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2010-04-29T10:57:00.001Z

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Test Monday

2010-01-25T12:44:00.000Z

Test Monday

Test MondayTest Monday

2010-01-25T12:24:00.001Z

Test Monday

Test

2010-01-06T14:17:00.000Z

Test 6 jan 10

Test

2009-12-01T16:23:00.003Z

Test

test

2009-06-09T11:30:00.001+01:00

test

First week of holidays

2009-06-05T22:18:00.003+01:00

Last week I had to say goodbye to the girls as they headed home for the summer holidays. They had a very busy last week, studying for their final exams, but got to relax and have a bit of fun with a visit from some Girl Guides from the UK who dropped in on Monday and Tuesday. They played games, learnt to cook marshmallows over a fire, made English crepes, and made friendship bracelets. The girls had a great time, and it was a great way to reward all their hard work! We also put on a bit of a party on one of their last nights where the girls performed a quiz show with questions from their exams, as well as some less scholarly activities- charades, celebrity heads, and lots of dancing!

Wednesday was not so much fun, as the girls trickled off one by one to go home for the summer. There was lots of tears and hugs and kisses – the girls love it here at Dar Asni. But Latifa and I plan to visit most of the girls at their homes over the next few weeks so I’ll get one last chance to say goodbye to my new-found Moroccan sisters.

This last week with the girls away, Latifa and I took a holiday away from the house. We spent Wednesday to Saturday at Latifa’s house in Moulaybrahim, a lovely village just a 10 minute drive from Asni. She lives with her parents, one sister, her brother and his wife and an adorable baby nephew. They are such a lovely family and made me feel very welcome. Their house is quite luxurious, with 3 floors, the 2nd undergoing renovations at the moment. The 3rd floor- or roof- is home to their sheep and rabbits, and also their private Hammam.

We went for plenty of walks over the few days I was there, checking out the local scenery and visiting other relatives in Moulaybrahim. It seems Latifa knows every person living in the village. We would be heading back through the village at sunset after a walk around the fields, and get dragged into every second house for a cup of coffee and biscuits and meet another flock of little cousins.

On one occasion, we ventured down the mountain to the river below and found a beautiful clearing where we spent the afternoon picking grass for their sheep. Which meant we had to trek back up the mountain carrying the buldging bags of grass on our backs! Luckily a man passed us on a donkey and offered to carry the bags up for us, and we found them waiting for us next to Latifa’s front door.

On my second night, I ventured up to their Hammam. I survived. Afterwards I took in the view from the rooftop, which is spectacular at night; a few blinking lights from the houses in the village below, lots of stars, the mountains, and a winding road that leads to Marrakech.

On Saturday, we took the winding road to Marrakech to visit more of Latifa’s family. We shared a taxi with 5 other people, Latifa and I squashed in the front with the driver. In Marrakech, we saw Maryk, and told her all about our plans for the house. We’ll be doing lots of renovating over the next few weeks; the girls won’t know the place when the return in September! Maryk gave us a generous amount of money to complete our To-Do list, so I’ll keep you updated on how it all goes. We spent Saturday night at Latifa’s aunt’s place in a village just outside Marrakech, home of La Plage de Marrakech- a big dam which is very popular in the summer. More little cousins to meet and play with, and I spent most of the night working on my Arabic with 10 year old Jamaal as I tried to sound out the words in his Arabic text book, then I helped him with his French text book (not sure I was that much help there…).
Next day, back into Marrakech. In the evening, Latifa, her sister Naema, her few month old daughter, Romessa, and I went to the Souks. Latifa bought a couple of summer Jalebas, and I bought a purple hijab. When it got dark we walked through the summery streets of Marrakech, me pushing Romessa in her pram (stopping by a patisserie for cake and yoghurt) to Naema and her husband Rashid’s place where we spent the night.

The next day we visited another one of Latifa’s aunts, where Latifa lived while she went to school in Marrakech and did her Baccalaureat. Another beautiful 3 story house. We had a delicious lunch and hung out there until the sun had gone down- it gets very hot during the day in Marrakech. So when the sun was low enough, we ventured outside and went to the ‘big gardens’ to watch the sun set. I found out that Morocco, in Arabic is Al-Maghreb, which means the West, but indicates that it is the place where the sun sets.

On Tuesday, back to Asni! We shared a taxi with a couple of ancient looking men with very few teeth, who cackled and shouted about something evidently hilarious for the whole trip.
So it was a busy week, and I think I’ve met most of Latifa’s huge family now, which was a great pleasure.

Now we have a couple of days rest before the work begins on the house. We have a long To-Do list to get through that will keep us on our toes for the next 3 weeks. I’ll keep you all up to date with how it goes!

