Where in the World is Candace Hatchett?

2010-11-28T07:34:00.000-08:00

Dining and hosting are experiences that I am beginning to cherish here. We often go to each others homes or invite others to our house to eat. These times are full of laughter and stories which make memories. We also thoroughly enjoy the process of preparing meals for each other. We are learning the art of the N. African meal. The photo of the full table is from a meal prepared a few weeks ago. We began with cakes and pastries with tea. Next, we had salad and afterward we served the main dish chili con carne with breads. Last, we shared fresh fruits. The meals here are flavorful and nutritious. The meals are full of foods from the five food groups and the balance is great! We need to take the opportunity to expand our list of new recipes...meaning try to use the pressure cooker...dun dun dun! Ha ha ha The other photos are from a local restaurant that serves French cuisine the presentation of the dishes was so aesthetically appealing that we had to take pictures to attempt replicating some of the food arrangements. Will post that when we have new experiences to share. I now understand a little more of what Hebrews refers to when it says "Don't give up meeting together...spur each other on to love and good deeds..." well who would have thought that food would provide such experiences of togetherness.

2010-10-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

A need to Communicate

In the past two weeks I have had experiences that make me very curious about the culture where I live. There seems to be this desperate need for the local people here to communicate with my roommate and I as we walk about the town. The means with which communication is attempted often leaves us scratching our heads, frustrated, or bursting in laughter, but often after all of the initial shock has faded we are often bewildered due to the sporadic timing of these gestures of 'kindness'. Here are a few examples of attempts at communication:

Last week while eating dinner at a corner cafe two boys approached our table selling DVDs, pocket tissues, key chains, etc. we smiled and said no thank you. The boys walked away and return 20 minutes later, the older boy lingered at our table asking us to buy goods from him and as we were telling him we would rather not the little boy walks up behind my chair and pinches the back of my neck and runs across the street as I let out a surprised yelp and the waiter yells at the little boy from inside the restaurant lobby. I rubbed my neck and looked across the street and the little boy smiled a mischievous smile and stood there watching us as we finished eating our food. What was he really trying to say to me? Was he upset that I wouldn't buy from him? Did he want me to chase him? Did he want to play? Did something about my response before the pinch communicate that pinching was appropriate? The others with me just shook their heads and chuckled to themselves.

The other day my roommate and I were walking in the Medina and a small man said "Hello!" We kept walking as he tried to block our way. He then said, "You will not answer me....Why?" Walking after us he then said, " Hey, it is my color..." Then directing his words at me he said,"Wait, YOU are my color.....one of my color....you will not answer me....." as we walked away. We often do not speak to men on the street here unless we know them from work or through friends due to our commitment to respect the culture and wisdom, but what was this man wanting? Why did he single me out? Could it be that this man wanted more than just a hello, but a full on conversation? If he wanted a warm greeting, why didn't he approach us in a different manner? What judgments will he make in the future of foreigners who don't speak to him on the streets?

Another man in the Medina greeted us at the large main door saying, "Hello! You are welcome here! Hey Mama Africa.....Jamaica.........Rasta.........Hey Rasta.." as he faded into the crowd behind us....I didn't know why he found it necessary to call out to me. Why does my ethnicity drive him to act in such ways? What response does he want from me? Why didn't he say anything to my roommate who was walking with me?

In the rug shop one of the helpers wanted to know if my roommate and I knew what the word "gazella" meant, and we told him that we did. This was after a few minutes of over hearing a conversation between the shop owner and the helper which was all about how beautiful we were. When the shop owner realized that we understood what he was saying he shhhhhshed the helper and told him "Shhh.....these girls know a little Arabic!" and laughed out loud and proceeded to ask me if I was Muslim. What was his point? Do these men tell every woman who enters the shop that they are beautiful? Do they ask every woman who enters the shop if she's Muslim?

Another young shop owner saw my roommate and I and watched us come down the road and said," Come to my shop and see many things! You will find nice things there." When we said "Not today, Thank you." He continued to gesture and tell us to come in with command in his voice. As we walked away he said "Ok another time..... see you later alligator, after while crocodile! You are welcome.....I like your body!!!!" We walked faster and decided to take a different route home. What did he really want to say to us? Did he think that his comments would really get us to come into his store and buy goods?! Who taught him colloquial phrases? Could he have been more convincing with a different tone or words?

Last Friday, my friends and I were walking to get candy at a corner store and we saw other friends we knew at the corner before our destination so we hugged them and kissed their cheeks excitedly when all of a sudden a group of young boys walked by mocking our words and expressions. As we continued to greet our friends the boys began yelling and laughing and one boy picked up a few small rocks and threw them. One of the rocks hit my hand. As I tried to figure out what happened the boys all turned to look at us with surprised looks on their faces pointing to each other to place the blame on the other boys. What did they want? Did they think that we were too loud? Did they want to talk to us? Did our language sound funny to them?

These mysteries of communication still boggle my mind....we'd like to think that having so many people wanting to interact with us would be a positive thing but sometimes we just don't get it.......

