AAHHHHH

Well I am living in the High Atlas Mountains now with a local family.  I am settling in and getting accustomed to the food, living, language, customs, etc.  I keep telling myself I can do this like the little engine that could.  Have been some interesting stories that I cannot print here, nothing with sheep.  Visited a high mountain drainage for the town and had dinner outside with music, sheep and relaxation.  My kind of Peace Corps.  The language has been a real challenge.  Very intense working 10-12 hours a day with more study at home.  Will be well worth it.  Had a visit from another PCT group last Friday, what a treat hearing their stories and comparing to ours.  Visited a Souk (market) and pretended to speak the language.  Make a few mistakes but I have not been disappointed in my attempts.  Hope you enjoy the pics.  Gotta go.

Travel to Midlet

Going to travel through the Atlas Mountains to the Southern side on Sunday.  About 4 hours or more.  Midlet is a mining and plains town.  Will meet my host family on Sunday and spend the next two months with them.  May or may not have internet access in the area so I may not post for a while.  Will get some photos and notes as soon as I can.  Went to town today and bought some supplies.  The beach town was nice.  My new home is very cold and barren from the looks of it.  Does not get much rain.  Stay tuned.

Let's Eat3

Let's Eat 2

Let's Eat Photos

Roomate Sam.  Some rooms had a cross draft.  We did not.

I'm Here-Lets Eat

67 people left Philadelphia for Morocco on Monday 14th.  We made it to Casablanca about 9AM on Wednesday.  Took a bus to Mehdya a beach town on the Atlantic Coast outside Rabat.  He got fed like we had not eaten for days with great Moroccan food-salad, bread, fish, baked beef with prunes (delicious) called Tajine for the cooking vessel it comes in.  I did not get a picture of the top but will definitely eat this dish again.  After lunch we had a welcome show from local musicians then orientation and schedule review with the Country Director.  A great show and program.  For dinner we had a local soup, Hrira, again awesome and pasta with spiced beef.  The beach here was very crowded with Moroccans, camels and horses walking by.  Quite a change from Florida's alligators and snakes.  Wini, there are lots of friendly cats for you to adopt.  It is hot, but not worse than Florida.  Called Ashlyn in Argentina and Mom on Skype.  They were happy to hear I was OK.  Enjoy the photo.  Will send more later.  Takes a long time to load.  :)

Ready To Go?

I used to ski below the Camel's Garden in Telluride, now I am headed to Morocco on the 13th of September, 2010 with the Peace Corps to meet the camels in person.  Oh Boy. Busy packing, selling my stuff (surf board, kayaks, car, tools) and saying my good bys.  Talk to you soon from across the Atlantic.