First week of holidays

2009-06-05T17:23:00.010+01:00

Next day, back into Marrakech. In the evening, Latifa, her sister Naema, her few month old daughter, Romessa, and I went to the Souks. Latifa bought a couple of summer Jalebas, and I bought a purple hijab. When it got dark we walked through the summery streets of Marrakech, me pushing Romessa in her pram (stopping by a patisserie for cake and yoghurt) to Naema and her husband Rashid’s place where we spent the night.

The next day we visited another one of Latifa’s aunts, where Latifa lived while she went to school in Marrakech and did her Baccalaureat. Another beautiful 3 story house. We had a delicious lunch and hung out there until the sun had gone down- it gets very hot during the day in Marrakech. So when the sun was low enough, we ventured outside and went to the ‘big gardens’ to watch the sun set. I found out that Morocco, in Arabic is Al-Maghreb, which means the West, but indicates that it is the place where the sun sets.

On Tuesday, back to Asni! We shared a taxi with a couple of ancient looking men with very few teeth, who cackled and shouted about something evidently hilarious for the whole trip.
So it was a busy week, and I think I’ve met most of Latifa’s huge family now, which was a great pleasure.

Now we have a couple of days rest before the work begins on the house. We have a long To-Do list to get through that will keep us on our toes for the next 3 weeks. I’ll keep you all up to date with how it goes!

2009-06-05T17:03:00.001+01:00

TEST

First week of holidays

2009-06-05T11:36:00.001+01:00

Last week I had to say goodbye to the girls as they headed home for the summer holidays. They had a very busy last week, studying for their final exams, but got to relax and have a bit of fun with a visit from some Girl Guides from the UK who dropped in on Monday and Tuesday. They played games, learnt to cook marshmallows over a fire, made English crepes, and made friendship bracelets. The girls had a great time, and it was a great way to reward all their hard work! We also put on a bit of a party on one of their last nights where the girls performed a quiz show with questions from their exams, as well as some less scholarly activities- charades, celebrity heads, and lots of dancing!

Wednesday was not so much fun, as the girls trickled off one by one to go home for the summer. There was lots of tears and hugs and kisses – the girls love it here at Dar Asni. But Latifa and I plan to visit most of the girls at their homes over the next few weeks so I’ll get one last chance to say goodbye to my new-found Moroccan sisters.

This last week with the girls away, Latifa and I took a holiday away from the house. We spent Wednesday to Saturday at Latifa’s house in Moulaybrahim, a lovely village just a 10 minute drive from Asni. She lives with her parents, one sister, her brother and his wife and an adorable baby nephew. They are such a lovely family and made me feel very welcome. Their house is quite luxurious, with 3 floors, the 2nd undergoing renovations at the moment. The 3rd floor- or roof- is home to their sheep and rabbits, and also their private Hammam.

We went for plenty of walks over the few days I was there, checking out the local scenery and visiting other relatives in Moulaybrahim. It seems Latifa knows every person living in the village. We would be heading back through the village at sunset after a walk around the fields, and get dragged into every second house for a cup of coffee and biscuits and meet another flock of little cousins.

On one occasion, we ventured down the mountain to the river below and found a beautiful clearing where we spent the afternoon picking grass for their sheep. Which meant we had to trek back up the mountain carrying the buldging bags of grass on our backs! Luckily a man passed us on a donkey and offered to carry the bags up for us, and we found them waiting for us next to Latifa’s front door.

On my second night, I ventured up to their Hammam. I survived. Afterwards I made the most of a refreshing and much needed breeze after the steaming hot Hammam, and took in the view from the rooftop, which is spectacular at night; a few blinking lights from the houses in the village below, lots of stars, the mountains, and a winding road that leads to Marrakech.

On Saturday, we took the winding road to Marrakech to visit more of Latifa’s family. We shared a taxi with 5 other people, Latifa and I squashed in the front with the driver. In Marrakech, we saw Maryk, and told her all about our plans for the house. We’ll be doing lots of renovating over the next few weeks; the girls won’t know the place when the return in September! Maryk gave us a generous amount of money to complete our To-Do list, so I’ll keep you updated on how it all goes. We spent Saturday night at Latifa’s aunt’s place in a village just outside Marrakech, home of La Plage de Marrakech- a big dam which is very popular in the summer. More little cousins to meet and play with, and I spent most of the night working on my Arabic with 10 year old Jamaal as I tried to sound out the words in his Arabic text book, then I helped him with his French text book (not sure I was that much help there…).
Next day, back into Marrakech. In the evening, Latifa, her sister Naema, her few month old daughter, Romessa, and I went to the Souks. Latifa bought herself a couple of summer Jalebas, and I bought a purple hijab. When it got dark we walked through the summery streets of Marrakech, me pushing Romessa in her pram (stopping by a patisserie for cake and yoghurt) to Naema and her husband Rashid’s place.

The next day we visited another one of Latifa’s aunts, where Latifa lived while she went to school in Marrakech and did her Baccalaureat. Another beautiful 3 story house. We had a delicious lunch and hung out there until the sun had gone down- it gets very hot during the day in Marrakech. So when the sun was low enough, we ventured outside and went to the ‘big gardens’ to watch the sun set. I found out that Morocco, in Arabic is Al-Maghreb, which means the West, but indicates that it is the place where the sun sets.