One experience last week made the difference! My roommate and I went into a clothing store in our neighborhood that we walk pass everyday on our way to and from school. We wave at the shop keeper and she always smiles. She often laughs as we gape at the new clothing in the window. We point as we walk by and give thumbs up at the new line or an ensemble that we like and she always smiles. On Friday we went into this shop and she greeted us warmly and made suggestions for us holding up the latest fashions, and since we didn't seem to excited about her choices or the prices of those choices she mentioned that there was a sale to get rid of all of the old collection in the store. So she then showed us clothing with 50 percent reductions of the original prices. We tried on a few items and had a few laughs as she patiently waited for us to make decisions or give pointers about what would look best with our figures etc. When we finally made a decision to buy one item, she was so ecstatic that she just grabbed the two nearest shirts near her from the sale rack and said, "Take this......one for each of you....a gift!" We were so overtaken with her kindness and tried to refuse, but she wouldn't take them back and told us to go with health. We left smiling and she introduced me to a little boy who kept running in and out of the store and we told her that we would have to come back someday and shop again, which she welcomed. We enjoyed her kindness and hospitality...she didn't allow us to stand but made places for us to sit, made conversation with us about fashion and where we were from. This experience was more like what we are accustomed to in terms of communication. Why was this experience such a contrast to the other attempts at communication over the past two weeks? She did not inquire about my ethnicity, I wonder why?

I guess the better question would be: What do I communicate with my words and actions daily? How are they perceived? Are my attempts to communicate misconstrued as well?
More pondering to come...

2010-09-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

New Reptile friend on the Kitchen Window, Old Friends at School, New Developments in my Life

2010-09-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

More Questions

So I went back home for the summer and had time to reflect on spending 9 months or so and I have decided that I can't help but ask more questions than I did last year. I came with the mind set of being hard and soft like water and I was convinced that I was going to be water upon the rocks of everyday life making an impact for positive change, but what if I wasn't the water at all last year....what if I was the rock in need of the water?! What if this is the case again this year?

I often think that being away from home is an opportunity to see myself and others through a different lens. No masks, no excuses, no sugar coating....being away makes everything REAL! I have had the best conversations over the past few months with friends and family who are ecstatic about taking new risks and trying new things. So much changed over nine months. Will this nine months be similar?

My attention feels divided this year as I focus on being the best teacher that I can be, while balancing contact with friends and family and constantly learning new tidbits or nuggets everyday in a new culture. Recent changes in my life have made me value divided attention and realize that divided attention is inevitable in life and that I like everyone else can learn to enjoy finding the rhythm in this balance.

Other random questions:

What do you do when you are teaching and you look up and see a child eating her markers?
Answer: You praise someone else who is listening and you try to contain yourself from laughing until you get a moment to burst out laughing on your own time.

What do you do when you mistake 1 on the oven for 5?
Answer: You apologize to your roommate and eat the tops of the burnt cookies! ha ha ha ha ha

How do you react when you see a toddler (less than two) crawling up the roof of a vehicle parked in the middle of traffic?
Answer: Thank the heavens that a man came to get the toddler before disaster struck.

Why would a teenage boy walk into a fabric store carrying a flaming napkin?
Answer: beats me!

How can I better appreciate my concierge who shows up at random hours and asks everytime "Were you sleeping?" and then gives us a language lesson that he wrote down in a notebook (French-Arabic), attempts to rearrange the appliances in our kitchen because he doesn't like the set up unannounced, or drags tree branches through the apartment 4 days in a row from a tree that fell a month ago?
Answer: We smile, nod, and say thank you (oh and we tip him too!)

What do you do with a three foot piece of tree that juts out of the patio wall?
Answer: Decorate it for the holidays! (Pictures to come soon!)LOL

How can I be prepared to respond to people on the street who ask for money at almost every corner?
Answer: Give when I have and be faithful in giving.

How can I make the most of the next nine months?
Answer: ...still figuring this one out, but pretty sure I am already..well most days....

New Recipes Cooked Successfully:
1. Chili Con Carne II
2. Crepes (with nutella and bananas)
3. Stir Fry with Eggplant/Green beans
4. Spanish Rice
5. Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (boyfriend cookies)
Check out this website below to know the story behind the cookies ha ha ha
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chewy-Chocolate-Chip-Oatmeal-Cookies/Detail.aspx

2010-09-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

Settling in for year two in N. Africa....

It has been nice to be back but there have been some unexpected new adjustments. I moved into a new apartment, which I like, but I am still figuring out a few items of business.

1. Where do you put your trash?
Answer: At 9pm put it outside your door and it disappears (seriously the concierge picks it up and takes it to the dumpster).

2. What to do when your shower is cold?
Answer: This question is still unsolved, but the 100 degree temperature makes the showers more bearable.

3. What to do when a tree falls down into your patio?
Answer: The concierge will move it after Ramadan which will be another week.

4. What to do when you find a little furry friend in your kitchen?
Answer: Scream and yell until it climbs out the window!

