I think spring has really finally sprung in this part of Morocco. Sunshine once again, hurray! Had a great weekend. The Director of Peace Corps Morocco, the safety and security director, and the training director came to my house for a focus group meeting. Other volunteers attending were 53, 54, and 63 year-old women. One of the main issues was...hard for my readers to believe, I'm sure...learning the Moroccan Arabic language! We talked a lot about how much of the training programs seem to be designed more for the recent college graduate (that is, younger ones!) Those of us who have never had foreign language have a harder time than those who have had some language in their background. Also, we have difficulty hearing and making new sounds from our vocal chords, etc. than younger learners, so likely need a different approach to learning from the teachers. We talked about other things as well, and had a very productive 3 1/2 hours session. Two of the women stayed w/me Friday night, one stayed Saturday night as well, so we had a chance to really visit and share experiences, thoughts, and all that stuff! Very necessary as don't often get a chance for that kind of interaction.

It helped me re-dedicate energy and focus on daily drills/homework. During the winter, it seemed all I could do was to try to stay warm, and reward myself for living in these conditions by reading lots of good novels. I really didn't spend the time I needed to on language, so now it's time to kick b...

Did you know the new Director of the Peace Corps in D. C. spent two years in MT immediately prior to his appointment? He was with a Montana-owned investment firm in Gt. Falls. I believe he was raised in S. Dak and worked in MN when young. Both he and his wife were in the P. C. in India(in the 60's?). He's about my age. One of his goals is to recruit more older volunteers, so if you or anyone you know is interested, go to their website, learn more, check it out!