Welcome Winter?

Could it be winter?

Yes, I’ve been spoiled….in many ways…..let me count them…..

First, it’s only now turning cold. Just yesterday. Like a light switch. Went from too hot in a long sleeve blouse on Wednesday to wool turtleneck under fleece and sleeping under 2 blankets w/flannel sheets. Welcome winter. The warm is over.

Second, just for the record, I really, really do appreciate having internet connection in my apartment. That is, when it works. And it hasn’t all week. And only shwiya since July. Apparently it’s a problem in the whole town. Can’t pay my phone/internet bill ‘til they have connection-timeframe as yet undetermined. Went by the Maroc Telecom office in Sefrou Thursday when I was there to lodge a complaint to have someone come and check it out. Paying good money (400DH is no small fee given rent is 800DH/mo) for no connection. Even the cyber has shwiya connection this week. Makes me realize just how dependent I am on having access-yes, I know, spoiled.

Went to Sefrou for the weekend. Friend Jess had Marian and I over for scary movies last night. Proved more humorous than scary. Found a guy in a shwiya hanut, but zwin equipment who burned a DVD with 4 movies in English (was supposed to be 6, but for 15DH, either way it’s a bargain). The first one-The Haunting in Connecticut stopped about ¾ the way through. Just when we were to find out who was “the next weak one” targeted by the demons. Now we’ll never know! So after trying to get the DVD to work again, unsuccessfully, we moved on to movie #2. (Note that formats are different here-don’t typically work on US computers, so once you manage to find someone who has English DVDs-and make them show it to you before buying it-you still may not be able to view it). Movie #2 was Autumn. My first zombie movie. Again, stopped about ½ way through-found out that only ½ of the movie was burned. Will never know if the zombies come back and take over. My guess is that’s the ending, and really, I don’t particularly care.

So I’m off to Rabat tomorrow. (So much for being home all this month). I will be attending a conference with a Seattle-based NGO that focuses on women’s leadership-Center for Women in Democracy (CWD). Then I’ll be attending a reception with the new Ambassador to Morocco. There are 2 of us PCVs who have been invited to the sessions, so should be interesting. Half of the CWD group, about 20 of them, will then come to Ribat El Kheir on Friday. I’ll be hosting them, along with Taeawniya Adwal and some other women leaders in REK, for a discussion and traditional couscous lunch.
The mission of CWD is to promote women’s full representation, participation and leadership, while respecting the political, economic and social diversity in cultures worldwide. The goal of the delegation to Morocco is to establish connections, exchange ideas and learn fromone another’s cultures through forums, site visits, briefings and enjoying the company of the Moroccan Parliamentary, business and other women leaders, entrepreneurs and community activists. Interestingly enough, the woman I hope to work with to establish business mentoring for our artisans is also invited, so will be good to see her there. It should be a very interesting week.

Meanwhile I’m planning Thanksgiving celebrations. I’ll travel south to Kristen’s place in Tounfite the week before Thanksgiving. This year Leid Kbir falls on Thanksgiving weekend, and PCVs have a travel restriction (high accident rate as it is the biggest holiday of the Islamic calendar and many travel to be with family). I’m hoping to get the PCVs in this area together right after Leid Kbir to celebrate together, brainstorm joint projects and welcome Pete to REK.

So now I’ll head over to the cyber with my computer to connect there and get some work done.

B’slama.