5. Where do you go when everything is closed during Ramadan?
Answer: Your own kitchen or Mc Donald's

6. How many times can you almost get hit by a bus?
Answer: Apparently three times if we count today! Crossing the streets is not as difficult in the states!

7. Who is in charge of traffic when there is an accident?
Answer: No one! Everyone just yells and honks!

8. What is the best little snack to accompany meals?
Answer: CRAX ( a light floury treat with seasoning that tastes like a bullion cube)

9. How many F'tours can you go to in a week?
Answer: Three! We went to share the breaking of the fast with three families who fed us well. The tables were covered with delicious harrira, pizza, Malawi, and sweets.

10. How many times can you be welcomed in one day?
Answer: Still working on that one, it happens countless times on the streets. Most of the time it puts us at ease, but other times we just have to wonder what the motive behind the kind gesture might mean.

11. What do you do when taxi driver with an empty taxi tells you no when you ask him to take you somewhere?
Answer: Just stand there looking helpless or grumpy until he wheels back and waves his hand at you to get in!

Despite these many questions I am extremely excited about this upcoming school year! The new teachers are enthusiastic and we feel such a sense of unity, despite the short time we have been together. It has been fun showing them around and teaching them the ropes at the school. It is nice to be a veteran now (well kind of)!...more to come...

2010-07-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

HOME SWEET HOME

So I have been back in the states for almost a month and am realizing just how LOVED I am by my family and friends! It's not that I didn't know that I was LOVED but every conversation seems so fresh, new, rich and time is flying by so fast that I just keep looking up and it's 11:00pm again. I have been able to take time to enjoy the things I missed over the year in random order:

1. ICEE s -( You know the one with the Polar Bear on it) oh and lemonade
2. Ham/ Bacon
3. Riding a bike
4. Running at any hour of the day I choose :)
5. Good Pizza
6. Chicago
7. Standing in a line without being yelled at or cut in front of...
8. AC- but sometimes it's just cranked up too high and I am freezing
9. MEXICAN FOOD
10. BBQ
11. Wearing shorts
12. crossing streets and not fearing for my life
13. naps
14. Humidity- ha ha never thought I'd say that
15. getting errands accomplished quickly
16. dancing in public- oh yeah watch out now?!
17. English- a break from constantly trying to say things correctly in another language
18. Public parks to read in /walk through/ picnic in
19. Public Libraries!
20. Lake Michigan- BEACH!
21. My guitar
22. Mr. Hatchett- pet frog R.I.P (died right before I returned)
and the list goes on. I have had a chance to reconnect so easily with family, hold my new nephew, ride in new vehicles, play and sing music, and most importantly play music with the people dearest to me. I have also been able to meet up with friends that had a year full of interesting challenges, triumphs, etc. The entire time that I am able to spend time with those who know me best I am overwhelmed with gratitude and joy at the fact that these people have always been there and will most likely be there when I return from just about anywhere. They are there to embrace me and hear the stories that I don't get to always share about the experience. They are there to teach me about the things that have changed or things that I have missed. They are there to help me reflect and prepare for another year overseas. They are there to remind me of who I am and why I do the things I do each day. They are there to question the aspects of my life that have recently changed. They are there to pray with me for guidance. They are there to make me laugh until I cry. I am so blessed to be a part of so many wonderful peoples lives. I just hope that I am and will be just as good a friend to them as they have been to me. My mom would always say, " A friend LOVES at all times." and this is true of so many. I thank God and all of those closest to my heart!

2010-05-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Rude Awakening

When I first arrived here we were often awaken by a rooster at about 4:30am without fail until the rooster was most likely used for someones dinner. Months of mornings without the rooster's charming calls has been wonderful, however, about a month ago we have acquired new friends. Yes, there are pigeons who are about the size of chickens who fly into the rod iron caging around my window to make the most bizarre noises I have ever heard. The crazy part is that the pigeons don't come everyday just at those times when I need sleep the most...it seems. My roommates and I have grown accustomed to shaking the window or banging on the window in order to get the pigeons to leave, but they often forget how to get out of the rod iron structure and take several attempts to get out. One of my roommates just told me that there are usually two pigeons in her window in the morning and one day she looked out after they had flown away and there was a large pile of q-tips on her window seal. We figured that they were going to build a nest. My roommate, after receiving counsel (LOL), decided to brush the q-tips off of the ledge quickly to avoid being awaken by little pigeons. I keep trying to imagine the shock on the pigeons faces when they returned to see pieces of their barely constructed house scattered all over the ground below. She still gets serenaded in the mornings and sometimes it's so loud that it wakes me up as well. Maybe it's their revenge. I never even knew that pigeons sang! Ha ha ha I will try to record the pigeon wake up call and post it, so you can hear too! :)

2010-05-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

New Recipes

Upon arriving here cooking has become a new hobby. A year ago I just ate the same things because they were fast and easy, but healthy. Now I cook most nights out of the week and I find joy in creating new dishes and a new confidence. No more bland food for me.....

