Much has changed in the last few weeks. We have left our community based training center in Midelt, become full-fledged volunteers(PCVs) instead of trainees (PCTs), moved to our permanent location, moved in with a new host family, gone to a craft fair in Marrakesh, and started our service with the co-ops.
Our swearing-in ceremony was memorable and took place in Rabat, the cosmopolitan capital of Morocco. The US Ambassador attended as well as various dignitaries of the Moroccan government. The speeches were short and to the point, we all took the PC pledge and then adjourned to a fine lunch on the beautiful grounds of the Peace Corps headquarters. The day was sunny and warm and the menu was turkey cooked several different ways since it was the day before Thanksgiving. We got to stay in a nice hotel in the heart of Rabat with private baths and hot water. Luxury!
Thanksgiving Day was spent on local transportation traveling to our permanent sites. As usual, whenever we have to haul our luggage around, it rained. We did manage to get to our site in time to enjoy the American version of Thanksgiving dinner with Pete, our youth development site mate who is an excellent cook. We had roast chicken instead of turkey and chocolate chip cookies instead of pumpkin pie, but otherwise it was a traditional and delicious meal.
The PCV craft fair in Marrakesh, Marche Maroc, came just days after moving to REK, our new site, so it was a learning experience for us. The fair wasn’t a big success for the artisans, which was disappointing. There were a lot of people in town for the international film festival but they didn’t seem to make it to the Artisanal Ensemble where the fair was held. Those who came seemed to be only buying small items which would fit in a purse or suitcase, or shopping in the Ensemble shops where credit cards were accepted. Our co-op’s only carpet sale was to a PCV. The next fair will be in Fez in April, and we all hope for a more successful market there.
Marrakesh is in some ways an overpriced tourist trap, but still a fun place to visit in a stunning setting, and the warm weather was much appreciated. The main square, Djema el Fna, is full of performance artists, snake charmers, musicians, and various hustlers. At night there are brightly lit food stalls where food is cooked in bubbling pots and over smoking grills. You can even have a goat head complete with eyeballs if you like. We ate kabobs there twice and they were tasty and fragrant. The most fun for me was relaxing on various rooftops overlooking the medina and the magnificent Koutoubia mosque.
We recently attended our first wedding. It was a two day affair. The first night was a henna party for the bride and the second night was the actual wedding. Everyone was dressed in their shiny, sparkly, lacy, sequined, gold and silver best. This included me in my borrowed caftan resplendent with crystal beads. Our family made quite a showing in our finery as we walked to the wedding with our host father pushing a wheelbarrow with a 50 pound bag of sugar—a traditional wedding gift. At the home of the bride, we were greeted at the door with drumming and chanting, and our usually quiet host mom burst forth with an astonishing ululation. The men and women were separated in different rooms, and I have to say the women appeared to have a lot more fun. There was dancing on the table, line dancing and belly dancing. Some of the older women could shake it with the best of them. We ate dinner around 10pm, first the men, then the women. I helped polish off the chicken tagine with the requisite round of bread when another course of meat tagine appeared. This was followed by couscous, and finally by a fruit plate. At that point, I decided to call it a night, but the party went on until 3am. The sensible part about wearing a caftan is that underneath all that shine and glitter, there may well be a pair of heavy knit leggings or pjs.
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