Fat and Happy!

Well....its been almost two month since I swore is as a Peace Corps Volunteer and all continues to go well. I have two more weeks (INshallah) of staying at my host families house. While being wonderful, generous people; I’m also very ready to get into my own place.

I had a nice little “vacation” when I was able to go to Rabat for the Warden Conference. A warden a volunteer who is kind of responsible for the region safety and security and helps to coordinate the movement of volunteers in the unlikely event of a consolidation (everyone meeting at a pre-determined location) or an evacuation from the country. Anyway, the conference was good and it was great to spend a few days in the big city. Rabat is the capital and is a lovely, mellow, modern city with some of the comforts of home. We stayed at a fairly fancy hotel where I got to sleep in a real bed, take a hot shower, and sit down on a toilet (its the little things you come to really appreciate). Also fun to meet some of the other volunteers in different sectors and regions. Morocco is one of the world’s largest (maybe the largest?) PC countries with over 200 volunteers serving in the fields of Health, Environment, Small Business Development, and Youth Development. Because of this, its hard to meet everyone.

One evening all the warden’s were invited to the PC director’s house for dinner and upon walking in the door I was greeted to a massive table overflowing with take-out McDonalds and Pizza Hut. Normally I might cringe at such a sight (no....thats a lie) but when I then opened up a cooler full of A&W root beer I may have quietly thanked Allah. After gorging myself on fast food and playing ping pong for a few hours, the evening was completed by a viewing of the 1993 Barbara Streisand Las Vegas concert? Not really sure what “Babs” was all about but I walked out of that house feeling fat and happy and with some minor indigestion. After treating ourselves to TGIFridays the next evening my week of gluttony came to a close and it was time to return home.

I arrived back in site with the idea that I had already secured a place to live. But it quickly became apparent that there were some issues associated with the house that I was previously unaware of. Apparently the family of 6 brothers and sisters is fighting over what to do with the house and I found myself in the thick of a family feud. After consulting with my Chief Gendarmes (similar to a county sheriff) he told me that there’s to many problems with the house and not to live there. Unfortunately, Alouenet is a fairly small place and there’s not a lot of rental options. I have two weeks to find a place but am looking at some today (inshallah). Pretty sure that something will work.

Oh yeah.......I saw the king last week and waved at him!