Hi there!
Just a few quick updates...
Khenifra
Rebha (my counterpart) and I traveled to Khenifra recently for a double meeting. The first meeting was with the Delegate from the Ministry of Artisana to discuss the financial matters of the Co-op. I'd heard of other new Co-op's getting money from the Ministry and wondered what this was all about..So with some translation, I was able to find out we can write a grant proposal to the Delegate requesting some initial start-up funds. So that's on the 'to-do' list...The second meeting was with Marcia's artisans who are officially an Association and are looking into becoming a Cooperative, so Rebha went to talk to them about the Pro's of becoming a Cooperative. It was a good experience for her, acting as a leader and giving a little speech.
While in Khenifra (the same town I was in for Spring Camp), I stayed with some friends of Rebha's. Turns out they are her new friends that she made a couple months ago, when she began being a distributor for Forever Living Products (an American initiated Pyramid Scheme of a company selling Vitamin C and Aloe Vera products along with various other bath and beauty products). I am not such a big fan of her involvement with FLP and wasn't ecstatic to spend 36 hours with 6 of the higher up's in the Company. I not only had to sample the products (which are overpriced and marketed as medicine, even though they are far from it-in fact they even try to claim that the Vitamin C products cure cancer!) but I also had to do a lot of polite smiling and declining as they continuously tried to get me to convert to Islam again and again and again. Rebha was actually really cute when she chimed into the attempted converions, she sweetly let me know that 'not all Muslims are terrorists, they don't all blow themselves up'...ah bless. I was also verbally harassed about why I wasn't married yet and they tried to get me to marry one of the Moroccan men in the room...sigh, all in a days work.
Goodbye's & Hello's
Dan and Eric both completed their service on April 27th, so I'm all by myself here in site for the next month. It's kind of quiet without them around...
Only Dan is getting replaced, so on the 28th of this month Emma, the new health volunteer, will arrive. Yay! She came for a site visit last week so I've already met her. She is 23 and from Long Island, NY. Hopefully we will get along well as we will be spending the next 18 months together!
Royal Wedding Celebration
Oh my Goodness!!! :) How beautiful was the Royal Wedding??!! I had a little celebration here at my house for the occasion.
We watched the Wedding and I made all kinds of British food:
Bubble & Squeak, Steak and Gravy
Raisin and Orange Scones
Cucumber & Cheese Sandwiches
Honey Dew Melon Fruit Salad
Pumpkin Cake
Shepherd's Pie
Lemon Bars
I pretty much spent the whole day in the kitchen, but there was a computer set up in there with the Wedding on...
It was so funny when Moses showed up on the day with two British guys he'd met in his village. Moses' site is further up into the mountain, very small and never has tourists. These two (father and son) were from Bristol, England, but living in Spain and were traveling around Morocco. They just happened to stop in Moses' site to take their bicycles out the back of their truck and go for a ride. They ended up with an entourage of children whom they let some of ride their bikes. Well, the kids took off with the bikes, but luckily the people in the village knocked on Moses door to translate and the bikes were found. Moses brought them down the mountain for the Royal Wedding celebration and they had scones and a cuppa tea and went on their merry way.
Marrakesh Bombing and Osamas' Death
We have all been told not to comment on our blogs or FaceBook about Osama's death, so I'm not going to say anything here...
The bombing in Marrakesh was awful and is unnerving for all of us here, nobody wants to be evacuated and sent home...
As for security, we are constantly receiving updates from our Country Director, Peggy and are mainly being told to keep a low profile, not to gather in large groups, or go to bigger cities, etc...
Work
Rebha and I are heading down to Kelaat Mgouna this weekend for the Rose Festival. Enshalla, we will sell some carpets while there! I'm staying with Marisa and Rebha is staying with Marisa's counterpart, should be a good time had by all.
and Rain...
Two weeks ago, I was getting lots of nice sun while reading on my roof...but that didn't last long and apparently it's monsoon season here! One day last week it was raining and snowing at the same time for 3 hours.
It's been raining for 5 days straight now and my site is an absolute mud chute!! I couldn't take being in the house any longer and went for my power walk in the rain today...ah well, at least it will be nice hot summer weather while I'm down South this weekend!
That's it for now xXx
Just a few quick updates...
Khenifra
Rebha (my counterpart) and I traveled to Khenifra recently for a double meeting. The first meeting was with the Delegate from the Ministry of Artisana to discuss the financial matters of the Co-op. I'd heard of other new Co-op's getting money from the Ministry and wondered what this was all about..So with some translation, I was able to find out we can write a grant proposal to the Delegate requesting some initial start-up funds. So that's on the 'to-do' list...The second meeting was with Marcia's artisans who are officially an Association and are looking into becoming a Cooperative, so Rebha went to talk to them about the Pro's of becoming a Cooperative. It was a good experience for her, acting as a leader and giving a little speech.
