PERCEPTIONS. Since I'm on a roll with "p" words, let's do another. The American doctor who lives here with her two young daughters and British husband keeps her hair scarved "for the women." As you can see in the photo, (taken by Sana at the recent "shwia mica" training meeting) she wraps a scarf around her hair in the manner of many Berber women, (rather than the outside-the-house usual scarf) and often wears a jellaba when she leaves the house. She lives her "public" life as a Moroccan woman; she seldom goes anywhere by herself; will not go to the weekly souq, doesn't go for runs like she does in America. She believes she needs to be respectful of the culture here and those are activities not done by married women. On the other hand, their living accommodations are at a considerably higher standard than mine. I chose to live more typically of the average person in the village.

Our perceptions are so different. I believe, regardless of marital status, that as long as we are respectful of how they do things, it is important they learn/know that it is okay to go to the souq, not wear a scarf, go walking/running for exercise. My American friend says I can do these things because I am single (and, I imagine, old as well); she may be right. It would be interesting to know how we are perceived by the people here. Many do have TVs and go into Marrakech where they see/know others that have different customs. Integrate or role model ...or can one do both at the same time? Don't know which way is right or wrong, we just live here differently. Regardless, this is the couple who raised a lot of money to help the beader lady have much-needed heart surgery.

This is a just a very conservative community. The literacy rate is also very low; the two usually go hand in hand. Did I mention before that this is the first year the high school here is offering the baccalaureate, which is equal to our diploma? I doubt there will be many who achieve it, but it is a start! Prior to this time, students had to go to the town where I go to the Post Office, which has a fairly large high school.

Morocco went on Daylight Savings Time on June 1. Do you think my village and the surrounding douars (settlements) did?