Finally! I'm back!

Hey y’all!

Sorry for the long time no write thing.  It was a crazy week (midterms week, I guess, so what do you expect?)  But really, I had some papers to write and Arabic to study (I had my midterm today, but it was pretty easy so I’m not very worried.)

Life in Rabat is rather unexciting as usual.  I did some shopping (more to come when I find out if I have a summer job) and got some scarves (someone’s getting a Christmas present!) and am getting a mini-djellaba (kinda like a jedi robe, except mine is green wool with yellow embroidery.)  made.  It’s kinda fun to go buy the fabric, then go to the tailor and have them take your measurements to get your clothes made.  Plus, it’s a little cheaper than buying it on the street. 

On Saturday I also went over to a friend’s with the hopes of watching Sex & the City 2.  However, we were told it was subtitled in English when it was really in Norwegian (team Eric!!!  I know, True blood to the rescue!)  so instead we just watched a bunch of youtube videos.  Thankfully sneezing panda is funny in any language. 

On Sunday I went with some friends to a soccer game (Rabat-Tunisia) and it was pretty fun.  There was cheering and yelling and stomping- all the normal sports event fun that I have missed being in Morocco (and going to Vassar for that matter.)   And we were also apparently on Al-Jazeera, according to my Arabic professor (who brought in another person to tell us because we didn’t believe him.)  So next time you’re watching Al-Jazeera sports, keep a look out for me!  (or if you go to Vassar, Anna or Eli!)

This week is pretty relaxed for me, just a lot of movies to watch for an upcoming film class.  I’m hoping to not spend quite as much money this week (shopping was a bad choice) and just spend lots of time skyping all you lovely people on October break or off enjoying the State Fair.  I’ll be on skype just about every day this week in my afternoon (your morning/early afternoon) so talk to me!  I’ve set up skype dates with some of you but really want to finally catch up with people, especially since craziness will likely ensue after this week which may or may not last till December.  So skype me!

I’ll probably get in another post before this coming week, but here’s an update on what I’m up to.  Next week is our southern excursion, so prepare for rave reviews on camel-riding in the Sahara (I know, my life is awesome!) and the hustlers of Marrakesh.  Then, before I even have time to breathe (literally, I have to run from our group lunch and not take the bus) I have to go to Casablanca for a meeting for my ISP.  But this is super exciting because I’m going to figure out exactly where I’m going, what my living situation will be, and what exactly I’ll be studying.  Yeah!  Then I have a visit from my wonderful twin Jennifer, so if you read my blog prepare for their intersection!  But I’m sure craziness will again happen, and I’ll be off to Casablanca the next weekend with Jennifer to see some tourist stuff and have delicious food. 

After that I have a week of writing my proposal, studying for my Arabic final, and then off to ISP time in the South (of Morocco, that is.)  I make no guarantees for what I’ll be up to for two weeks there, but hopefully I’ll know more after my meeting next Friday.   After that I’ll be spending a week somewhere delightful writing my ISP (I would tell you where but… I’ll just say two blogs may intersect again!)  and then back to Rabat for a final week of presentations.  Other than that I’m going to be busy attempting to get a Chinese visa and preparing for fun times in Madrid and Paris.  It’s just weird to think that I’m past the halfway point of this program now.  Especially since the last 4 weeks are independent.  Weird!

Anyway, I’ve rambled on far too much, but I love y’all and miss y’all and fail at posting pictures (sorry, the internet here is very weak!)  But you are all amazing, wonderful, people, and even the most beautiful Moroccan landscape couldn’t match the beauty of your smiles.  So skype me so I can see them, y’all hear???  Talk to you soon, I hope!!!

Long time no update!

Hey y’all!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!!!  Eat some turkey for me! (or better yet some pumpkin pie!)  So much to write about, so stick with me because this is going to be long.  I can’t go to sleep yet because my across the street neighbors are blasting JBiebs.  Well, I guess we should be celebrating Canada?

                So last week we spent six days in a rural village near Boujad, a village super off the map.  It reminded me some of where I lived in Mexico- similar climate- but slightly more spaced out.  My family was awesome- particularly my host mom, who was actually the grandmother of the family, and who we affectionately called Rafiki for her wisdom.  As I can’t possibly describe everything that happened, I will only be able to provide some highlights:

1)     1)  Too much Bread.  I can barely eat it now.  Really, if you think you can’t eat too much bread try eating it for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, and snack every day.  

2)     2)  So many little kids!  Which was fun and different from here in Rabat.  Unfortunately 13 year-old girls are annoying in any culture, and we had two in our “compound” (an extended family group, of which my mom was the matriarch.)  Plus, one of them just took my shoes and wore them to school for the day without telling anyone, so we (me and the family) spent the entire day looking for them with our host family, only to realize when she got home at 6 that Rafiki was right and she had taken them.

3)     3)  The word privacy does not exist in Moroccan Arabic.  So think about what the implications of that are culturally.