On Tuesday, back to Asni! We shared a taxi with a couple of ancient looking men with very few teeth, who cackled and shouted about something evidently hilarious for the whole trip.
So it was a busy week, and I think I’ve met most of Latifa’s huge family now, which was a great pleasure.

Now we have a couple of days rest before the work begins on the house. We have a long To-Do list to get through that will keep us on our toes for the next 3 weeks. I’ll keep you all up to date with how it goes!

Zoë

First week of holidays

2009-06-05T11:14:00.006+01:00

Next day, back into Marrakech. In the evening, Latifa, her sister Naema, her few month old daughter, Romessa, and I went to the Souks. Latifa bought a couple of summer Jalebas, and I bought a purple hijab. When it got dark we walked through the summery streets of Marrakech, me pushing Romessa in her pram (stopping by a patisserie for cake and yoghurt) to Naema and her husband Rashid’s place.

The next day we visited another one of Latifa’s aunts, where Latifa lived while she went to school in Marrakech and did her Baccalaureat. Another beautiful 3 story house. We had a delicious lunch and hung out there until the sun had gone down- it gets very hot during the day in Marrakech. So when the sun was low enough, we ventured outside and went to the ‘big gardens’ to watch the sun set. I found out that Morocco, in Arabic is Al-Maghreb, which means the West, but indicates that it is the place where the sun sets.

Zoe

First week of holidays

2009-06-04T20:07:00.015+01:00

Wednesday was not so much fun, as the girls trickled off one by one to go home for the summer. There was lots of tears and hugs and kisses – the girls love it here at Dar Asni. But Latifa and I plan to visit most of the girls at their homes over the next few weeks so I’ll get one last chance to say goodbye to my new-found Moroccan sisters.

This last week with the girls away, Latifa and I took a holiday away from the house. We spent Wednesday to Saturday at Latifa’s house in Moulaybrahim, a lovely village just a 10 minute drive from Asni. She lives with her parents, one sister, her brother and his wife and an adorable baby nephew. They are such a lovely family and made me feel very welcome. Their house is quite luxurious, with 3 floors, the 2nd undergoing renovations at the moment. The 3rd floor- or roof- is home to their sheep and rabbits, and also their private Hammam.

We went for plenty of walks over the few days I was there, checking out the local scenery and visiting other relatives in Moulaybrahim. It seems Latifa knows every person living in the village. We would be heading back through the village at sunset after a walk around the fields, and get dragged into every second house for a cup of coffee and biscuits and meet another flock of little cousins.

On one occasion, we ventured down the mountain to the river below and found a beautiful clearing where we spent the afternoon picking grass for their sheep. Which meant we had to trek back up the mountain carrying the buldging bags of grass on our backs! Luckily a man passed us on a donkey and offered to carry the bags up for us, and we found them waiting for us next to Latifa’s front door.

On my second night, I ventured up to their Hammam. I survived. Afterwards I took in the view from the rooftop, which is spectacular at night; a few blinking lights from the houses in the village below, lots of stars, the mountains, and a winding road that leads to Marrakech.

On Saturday, we took the winding road to Marrakech to visit more of Latifa’s family. We shared a taxi with 5 other people, Latifa and I squashed in the front with the driver. In Marrakech, we saw Maryk, and told her all about our plans for the house. We’ll be doing lots of renovating over the next few weeks; the girls won’t know the place when the return in September! Maryk gave us a generous amount of money to complete our To-Do list, so I’ll keep you updated on how it all goes.

We spent Saturday night at Latifa’s aunt’s place in a village just outside Marrakech, home of La Plage de Marrakech- a big dam which is very popular in the summer. More little cousins to meet and play with, and I spent most of the night working on my Arabic with 10 year old Jamaal as I tried to sound out the words in his Arabic text book, then I helped him with his French text book (not sure I was that much help there…).

Next day, back into Marrakech. In the evening, Latifa, her sister Naema, her few month old daughter, Romessa, and I went to the Souks. Latifa bought a couple of summer Jalebas, and I bought a purple hijab. When it got dark we walked through the summery streets of Marrakech, me pushing Romessa in her pram (stopping by a patisserie for cake and yoghurt) to Naema and her husband Rashid’s place.

