Introduction

WOW! 15 months ago I began filling out my application for the Peace Corps.  Almost a year to the day of my nomination for a youth development position in North Africa/the Middle East I will start on my journey to Morocco. On (or around) September 6, I will fly to Philadelphia where I will have a brief introduction to what lies ahead of me before I leave for Casablanca to begin my Pre-Service Training (PST)

For those who do not know, The Peace Corps is a governmental institution that was established in 1961 by John F. Kennedy. Its mission is three fold:

·      Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.

·      Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.

·      Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

I have started this blog primarily to address goal three listed above as well as to share with you my adventures, growth, trials and tribulations throughout my 27 month Peace Corps service in Morocco.

As a privileged, white, middle class American, who has been given many opportunities to interact with and benefit from the generosity of people around the world, I have found that this is now my chance to give back. From France to Senegal, Western Africa to Egypt and through America’s own diversity of peoples I have discovered the importance of human interaction and the fact that differences can unite people in the same ways they are often used to divide people.

As interactions expand and relationships form there is no denying humanity to people who are different from you. There is no better way to understand that, than to confront ones fears of differences by being immersed in a culture that is different than your own, and realizing that humans have the same needs everywhere: Clean water, food, shelter, love, family, education and opportunities for personal growth, etc. Some people are born with these things laid out in front of them, however this does not mean that those that are not, are not entitled to these same benefits and should in no way be deprived of them. Unfortunately not everyone feels this way. I am hoping through this blog and through my experiences I can prove to at least one American, whom would not understand otherwise, that people in Morocco (and in other places around the world) are no less intelligent, thoughtful, or important than anyone at home due to their religion, education level, culture, or history.

While Morocco may be one of the few countries in which the Peace Corps serves, with amenities such as running water, electricity and possibly even Internet, I am under no illusion that it will be easy. In fact those are the superficial things that give an appearance of difficulty or ease to a situation that goes much deeper. From learning the language and how to communicate to understanding and being accepted into a community there are hurdles to be jumped, potholes to stumble through but of course rewards to be had. I think of my first experiences living abroad, ten months in Bretagne, France, and the high I would get when I would have the realization of the communication that was taking place. “Oh my goodness! They understand me and I understand them, we are both speaking French and we are even joking with one another! Who would have ever thought.” This was after months of wondering when I would ever understand, months of sitting at lunch tables with my head spinning, trying to follow the conversations at hand. And then one day I woke up and realized that while I would never be French I could finally communicate, participate and be accepted in a way that was never before possible.

I also remember the high I would get after an hour and a half of teaching English to a group of predominately Hispanic adults, in Boulder. That same feeling of excitement in watching a person progress in a language and understanding their elation after so much frustration of trying to understand a silly grammatical rule, when all of a sudden it finally makes sense. And it is funny how languages work like that…you don’t get it…you don’t get it…you don’t get it…and then BAM it hits you out of left field that you are actually understanding. And the doors that understanding actually opens, is what I find so exciting.

The first wedding you go to in another country/culture is always fascinating even when you don’t understand the language and what is going on around you. But when you finally understand the language and someone can explain what the traditions are all about, it becomes an entirely different experience. And when a person can express themselves in their own language, there is a side to them that you would never see if they are constantly trying to appease you by speaking your language (ie speaking English to make it easier for you despite the fact that they are significantly more comfortable speaking their own language be it Spanish, French, Wolof, Xhosa, Arabic or Chinese.) Something is always lost in translation. It reminds me of one of my best friends Claire. She moved to France, and speaks perfect French because she was raised speaking both French and English, but says she feels like she has lost half of her personality in France, when speaking French because she cannot express herself in the same way and with the same amount of comfort she could in the United States. All of this said, I think it is important to learn the languages of the countries you go to because it opens a door into the culture that will be entirely missed otherwise. It is like walking through a neighborhood and seeing what all of the houses are like but never actually going inside to see how the people decorate, what they eat, how they interact with one another and most importantly, what all of these things signify to them. 

In any case I realize this first post has gotten away from me (just a littleJ) but I hope that it gives you some insight into my motivations for joining the Peace Corps and my excitement at the 27 months ahead of me. And maybe, just maybe, at some point it will be able to provide you with a little window into Morocco for those who may never have the opportunity to venture there themselves.