The Simple Life

Got friends on the transit to Sefrou yesterday in time to meet up w/Fatima, Zahra, Latifa, et al. Suad had invited me to “come to her house on Tuesday with Fatima”. Waxa. Call Fatima to find out what time. 9:30 in the morning. Iyeah? Weird time-not tea, lunch, whatever. So it was interesting to note it was a bunch of us, and they’re dressed up. Hmmmm. So we get in a transit and head down to the zlul (valley below REK), not the direction of Suad’s house. OK, I’m along for the ride. Pull up w/many other vehicles, obviously a ceremony of sorts. Seems that the new governor from Sefrou is making his rounds of ribbon cuttings in the REK area, and the new school in the zlul is first on the list. He takes his photo op, walk around and then it’s back in the vehicles. Now we’re headed to Suad’s. Check it out-berber tent, local girls dressed in traditional berber dress and singing and dancing. We’re not at Suad’s house, but she is the spokesperson for the storyboards from several local associations reporting on their work using INDH grants. She takes the governor thru them all-great exposure for her. Then the men sit under the tent for tea, cookies and chicken lunch. I get dragged into dancing the hadeus w/all the others in the hot sun, and gave them something to laugh at. Back in the transports and back in town by 11:30. Still have time to get to my tutor’s, which is a good thing since I had him translating an important document into Arabic that I needed for meetings today. All worked out.

All except the du and l-ma. Still have du (electricity), but no water pressure up on the 3rd floor where I am, so if there’s a trickle of l-ma, I’m refilling the water bottles that I’m constantly consuming. Not enough water or pressure for laundry or a shower. Two nights in a row I’ve dumped a 2 liter bottle of water on my body for a “shower” before bed.

Then my computer is failing me. Friend got into my ITunes on Monday and somehow deleted the operating software for 40 downloaded TV shows (my guilty evening entertainment pleasure). Fatal error, not recoverable. Sh**! Then decide my DVD drive really is not going to work (took a spill on wet tile the other day-landed on my bum, but must have hit DVD side of computer as well). It’s not like I’m a big DVD movie watcher, but I use it every other day for my riada (exercise), ie; Pilates DVDs. I’ve enjoyed the excuse of the heat and having company long enough. Need to fix this.

So I get up today after a sweltering night of no sleep to find that the gods are smiling on me, blessing me with simple pleasures that I really appreciate. First, taxi to Fes needs one more person to leave when I walk up. Yalla. Direct to Fes. Have time to write out my agenda and what I want to discuss w/the Artisanat Ministry Delegate. (I still do this in advance when meeting w/officials so if any words or concepts might trip me up, I’ve thought through them beforehand). Show up at the Artisanat at 9:30. The mundub shows up about 2 minutes later. Hamdullah. Get my business taken care of, got the official “stamp” for the Workshop/Craft Fair (we’re calling it Marche Maroc 2009) and their logo to use in our marketing. Head off to Marjane to do a bit of shopping for those things I can’t get here in town. This includes a portable DVD player-splurge at equiv. of $200, but it’s daruri (necessary).

Finish in time to meet up w/Jess and Cortney who are working on the marketing of Marche Maroc 2009, and we go for sushi. Yum.

They are on the hunt for photo images to use in the logo/look for the marketing materials, so we head on down below the medina to the pottery area-never been there before. Really amazing to watch them make the zillij mosaic work. Great photos, great work, and we’re done with that. Back to the American Language Center to measure space to diagram exhibits and check out kitchen, etc.

Then I find the transport gods still looking favorably upon me as a taxi to Sefrou is ready to go and the transit from Sefrou to REK fills quickly. Home at 7:30.

Fingers crossed. Du is on. Hamdullah. But wait, there’s more. I have water pressure!!!!!! I quickly fill empty bottles, fill wash tubs, strip and get all the laundry soaking and get under a cold shower-shampoo, shave, the works. Ham du li lah. Shower never felt so good or was so appreciated. The simple life, Morocco style.