The next day we visited another one of Latifa’s aunts, where Latifa lived while she went to school in Marrakech and did her Baccalaureat. Another beautiful 3 story house. We had a delicious lunch and hung out there until the sun had gone down- it gets very hot during the day in Marrakech. So when the sun was low enough, we ventured outside and went to the ‘big gardens’ to watch the sun set. I found out that Morocco, in Arabic is Al-Maghreb, which means the West, but indicates that it is the place where the sun sets.

an amazing weekend

2009-05-22T16:23:00.010Z

I was lucky enough to spend last weekend in the Atlas Mountains visiting some of the girls at their homes in the mountain villages. On Saturday, Latifa, a couple of the girls- Hayat and Saida, Latifa Maatalla (our beloved cook at Dar Asni), and I marched down to the Souk to grab the next van headed to the mountains. We ended up sharing a Mercedes van with about 10 other people, a couple of dead goats and a chicken. A bit of a tight squeeze, as were some of the roads we had to navigate, but we all made it unscathed. After a couple of hours and lots of stops, we were the only ones left in the van, and we finally arrived at Saida and Zahra’s village, where we met Zahra.

It is a really incredibly beautiful village. Both their families were so warm and welcoming; mothers, sisters, brothers, aunts, grandparents and all. I had a hard time trying not to kidnap some younger siblings. We were fed fresh bread and butter and honey and mint tea til we couldn’t handle any more. Their houses sit just above the valley which is beautiful and green this time of year, and look onto the still snow-capped tops of the mountains. But it was amazing to see how they actually live at home, without things that I take so much for granted- enough beds for everyone living in the house, fridges, ovens, showers, toilets… And I was surprised to see that Zahra’s kitchen is in fact a 5 minute walk from the rest of her house, on a path fit perhaps for mountain goats (which we did actually share the path with). It was very humbling to see that people with so little could share so much, and it really puts into perspective what Dar Asni means to the girls; not only access to an education but the opportunity to live and learn about a different way of life, and a home away from home.

We spent the afternoon walking around the countryside, where the girls showed off their new handstand and cart-wheeling skills, and watched the sun set over the Atlas Mountains; not something I do everyday. After a delicious tajine for dinner and a bit of Arabic television (hmmm), 5 of us were made very cosy in a little bedroom overlooking the valley.

The next day, after 3 generous helpings of breakfasts, the Latifas, Hayat, Zahra and I (Saida stayed with her family), embarked on a 2 hour hike through the mountains to Fatiha’s village. More amazing views, singing and laughter. Soon Fatiha’s village emerged out of the valley. There was lots of shouting across the valley before we got that close, as Fatiha saw us coming from her house a mile away. When we were nearer we scrambled (scrambled; fell, tumbled, whichever) down the side of the mountain from the road to meet her. We were fed more bread and honey, and then Latifa, Fatiha and I went for a wander down through the valley. We were much lower down than in Saida and Zahra’s village so everything was very green, and there were ladybeetles everywhere! Back to Fatiha’s for lunch, then on the road again…

It was another couple of hours walk to Khadija Aitmed’s village, but on the way we passed some cherry trees, and stocked up. More amazing views, including one of Okeimden, pretty cool. And as the sun was setting we came to Khadija's village. More honey and bread, as well as fresh milk from their cow, and we got to meet the newest member of the family, little Hind, a very cute little sister for Khadija.

Through each village, Latifa and I had the opportunity to meet new applicants for Dar Asni for the next school year, which included some of the girls’ younger sisters, and students of the local primary schools. It’s fantastic to see that Dar Asni will be growing and filling up in the next school year, with more girls from rural Morocco receiving a secondary education.

We had an early last night, and got up early the next morning to get back in time for school. A bit more walking (my legs were pretty sore the next day), but once we got to the main road there was a Peugeot station wagon waiting for us to take us the rest of the way back to Dar Asni. We, 6 of us, shared it with 3 other passengers and picked up another couple on the way. But we managed to arrive each in one piece. It was really an amazing weekend that bought to light a whole new way of life… Thank you so much to Latifa and the girls for such a wonderful experience.

Posted by Zoe (not Linda)

An exciting week at Dar Asni

2009-05-15T16:48:00.007Z

I’m now into my second week at Dar Asni, and every day has been just as exciting as my first! Last week I was treated to a trip to the school, where there was an exhibition of the students' artwork on display as part of their ‘culture week’. There were lots of beautiful paintings, sketches, comics and collages, including one intricate design in classical Arabic by our very own Nezha.

On the weekend the girls and I were lucky enough to have an art lesson here at the house with artist Lori Park. The girls drew what the feeling ‘happy’ was to them, and it was interesting to see all their drawings incorporated aspects of nature and lots of blue skies. With the amazing lush green environment surrounding Dar Asni, it’s no wonder nature makes such a good impact on the girls.

On Sunday afternoon the girls took me up to the meadow- a bit of a hike, but I enjoyed every minute of it. There was lots of singing, and picking of mint leaves and flowers, and some green, sour fruit which I haven’t found out the name of yet. And they showed me the Henna plant, which grows bountifully by the side of the road, and decorated my hands with it. Time passed very quickly and we had to run all the way back to the house in time for the call to prayer as the sky was getting dark.