4)      4) Not showering for 6 days= hammam party when we got back!  But seriously, at least 75% of the girls in our group were all at the hammam together.  It felt so good to scrub the dirt off and finally wash my hair!

So this time in the village gave me some time to reconnect with my altruistic roots, since my first major volunteer experience was in a rural community in Panama.  I thought a lot about the direction my life is heading, which lead me to a crisis?  Am I willing to sell my soul to do government work that I decry as ineffectual?  Or work for somewhere like the U.N. which is just broken beyond repair?  I really think the only path for me is NGO (or maybe WHO) but maybe the government can convince me.  But part of me is also tempted to just buy a plane ticket somewhere that needs people to go and work and just go.  Finally do that crazy spontaneous thing.  But maybe that’s not the best option.   And what about Peace Corps?  Could I handle that commitment?  I just don’t know. 

        So at this point, concerning that crisis, I’m going to do some praying.  Because when you’re looking to do some good in the world, I think following God’s path is really the best choice.  I just wish he would give me a little hint where it was going!  But I’m trying to have faith and I know that he will point me in the right direction, even if it isn’t one I can foresee or won’t happen as soon as I want it to.

        So to distance myself from that, I went with two delightful friends, Erika and Denise, to Tangier for a weekend of tourism and finally understanding people (that close to Spain you’re more likely to hear Spanish than French.)  We stayed in an adorably cheap hotel (the same one Paul Bowles and Jack Kerouac stayed in- I know, so hipster) that was functional and had hot water, and explored the city which felt more European than Moroccan.  It was truly a beautiful mix of culture, and I hope the rest of Morocco can follow it’s examples (I would like trash cans and trees in Rabat!)  After wandering the city (including stopping at an English church where a MacLean is buried!) we found a lovely restaurant listed in our guidebook.  What the guidebook did not tell us is that it would play tacky 80s music the entire night, much to our delight!  We also checked out the bar run by the hotel, where our concierge/bartender made us our first drink in a month and we listened to American dance music.  However, the bar was soon overrun by his friends, who were all tall, beautiful, and dressed way cuter than us.  Nevertheless, it was fascinating to watch this generation of Moroccans hang out and listen to Eurotrash music.  Finally we returned to our room, had a little Gaga dance party, and went to sleep.  The next day (Saturday) after more exploring, we returned to Rabat via train.  The trains in Morocco are super nice, with compartments that give them a Harry Potter feel (although the food cart does not sell Chocolate Frogs.)  But riding on it at night could be kinda sketch and we were happy to return to our city.

Which brings me to today (Sunday.)  This morning I went to a new church, with a service in English (mixed Americans and Africans, including some Nigerians) and it was wonderful.  It was there that something truly exciting happened- my friend made the decision to become a Christian!  This has been a difficult journey for her and we were very excited to welcome her into our community and share our love with her!  We celebrated by going to McDonalds (don’t judge, how else could you celebrate something like that in Morocco?) and getting McFlurrys and Happy Meals .  Life has been good.  But now I’m stuck writing papers, although most are shorter than this post.  I had to write one on something I learned in the village, so I wrote about the use of the harmonic minor scale in singing as opposed to the major scale, and how this caused difficulty when we tried to teach the children songs and vice versa.  I know, I’m a music dork.  My next paper was on a controversial subject we covered in class, so I wrote of the handling of alcohol in Muslim countries.  My opinion is that we as the West should stop pushing these countries to be freer with alcohol- even if it shouldn’t be forbidden on religious grounds, as some argue, more harm than good will come of making it socially acceptable to drink, just as it does in the U.S.  My last paper should be on a topic related to women.  I think I’m going to write it on how the veil has been distorted as being used to cover women, and that this wasn’t the original intent. 

Oh, and exciting news for those of you who don’t read my facebook- I have my ISP!!!  I’ll be working with an NGO and following them around to different towns where they meet with prostitutes to discuss the HIV/AIDS crisis, prevention methods, and general concerns!  I’m very excited!  I’ll share more details when I can.

In my last bit of news, I’m considering breaking a rule here- leaving the country.  What do y’all think?  Is it worth it?  I would be going to see someone, and others have been doing so, but I’m just not sure I want to?  I guess I should pray on that too!

Also apologies if I’m sounding a little spiritual- but being here makes me spiritual, plus it’s a Sunday!

So good night and (as a friend’s voicemail message that always makes me smile says) God bless!

Love always,

Lauren

Apologies!

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile and that this is a short post.  I was in the village (amazing but frustrating!) for the last week and am now kinda having a crisis.  Like I need to figure out what I want to do with my life so I can figure out how to work with people to increase development opportunities while preserving culture, and if I should graduate early, try to do Peace Corps, Fullbright, gov work, ngo?  Or should I just travel the world and help people while being broke, which is what I kinda want to do?  So I'll have a post on Monday with pictures and stories, but until then, email, comment, facebook- I need guidance!!!


Love always,
Lauren