...just have a second. The last few days have been spectacular, with beautiful sunny skies and temps. in the 70 and 80's. Its probably the coolest place in Africa right now, and we're loving it.
We're down to our last week in Ifrane! Amazing! We have our proficiency language test next week, which everyone is stressed about, because we're supposed to have achieved "Novice-High" in order to be sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers. That might not sound like much, but after 7 weeks of intensive language training, I can barely remember my name!
Then we head back to Rabat for the last part of training (which hopefully involves mostly drinking and seeing friends we made before we left Rabat). I think I find out a week from tomorrow where they're going to send me. That, too, is a source of apprehension (or at least extreme curiosity).
There was a random time change here, so its 8 hours later here than in San Diego. ...but when Ramadan begins (which is later in the summer), they for some reason set the clocks back an hour for the month of Ramadan, and then move them forward after Ramadan ends. Not sure why, but it plays havoc with my ability to try to figure out when I can call my family on the west coast. Basically, with an 18 and 21 year old, my best chance of reaching them is when I get up in the morning, because it 11:00pm there, and they're just getting to study or go out partying, depending upon the night.
As for Ramadan, it is hugely important here, with mandatory fasting (no food, drink, or sex) from sun-up to sun-down, for the entire month! I guess, however, that its "game-on" from sun-up to sun-down, and my host family has invited me back for a weekend so I can see how its done! They're also asking whether I will observe the tenets of Ramadan, and the longer I'm here, the more inclined I am to try it (at least for a period of time). You're not even allowed to drink water, so there are health considerations when its 130 degrees out (which is not at all unusual, in terms of summer-time temperatures in Morocco).
...gotta go. More later. Thanks for checking in!
We're down to our last week in Ifrane! Amazing! We have our proficiency language test next week, which everyone is stressed about, because we're supposed to have achieved "Novice-High" in order to be sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers. That might not sound like much, but after 7 weeks of intensive language training, I can barely remember my name!
Then we head back to Rabat for the last part of training (which hopefully involves mostly drinking and seeing friends we made before we left Rabat). I think I find out a week from tomorrow where they're going to send me. That, too, is a source of apprehension (or at least extreme curiosity).
There was a random time change here, so its 8 hours later here than in San Diego. ...but when Ramadan begins (which is later in the summer), they for some reason set the clocks back an hour for the month of Ramadan, and then move them forward after Ramadan ends. Not sure why, but it plays havoc with my ability to try to figure out when I can call my family on the west coast. Basically, with an 18 and 21 year old, my best chance of reaching them is when I get up in the morning, because it 11:00pm there, and they're just getting to study or go out partying, depending upon the night.
As for Ramadan, it is hugely important here, with mandatory fasting (no food, drink, or sex) from sun-up to sun-down, for the entire month! I guess, however, that its "game-on" from sun-up to sun-down, and my host family has invited me back for a weekend so I can see how its done! They're also asking whether I will observe the tenets of Ramadan, and the longer I'm here, the more inclined I am to try it (at least for a period of time). You're not even allowed to drink water, so there are health considerations when its 130 degrees out (which is not at all unusual, in terms of summer-time temperatures in Morocco).
...gotta go. More later. Thanks for checking in!
Random beauty :) Thank you for showing us Morocco through your eyes! ox
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