Two Years In The Making

I sit down and order my usual, half milk, half espresso. The smell of burning coffee grounds tickles my nostrils. The heat of the patisserie and the sound of people chattering comfort me, a reminder of coffee shops back home. There is a ten-human pileup at the counter fighting for round disks of bread, cookies, croissants and baguettes. The waiter squeezes through a crowd of people to deliver my coffee. It is almost the holiday and the shop is packed. I hear Darija spoken around me and pick up small bits of conversations. My mind refuses to absorb the words on the pages of my book as I re-read them for the third time. I set down the book and I sip my coffee; feelings of excitement, joy and motivation fill me. A high pulses through me as I realize what seems like madness fits together like a puzzle, making perfect sense. I can't say whether the high is caffeine-induced or just that sheer excitement of understanding.

The moment I arrived in town I walked towards a brown awning, the word 'Patisserie' printed across it. I passed a cart full of squawking chickens, cow heads with their tongues hanging out, stomachs and intestines in piles next to the heads. Honking and buzzing motor bikes overwhelmed my senses as I dodged the stream of pedestrians walking towards me in a certain free-for-all. As I reached the patisserie I was welcomed by four Americans sitting around a small round table. They all looked rough, wearing bandanas, tattered clothes, and worn Chaco sandals. They told me to order a sandwich but I wasn't sure how. I tried to figure out what the shop had, how to order, whether or not to pay right away and if I should wait or go sit back down. I didn't know if I should try my minimal Moroccan Arabic or revert to my safety net, French.

After eating lunch, one of the Americans and I walked to the family's home at which I would be staying. I didn't know where to place my belongings, how long to sit, how much to eat, what to talk about. I tried to remember all they had crammed into our brains over the previous two months of training. I shyly introduced myself with what little Darija I had and sipped the overly sweetened mint tea with my new family.

I swallow the last bit of bitter coffee, ask for some eggs, butter and yogurt to take with me, flip my sun glasses down and walk out. People recognize me and say “Asalamu3likum.” I say hello to shop keepers as I pass. I feel confident as I walk back to my apartment.

My cell phone reads 6pm. I walk out the door and across the dirt path to the youth center. I greet each person with a handshake and ask about the success of the activity we did two days earlier. Everyone agrees it went well. I joke about my cultural missteps and joke about quite possibly having forgotten to shake the Delegate's hand in front of a large group of people. Everyone laughs and says, “mashi mushkil,” no problem!

As I crawl into bed with memories of the day, the high returns. This time it's not caffeine-induced. Sharing a sense of humor in another language and cultural context must be a sure sign of truly understanding. I think about my recent commitment to stay in Morocco for a third year, about all that I have learned in the past two years, more importantly the things I have yet to learn. I wonder what it really means to understand something.

Halloween Activity at the Youth Center

Halloween!

Happy Halloween to everyone! This year for Halloween I invited volunteers from around the area to help out with aHalloween activity at the youth center. I didn't go into the details about what Halloween really is or how it works but rather set up a small carnival like experience. We had bobbing for apples, pin the nose on the pumpkin, potato sack races, face painting, mask making, we taught the electric slide andto top it all off we had a haunted house. There is no way I could have done it without the other PCVs so a huge thanks goes out to them!

In the afternoon the PCVs got together and made decorations. We peeled grapes to serves as eyeballs, made spaghetti noodles to serve as worms and put uncooked rice in boxes to represent ants. These are all fond memories I have of Halloween activities during elementary school.

We strung string across the youth center and made a divider by hanging sheets over the string. Tables were set up that kids would climb under (and PCVs would hide on), people hid behind boards, and in doorways. String was hung at the entrance to feel like spider webs as children entered the haunted house. By the end of the evening even the moms wanted to go through the haunted house, their one requirement, that they didn't have to climb under the table.

I was lucky to have the help of so many PCVs, as there would have been no way to accomplish such a great event by myself. Youmay wonder what this had to dowith youth development. It was really more of a focus on the cultural exchange goal of Peace Corps. It also gave the kids a chance to experience something they hadn't before from art and dance to face painting and American games.

It was a blast and I hope to do it again next year!

10 Tips For A Successful Homestay Experience Abroad

With over two years of homestays under my belt ranging from studying in France and Senegal to working in Morocco there are certain things I try to keep in mind to ensure building a relationship with my host family and to get the most out of the experience as a whole. Whether the duration is ten days or over one year, living with a host family is the best way to experience a new culture and learn the language of the country in which you are living. Here are ten tips to make that experience the best it can be.

