My own Jihad

It all started last September when I wanted to learn more about Islam and was thinking about reading the Quran. The more I thought about it the guiltier I felt that I had never read the Bible cover to cover. So I decided I would start, when would there be a better time?

I am very proud to say after 10 months I have finished! It was a wonderful experience. It had many of it's own ups and downs and I most likely would have finished sooner if I had taken it with me when I traveled, but I'm so glad I did it.

Right now I think my favorite chapter is Romans 14.

Funny thing, though, I picked up the Quran this morning and I really have no desire to read it.... maybe it will come back to me.

However, I would like to leave you with what as always been, and will always be, my favorite verse

"Do not caste thy Pearls before thy swine." Mathew 7:6

Year Two Down!

This last week I walked out of the Darchebab for the last time! (Well until September.)It was pretty exciting! Here is a month by month recap of our year.

September
Ramadan
Soccer Tournaments
Music club

October
Culture Club
French Club
Leadership Club
English Club
Wed morning English classes with 3 girls
Friendship Art Exchange
English at Association IBBDA
Women’s Aerobics Class
Morning Walking Group

November
Women’s Aerobics Class
Morning Walking Group
English Classes at the Darchebab
Writing Club Produced a Brochure about Temsia in English
Ultimate Frisbee game with Aerobics Class and Association IBDA
Scrabble Tournaments
Eid Kabir

December
Women’s Aerobics Class
Morning Walking Group
English Classes at the Darchebab
Embassy Access Teachers Retreat
Diabetes Event
Argon sales

January
Women’s Aerobics Class
Morning Walking Group
English Classes at the Darchebab
Creative Writing Week
Write to music
Decipher codes
Send a secret message
Lesson in Pig Lation
Began Planning Women’s Wellness TOT (SPA Grant Project)


February
Women’s Aerobics Class
Morning Walking Group
English Classes at the Darchebab
American Culture morning with ACCESS students in Ait Melloul
Learn to crochet workshop
Healthy Cooking Classes at Aerobics Participants houses

March
Women’s Aerobics Class
Morning Walking Group
English Classes at the Darchebab
Celebrating Strong Women for Women’s Day
Women’s Rights/Freedom in Morocco Debate
Meetings with the President of the commune about new Darchebab

April
Spring Camp
Women’s Aerobics Class
Morning Walking Group
BAC Prep Classes at the Darchebab
Women’s Wellness TOT in Agadir
Attempt at organizing a Festival
Site Visit

May
English Prep Classes at the Darchebab
Native American Culture Day
Mothers Day Card Making
Argon Co-op Brainstorming about expanding product line
Educational Theater at Lycee
Origami Art Night
Uno Night


HAPPY SUMMER VACATION EVERYONE!

Mother's Day Thoughts

Before makeing Mother's Day cards and bracelets at the Darchebab, I asked my kids what they thought of their mothers.

*Gave Birth To Me
*Makes Me Tagine
*Takes Care of Me
*Serious
*Sacrifices
*Funny
*Washes My Clothes
*She would do anything for me
*Loves Me
*Faithful to my father
*Faithful to our family
*Good Cook
*Understands me
*Gives me Money
*I can't surive without her
*Makes me a good person

Jessica Simpson, Thank you for being the Ugly American.

Jessica Simpson has this new show called "The Price of Beauty" where she travels all over the world criticizing what other cultures see has beautiful. Recently she came to Morocco.... with no understanding of Islam or real idea of the culture on her search for beauty she becomes the Ugly American.

Next Time Jess
1. Don't straddle a camel in a caftan.
2. Go for the tagine instead of the sheep brains. They only eat them once a year, if that.
3. If you are going to veil try walking around some place other than the largest tourist destination in the country. (Jamal El Fna in Marakesh) Half the things you did are solely there to entertain the tourists.
4. Leave your booty shorts at home.
5. Don't walk into someone's house and criticize them, that's rude in any culture.

If you were just a tourist, whatever,do and wear what you like.

However, you came to not only learn but educate others (with this ridiculous TV show of yours) about beauty in Morocco.

Never did you ask them what beauty means to them.
Never did you ask where their ideas come from.
Never did you try to understand where these women come from.

Jess - I really hope things go better for you in other countries so that not everyone you meet sees you as the Ugly American. Thanks again for being one big disaster.

PS. I'll let you know the next time I see 1/2 naked belly dancers at a traditional Moroccan party.

Life of Brian

This is not a movie I would have watched with out prompting or I movie I recomend,except for the first 5 mins. Just because one of the 3 wise-men is dressed in Amazight Wedding jewels that are incredible. For sure the best dressed wise-man I have ever seen.

What a Week

It has been one of those weeks that makes a volunteer think they should may be just pack up and go home.....

For starters I really didn't want to tell you all this, but the Women's Walk for International Women's Day... yes the walk that my sports class helped me make ribbons for and plan, no one showed up .... I stood waiting by myself for an hour outside the Darchebab until I gave in to the realization that no one was coming. I don't really have the heart to tell you all and I really thought that it would work out, so I may send out an email with a lie in it... I'm not sure yet.

Speaking of my sports class, I have been unawear that a 1-2 months ago a new organization started to claim that they are running the sports class and have been telling the members all sorts of things and made them pay 10DH extra (which is kind of a lot) because they had to join the organization in order to come to sports class. (What??) When the president informed me today I was not so happy. It's not about the credit, it's about being honest and respectful. If they would like to run the sports class I will not only let them but help them. At the same time they need to have an actual memeber of the organization participating with us. This means that I will have several meetings next week when the mudir comes back.

(The mudir is in Rabat for training right now, I am hoping he comes back with a bunch of new ideas for the darchebab. We could really use them.)

It was a rough couple of days getting some of my kids to understand that just because the mudir left does not mean that their manners can leave too.

Although tonight was wonderful... we had a really fun class, everyone participated, and was respectful... God knew just what I needed. (other than a vacation)

Things I have learned this week...

That giving up facebook for lent means I come up with a status update every 15 mins.

Never open pictures that Brenda sends you.

My Grandparents love me enough to send me chocolates!

My neighbor has breast cancer.

To pierce your ears follow these 3 steps:
1) Buy/Borrow nice earing
2) Find a friend or two.
3) Have your friend put perfume on your ears and then shove the earing through.

When the mudir leaves the Darchebab he takes my kids manners with him.

I could never work from home, because then I always feel like I should be doing work.

I need to stop going to my veggetable man, because he will never understand that I am not going to marry him. (and because my time is getting shorter, he is trying harder)

Black mold in your house will make you sick.