The skipping rope I bought with me has been getting a very good workout. When the girls get home from school in the afternoon the games begin- skipping, cartwheels, handstands, ball games, and lots of singing and shouting. It’s great to see them having fun and keeping fit, and it keeps us warm on the cooler afternoons… yes it’s not quite summer yet.

Yesterday saw my very first visit to the local hammam!- a very new and interesting experience for me... It was quite nerve-racking at first, but the heat has a way of taking your mind off everything, and in a way it was relaxing. I was scrubbed raw and pretty much sweated my insides out, but I don’t think I’ve ever been cleaner in my life.

Now I’m looking forward to this weekend and a trip into the Atlas mountains with some of the girls!

First days at Dar Asni

2009-05-13T21:06:00.002Z

Salaam, Bonjour, Hello! My name is Zoe and I am carrying on in Linda’s position at Dar Asni; big shoes to fill! I found out about the project when I stayed at the Kasbah du Toubkal with my parents at the beginning of the year (when everything was covered in snow) and it sounded like a great way to get involved in making a difference for the girls and at the same time get another chance to visit beautiful Morocco and learn all about the Moroccan lifestyle from the girls and Latifa (in a more Australian-friendly season - everything is lovely and green now!). Believe it or not, Linda and I come from the same city in Australia- Brisbane, and live less than 10 minutes apart - yet we came to find Dar Asni through totally different paths, and we have never even met! Before long the girls will be speaking English with an Australian accent! I spent a couple of days in Marrakech where I met Maryk who made me feel very welcome and at home here in Morocco and told me all about Latifa and the girls - it sounds like the project has already made such a difference for the girls. Now this is my second day at the house, and it has been a wonderful experience. On arriving I was treated to mint tea and delicious home-made sweets, and then a succession of hugs and kisses as the girls trouped in from School for lunch. I’m still getting the hang of pronouncing their names, especially making the Kh sound which I am constantly being pulled up on! Lunch was delicious and I started to learn how to eat with my hands from the communal dish in the middle of the table without making a complete mess of myself. In our first English lessons I think I learnt more Arabic than they did English! But now the girls are well on their way to telling you the time and date. Halfway through dinner after our first lesson while everyone was chatting away in Arabic and Berber and I was only catching tiny snippets of conversation, suddenly I hear one of the girls say, ¨it is half past eight!¨ and then there is a chorus of girls saying "it is half past eight!", "it is twenty to nine!". It was a great thing to hear! Today I experienced the cleaning of the house, a fun and lively event where everything gets wet! I was in the kitchen and was surrounded by girls singing along to the radio as they sloshed water all around! So that was my first 24 hours of life at Dar Asni. I can already see what a great opportunity it is for the girls and I am so grateful to be a part of it!

Welcome Zoe

2009-05-13T07:23:00.001Z

Hello everyone! A quick hello from London (where it is raining!)...

Zoe is the new volunteer in the house - also from Australia!

We welcome you Zoe and are so grateful you are there for the girls!

THANK YOU!!!

So long,,, Farewell...

2009-02-16T07:47:00.002Z

Well, it is my final night in the house. Amidst packing (and crying) and trying to work out how I will fit back into the London Life again, I thought I would write a little snippet for my last blog entry.

I want to start by saying thank you to the girls! I have had such a lovely time, and that has been due to the sweet smiling faces that throw back the covers in the morning to greet me in whichever language they may have been dreaming in! They are such special girls, so kind, loving and generous (especially with their kisses) and I know they will go far due to their experiences in the house.

I must thank all of the people of Asni and Imlil, and the Kasbah, for their welcoming attitude and the genuine way that they have welcomed me into their lives. I have felt so at home and such a valued part of the community.

I am also so grateful to the families of the girls and Latifa for also welcoming me into their homes, giving me endless supplies of food and mint tea and for extending such a warm welcome. I loved being a part of Moroccan life and experiencing everything (lungs, hearts, liver and all) as Moroccan people do. Morocco will always hold a very special place in my heart.

To Maryk, Cees, Birgit and Mark I must say a huge thank you for allowing me to come to work in the house and for being so supportive and complimentary of my work. I have had such a great experience of Morocco, so I am very grateful to have had the experience of being here in Asni! I thank you so much for popping out to visit, and I am sorry that I spoke rapidly about anything in everything – I was just so excited to speak English without confusion!!!

I extend such a huge, heartfelt thanks to Mike for his overwhelming support of me since I have been in the house. I have felt so valued and, when days were hard, but I received an email from Mike that was full of praise, I was able to plough on. Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for being there for me and for your pragmatic approach to situations. But, most of all, thank you for helping these girls so much.