I will list the foods that I have made:
1. Chili with beans and ground turkey
2. Tacos
3. Homemade pizzas
4. Chicken Salad
5. Vegetable Stir fry/ Turkey stir fry
6. Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies
7. Strawberry Tarts
8. Chocolate Cakes Thanks Betty Crocker!(hand whipped frosting)
9. Pastas with Green olive tomato sauce
10. Turkey burgers with mushrooms, onion, garlic,and mozzarella cheese
11. Beef Tagine with eggs and fries
12. Biscuits and gravy (thanks to Bisquick)
13. French Toast
14. Omelets
15. Praline Cookies
16. Baked potatoes with cheese, onions, green pepper(couldn't find broccoli or bacon)
17. Taco Salad
18. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
19. S'mores (I don't know if that counts, but they are very good!)
20. Trail mix (LOL, don't think that counts either...)
21. homemade french fries
22. Pasta with garlic sauce
23. Fajitas
24. Panini's (Hot sandwiches)
25. Fruit Salad
26. Cous cous (just the grains)
27. Buffalo Sauce for Chicken
28. Pasta with spinach and veggies
29. Oatmeal with toast
30. Snicker doodle cookies
31. Sliced oranges with cinammon and chocolate chips

2010-04-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

Top 12 for settling in.......
67. Found shoes my size! Ha ha ha That one salesman didn't know that in the new town there were shoes of all sizes! Still working on a picture to post.

68. Walking down the street on a rainy day with friends and heard noises above our head. We looked up to find little feet and laughing children making monkey noises. We went from being startled to laughing hysterically. I guess this is normal when it rains.

69. Move over donkeys, now I am trying my best to avoid on coming traffic here. There are traffic lights, stop signs etc but some drivers here take liberty in driving however, whenever, and wherever they want. I will have to keep using my cat like reflexes to keep from being like the loser in a game of Frogger! LOL

70. Our neighborhood shopkeepers now make jokes with us and one of them spoke English a few weeks ago for the first time. My friends and I looked at each other and said, "Do you mean to tell me that you could speak English this entire time?!" He then laughed and said," No. No. I only know what I just said. There is no more."
Our excitement turned sour after only a split second.

71. When visiting families in town for dinner if we pause too long between bites we are practically yelled at to EAT! EAT MORE! In August we would react by eating until we felt we could barely move, but after being here for a while we know that 'slow and steady wins the race' ha ha ha don't know if that statement really matches but if you keep motioning as if you are eating even though you're not you can avoid the constant EAT! EAT MORE!

72. I now where just about whatever funny outfit I can when I am not wearing my spiffy work uniform (Photos coming soon). So five days out of the week I get to try out wardrobe combinations that I would have never really tried in the states. Wearing yellow on rainy days is still a tradition that has survived.

73. When you help your neighbors with groceries they bring dates and bread to your apartment.

74. Sometimes people do random acts of kindness that make being here a little easier.

75. When running past an old man he said,"To your health!" in Arabic. I would have replied but wasn't awake enough to do so. LOL

76. Finds sitting on the roof to be quite enjoyable.

77. People don't move over when you are walking down the sidewalk. People don't move over for you in line at the grocery store, fruit stand, bus stop. You just have to make your own way here.

78. Errands take a lot longer here...last week I went to get a internet USB repaired and spent about an hour and a half walking from one store to another, while the shopkeeper at the first store says, "What are you eating?" I had a piece of pastry in my hand from the bakery. I offered him some but he smiled and refused. "You are not understanding me. I told you this the week before....go to another store." When I said I did not know where the other store was and could he explain it, he said,( in a joking manner ringing his hands),"I want to kill you! Ha ha ha! You keep coming here and I cannot fix this for you. There is no guarantee." I insisted that he help me because I bought the USB there, and I didn't fully understand. So he laughs again and sends his apprentice with me to go to the 'other' store. I go and the apprentice gets right down to business with another shopkeeper for forty five minutes. I looked at other products and I even did a short moonwalk on a dare from my friend who was there. The marble floor was so smooth and it was totally worth it! Ha ha ha...After waiting for another 20 minutes I walked with the apprentice back to the first shopkeeper who puffed out his chest as I showered him with words of gratitude and 'You were right the whole time!' and then he turned to his apprentice who smiled and he said, 'That is why I said I want to kill you! ha ha ha!' I laughed nervously and said thanks again and was on my way home with a working USB.

79.Small tasks can become complicated...who would have ever thought that printing from a computer, finding standard sized envelopes, changing a lightbulb, buying a fan, checking out the public park, booking a hotel room, doing laundry, etc would
take multiple people, money, and most of all time.....I hope that I can say that I am more patient having lived here.

80. No crepes before 3pm. On Easter, we went to brunch and ordered crepes, but we were told by the waiter that there were no crepes. Sometimes I go to get a waffle or a crepe from a vendor on the main street, so I thought I will go there. When I approached the booth where they are made the vendor shook his head and said, " It's too early! Can you come back at 3pm? We will make crepes at 3pm?!!" I didn't go back that day...it was an Easter with no crepes.

