Entry Written on December 25

It’s been a long time since I updated this. Let’s see… Not too much happened the weekend after L’3id. I baked some cookies and hung out. Then Monday I had to visit the Gendarmes again to sign more papers and hand the file of carte de sejour documents to the police. Then Tuesday I had my tutoring lesson and then met up with friends in town, it was nice. I had lunch then went back to site. Wednesday and Thursday I played the good volunteer and visited with a few people in my community including my counterpart and made a hammam trip. It was so nice, J.

Then Friday I had to go to Rabat again to have my ear checked as it still has a pain in it and my hearing seems off. So I went up a day early in case there were any travel delays as the road between Azrou and Midelt had been closed all week. I managed to make it through with no problems, J. I travelled with 2 girls from the Riche area and I had so much fun. It was really nice to hang out with some girls. Then after we got to Rabat we ate out way too much and shopped too much, but it was so nice and so worth it, J. I got to eat at TGIFridays and have a BACON cheeseburger! Then the other night we went to the German Institute and I had an awesome pizza and salad. We went to Marjane as well which is the Moroccan version on Wal-Mart and I found a really awesome purse that I can fit EVERYTHING in which is great when travelling around Morocco. Also bought some hard to find cooking supplies, etc. I also bought a really cool new hat from another store in Rabat. I definitely stayed up way too late everynight, but it was so nice.

Then Monday I had my ear appointment. Good news: No Surgery! I just have to take 3 more medications for 2 months and return for a check up in 2 months. I’ve regained the majority of my hearing but still have a slight hearing loss and the pain. Then on the way back from Rabat I got to have lunch with one friend from my CBT group and dinner with another.

Now I am just recouperating and not leaving my village for awhile. I’m putting myself under village arrest, haha. Working on getting my house approved, inch a’llah, I’ll be able to have it approved by this weekend. That would be awesome because then I could start painting, tiling, etc. I’m way too excited about fixing up my house, haha. It’ll be my weekend/free time project for the next couple months. Otherwise next month I am going to start working on daily schedules with my artisans, starting to learn what they all know how to do and where they want to go. There are 28 of them and they only meet once or sometimes twice a week, so it’ll be a process, but I have the time. It’ll be good for me to practice my language and get to know the women. Once I move into my house I plan to start hosting computer lessons and English lessons as well. You all know me, I don’t deal well without a ton on my plate! Haha.

Spending Christmas today with the host family. I’m hoping to buy a few things and make sugar cookies. I think it would be so much fun and then I can share a little bit about my American culture with them, J. It’s not Christmas without sugar cookies. It was always a family tradition every year.