Finally, and this one is a little bit harder than all of the rest (thank God I learned to touch type as I can’t read the keyboard through the tears) I have to say such a big Shukran Bezzzeeefffff to Latifa. I know that I am not saying goodbye as we will always be a part of each other’s lives, but I am so grateful to Latifa for being so open and accepting. I cannot believe my luck in working with such an open-minded person who is so willing to learn and to try new things. I have watched Latifa grow so much over these months, and we have had some brilliant conversations that have left both of us thinking. When I spoke to Latifa last week, she told me that every night she goes to bed now making a list of things she would like to do the next day to make the house better. The girls are SO lucky to have such an inspirational woman guiding them in their lives and their studies. But, most of all, I am so proud of Latifa for being the man and the woman!

I will never forget my time in the house and I will always willing to be involved in Education For All.

Thank you also for your support of me by following my blog!

And, that’s the end of that chapter!

Healthy Futures

2009-02-16T06:55:00.002Z

After a frenzied day at the souk, we rushed home to prepare a gourmet lunch for our guests! Christina and her friend, along with Birgit, joined us for lunch on Saturday. After the meal, Christina (a trained nurse and healer) spoke to the girls with her excellent Arabic about the facts of life.

The discussion revolved around health, hygiene, taking care of your body and a small chat about what life is like as a woman. This was an excellent experience for the girls as these issues are not openly discussed in Morocco.

The girls thoroughly enjoyed hearing quality information from Christina, whose warmth and care made them feel safe.

Not only has this experience given them some tips for healthy living, but it has also opened the door to these conversations. It is a brilliant step forward for the girls.

Thank you Christina and Birgit!

Awards!

2009-02-12T10:33:00.002Z

Last weekend, the girls were presented with new awards according to their participation in the life of the house. We feel it is important to teach the girls household skills and how to be good citizens and to reward them for their efforts.

The awards went like this:
The Best Bedroom – Number One – Khadija Aithmed, Nezha, Fatiha and Atika
The Girl with No Marks – Fatima Bachki
The Cleanest Cupboard – Khadija Aithmed and Nezha
The Cleanest Clothes – Zahra
The Best House Cleaner – Zahra
The Most Helpful in the Kitchen - Fatima Bachki, Khadija Aithmed and Fatiha
The Kindest Girl – Hayat and Hasna
The First to Get Ready in the Morning – Hayat, Fatiha and Khadija Taib
The Most Punctual – Souad
The Most Studious - Khadija Aithmed
The Best in English – Mouna

The day started with everyone heading to school or the souk. Then, everyone cleaned the house thoroughly and we had the lunch that I had prepared whilst Latifa and the new cook Latifa were at the souk sourcing yummy vegetables for the week.

After lunch, the girls had to fully clean the house (again) and then get ready for the awards. The girls dressed themselves in their finest clothes as they were very excited about the proceedings. They applied makeup, and some of them even went without their hijab! A very special occasion indeed.

We started with some tea and halwa, then the awards were presented and then some tributes and singing were given by the girls. I was very impressed by the organisation the Latifa put into the awards and celebrating the girls and their efforts.

Two tradeswomen update the house!

2009-01-29T11:43:00.002Z

Latifa Aliza. Chef. Dishwasher. Gardener. Painter. Carpenter. Gift wrapper. Bargain hunter. Secretary. Treasurer. An ideas woman with the right connections.

Linda Anderson. Wannabe Moroccan Chef. Dishwasher. Gardener – especially good at hacking up the ground. Sander. Painter. The second opinion.

What we thought would be a quiet week without the girls turned out to be full of the extraordinary happenings of the house. We set off on Saturday – a little late due to bad weather – but we hit the ground running in Marrakech. After a five hour stint in the medina (fun as a tourist, but when you have serious business to attend to…) we had stocked up on most supplies for the house. We had a quick lunch stop, followed by a dual assault on Marjane to buy the last of our requirements.

Exhausted, we headed home at 9pm, dumped everything (as in a full ute load) inside the front door and then headed to bed.

The next day it was time for business. Latifa set up the kitchen with all of our new plastic ware to house the dry grocery items. Besides that, we had been promised that a number of tradesmen would drop by to assess the work, but when this hadn’t happened by 2pm we did what all women would do – we spent two hours in the hammam instead.

On Monday morning, the hard work began. We have been stripping back walls and cupboards, then repainting them. We have had two men helping us with all of this (one is Latifa's cousin), as well as installing light fittings and bathroom fittings. We have finally started our garden and we have installed a new washing line on the roof to fit all of our clothes and sheets. A mammoth effort, but the house is getting in shape for our first parent’s open day since the big opening.

PS - you might notice that I feature heavily in this edition. I am great, but it's not just that. Latifa now has a camera! So, she is happily snapping away and is sure to keep an excellent record of ALL happenings in the house!

Snow Angels and Scoliosis

2009-01-23T11:44:00.002Z

After an awesome time away for Christmas and the New Year, made special because I got to catch up with some great people as well as be a part of society again, I am back in the house. The first week was a little difficult as we had a fairly crazy week, with lots of cooking and visits.