Before you arrive

1. Do Research

Before you arrive in your host country research the cultural norms. Having an idea of what is typically accepted and not accepted will better prepare you for your homestay. Knowing, for example, if you should leave the tank-tops at home, take your shoes off before entering a room, eat only with your right hand or how to greet people will allow you to more quickly adapt, integrate and be welcomed into the host family. While you will still make mistakes, this will help with first impressions and give you a good base to start from in becoming part of the family.

2. Pack Souvenirs From Home

Before you leave your home country, buy a few souvenirs representative of where you are from. Examples include key chains, post cards, a calender with pictures of your hometown, state or country, or small LED flashlights. These things make great gifts whether at the beginning of your stay or at the end. They will be a good introduction or reminder of you to the host family and give them an idea of where you are from. You can write notes to the family, neighbors or friends on the post cards, pictures from calenders can be used for future decoration in your host family's house and kids can't get enough of the flashlights!

During your homestay

3. Have No Expectations

Approach the experience with as few expectations as possible. The higher the expectations are the harder you will fall. If you keep in mind the mantra, It's not good, It's not bad, It's just different, throughout the experience, it will help keep things in perspective.

4. Lock Up Your Valuables

Keep spare cash and other valuables locked in your suitcase and if your host family gives you a room with a lock and key, keep your room locked when you are not in it. This not only protects your stuff but it protects the family as well. The first thought always seems to be, I don't want to offend my host family. But some families will directly tell you to lock your things up and in the end it is much less stressful to lock up your valuables in the beginning, with the slight fear that you might offend someone than to have to confront the family were something to go missing later on.

5. Develop Coping Strategies

A coping strategy is any technique used to help you relax when stressed, to help you get through challenging situations or to help you reboot when you have become exhausted. It can be any number of activities from reading, going for a walk, doing laundry by hand, or keeping a journal, to listening to music, doing artwork, taking a nap or just taking some personal time when you need it. Develop these strategies and develop them early. A good way to do this is to establish “you” time at the beginning. This will help create a pattern and help your host family understand that you wanting space has nothing to do with them. The most important thing is that you establish these techniques at the beginning, before you need them, so that they are there when you do need them.

6. Eat At Least One Meal A Day With Your Host Family

Whether meal time is at 5pm or 11pm, do your best to adapt to your host's schedule. The time you spend directly engaging with your host family, practicing language skills and learning more about them, is some of the most important and rewarding and meal time is the best time to do this. While school or work may prevent you from enjoying every meal with your host family, having at least one meal with them a day will help you build a relationship. In certain cases they may try and feed you by yourself out of respect or other cultural reasons. If this is the case talk to them about it. If it can't be changed, find another family to eat with on occasion.

7. Contribute To Household Chores

While you may be considered a guest for the first few days to a week, contributing to the household chores will help you become part of the family. Choosing a simple but consistent chore is a great way to contribute and will not only make you feel useful but make the family feel like you are doing your part as well. Setting the table every evening, doing the dishes after dinner, hauling water every morning, or sweeping are examples of great chores that you are entirely capable of and your host family should feel comfortable letting you do. In certain cultures it will be unacceptable or unheard of for a man to help with these chores. In that case you may insist that you want to help, or find other ways to contribute, perhaps taking time to play with the kids, helping your host dad figure out his new piece of technology, or chopping fire wood.

8. Cook Your Host Family a Meal From Home

Go out and find ingredients available to you and cook your host family a meal you enjoyed back at home. This allows you to contribute something to your host family, share your culture, and allows them to try something new. They also get to learn more about you. There is no guarantee that they will like the food but there is a guarantee that they will appreciate the experience as a whole! Who knew the foreigner knows how to cook!?

9. Communicate

Taking the time to communicate as best you can with your host family is essential to having a good experience. It is difficult to communicate with someone who speaks your own language let alone someone who speaks a different language but the most rewarding experiences will come from trying to communicate. Use your communication skills to get to know each other, solve problems, learn about the culture, get around, express the challenges you face and the gratitude you have for the family and the country you are living in. The whole point of the experience after all is to learn a new language and get to know about a new culture and the only way to do this will be through communicating with that culture and its peoples.

