Well, I finally learned where I'll be living the next 2 years, and spent the better part of last week exploring the area, getting to know my new host family, job, etc. -- how exciting!
I am going to be in the High Atlas village of Assoul. As usual -- not in the guidebook and only on a really big map. There is only one "transit" a day in via the closest town. The only other way in and out depends on when the road is passable (not last week, for example!). I have no cell phone service, which will make work a little challenging (we all already knew I'd have to travel out of town for Internet!), and perhaps sanity even more so as I now have to wean myself from my newly-acquired texting addiction. There is a PC health volunteer there working to bring latrines to the area, as only a fraction of houses have any sort of toilet, and the town operates on a generator from 6-10pm each night, with houses alternating 2 nights on, one night off!
Sounds like BFE? Yes, but so far I love it! The drive in is stunning -- perhaps even my new favorite! My host family seems wonderful -- they've hosted a volunteer before, so they seem far more willing to let me be myself than what a lot of volunteers face, and perhaps just as importantly, it doesn't look like I'll have so many dinner table power struggles as I do in Ait Hamza! My host father is fluent in English, as well as (of course) Tamazight, French, and Classical Arabic, so I'll have no trouble getting tutoring in whatever I want/need! I am working with a women's group called a nedi, which does various forms of "tissage," including weaving, embroidery, and knitting. I am glad for the variety, and there are also a lot of potential projects with the group, so I won't be lacking for ideas going in. The harder part at first I think will be simply prioritizing needs. And this is all happening under the oversight of a community association which is highly organized and dedicated to community development projects in education, environment, and health. It's a windy place, facing a bit of a drought -- plenty cold in the winter and hot in the summer, but none of the extremes possible in this country (Azrou, BTW, is f-ing freezing now, and I even had to drive through snow heading back!)
I wish I had time now to go into all of my little (mis)adventures during this trek, which included stops through the provincial capital of Errachidia to meet my government supervisor, and the town of Goulmima, where I'll be spending a bit of time during the next few months with gendarmes trying to finalize all of my working papers. And there was a transit breakdown in the middle of nowhere and a minor bus crash... but this is Morocco and I'm ok, so it's all good!
Just a week of training left. I'll be leaving tomorrow to say goodbye to my host family in Ait Hamza; language test on Sunday; next week off Immisour (I'm sure I'm spelling that wrong) to celebrate Thanksgiving and then to Fez to get sworn in!
No comments:
Post a Comment