My favourite visit during the week was from Khadija’s mother. She waddled into the home, utterly exhausted after her trek down from the mountains with her new baby strapped to her back! She was very sweet – her name is Hind. I think that is the Arabic equivalent of calling your child India. Very progressive! Little Hind was passed around many times, breastfed very publicly (no activist groups required here for this issue!) and then she was swaddled back up, placed on the mother’s back and then tightly contorted to match her mother’s contours. This is why Moroccan women like to be a little large – more back space = less contortions = less spinal scoliosis in their future brood. Anyway, despite the twisted spine she smiled and laughed at me. Even at this age they can recognise the ludicrous foreigner.

To end the week, from this visit on the girls started disappearing, having apparently finished their exams and being told they could go home for two weeks – the first an extra break to allow the older students to complete national testing in the few classrooms at the school and the other a real, bona fide holiday. After a visit from the governor the donkeys were sent far and wide to try and tell the students they would have to come back to school. Consequently, today we have had a couple of girls drop in to say, yes, we heard school was back on, we went to class and they have sent us home again. Do not be surprised when you next see me and there are tufts of my hair missing. All of this messing with the non-existent program is sending me slightly psychotic.

But, in the interests of sanity, I had an awesome weekend to break up the craziness. It all began on Sunday when I woke up and reheated the haricot beans from during the week. These are identical to Baked Beans, so I flung on some eggs and a tomato and I had a real English breakfast. This was followed by a coffee, consumed whilst reading The Australian online. Latifa and I went to Imlil to visit four of the girls at home. This involved slushing around in knee deep snow!!! The snow was so soft and lovely that in an enthusiastic moment I flung myself to the ground and made my first ever snow angel. This was met with surprised looks, and then incredibly confused looks when I got up and tried to point out the features of the angel in the imprint. My biblical knowledge came to the fore, I compared my silhouette to Gabriel, but alas they obviously don’t make snow angels in Morocco.

After freezing, and sliding down the mountains, clutching onto the girls, Latifa and I got to stay at the Kasbah with the Education For All team. It was brilliant. Beautiful food, heated floors, a sit down toilet and a bath. Life does not get much better!

'Twas the weekend before Christmas

2008-12-22T16:25:00.002Z

'Twas the weekend before Christmas,
When all through the house.
(Despite 18 girls being here) not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse (thank Allah we don’t have these here).
There were no stockings were hung by the chimney (although if there were they would have been hung) with care,
And no hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there (this is why Santa can make it across the whole world in one night – he just has to kick a few gifts off the side of the sleigh for the Euros living in these countries and then he keeps on flying). The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Terres d’Amanar danced in their heads.
And Latifa in her 'kerchief (more of a headscarf, really), and I in my cap (beanie),
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,When out on the lawn (no, actually it was in the salon) there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter (thank you Claire for the new DVD player).Our awesome weekend began when Maryk and Cees kindly brought us the DVD player that Claire had donated for the girls. There was much excitement, and after a Friday night session of Disney’s Magic English the girls are all wandering around saying,
“Hello Mummy. I love you.”
“Hello Bambi. I love you”
Maybe not the most useful conversation starters, but great for when they head home!
The girls were so thrilled – they were glued to the TV after dinner, until it was time for homework. (On a Friday night!)

And, the next day. Well, Claire, you have made one man at the Asni souq very happy. At 5 dirhams per DVD, the girls came home on Saturday loaded up with entertainment! I was a bit worried, but they have bought Berber movies (incredibly poorly made, but I think it is nice for them to watch something a little familiar) and some music. This was mainly funded by some visitors to the house who gave some of the girls some money for cleaning the house. Although only a few girls got the money, their purchases benefited everybody.

On Sunday, we took the girls to Terres d’Amanar. Outside of Tahannout, this huge leisure centre has (among other things) a high ropes course and some big flying foxes. We spent the day trying out the equipment, then completing the course, then flying through the air attached to some very long cables. The views were stunning!

The girls had such a ball!!

They were all utterly exhausted when we got home – just a perfect night for watching one of their DVDs. This morning, everyone had woken up in states of agony as every muscle in all of our bodies hurts! The tales from school are hilarious – I imagine we are not their teachers’ favourite people at the moment!

I am off now for the Christmas and New year period to renew my visa. So, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!

Presents!!

2008-12-18T20:48:00.002Z

Well… You may have thought the bloodshed was just reserved for the Eid, but wait… Today, we got a gift.

Some clues…

They are long and thin…

They are soft and hard…

They cause a little pain, but for a good result…

They can be tricky to hold…

And… You can use them to flick little flecks of toothpaste at other people!

That’s right! Toothbrushes!!!

Latifa and I lined the girls up and gave them all a brush. This was followed by me giving a demo on how it’s done. This was a little tricky – speaking with toothpaste in mouth and trying to translate!

The girls then set about cleaning their own teeth. They find it really difficult to hold the toothbrush, and when they use a nice circular motion, there is LOTS of blood. A little bit of gum disease, but hopefully the brushes will sort some of that out.