81. My students love Tektonic dancing! I have never heard of this type of dancing but apparently it's very popular here. It's hilarious to watch them dance with no inhibitions. The best part is the serious expressions on their faces. Maybe I can learn a few moves to show people back home!

82. After having dinner with friends last weekend, I almost forgetting that I was not in the states, but was quickly reminded as I was walking home. Behind every corner was some man lurking and yelling at me in any language they thought that I could understand. Decided that I would take a taxi if I was ever out after 9pm again.

2010-03-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

Shopping is a Process

I am on spring break and have been enjoying sleeping in, reading, falling asleep reading in the middle of the day, checking FB, working on an update, learning how to bargain with salesmen with my roommate
(which buying items here is another story, it's not easy.... you walk in and you see something you like and the salesman walks up and asks you how you are doing about four times and then he tells you they will give you a good price...so you ask the salesman how much the item costs and the price is really high, so we then have to say I can't pay that much for this item and then they begin to ask us a series of questions "Where are you from? How long have you been here?" which means they are trying to size us up and see if we really can pay the quoted price. We then say we will think about it and come back, and they say "name your price" and after a while of offering a lower price and bargaining while casually mentioning that we aren't tourists but live in this town and want to support the local economy, there's a long pause, a little silence and a few blank stares, then the salesman will either say "ok" take the item and put it in a bag or he will give you a story about the quality of the product and how he's really giving you a deal by offering a discount at all...... the salesmen can very moody sometimes, but most times we are able to make a joke and laugh with them by using our developing Arabic skills and seal the purchase....it makes me miss the Western way...you just walk in get what you need and go on to finish whatever else you have on your agenda for the day.....but in a way there's something special about having to have conversations at length about a purchase (unless of course the salesman is trying to hit on you or your roommate)....everything here is about relationships.

Everything takes time and a conversation (sometimes cordial and sometimes combative) but all in all it's an experience and a moment to understand a little bit more about what makes living here so special. You can' t walk away from a business transaction without knowing more about the other persons life and 'story' that you are interacting with and each time you stop to get fruit or buy a sweater the exchange begins again. Every person has a unique 'story' that explains who they are, who they belong to/with, how they make a living, what they believe, how they see themselves,etc and I find seeing a glimpse of this 'story' quite intriguing. I really believe that if we take long enough to hear the 'story' of others lives we might just learn how to show them a little more consideration and love, knowing that we too have a 'story'. I hope that I can begin telling some of these stories as soon as I manage to slow down amidst the hectic schedules and meetings to make time in order to have enough pieces of a story to share. Maybe I can start by writing my own 'story'. Ah ha.....Now I have a new task for spring break.....never thought shopping would make me reflect so deeply.

2010-02-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

First Grader Conquers Mt. Locker

So today I sent a student out of the classroom to 'reset' himself and after about two or three minutes I heard a small rumble and when I went to see what was happening I found him sitting on the top of the lockers touching the ceiling. I immediately said,"What are you doing up there? and How did you manage to get up there in the first place?" I had to laugh out loud. He looked surprised that I would ask such questions and told me that he knew that I sent him to stand in the hallway but thought he would get the papers that were on top of the lockers for me while he was up there. I just stood in awe and told another student to get the principal. While my other student was going to get the principal the student asked me if he could get down, but looked a little nervous about his journey down, so I told him to stay there until the principal came so that she could see exactly why I was asking her to come to the classroom. He squirmed around a bit trying to find a way to get down from the top of the lockers, while the principal walked in and gasped! She proceeded to ask the same questions that I asked him in a rather loud tone. After the scolding she tried to help him down and was he was too afraid to get down so she had to climb onto a chair to help him down. She called his parents and he was sent home. For the life of me I cannot figure out how he was able to get on top of the lockers without seriously hurting himself. I can laugh about it now but I can say in all my years of teaching I have never had a student do anything like this. This among other events made today very interesting to say the least!

2010-01-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

Note to a friend (extending to all of my dear friends) for the New Year:

Thank you for your New Year's Wishes! It's been tough being away from my family for the holidays, but God always goes before us and has provided a few new friends here, who remind me of you and your family, because they have had me over to their house several times over the long Winter break for dinner, games, and movies. I learned how to play Dutch Blitz a new game that I really enjoy but never win! I highly recommend this game for the winter! I have been taking time to read from Jeremiah and Colossians and realized that I need to pray more often for my students and the teachers I arrived with. It is so easy to complain or see the difficulty or negative sides of things especially when dealing with the stress of language/communication and adjustment to a new culture. Instead of complaining I am trying to pray when the notion arises or speak words that are edifying (words that will speak to the truth in the situations and remind others of the love grace and forgiveness that is needed to continue living peaceably). It's working so far. I've really missed my students over the winter vacation which is funny to say but I think since I am here in my apartment by myself for the last couple of weeks that I have occupied my thoughts with questions about who they are and how I can help them to learn the most they can this year. I wonder what these students will be like when they are 21 or 30 and it makes me happy to know that they will hold on to the ideas of community and responsibility that will allow them to contribute to society for the greater good of all where they choose to live their lives! I wonder if I am to be a part of this development for next year or if I am to return to the states. I have to make a decision in February but until then I am praying I am still trying to find my niche in the new curriculum and have to get geared up for a new semester.