While in Khenifra (the same town I was in for Spring Camp), I stayed with some friends of Rebha's. Turns out they are her new friends that she made a couple months ago, when she began being a distributor for Forever Living Products (an American initiated Pyramid Scheme of a company selling Vitamin C and Aloe Vera products along with various other bath and beauty products). I am not such a big fan of her involvement with FLP and wasn't ecstatic to spend 36 hours with 6 of the higher up's in the Company. I not only had to sample the products (which are overpriced and marketed as medicine, even though they are far from it-in fact they even try to claim that the Vitamin C products cure cancer!) but I also had to do a lot of polite smiling and declining as they continuously tried to get me to convert to Islam again and again and again. Rebha was actually really cute when she chimed into the attempted converions, she sweetly let me know that 'not all Muslims are terrorists, they don't all blow themselves up'...ah bless. I was also verbally harassed about why I wasn't married yet and they tried to get me to marry one of the Moroccan men in the room...sigh, all in a days work.
Goodbye's & Hello's
Dan and Eric both completed their service on April 27th, so I'm all by myself here in site for the next month. It's kind of quiet without them around...
Only Dan is getting replaced, so on the 28th of this month Emma, the new health volunteer, will arrive. Yay! She came for a site visit last week so I've already met her. She is 23 and from Long Island, NY. Hopefully we will get along well as we will be spending the next 18 months together!
Royal Wedding Celebration
Oh my Goodness!!! :) How beautiful was the Royal Wedding??!! I had a little celebration here at my house for the occasion.
We watched the Wedding and I made all kinds of British food:
Bubble & Squeak, Steak and Gravy
Raisin and Orange Scones
Cucumber & Cheese Sandwiches
Honey Dew Melon Fruit Salad
Pumpkin Cake
Shepherd's Pie
Lemon Bars
I pretty much spent the whole day in the kitchen, but there was a computer set up in there with the Wedding on...
It was so funny when Moses showed up on the day with two British guys he'd met in his village. Moses' site is further up into the mountain, very small and never has tourists. These two (father and son) were from Bristol, England, but living in Spain and were traveling around Morocco. They just happened to stop in Moses' site to take their bicycles out the back of their truck and go for a ride. They ended up with an entourage of children whom they let some of ride their bikes. Well, the kids took off with the bikes, but luckily the people in the village knocked on Moses door to translate and the bikes were found. Moses brought them down the mountain for the Royal Wedding celebration and they had scones and a cuppa tea and went on their merry way.
Marrakesh Bombing and Osamas' Death
We have all been told not to comment on our blogs or FaceBook about Osama's death, so I'm not going to say anything here...
The bombing in Marrakesh was awful and is unnerving for all of us here, nobody wants to be evacuated and sent home...
As for security, we are constantly receiving updates from our Country Director, Peggy and are mainly being told to keep a low profile, not to gather in large groups, or go to bigger cities, etc...
Work
Rebha and I are heading down to Kelaat Mgouna this weekend for the Rose Festival. Enshalla, we will sell some carpets while there! I'm staying with Marisa and Rebha is staying with Marisa's counterpart, should be a good time had by all.
and Rain...
Two weeks ago, I was getting lots of nice sun while reading on my roof...but that didn't last long and apparently it's monsoon season here! One day last week it was raining and snowing at the same time for 3 hours.
It's been raining for 5 days straight now and my site is an absolute mud chute!! I couldn't take being in the house any longer and went for my power walk in the rain today...ah well, at least it will be nice hot summer weather while I'm down South this weekend!
That's it for now xXx
 |
| Raining & Snowing |
 |
| Stepping out of my front door...into a muddy river! |
Oh Annemarie - sounds like its time for a break - well done on all that cooking - don't know how you do it with your little cooker. We can't wait to see you. Love Nana and Grampy xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteShalom Annemarie! Granddad and I are sitting here in the Linden Row Inn lobby reading your latest entry. In your honor we are taking Carl and Samuel to CousCous for a Moroccan dinner tonight! Wish you were here to explain the menu :) Love you,
ReplyDeleteGranddad and Mum
xoxoxoxoxoxxoxo
Annemarie,as usual your blog is great. Hope the rain has stopped for a little while and things can dry out. How long does the monsoon season last. Your wedding feast party had to be a big hit I'm sure. Love, Nana
ReplyDelete