I'll try to get caught up with less daily detail and journal in an orderly subject manner tonight. First, came back to a long letter from my friend Martha. It is such a treat to get mail! And I do love to hear what people are doing...even if it is going to grandkid's soccer games. I wish I could be doing that, but look forward to lots of soccer games when I get home...
First a comment on the Moroccan language, which is called Darija. I have mentioned that there are no "teaching" books on it as it is sort of a dialect of classical Arabic, and there are three other dialects as well. Classical Arabic is taught in the schools, to read and write, and Frensh is also taught. Many words have few or no vowels. For instance, the verb "fkkr" which means to think it over. (Yeah, i know!) And like our language, a slight change in how you pronounce a consonant or vowel can turn a regular word into a dirty one. So correct pronunciation is pretty important!
My new host family consists of a young couple with a four year old boy and a 2 month old boy. While I was there, a celebration called "tahara" was held for his recent circumcision. About 50 people came to visit and eat, and I spent time nodding and smiling, and finally retreated to a corner with my sudoku book. A young man about 17 who is a close friend of the family was intrigued by it so I showed him how to do it. It was fun to see the light come on when he got how it works. Then a girl about 8 was bored so I showed her a little clapping game thing which she just loved. Nice to know some things like that are universal...as are 4 year old boys! Cute, but a bit spoiled and a little wild. The husband is a mechanic and his garage is on the main floor under the living area. He drives a fairly new SUV so that's where their money goes, methinks.
My room leaves a bit to be desired. Both the house arrangements in this new town and the culture is a bit different from where I have been in training. There is a little courtyard in the center, with bedrooms, kitchen off in separate rooms off it. My room is an unpainted (concrete) 8-foot square windowless room. I think I will be spending all my day at the association's building. I am buying all the furniture from a P. C. volunteer who is finishing and going back to the states, and will be happy when February comes so I can get my own place. There have been numerous references to religion and I know they'd like me to be a Muslim. I have to continue telling them I have my own religion. I think they're getting the message. And, some women simply do not go ANYwhere by themselves...not even to the weekly souq to get their produce. But I've already adopted the habit of getting up and making my own coffee, and after a big cup, go out and walk for an hour. Then when doing that, I greet everyone with a big smile and say good morning in Darija. Figure if I'm going to be the local spectacle, might as well be known as the friendly one! Then when I do live by myself I likely won't need to be so concerned about theft. Hopefully that strategy will work, although I'm not too worried about it. I could have a bicycle, but the area is hilly with very rocky paths, and the one paved road is pretty busy with people, bicyclees, motorbikes, donkeys, trucks, buses, taxis, so I think it would be insane to bike on it.
This town has running (cold) water all the time, but no cyber, no police, no bank. It has one teleboutique (which is a place with pay phones), a little health center which is somewhat a first aid station, and the customary 10 hanuts...the little grocery stores. I found one that has coca light, so that is good!
So my work is with a 2-year old women's association, called a naddie, who primarily make crocheted things, but also do a bit of ceramics and weaving. They are excited to have me there, and I am eager to go to work with them to explore marketing possibilities. Next door are two large building which are boarding places for high school kids who stay there during the week to attend high school. About 60 girls and boys each. After being introduced to the directors of each and meeting a few of the girls, the next day a few girls came over to ty
First a comment on the Moroccan language, which is called Darija. I have mentioned that there are no "teaching" books on it as it is sort of a dialect of classical Arabic, and there are three other dialects as well. Classical Arabic is taught in the schools, to read and write, and Frensh is also taught. Many words have few or no vowels. For instance, the verb "fkkr" which means to think it over. (Yeah, i know!) And like our language, a slight change in how you pronounce a consonant or vowel can turn a regular word into a dirty one. So correct pronunciation is pretty important!
My new host family consists of a young couple with a four year old boy and a 2 month old boy. While I was there, a celebration called "tahara" was held for his recent circumcision. About 50 people came to visit and eat, and I spent time nodding and smiling, and finally retreated to a corner with my sudoku book. A young man about 17 who is a close friend of the family was intrigued by it so I showed him how to do it. It was fun to see the light come on when he got how it works. Then a girl about 8 was bored so I showed her a little clapping game thing which she just loved. Nice to know some things like that are universal...as are 4 year old boys! Cute, but a bit spoiled and a little wild. The husband is a mechanic and his garage is on the main floor under the living area. He drives a fairly new SUV so that's where their money goes, methinks.
My room leaves a bit to be desired. Both the house arrangements in this new town and the culture is a bit different from where I have been in training. There is a little courtyard in the center, with bedrooms, kitchen off in separate rooms off it. My room is an unpainted (concrete) 8-foot square windowless room. I think I will be spending all my day at the association's building. I am buying all the furniture from a P. C. volunteer who is finishing and going back to the states, and will be happy when February comes so I can get my own place. There have been numerous references to religion and I know they'd like me to be a Muslim. I have to continue telling them I have my own religion. I think they're getting the message. And, some women simply do not go ANYwhere by themselves...not even to the weekly souq to get their produce. But I've already adopted the habit of getting up and making my own coffee, and after a big cup, go out and walk for an hour. Then when doing that, I greet everyone with a big smile and say good morning in Darija. Figure if I'm going to be the local spectacle, might as well be known as the friendly one! Then when I do live by myself I likely won't need to be so concerned about theft. Hopefully that strategy will work, although I'm not too worried about it. I could have a bicycle, but the area is hilly with very rocky paths, and the one paved road is pretty busy with people, bicyclees, motorbikes, donkeys, trucks, buses, taxis, so I think it would be insane to bike on it.
This town has running (cold) water all the time, but no cyber, no police, no bank. It has one teleboutique (which is a place with pay phones), a little health center which is somewhat a first aid station, and the customary 10 hanuts...the little grocery stores. I found one that has coca light, so that is good!
So my work is with a 2-year old women's association, called a naddie, who primarily make crocheted things, but also do a bit of ceramics and weaving. They are excited to have me there, and I am eager to go to work with them to explore marketing possibilities. Next door are two large building which are boarding places for high school kids who stay there during the week to attend high school. About 60 girls and boys each. After being introduced to the directors of each and meeting a few of the girls, the next day a few girls came over to ty
posted by Connie Genger | 2:26 PM
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