1 week completed

My first week in my training site has been very good. I have met several relation of the family and all have been very kind and welcoming. I am beginning to remaster the french keyboard, inch a'llah, :). I have bought too many colas, but I spend little money on meals and therefore have the opportunity and the dirhams to splurge on things such as snickers bars and cola. It will be nice once Ramadan is over (wednesday or thursday) because then I will be able to eat and drink during the day again! :).

We have begun working with the local cooperation. They do rug weaving among many other things, but their rug weaving is what they are known for. Our current project during our training period is to sort out what they desire and what they can do and develop a plan of action. It is to prepare us for our eventual site placement. I adore my fellow site mates, I just feel I am often misunderstood or unheard, so I watch and formulate ideas to be implemented at a later time when I receive my site placement. I spend much time interacting with my host family, their extended family and simply observing how they all communicate and interact with one another. I am then viewing how americans think and behave and how moroccans think and behave and attempting to find a way that involves both ways of thought for a more productive meeting and spenditure of all of our time. One difference I have noticed is the american's need for an exact answer. The women we are working with never do anything on a set day, etc., so their concept of time is very different from ours. What I would like to do is speak with the women as they are working in a more conversational way. That way we are not using up too much of their working time. Much of the time I have the sense they are willing to chat and communicate with us, but we are also eating into their workday. Even id they see our questions as useless, we may have more progress if we are asking them as they work and are less pressed for time. Inch a'llah.

I am also suffering from sinus allergies, so breaking out the zyrtec and cough syrop, hopefully it won't mess too much with my thoughts! I missed language this morning because of them, :(. I am trying very hard to learn as quickly as I can, some words stick better than others. I just wish I knew more verbs and more conjugation. I think I will ask my family more questions and read ahead in my book more. I am trying to learn so much in so little time. Everyone is very helpful though which is amazing. It's nice to live in a culture where life isn't continually rushed. I will admit I am scared to be on my own in only another month, but it will be good. The phrase I will keep as a mantra will be "Rome wasn't built in a day".

Inch a'llah!