I have been taking short and long walks in the gorgeous weather. The rains and cool weather are on their way, but now the temps are in the 60s and 70s and I have loved just walking down the streets with sunglasses and a light jacket feeling the sun on my face! I love sunshine and find it difficult to think that when I return to Illinois this time of year there would be snow and ice. I like snow don't get me wrong, it's just tough cleaning off the car and shoveling etc... I do miss snowball fights and haven't had a chance to make my annual snow angel :( I hope to go to Ifrane later in the month with my snow pants, leg warmers and big boots etc to play in snow!

I have tried a new recipe for cinnamon rolls and am perfecting homemade french fries....... I know it's not the healthiest choices but this reminds me of home or America shall I say. I have also found a new love of writing post cards! I am now trying to find ones that I think my friends will get a kick out of, but sometimes I forget who was supposed to get which one! LOL I am sure that people will love the notes anyway!

I have been cat sitting for another teacher who is in the states for the past couple of weeks and have solidified my decision about owning pets larger than Mr. Hatchett (my African clawed aquatic frog). It's interesting because I have never seen cats as very interactive creatures, they mainly keep to themselves, but these two cats names 'Hot lips' and 'Baby' are simply hilarious. They are about a little over a foot long and about 5 and a half inches wide....BIG cats! When I come to feed them they start making noises that remind me of words like 'hello' hey but they probably just mean something like 'where have you been?! We are so hungry! Hurry up and feed us already! Oh and while you're at it can you change our litter box and pick up the Christmas tree we knocked over the other day? Yeah and about that old bag of cat food...it was left open on the floor so we just finished it off yesterday...just wanted you to know." Ha ha ha! So I just carry on conversation as if they are listening, but the way they stare at me sometimes makes me think that they understand me! LOL

I have ridden in many taxis going to friends houses lately and have found that all taxi drivers want to know the answers to 3 to15) important questions:

1. Where do you want to go?
2. Can you tell me when to turn if I show signs of not knowing where I am taking you although my initial nods and hand waving made it seem like I knew exactly where to take you?
3. Where are you from?
3a. Do you speak Arabic? French? English?
3b. Are you a student?
4. How long are you staying here?
5.What do you think about the city/country? "How do you find the city?"
6. Are you Muslim?
7. Do you live here with your family or alone?
8. Why aren't you Muslim?
9. Why did you come here when you could choose to go anywhere?
10. Where have you traveled in the country?
11. What do you know about Mohammed?
12.Where do you live in the old city or new city?
13. You are beautiful, yes?!
14. Do you like the food of our country?
15. Will you be Muslim, incha 'allah?! (God willing)

And after a plethora of questioning with answers to suffice the curiosity of the taxi driver they say "Marhabah!" Welcome! "Enjoy your stay! This is the best city in the country! Go all over and you will see that this city is the heart of the country! B'slaama! Good bye! and someone else who needs a taxi is yelling at the driver their intended destination before I get a chance to pay him the fair and the new passenger proceeds to shove me out of the way in order to get in. I readjust myself and go about my way, laughing about the event of transportation that is totally different each time and highly unpredictable! My friend who has lived here for over 15 years said, "Not just the taxi drivers, all of the people here want to know who you are, what kind of a family you come from, and WHY you are here! That's the way people are here...and once they know this they will either leave you alone or they will invite you over to eat! The people love to help you and othersif they know that you are a good person (which means if you show that you respect their culture by the way you live your life here) because that's what people do...they are really inquisitive and they want to feed you and make you feel welcome here!"

I look forward to starting a new quarter of the school year with my students! I am also thinking of budgeting to take language courses once a week in order to improve my Arabic (Darija) and/or French! I feel so alive and aware of so many things but often wonder what this means nevertheless I am enjoying living here and although I miss being in Illinois and seeing my family I know that I am here 'for such a time as this'. Some moments and conversations that I have had have assured me that my life will never be the same because HE is moving and changing me so deeply. In moments of weariness I pray or read the special notes that were written a little journal and then I am overwhelmed again at the love of my dear friends and family. When I am frustrated or exhausted I am often flooded with the presence of HIS love and comfort in the friendship and support of YOU! Thank you Thank you Thank you for refreshing my spirit! Your cards, packages, emails, and notes have inspired me to love people here all the more. Your love for me and prayers are being answered each day in small glimpses and in ways that we will never know, but of course HE knows and will continue the work that HE has begun in YOU where YOU are, in ME where I am and in US! Praise Honor and Glory Be to our God...all wealth, wisdom, power, strength and everything belongs to him and finds its purpose in HIM alone. Blessings, smiles, and salaam to YOU in this new year!

