Another update……

I'm having a stellar time in Gourrama. Such a great time that I've actually even decided to stay with my host family for the next two years. For the most part everyone is soooooo nice and completely welcoming especially the family. As far as actuall work goes, it hasn't really started yet...there's been some confusion over moon cycles and likewise work schedules. That, and I think the teachers in my town are avoiding me because some of my ideas include more work for them...YAY!!!! and so not what they're into apparently. Hopefully Ill get the chance to meet with them this week but either way I'm launching a French and English "Cafe" project as well as setting up the ground work for a SIDA talk at the orphanage....I mean really, a bunch of teenage Moroccans stuck inside of a cement building all day. They've got to do something for entertainment (not my words). Now, hopefully they'll at least do it safely. I've also started laying the ground work for an art project at my Dar Chebab in conjunction with a neighboring volunteer (only an hour away by transport and by bike....yes, surprisingly they take about the same time but most importantly notice I have a bike. SO EXCITED!!!!!). So basically lots of ideas and hopefully soon to be lots of actions. I’m also working on building a cultural website for the region…but I’ve been having issues with the actual quality of photos that have been submitted :(

Other than that I've been making some pretty kickass friends in my town. We hang out a pretty good bit especially once the sun sets...therefore in the absolute freezing cold!!!! I mean whenever you have to wear 4 jackets, it's a little ridiculous. We end up lighting fires out in the deserty rocky area under a groove that was cut out by a now dried up river. Keeps us warm for a while.

Christmas was cool. Hung out with about 5 other PCV's and had lasagna!!! I really almost cried....okay, I did cry but I swear it was only because I had something in my eye.

New Years was amazingly fantastic. I basically spent an incredible night and morning in Merzouga (a desert town about 2.5hrs away from me) hanging out with only Moroccans and one other volunteer. I really don't even know where to begin describing it. As far as the actually plans went, I was taking my host sister there for her birthday and invited the other volunteer but whenever we got to Errachidia I ran into a moroccan friend who ended up tagging along. Then we met 6 other people on the transit to Merzouga and we all just kind of stuck together. At first we went to a tiny Auberge just on the edge of the desert where we found a group of about 18 people made up of Moroccans, French and Italians. We chilled with them, and some of the hotel people started playing some Arabic and Berber jams and served us cookies and tea.

After a few hours, we headed out and started roaming around the desert stopping at random hotels and auberges crashing a bunch of parties which was fun and dandy but then we found this crazy tiny auberge called Chez Maria which is owned by this amazingly cool chick from Spain who, again, served us tea but this time...bla sukar (without)  but pumped with some flowery flavors. The Moroccans tasted it and flipped out asking where the sugar was...I thought it was awesome. Anyway we chilled there for a while and jammed to some really cool music that was a perfect combination of Moroccan and Spanish influence. Totally dug it and had a blast. After that headed back to the first auberge and watched the sunrise...BEAUTIFUL!!!! Slept for an hour and then trekked the desert for a while.
Needless to say it was pretty bawler. Sorry this was kind of rushed but got to go skype it up with some people. I’ll try and get some videos up sometime soon.