After your homestay

10. Keep In Touch

Do not let the end of your homestay experience be the end of your relationship with your host family. They have given and taught you so much over the time you spent with them. Show them your appreciation through monthly phone calls or a visit down the line. Most of the time they just want to hear your voice, hear that everything is going well and to tell you that they are doing well too. It doesn't take much time or effort. Nothing makes less sense to a host family than having their visitor leave, never to be heard from again.

There's nothing like having a second or even third family abroad. Take the time to develop a relationship with your host family and you will be pleasantly rewarded.

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Publications in which I'm interested in seeing my byline

1. Stuff Expat Aid Workers Like / http://stuffexpataidworkerslike.com/

Guest Post Submissions policy

-Must be an expat Aid Worker
-Post must be the or issues-focused
-Should be humorous/ ironic
-Submit by emailing stuffexpataidworkerslike [at] gmail [dot] com.

2. Matador Network / http://matadornetwork.com

Editor: Julie Schwietert

Contributor submission policy
-Be familiar with the blog you want your story published in
- Avoid covering topics others have covered
- No Pseudonyms

-A submission should be 2000 words or less
-Don't send an article that has already been published
-Check spelling, grammar etc.
-If you don't hear back within a month or two submit something else

3. Transitions Abroad / http://www.transitionsabroad.com 



Submission guidelines:

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/information/writers/writers.shtml

Editor: Gregory Hubbs 
Contact: webeditorial@transitionsabroad.com

4.Abroad View / http://www.abroadview.org/webzine/index.htm

Contributor submissions:
Send submissions to abroadview.editorial@gmail.com.
Editors: Various editors

5. Travelgirl / http://www.travelgirlinc.com/



Submission guidelines: Query by emailing soswald@travelgirlinc.com

Editor: Stephanie Oswald

Extension of Service

For those of you that haven't heard, I'm extending my stay in Morocco by one year! Yay! The thought of leaving one month from now was unbearable and there is still so much to do here and so many opportunities to be taken advantage of!

With the next year I hope to do more health education, teach about volunteerism and leadership, work on career development, be present for the opening of the new Dar Chebab and help Peace Corps Morocco with the transition to an all youth development based program.

I'll be going home for a month starting in mid November to celebrate the holidays and both of my parents' birthdays before returning to Morocco for my next year. While home I'll visit Washington, DC, Chicago, Michigan, Albuquerque and of course wonderful Colorado. I'm looking forward to seeing friends and family, drinking lattes, eating chipotle, snow and central heating. Five weeks at home should be just enough time for me to still love everyone at home but be thoroughly ready to go back to Morocco. I look forward to returning with fresh eyes and perspective.

In the mean time, I've started taking a travel writing class online. This will (Inchallah) increase my blog posts! They may seem random but will hopefully be interesting and if I'm lucky improve over time.

If you ever have questions or would like me to elaborate on certain topics or parts of my experience, don't hesitate to ask. It will help me be better about writing and will make this a more interactive experience, which blogging is all about!

Taking a walk with one of my students

River Dades

Bridge crossing

Almond Blossoms

Algae

Dar Chebab Activities

Youth Center Activities, YAY!

Playing Chess

Ping Pong!

Art/ Green March Activity

Drawing interpretations of the Green March

"My Arabic Library"- Donated by the State Department. We have lots of English books in our library but for students that don't speak English they are useless. This was quite a treat and many students benefited from having access to educational children's books in Arabic

"My Arabic Library"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ceremony marking the beginning of the building of the new Dar Chebab (scheduled to be done at the beginning of 2012)

Hanging out at the ceremony- in my Moroccan Garb

November Festivities

It's hard to believe I haven't written since October. I guess not that hard to believe for those that follow my blog and know how inconsistent I am about updates. Today I want to take the time to update you on what has been going on for the last seven months.

They say a picture is worth 1000 words so for the month of November I will share several photos of the festivities I attended from the Big Holiday to Thanksgiving and mid-service medicals. To be reminded of exactly what the Big Holiday is, I recommend you look back on my entry L'3id Al Adha from December 2009.

Our friendly sheep

On his way out

Tea, Bread, Grilled Meet...mmmmm

We ate everything, including the head

Thanksgiving: We bought, cooked and ate a previously slaughtered Turkey- Not much different than the Big Holiday, Yak?

Candlelit Thanksgiving dinner- How romantic :) I'm thankful for my friends and family and all the support they give me, the opportunities available to me, my experience in Morocco, Marjorie, my health, really just about everything in my life!