Been awhile...

So...I went to the health run in Midelt the weekend of May 1-2. I had a good time, lots of volunteers helping. Even had 3 of us volunteers from Iowa. I spent Sunday making shishkabobs for about 5 hours with 2 other volunteers and 2 moroccan women. My sinus infection had unfortunately returned full force so I went back home that night. I had a great night's sleep and awoke with a bit of a fever and was dizzy and out of it. So the plan was to watch movies and TV shows on my laptop all day. This happened for about 2 hours as at one point I swung my keyboard cord around my laptop, caught the back of it and it flopped onto the floor backwards off of it's stool, :(. At the time I just put it back up and it was still functioning fine, but what I didn't realize was that it has stopped charging...big mushkil (problem). I noticed this fact when the computer died while watching a movie. I checked the cord and outlet and electricity but alas it was something internal, :(. I took it to a cyber guy who fixes laptops and really hope he can fix it. I finally got wireless internet in my site and use my laptop for many things. Moroccans are very good at fixing electronics so I am hoping. I won't know until Monday.

Otherwise I had fun working at Spring Camp end of March/early April. Of course they wanted a wedding again this year and as I was the only female volunteer I was the one married off again, this time to a Moroccan. I have been to 0 weddings and in 2 now. Always the bride and never the bridesmaid, haha. Spring Camp was so much fun. Me and 9 other male volunteers from around the region. A good group. There were quite a few trouble maker campers, but some really sweet ones as well. I taught hand arts of course, :). We also did an American games night, an american movie night where we watched Wall-E, the Moroccan wedding, a talent show night and then final good byes night where they played a Moroccan game similar to Jeopardy. I also got very little sleep and began a sinus infection.

Then later on in April I went to Rabat for a warden conference where the wardens of each province meet and discuss what we would do in the case of an emergency or evacuation situation. Learned several useful things and had fun getting to know new people and enjoy some time in Rabat.

The day before the Midelt run my region had out going away party for those ending their service and returning home soon. Am very sad to see many of them leave. I have known the ones in my region for the last 18 months. I am excited to meet the new volunteers and they will be great, but life will be a little different without these familiar faces. It also marks my final 6 months mark of service. It feels like such a short amount of time considering I have been living in Morocco for the past 21 months.

Then these past couple of days I have been in Kalaat-Mgouna at the yearly rose festival attending a SIDA training of trainers (AIDS) and helping with a booth at the festival where Moroccans and volunteers are explaining different health information and what AIDS is. It has been a good couple of days. I am looking forward to returning to my site today for some rest and to do a few things with my site. I have been out of it for a bit of time now.

I need to speak with the Delegate again about getting land and a building built for my women. They are not able to share the elementary school anymore and there are no buildings currently available to buy or rent even if my women had the money which they don't to buy a building. The Artisana has funds to build a building for a cooperative if the community donates a piece of land, so that is the current direction I am trying to pursue. Inchallah.

Overall a busy month. Had internet in my house, well, on my roof, for about 3 days before I killed my lap top. Unfortunately all of my photos are on that, so I will be unable to share any until it is either fixed or I am able to retrieve the information off of the harddrive. I am hoping it can be fixed. Keeping my fingers crossed!