Tree Planting, and Breaking Bread

So two weeks have gone by since I last had internet. Naturally, a fair bit has happened here in my village and with me as well. Language is coming along just fine, and little by little (“imiq s imiq” in Tamazight) things are coming together. I just recently passed the one month mark with the language, and I feel like it has been so long with learning the language.

Being an environmental volunteer, we naturally do activities geared toward the environment. The other day we conducted a program and tree planting with students in the local school. It was in the local language, so having a script was good to do. Students were from the ages 6-12. Our group made a simple presentation about how you need to plant trees when you remove them. Since wood is harvested here for heating, it was important. Basically we had some of the kids stand as trees and animals in a forest. The PCT’s were harvesting the wood for various reasons, and not replanting. When the last person came to get wood, there was no wood, and we asked where all the homes of the animals went, and naturally they were gone, and the animals died. It was simple, but straightforward. We also had people littering, and we “schuma”ed them. Basically this means to give them shame until they picked up their litter and put it in a trash bin. We then planted 12 trees, 7 olives, 3 walnuts, 2 apples.

The kids got super involved, picking up trash, and helping to plant the trees. The ground here is really rocky, so digging was crazy difficult. But in the end, we planted the trees, made some friends, and when we talked to the kids after to see what they had learned, our point had gotten across. I can only hope that they spread the word and do their part, and we left a lasting impression. Overall, I think that this was a great starting point for the work I will be doing on my own. It also gives me a presentation that I can use elsewhere in Morocco. One of the most important things I learned while teaching is not to re-create the wheel, you just have to refine ideas to fit your goals and purposes.

I have also been baking bread, and cooking a little bit. It has been difficult to get into the kitchen. The reason is that in Morocco, it is a women’s place. So for me to break the norm and learn to cook is kind of an off the wall idea in the conservative village. I also believe that my father does not like me interacting with women around my age (sister is 22). But that is just the way it goes.

BUT, when I have gotten into the kitchen, I have been able to make bread from scratch, and help cook a few meals. For some reason baking bread is extremely relaxing. It is strenuous don’t get me wrong, but I suppose it is a stress relief in a way. The most entertaining part of baking bread was after I had the dough all ready, and I have to spread it out in a circle. Having worked at a pizza place for around a year, I know what need to be done. So I proceeded to spread the dough out a little, and then spin it up into the air like a small pizza. Having not seen this before, my family thought this was hilarious, and maybe impressive (not sure). But it worked, and breaking a gender role norm here was something I have wanted to do since being here. I could only accomplish this after having established myself with the men of the community, something which has been no problem. I jump into doing tasks outside, grazing our sheep, building the shed, and other laborious acts. The other day I even rode our donkey to get water, but this time rather with a family member, I was all by myself. My family was initially worried, but after all went well they were fine. I do enjoy riding the donkey, and hope that in my final site, I can be in a situation where I can have a donkey or camel to get work done. Not for recreation.

So I find out my final site in the coming days… by the time this is posted it will be two days away. I am really excited, and it kind of feels like Christmas. I have had interviews and stated various preferences, and I know all of the possible sites. So I have preferred sites naturally, and it feels like I know what I might be getting, but never 100% until the day of finding out.

I really enjoy this site here (O-Ville is gorgeous), but I will be ready for a fresh start, and a site of my own, where I can get to know and integrate into a community. Class everyday is never fun, and I feel that I will have the language I need to go on my own, as long as I keep studying and using the language.

I hope to post some pictures, and those of you who are on facebook have seen a few. But I hope more specific pictures come, and I can post a couple of them here.

I wish everyone the best, wherever you are, and hope to talk to you soon. I will probably have a mailing address in the next few weeks, and will let you know when that is taken care of completely. I cannot post the address, but you can e-mail me for it.

Much Love!
Me