I have been very poor at contributing to this blog. I can hardly believe that nearly two months have passed and i havent got down to it. Today seems to be a special day. All the ladies were singing as they changed nappies in the orphanage today and the sun is out. Weve ha drain for the last week of so which has been tremendously exiting for everyone at home apart from me. Fedwa, who is the only daughter of the wonderfull family im staying with, keeps rushing down the stairs asking to be let out to see the rain. Im in a fantastic mood today so far. For the last couple of weeks i seem to have been able to deal with the endless cat calling with good humour (private humour, i dont want them to catch even,a hint of a smile). I realized that i was going to give myself heart failure if i marched around feeling furious all the time. Today, i might turn around to everyone that says 'Ahh very beautiful, yes?' and shout ' YES, ITS TRUE, I AM. Thankyou my good man for reaffirming it'.
A couple of days ago Auriel and i were taken to Agadir. Which i found to be alarmingly simular to a day in Brighton or anyother see side town. We had lunch with the family of one of a GMH member. It was a fantastic meal and as another platter was brought in i exclaimed ' oh my giddy aunt'. 'What means giddy aunt?' Fouad wanted to know. After lunch we were dressed up in the families berber clothes. Which is a great honour so im told. We looked indescribably funny and i really struggled to take the event seriously. The wieght of the jewellery was emmence and it was a real effort to get to the door to pose for pictures.
I do feel really happy here and i feel like ive learnt a lot. I have travelled and lived in some Arab countries before but ive found this to be an entirely different experience. Before i was living with families and going to university which meant i saw how family relationships worked. But here in Morocco i feel that im getting a really good overall view. Its such a privaledge to live and be around people who are so comitted to bettering the lives of people in their society. They have really good strong values. Its an insperation.
My family here are the beas knees too. Many a night we sit up chatting about the world, Morocco, England, culture. Weve had some great conversations, among my favourites: Freedom of speech. Abdullah travelled to England last year with Africa trust and is generally very open minded and easy going. His wife Siham has never left Morocco and has had a limited education. Its amazing to watch the look on her face when he tells her about what he saw in England. The best being when him and other volunteers stumbled across a nudist beach. They hadnt understood the sign half way up the beach and had wandered into what must have been a very embarassing situation for them. Siham almost fell off her chair laughing.
If any one is reading this and is humming and harring about coming out here i say do it. I was sceptical about the organization before i came but all my doubts have since vanished. They are doing a fantastic job here. This certainly isnt Marakesh but its a good town and not too overwhelming. The souq is big enough to lose your way in but small enough not to panic in. There arnt too many tourists either which i think is a bit of a blessing and we've really been taken care of. What more can you ask for?
Antonia
yaaloo to all potential volunteers(and past!) love from the mud red walls of taroudannt,poor yet smiling children and the maroccon warmth of all in GMH that are creating these possible horizons.
