Pre-Service Training in [Mountain City]

Hello from [Mountain City]! Oh, and I learned how to switch the keyboard to qwerty-normal, so I'm back to hanging out at the Internet cafe. It costs a little more than typing on my laptop in my room (about a buck an hour) but I'm in a room with other PCVs, so it feels a little more social, plus it means I trust my lappy to the iffy electricity less often. Yes, I've got a five-stage protection shield in place (converter, adapter, surge protector, lappy adapter), but I still feel better when it's not plugged in. :)

We arrived here Friday evening, settled into our rooms, had dinner and quick introductions to the staff - all of whom are fantastic - and went to bed early. Saturday was a series of "culture" sessions - I attended the ones on Food and Language/Geography/History. Learned a ton from both, including how to make tagine, the local specialty. I also learned that my favorite Moroccan lentil soup, called harira, is only made during Ramadan. So I won't get it as often as I'd hoped, but I'll get it every day for a month! :D

Saturday evening we went exploring around [Mountain City]. We are indeed in the mountains, so it gets chilly at night, even though it's hot during the day. I think the average highs and lows have been about 75/45. Quite a swing!

We again have a rooftop view, mostly facing west. We can watch the sun set behind the mountains...truly beautiful. We can also watch kids playing the square in front of our hotel, and sometimes we go out and join them. Lahaba means Let's play!, and the kids (and sometimes adults) usually join in when we're throwing a frisbee or American football around. Our instructors have said that since the Peace Corps has been training here in [Mountain City] for several years, the locals have learned our schedule, and the kids come over to the square every day on our breaks - generally 10ish, noonish, and 4ish - to play with us. :D

Sunday was not a day of rest...instead we got two hours of language training, two hours of biodiversity-of-Morocco instruction, and two hours of ... something else. Drawing a blank. During the long lunch break, some friends and I headed out to find a women's cooperative artisanal center, which I'd seen on a hand-drawn map of the city. Turns out the artist wasn't a cartographer...the road that should have led directly to it didn't exist. So we tried another route, and got utterly lost. But we found ourselves again, and weren't even late for the afternoon session, so we chalked it up to A Learning Experience. Before dinner, I went out with another friend who had been there before, and found it! But it was closed. So I'll be going back another time, *and* I know how to get there now. Turns out it is exactly where it appeared to be on the map - it's just the road that's missing. :)

After dinner, I had my Interview. (The capital I was audible.) Each of the PCTs has had one - mine was one of the last, purely coincidentally. I wasn't terribly apprehensive, and I was right not to be. They asked things like "How do you feel about being placed in a small, remote village?" and "Can you read French?" They also said that they knew at least one of my assignments: in addition to whatever other project I'm assigned, I'll be revising / adapting an environmental education curriculum created by a COSing PCV*. I'm thrilled that my years as a public school teacher will be so directly useful. :) Our language assignment, which also indicates (roughly) where we'll be placed - since there are only limited regions where each language is spoken - will come tomorrow morning. Our final placement assignment will be made after they've had a few more weeks to observe us, towards the end of April. At that point, I'll email out my new mailing address...just in time for you to send an airmailed letter or package that will arrive the same time I do, May 20th! (Inshallah)**

Right after the Interview, three of our instructors held an informal session on Scarf Tying. It began that way, anyway, but quickly became a discussion of religion, fashion, women's rights, and Islam, because the head scarf exists at the intersection of all of these. The conversation was fascinating, as was watching some of the different ways the hijab can be tied.

Today was two language sessions - over 4 hours total! - plus a session looking at the Peace Corps/Morocco Environmental Education Program Plan and examining how we will implement it in the next two years. It's ambitious to the point of daunting, but not impossible. It's all about the big goals, right?

I skipped dinner tonight, in favor of a walk to the casbah. We get about six meals a day anyway, so it's not like I'm going hungry, plus it was a chance to hang out with three of the Health Education volunteers who I haven't seen since Friday morning. (Sooo long ago, I know. But time is moving quickly here!) So the group (seven, total) walked down and looked at the castle. I have no idea how old it is - could be five years or fifteen hundred years old - but it looks beautiful. Plus, it's built right out of the bedrock, which you know makes my little geologist's heart go pitterpat. :)

Speaking of geology (and when am I not?), they asked each of us to prepare a short lesson for the group, so I paired up with the other geonerd in the group to do a quick history of the geology of Morocco. Which, of course, gives me the excuse to read up on it. :) I'll also do an independent one on how to do a formal lesson plan, since I'm the only formally taught classroom teacher in the group. Most of us have worked in some sort of environmental education capacity, like through the Park Service or AmeriCorps, but I'm the only certified teacher in the gang.

The Cybèr owner just brought me a cup of tea. This *is* a friendly country. :)

Off to bed - I've been up late the past few nights, and it's time to change that habit.

bsalaam (Go in peace, aka goodbye)

*Yes, the acronyms can become overwhelming. This one means a Peace Corps Volunteer who is about to leave the country - Close Of Service.

**That's another Moroccan custom - whenever you speak of something taking place in the future, you say Inshallah - God willing.