It brings me peace to know these words:
"Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart for a special work."
"YOU must go everywhere I send you, and you must say everything I tell you to say. Don't be afraid of anyone, because I am with you to protect you."
"See I am putting my words in your mouth...you will pull up and tear down, destroy and overthrow, build up and plant."Jeremiah 1:5a,7b, 8,9 & 10

2010-01-01T20:21:00.000-08:00

Drummers of the World UNITE!

J I thought you would like this video. I went to a wedding and this is the music played at the wedding processional!

2010-01-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

Missing My Bro...(one of my favorite drummers in the whole wide world)

The new year is here and nothing battles homesickness better than contact with family and friends! It's been great getting to chat and skype with so many over the past few weeks. I am grateful for technology (i.e. this blog, FB, and myspace, etc). I am really missing my brother and so I decided to look up his 'rockin' band (Electric Kool-aid)on YouTube and this made me happy! J,if you are reading this today, just want you to know that your bands music makes me smile! Can't wait to hear you guys play again upon my return to the states.

I know...I know... I am very far away, but every time I walk down the street and some random Berber drummer comes up to me playing his drum for money I always think about you and how much you love what you do and how you would immensely enjoy a jam session with him! I am sure that you would love N. Africa due to the spontaneous artistic creativity that seems to permeate the air! Sometimes early in the morning I am awaken by drums like the ones in the video below. Enjoy! ( oh and you can dance if you want to...) ha ha ha

2009-12-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

Top 12 for settling in.... (cont.)

59. So I loved it when the taxi driver on Friday told my roommate and I on Friday night, "I am glad that I can help you today...did you know that I am the ONLY taxi driver here who speaks English?! I will take you where I you are going and you are very beautiful yes! How is my English?! I can speak French, English, Spanish and more, but just for communication... I am the only taxi driver who speaks English here, yes?!" My roommate and I laughed as he confidently boasted about his multilingual skills. As we drove we were behind a bus that unbeknown to the bus driver was carrying four roller blading teenage boys who were slapping the sides of the bus while their friends aboard the bus looked back and laughed at them. The taxi driver then said,"....take out your camera get a picture...you can be like a journalist...the traffic here is crazy...." I wanted to take a picture, but the bus and our taxi was swerving from side to side and the driver suddenly put on the breaks and cursed in English! LOL We finally reached our destination and the taxi driver wished us a good time in the city and much success. LOL

60. Last Friday I attended a wedding of two coworkers. I realized quickly ( 30 minutes into the reception) that I should have taken a moment to rethink the three shirts and long john's worn under my keftan to keep from being cold. As soon as the almond milk and dates were served we all started dancing and with so many people in a confined space the temperature rose rapidly! The wedding was beautiful and I am so glad that I had a chance to be a part of such a blessed event.

61. I am making friends here that remind me of my friends and family members back home. I never thought that would happen, but it is helping me adjust in a new culture.

62. I am learning new words from my students each day. They really enjoy correcting my broken French and my Arabic (Darija).

63. Everyone in my neighborhood speaks to my roommates and I as we pass in the street. Our neighbor who lives above us loves to stop us in the street or on the stairs to invite us to tea at the moment she sees us which always seems to be at an inconvenient time for both of us....when she recognizes this she says in Arabic (Darija) '....wa ha incha allah...'which means 'ok! God willing!' we will have tea with her.

64. So there is some semblance of Christmas here! My friend went to Marjane (the equivalent of Walmart here LOL) and found that they have a small section at the end of the household isle with tinsel, lights, ornaments...and a plastic Christmas tree! The sad reality is that I have decided not to purchase one due to my roommates plans to travel over the winter break.

65. I will make short day trips to neighboring towns over the winter break but I also plan to do the following in this order:
1. get my hair trimmed and styled by a trusted beautician (cross your fingers for me! LOL)
2. finish writing postcards to my friends and family
3. celebrate the holidays with new friends here
4. play and sing my guitar at a Christmas program (wish me luck :)
5. buy meat for the first time from a butcher's shop in my neighborhood instead of taking a taxi to a convenience store 10 minutes away from my apartment
(wish me luck again!)
6. read the two books that a friend loaned me a while ago (The World is Flat and another written by Brenda Salter McNeil)
7. plan a trip to Paris to meet my sister over Spring Break.
8. find a shoe store that sells shoes in my size. (see #66 below)
9. cook a new recipe (Tagine, Cous Cous, a new dessert!?)
10. skype with friends
11. pray for my future plans
12. journal
13. read up on ancient history (Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China) to teach my students in January
14. catch up on email
15. catch up on world news
16. wander through the Medina for apartment decorum
17. try a new food in town
18. go on a winter hike in the atlas mountains
19. run on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean again (Rabat)
20. learn more Arabic (Darija) and review French