They couldn’t believe it when I cleaned behind my front teeth, but when they tried it, and worked out they could flick toothpaste at each other, they all clean behind them now!!!

Then, they came up and made me inspect their teeth one-by-one. For some of them, they actually have white teeth under all of that yellow build up!!!

They were so grateful!!!!! Thank you!!!

The Festival

2008-12-12T15:51:00.002Z

For breakfast the next morning, I was charged with feeding the baby sheep, as I chose not to eat the head. It is cut into bits and steamed. The brain is then scooped out and tajined, but I missed this meal as I went out to watch the festival. But first, it was time to eat. A tajine, beautifully prepared with prunes and almonds.

The festival. Not quite what I was expecting. A hoard of men from the village dress up and travel from door to door asking for money for the village. They have the younger men dressed up in black, chasing people and whacking them to get money. I did get whacked. The older men have a range of costumes and instruments. By far the most disgusting is Goat Man.

Whilst the sheep are being massacred for the Eid, a few goats around town are secretly killed also. Their skins are collected, and then the men strap them on for their journey around town. Freshly skinned, they smell putrid. They also attach two hooves to their arm, so when they go in for that hug the hooves are right there on you. One of the goat men chased me – much to the amusement of … the WHOLE village. Hooray for being a tourist – I did want excitement.

Enough excitement for one day (and my hands were so frozen I couldn’t take any more photos), so back to the house for… more meat. More tajine and some boiled meat. Again just stuck mostly with the bread, but I think they were on to me – monitoring every bite… Managed to sneak in an orange after the meal to help digest the lung still sitting next to my own.

The Eid

2008-12-10T15:32:00.004Z

Well, I’m here. I’ve survived. The journey began on Sunday, when I woke up at midnight, 3am and 4am, worried that I had missed the Imam’s call and not too sure whether or not I would do Ramadan. Upon asking why (Latifa really dreads that one word) I was told that if I fasted on Sunday, I would be forgiven for all of my sins for last year and next year. Sounds like a good deal.

Any doubts that I may have had were rapidly banished when my eyes flung open at 5.15 to hear the first call to prayer. Not so much a call, but a loud, raucous, heaving yell, which would have roused the dead. I knew it would be a special day, so I had to make the decision to fast. At 10am, when the guys came to install the heater, I made them breakfast. The smell of toast, the look of the hot tea… No, I resisted. Then came lunch time. As I was on my own, this was relatively easy. I pulled up a few chairs in front of the fire and curled up for a sleep to forget about my hunger. Then, woken at 2pm by a knock at the door, I thought I was doomed. No more… But, at the door was Hajj Maurice, so named because he has taken the trip to Mecca. He was also fasting and was so thrilled. Lots of ‘tres bien’ and ‘it’s good for you’. So, I stuck with it.

At 5.30pm, in the kitchen, with a lavish meal carefully prepared, I stood in wait. Maybe I missed the call? 5.40 came by – still no prayer. Just as I was about to call Latifa to see if her Imam had called out, his lovely (if a little off key and hoarse) voice rang out through the air. Horray. Scoff. Full… Scoff. And so the night went on.

I arrived at Latifa’s house on Monday where her mother was very impressed with my advanced basic Arabic skills. In the morning, I sat down in the kitchen for the first breakfast. We were joined by a baby lamb that Latifa’s parents somehow acquired – not for the Eid, that would have been too much! Latifa and her mother fed the baby, and then the day really began.

Dressed up like a real Moroccan, we waltzed about town visiting family and friends. Every house had a steady supply of mint tea and halwa – various biscuits. We ate and ate until the slaughter began. We managed to escape all of it, except for the last house we visited. One of Latifa’s uncles was just having his sheep done by Latifa’s father. I think it was lucky to get this introduction to the situation, without having to see the actual death just yet.

It was all over very fast – the sheep were pulled from their room, had their heads cut off, quickly shed of their skin and then all of the entrails were pulled out and quickly placed into the waiting tajine and onto the brochettes. What did I eat? Just one stick (Latifa’s mother would like to send more because I clearly didn’t eat my share) of heart, liver, stomach fat, lung, stomach fat, heart, liver. Can you believe it? The lung was particularly chewy and I could feel it in my throat for the next 12 hours. The stomach fat was the nicest bit.

All of the work followed then – the stomach was cleaned out, the intestines emptied and dried, the heads were charred on the fire and then the wool was scraped off. The same treatment went on with the legs. And, of course, don’t forget the skin. That was covered in salt, ready to be cleaned and dried tomorrow.

Everyone was super busy with their job. I was the chief photographer and cry baby. That’s right. At the moment at which I watched the sheep get its throat cut, with all of the blood gushing out, my eyes just filled up and tears sprung out. I couldn’t stop it and my hosts were a little shocked and dismayed. I was a bit embarrassed, but I think it was good for them to see that for some people, death does not form such a natural part of everyday life.