to a bedae.   I generally do not get to rub shoulders with the wealthy class in Morocco, so this was somewhat of a shock to my sensibilities.  I enjoyed it so much I thought about leaving the Peace Corps, becoming an investment banker, and buying a shiny house.   But then I remembered that I probably smelled a little like a camel so I probably will not be hired for any fancy job.   So, back to weekly bathing and stuttering through the day with my broken language. 

I am now living in a community called Massa, south of Agadir on the coast.  It is a 1-2 hour walk to the beach and there are tree goats, camels, and palm trees. It is beautiful and well, a little shocking to the senses.  I have never seen landscape like this.  I am going to be working at a Dar Chebab, an activity center for youth in the area.  The sky is the limit with this work, as I can teach English, apply for grants, form clubs, connect youth with scholarship programs, etc. It all depends on resources and community needs.  The other volunteer at this site has been working very hard and obviously has made an impact.  She will be leaving in the end of July and the youth here are sad to see her go.  I can only hope that they may feel a little bit of that when I leave in 2 years.

Since arriving in Morocco, I have been blessed to stay with 2 different families.  One, that I mentioned before, lives in my former community and I hope to return to visit them next year.   The family I am staying with now has had 6 previous volunteers and they are very in tune with American customs.  Both families have been very gracious and patient with me.  My Arabic language skills are improving, and I am trying to pick up a few extra words every day in Tashelhit, the Berber dialect from this region.  I am moving in with the other volunteer in 2 weeks and will be able to have a little more independence, but I will have to cook my own food like a big kid again. 

Some experiences that stand out for me since arriving in Morocco:  entering a mosque with a host family member, riding in a cab with 2 goats in the back, asking my host sister if I can put the watermelon in the television, going to a waterfall with my host family, days so cold that I put off going to the bathroom, eating Thanksgiving-like meals on a regular basis at 11:00pm, meeting wonderful Moroccans and Americans, and getting caught up in a Turkish Soap Opera.   And I still have 2 years to add to that list . . .