On My Shoes

I was sitting on the beach with a PCV from a town downstream from myself. It was just a little after dark and as we sat their talking, in English, two people, a male and female a little older then ourselves, and who probably assumed we were tourists, emerged out of the dusk. Now, not being tourists, we didn’t really have anything of value with us. However, our shoes were off to the side where they had been removed in favor of walking barefoot. Before we knew it, these two shadowy figures descended upon us and were gone, running away up the dunes. We looked at each other, as if to say ‘That was weird’ before we realized, bizarrely, they had stolen our shoes. I instantly was on my feet and tore off after them, yelling as I went.

“Wait, I’m a Peace Corps Volunteer… Those shoes are really dirty!”

And then my dream ended.

On Ridiculousness

There is a dam in Morocco, built by the French many years ago. Behind it is a reservoir whose water is stored up from the winter rains to irrigate the summer fields. Next to the reservoir is a small city on the road that run’s the valley’s length. Both the road and the city predate the dam.

Because of unique engineering, the high water line of the dam is actually above the level of the road. Which means that it is possible to fill the dam to the point where the road becomes submerged. This odd situation occurs only rarely, during wettest weeks of a strong rainy season.

Last week was one of those weeks.

To unsubmerge the road and restore access to the city the reservoir releases precious water. This means putting more water into the river downstream. The road downstream, which also predates the dam was built, like many roads are, along the course of the river.

I hope you see where this is going.

Last week, not only was the road upstream of the dam flooded, but so was the road downstream, as they tried to lower the water level while opposed by heavy rain. This made traveling in the area quite impossible until the rain stopped and the roads dried.

Consequently, the French might not be held in the highest regard in this particular valley.

On The Favorite Rock

If you have nearby Peace Corps Volunteers come to visit  you over the weekend, the following conversation might take place:

‘So, what are we going to do today?’

‘I don’t know?’

‘Hey, do you want to go see my favorite rock?’

‘Yeah!’

And then a hike might begin, out along narrow and muddy trails used only by shepherds and residents of the outlying dwars. The wheat is green and about eight inches high, the sky blue with engorged clouds meandering about it, the trail climbs up away from town. One of your visitors breaks the silence:

‘I can’t decide what is more sad, that you have a favorite rock or that we are excited to see it.’

Upon arriving at the rock your guests see that it is nothing more then a stone, roughly rectangular in shape, about the size of a sleeping dog. It sits alone on the side of a grass-covered hill. One by one, everyone takes a turn sitting on the rock, looking down at the valley below, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh.

‘Yep, that was a pretty good rock’ everyone agrees as you walk back.

On Losing Something

Today, I lost something in my house…

You have no idea how happy this made me!

I finally have a house with enough furnishings that things can get lost in it. In the two pervious months that I have been living in my house it has been hard indeed to lose anything. The total number of possessions that I’ve had has been comparable to the total number of rooms. Towel – Bathroom. Bed –Bedroom. Pretzels – Kitchen.

The item in question was, as manly as this sounds, a box of ten tea lights. There is a storm coming in off the Atlantic this weekend. I filled my 25 Liter emergency water jug last night. Today the sky was dark and ominous with large clouds to the southwest. And then I realized there was no candle in the holder. I went in search.

Now the first place I thought I would find them was in the kitchen in the bottom basket of the food tower. But a search turned up only a water bottle, glasses and my extra sponges. The next obvious place would be the ‘miscellaneous’ bag in my bedroom. But that turned up only writing appurtenances like paper, envelopes and all the old letters I’ve received. So my last thought was the other bag in my room. Not there. And that is when I got excited because I realized that this was the first time that I lost something!

Endnote: They were in the bottom basket of the food tower. They were under the water bottle.

‘What am I doing here?’ Part 5 – Goal 3

Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans

             I am working to promote a better understanding of Moroccans on the part of Americans.

In working toward this, Goal Three, I have written

1. 80 blog posts,
2. 6 monthly emails,
3. 5 letters to one of my high school English Teacher’s classes
4. 2 newspaper articles for my home town paper
5. Countless personal emails and phone calls to family and friends

All these works so far total about 25,000 words helping promote a better understanding of Morocco and Moroccans on the part of Americans.

Not only that but I have also established a household in my village and created the opportunity for friends and family to come visit me and actually experience Morocco first hand, something they might never have done otherwise. Moreover I have made my house available to the many Americans traveling in Morocco as a place to visit and stay to learn about the Morocco away from the tourist trails (well most of them anyway.)

And lastly I, an American, have spent exactly six months so far, living in Morocco. Consequently, I now know and understand a lot more about Morocco then I did six months and a day ago.

‘What am I doing here?’ Part 4 – Goal 2

Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served

I am working to promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of Moroccans. In working toward this, Goal Two, I have lived with two different host families for a total of 4 months and in my own house in my community for 2 months. This means that I have been spending time living and talking with Moroccans every day since I got here. I am living as a very visible example of who Americans are for a community that has only ever seen Americans on television.

            Moreover I have participated in sessions and conversations specifically aimed at cross-cultural exchange. These have included question and answer sessions with working Moroccan professionals as well as short presentations to Moroccan middle school and high school students.

In doing these things I have already dispelled some common misconceptions held by Moroccans about Americans such as that the belief that ‘All Americans are really, really drunk, 24 hours a day 7 days a week’ and ‘All Americans think all Moroccans are bad.’ I have also had some fun explaining things like the fact that, ‘yes, we also eat couscous in California, it was the first food I learned how to cook’ or ‘yes, I put milk in my tea, to me it isn’t bizarre, it is normal.’ And of course my personal favorite, ‘just because I am from California, does not mean I know Opera Winfrey’ (her show is shown here with Arabic subtitles.)

Part 5 to follow…

‘What am I doing here?’ Part 3 – Goal 1

 Peace Corps Goal 1 - Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women

I am working to provide technical help to my community, my province and Morocco as a whole. I am working to help Moroccans help themselves. Which is far trickier then it sounds because sustainability considerations severely limit what you can do without creating a cycle of dependence.

In working to accomplish Goal 1, I have a number of projects that I am perusing:

1. English language – I am in my community to help train the youths in the English language. I hold English language and cultural sessions every Wednesday and Friday. I have also volunteered my services at the community high school.
2. Beekeeping - I am organizing a session on beekeeping. At the behest of the community I have invited an experienced Environmental Development volunteer to come help by giving his knowledge on the subject of beekeeping and explain the projects that he has going in his own site.
3. Tourism – I am trying to create a larger tourism profile for my community by writing to the makers of Morocco tour guides as well as creating a Wikipedia webpage for my community.
4. General Development – There are several development associations in my community, one newly created by my host father, which are seeking to a build a new road, buy a tractor, create an Artisana and sell our community’s olive oil in America. I meet regularly with them to provide support, motivation and an ability to facilitate communication between them and the outside world.
5. Regional collaboration – I have also partnered with a fellow PCV from a town downstream to get involved in starting an American –Moroccan Cultural Exchange club at the high school of the town in the next valley over. Their city has no Volunteer but eagerly wants the help of one to share American sports, movies and pen pals with them.
6. Morocco wide projects – I will also be working at a spring and a summer English emersion camp.

Part 4 to follow…