October

I know it has been awhile, almost a month since last I updated my blog. I had COS Meds and Conference in Rabat until October 4^th, then I traveled back to site October 5^th. Nothing extraordinary happened along the way, it was actually a quite smooth trip. I stopped in Fes the night of the 5^th to visit my tutor who is now studying at university there and then made it home on Monday. I had a whole week in site before heading up to Rabat again, for a VSN committee meeting. During that week in between Rabat trips I relaxed, cleaned up my house a bit, did laundry and visited people. I went to the coop one day as they weren’t meeting Wednesday. It was nice to see everyone. Then I started my second trip Wednesday, October 13^th so I could be in Rabat by the 14^th. I took the day to relax and get some internet things accomplished such as my TFA application. TFA stands for Teach for America and is a 2 year program where you are placed in a place where there is high educational inequity and you work in lower income schools as a teacher while being certified and earning a full beginning teacher’s salary. It is a great alternative licensure program and I really hope I am accepted. I won’t know for awhile. I spent that Friday and Saturday in meeting for VSN to discuss changes in the curriculum and then traveled back to site that Sunday. So I have now been in site since Monday October 18^th, about a week. It has been a crazy month!

This past week I have been deciding what to keep, what to mail home, what I will take while traveling back home, what I will sell, give away and leave for my replacement. I also have loads of other things to do before I leave in 2 weeks! I’m still not quite adjusted to the fact I am actually almost finished… On my travels I developed a sinus infection which is finally gone, humdullah. But now I have a clogged ear and a rash. The ear is from the altitude changes and remnants from the sinus infection combined in traveling back home. The rash is an allergic reaction to an antibiotic they had me on for the sinus infection. I’ve been taking Benedryl for the rach and it seems to be improving.

Last weekend I went to visit a friend about 30km from me, was nice. Made an oreo cheesecake with real oreos, :). Sunday I visited my women at the cooperative. They were working on orders and projects for the coming cold weather. Lots of knitted sweater outfits. They love the cross stitch project I am almost finished creating. I plan to leave all my leftover cross stitch items with the women when I leave they love it so much. I wasn’t feeling well yesterday so I stayed home and rested. Today I went to town and arrived home later than expected so I hope to visit some people tomorrow. Might have lunch with a friend. Lots of people to see and spend time with before I leave. I don’t know when I will be able to return for a visit.

Today I also finally got the fabric to make my Halloween costume, :). A lot of my fellow volunteers and I are celebrating Halloween this weekend. Our last hoorah before the 4 of us 2^nd year SBD and YD volunteers depart the region. I’ve decided to go greek. Bought a dark green fabric and a gold sash for a belt and plan to be a Greek Goddess. Debating on who…there are so many.

These 2 years are simply flown by, I find it hard to believe it’s the actually the end and I’m not just leaving for a visit home. I’m excited and ready for whatever my next adventure will be, but I will also miss my community here. It is a bittersweet feeling. Only 2 more weeks in my site, about a week in Rabat and then my month of vacation traveling home. And so much to do before I leave!