Through the Winter Cold

Looking at the dates, my last entry was apparently Christmas Eve. Hmm.. I guess I’m not very good at this blog thing. Alas, I’ll try to pick up from where I left you all...

New years was spent outside Merzuga in the Sahara desert, which was quite a remarkable time. There were about 25-30 of us that took off on camel back for a good hour and a half into the desert. Of course, if you were to ride a 4-wheeler into it, it probably would have been a 15 minute drive. Never the less, it was an experience. We sat on top of the dunes and glared out over the massive sand ridges. And that’s where we stayed until the sun went down. Then, bundled up, around a bon fire, we rang in the new year. It was definitely a night of... well mannered frivolity. I mean, come on, we’re Peace Corps volunteers after all.

After this, my January was pretty low key. Since I had moved into my new site, I had yet to really spend any time here. From flying off to Spain, spending Thanksgiving at a friend’s site, then Germany and the desert in December. So January, was  my month of integration. It especially worked out because my site mate (Hanan) would be out traveling-- so I had the entire community to myself. Oh, and her pet cat. I’ll say now, I am not a cat person. Yes, while it was nice to have some live pet waiting at home every time I walked into the house, and something warm curled up next to me in the bitter cold, I prefer a dog on all accounts. I just don’t understand cats.

So the highlights of my January hibernation:

• realizing I’m getting a dog the first chance I get
• baking my first carrot cake with cream cheese frosting... and it turning out AMAZING
• starting numerous amounts of fire in my wood burning stove (and it staying lit)
• getting a lot of work done & fulling acquainted with my USAID water project

And that about sums it up.

Now, we move on to February. Which, again, was suppose to be one of my integration months. However, that took a strange turn. After getting through a month of not being sick, it was again my turn. I ended up with a horrible staff infection - how you ask? I wish I had a better answer than, “Um, it’s Morocco.” Well, after I was bed ridden for two days, I surprised the doctor with how big my abscess had actually gotten over night- and she immediately told me I had to go to Rabat. Well, folks, I couldn’t even get out of my bed, never mind travel to Rabat. So my sickly stubborn self convinced her to have a driver pick me up more than half way- score.

This little injury kept me in Rabat for about 3 weeks. However, while there, I spent time with fellow PCVs, getting closer to some than I ever had, enjoyed good food, good drinks, and spent way, way, waaayyy too much money. Luckily, I get reimbursed for a good amount of it.

So, finally, after the worst medical experience of my life, spending an incredibly amount of mulah, talking to some college kids about Peace Corps, and getting so annoyed at being in Rabat I didn’t even stay to meet Hilary Clinton, I came home. (I know, some of you will be flabbergasted that I didn’t stay to hear her talk, but that shows you how tired and over it I was. Plus, I didn’t have the money to stay there).

So that brings me to the present day. And as I sip on my hot tea (it’s still cold enough that my tea will get cold within 10 minutes), listening to the children screaming outside, the stupid roosters crowing, and my shutters opening and closing, I wish I could give you all something more substantial to read. But the truth is, there hasn’t been much that’s been happening the past two months. Oh! I finally caved and read “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” so I guess that’s something.

But! Alas! In March, IN TWO WEEKS, I will be flying off with a few friends to Ireland with a quick stop over in London. For which, I am so excited for. I’ll get a chance to spend St. Patty’s Day (my all time favorite holiday) in the home land. And then, in May, I will be off with the beau to beautiful Croatia, where we will be sailing around the Dalmatian Islands for a week. I don’t know what romantic novel I stepped into, but I am not complaining. Then, possibly over to Italy with the parentals before they come and see the mud house I’ve been living in the past year. I do have to admit, there is one great thing about being in Morocco- and that’s the location and the opportunities to hop over to different places.

So again, friends, family, I’m sorry that I haven’t been on my game to keep this online diary updated (it was one of my resolutions, woops!) and I promise to give you more exciting photos and stories in my next entry, I hope. Until then, thanks so much for reading this, sending all the emails, cards and care packages - I appreciate and love all of it so much; it always brightens up my day. Thank you.