A Week in Review

A lot has been going on. Environment Day—God willing—is going to happen this Sunday. In the morning, in theory, two speakers will come, one from a national association of science teachers and one from the Ministry of Water and Forests. They’ll talk about the importance of the environment, and how to start and run environment clubs. People attending will be local principals and teachers and members of associations.
In the afternoon, a group of PCVs will come and they will cooperate with members of the dar chebab’s new environment club in order to put on stations with environmental activities for local youths, who will be split into groups by age. This is all with a big “ancha allah”…there are a lot of nay-sayers out there, man.

The reading competition is still going strong…sort of. I got my first book summary yesterday, about The Old Man and the Sea in French. I was shocked that the girl in question could have read that book that quickly. Her summary was very impressive as well. I was excited at the prospect of someone having actually completed a book, but I quizzed her on it just in case. I asked her to tell me the meaning of one of the words in her summary, lutter, French for “to struggle”. And I asked her what the old man’s “one affection in his life” was, as she had described it. She couldn’t do either, so I didn’t give her the points. I found it incredibly awkward and horrifying, but she and her friend just laughed it off. Interesting cultural difference I guess. Anyway, the competition ends the 18^th, and no one else has handed anything in…nonetheless, more people keep coming to sign up. I guess I’m going to push the deadline back. Some other kids had an idea for a drawing competition. Keen!

I recently visited an association in a nearby town. This also involved some awkward moments. I was told to meet them at the third bridge on the river from my town. It turned out, they were at the fifth bridge. Not a big deal, except that I ended up walking for an hour and a half, and had only scheduled half an hour for the whole meeting, and couldn’t make it to the dar chebab that morning. So I decided on the way that I needed to be less of a doormat, and was more or less convinced that I’d been lied to. Upon arriving, I thus spoke very sternly with the man who had invited me, about how I would be perfectly happy to come a long way to work, I just want to be informed so that I can ride my bike and bring water. I also declared that I really want people to respect my time. I’m pretty sure I made it clear I thought I had been deceived. Whether I was or not, the man and his colleagues were then some of the nicest people ever, and I’m really looking forward to working with them. So of course I felt bad for my diatribe, and no one cared that I didn’t make it to the dar chebab, but still. Their development association fought and fought, and made significant strides for their village in terms of electricity and potable water (after the nearby commune had refused to help them because they’re Berber). This is the kind of association you want to work with.

I also participated in the kick-off day of a women artisans’ festival with Fatima. I think I made some good connections (and hopefully she did too). I’m still doing aerobics with her women. I tried to be extra energetic today, and I don’t think they’ve ever had so much fun if I may so flatter myself. A lot of them struggle with weight problems and are eager to do even more workouts in a week.

I’ve had the treat of having a guest since Sunday. Laura B of Ithaca fame. She came to the dar chebab and frolicked with the kids like a champ, and raved appropriately about the local culture. We also had a fun night in Marrakech, and ate the Marrakechi meat dish “tangia”, which was delicious. We had a bit of an altercation with one of the women who do Henna markings for girls on the main tourist square, regarding a disagreement over payment, but everyone came out okay--hopefully not too emotionally scarred. Anyway, it’s always great to have visitors (hint, hint, everyone).

The word has gotten out that the dar chebab is actually fun in the evening. MOSTLY, kids come, and read, or draw (with the ten, sad pencils I bought), or play games, or help each other with homework, or chat. I think I’m averaging 15-20 kids a night and their enthusiasm for things is unbearably endearing. Sometimes, though, I have found myself becoming Old Lady Annie, and I relate more to the guys who work in the dar chebab. For example, at 7:55 (the dar chebab closes at 8:00), some days a group of five young men that I don’t know comes in just to check out the scene. So they’re not technically doing anything wrong . . . I just don’t like it when my classroom starts to feel like a cocktail party. I haven’t figured out the solution yet.