Much has gone on since the last post. Where i will be stationed for the next two years will be revealed to me come next week and as the time draws closer, I become excited and also nervous. I will miss my host family here in Mhaya and don't really want to start my life over again in a new site but such is life. It feels weird to have picked up and left 3 months ago to start a new life only to have to do it again in a week. In my site I will hopefully be building youth assets and making some friends. I will be working with directors of associations, town councils, regional delegues and other community members to build a successful service. Not knowing anyone in the town I will be going to is a bit daunting but I'm confident in my smiling and eye-batting abilities that I will be able to make a friend or two.
Some of my goals for my service are large and grandiose. Since my time in Hawaii working on organic farms, sustainability has become and interest of mine. Peace Corps likes this. The staff preaches manageable and reasonable expectations and goals yet my idea is to have a fully sustainable Dar Chebab in terms of water, electricity and waste. We'll see what happens.
Another desire I have is to become involved with local artisans and participate in small business development. This sector of PC Morocco has been phased out but the open-ended nature of PC makes it still a viable route to pursue. There are tons of people here with incredible skill that could definitely be marketed better. It would be a huge learning opportunity and also an opportunity for me to contribute some of my skills to the community and actively work on bettering the lives of Moroccans.
These ideas were noted to the Regional Managers. RM's as we call them are Peace Corps staff who monitor and assist volunteers in the field. They help with Dar Chebab issues, host family issues and are our right-hand peoples for the next two years. We had two come to lil' ol Mhaya to interview us about our site preferences as well as the skills and attributes we posses. I think mine went well and hopefully I can be matched in a site that has some of the qualities I am looking for and vise-versa. Yet as with many things in the Peace Corps things are left to chance.
Some cool, non-stressful things have been happening though. I have become relatively competent in my arabic. Indeed relative competency makes it seem pretty simple but I have been having full conversations where I am only missing a few words and phrases. In Fes last weekend I managed to haggle with a cab driver at 7am and navigate the alley ways. I have also been able to talk smack with my host brothers and generally be able to talk with most people on the street provided they don't speak super-duper fast or mumble. Things that cannot always be ruled out. Though my grammar is still a work in progress, I am able to look Moroccan and sound Moroccan and this helps immensely. It is pretty interesting how if you can replicate the accent well and dress similar how much credibility you immediately receive. Admittedly, being a man in this culture helps a ton but I am still feeling good about my accomplishments.
Finally, and completely unrelated to anything I have previously written about, I want to raise chickens and also shepherd sheep in the mountains with my staff and Jelaba on. I think this would be totally bad-ass
~Over and Out~
-J
Some of my goals for my service are large and grandiose. Since my time in Hawaii working on organic farms, sustainability has become and interest of mine. Peace Corps likes this. The staff preaches manageable and reasonable expectations and goals yet my idea is to have a fully sustainable Dar Chebab in terms of water, electricity and waste. We'll see what happens.
Another desire I have is to become involved with local artisans and participate in small business development. This sector of PC Morocco has been phased out but the open-ended nature of PC makes it still a viable route to pursue. There are tons of people here with incredible skill that could definitely be marketed better. It would be a huge learning opportunity and also an opportunity for me to contribute some of my skills to the community and actively work on bettering the lives of Moroccans.
These ideas were noted to the Regional Managers. RM's as we call them are Peace Corps staff who monitor and assist volunteers in the field. They help with Dar Chebab issues, host family issues and are our right-hand peoples for the next two years. We had two come to lil' ol Mhaya to interview us about our site preferences as well as the skills and attributes we posses. I think mine went well and hopefully I can be matched in a site that has some of the qualities I am looking for and vise-versa. Yet as with many things in the Peace Corps things are left to chance.
Some cool, non-stressful things have been happening though. I have become relatively competent in my arabic. Indeed relative competency makes it seem pretty simple but I have been having full conversations where I am only missing a few words and phrases. In Fes last weekend I managed to haggle with a cab driver at 7am and navigate the alley ways. I have also been able to talk smack with my host brothers and generally be able to talk with most people on the street provided they don't speak super-duper fast or mumble. Things that cannot always be ruled out. Though my grammar is still a work in progress, I am able to look Moroccan and sound Moroccan and this helps immensely. It is pretty interesting how if you can replicate the accent well and dress similar how much credibility you immediately receive. Admittedly, being a man in this culture helps a ton but I am still feeling good about my accomplishments.
Finally, and completely unrelated to anything I have previously written about, I want to raise chickens and also shepherd sheep in the mountains with my staff and Jelaba on. I think this would be totally bad-ass
~Over and Out~
-J