66. So I went to buy shoes because my shoes that I brought with me from Illinois have taken a beating on the city streets... Some roads are paved and some of the streets have gaping holes or uneven sidewalks etc...so my shoes are not holding up to well. Last week I went to the Medina and a shoe salesman kept handing me shoes that were a fashion faux pas and too small for my feet yet he insisted that I try them on...so I did and they did not fit. I kept asking for a bigger size and he said that he did not have another size larger. I asked him kindly to check once more and he came back and said that he would try his best to get shoes for my feet 'incha alla' ('God willing!') which basically means tough luck lady! LOL
I went to a neighboring shoe shop and I asked the young man for shoes in a size 43 here which apparently do not exist here! LOL He said, "This is N.Africa! N. African women have small feet!" So I said "...you mean to tell me that I will not be able to find any shoes for my BIG feet here?! anywhere?" He replied, "Miss, you can go to Spain...they will have shoes for you there." I turned to him and said, "Sir, I think that it would be good for your business if you ordered just a few larger shoes for all of the tourists and foreigners who come to this Medina, because all of them would know that you have BIG shoes for their LARGE feet and increase your sales!" He laughed and tried to find another shoe for me to no avail. So I left and have been told by friends that if I go to another business district in town I can have shoes specially ordered for my BIG feet! LOL If I find some shoes I will be sure to post a picture for you all! LOL

2009-12-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

Top 12 for settling in... (continued)

31. There are so many correlations to life in N. Africa and the setting of the book of Acts.
32. The men at our local hanut and fruit stand insist on teaching us more Darija (Arabic) by asking us questions we don't know the answers to and laughing until through charades and broken French we finally figure it out. Who would have ever thought questions like, 'Where have you been? or Where are you going now? would be so difficult to understand. One night in particular the man at the fruit stand told me to put my money away quickly because there are people watching me who might steal. So I told the man in French that I appreciated his advice and that my God watches over me. He smiled and put his hand on his heart and said “hamdullah” which means thank God.
33. The Roman Ruins at Volubulis are so beautiful especially when the sun is setting and you can see the moon in the sky simultaneously.
34. Apparently my afro hairstyle is something to write home to mom about...while looking at the Roman Ruins a young man asked if he could take a picture with me. I told him that he could as long as he paid me 5 dirham. He laughed and thought I was joking. We took the picture then he started shuffling through his pockets. I laughed and told him the first picture was free. Ha ha ha!
35. Panache means "mix everything together" so Jus du Panache is a delicious smoothy and a sandwich panache is a sandwich with beef, turkey, chicken, etc. The two are not to be confused. LOL
36. When I asked one of the students at school if he had recess he replied, "Yes Miss. I have recess. I not lie because I not want to go to the fire!" I then told him that another reason why I hope that he wouldn't lie is because people won't be able to trust him if he lies. He nodded and walked away.
37. Another friendly greeting from the men on the streets here...
" Bon soir Les gazelles!"
"Hello. You speak English?! I can speak English better than you?!"
"Hello Spicegirls!" to which I said "Spicegirls?! What?!" Then he proceeded to say, "Oh well you are a different color of Spicegirl!" and I said "C'mon, is that really supposed to work. Idiot. You've got to be kidding me?!" ( which was rather harsh for me to say...I honestly don't know what came over me...guess it was a bad moment for him and I both...)
"I like black woman."

“ I like the curly!” a young man with gorgeous curly locks yelled across the Medina in reference to my hair.
"My heart? Where is my heart?"
Our all time favorites: "How are you fine!?" Hola! Ca va? Columbia?! Espagne?! Where are you from? Obama!"
38. Skype is easing my homesickness....it's that unexpected chat with friends and family that makes my day.
39. A few of my friends and I celebrated another friends birthday by singing and prayer on a hilltop in town behind McDonald's and out of the blue little boys came making kissing noises and laughing loudly. One of my friends proceeded to ask the boys what they wanted in Arabic and they said, “What are you all doing up here?” My friend then said, “We are listening to God? Would you like to join us?” So the boys were quiet and just stared at us while we sang and prayed and after a few moments my friend leaned over to the boys and whispered…. “so did you hear anything from God?” and they chuckled to themselves shaking their heads from left to right. Then the boys followed us for most of the rest of the evening… they were just staring at us as if we were the strangest people they had ever seen before….

The Chicken Bus

40. I have now learned after waiting for over and hour and a half that finding a petite taxi to the Medina on a Friday night is a test in patience that I failed miserably. The craziest part was that I was unable to get a taxi to meet friends for tagine (stew) and ended up taking a ‘chicken bus’ for the first time. The ‘chicken bus’ is usually overflowing with appendages and limbs hanging out of the windows because there are so many people riding along. I stood in front of the window and 6 dirham were placed into a tray while the attendant stared blankly at me as if to say ‘hurry up and move so other people can get on the bus’. I managed to find a handgrip hanging from the ceiling posed for a few pictures (I had to savor the moment of being less than two inches from all of the other passengers while trying not to fall over or knock someone else over as the bus lurched forward at each intersection). Then someone yelled “No pictures on the bus!” When I arrived at Bat ha I noticed everyone pulling out small slips of pink paper. I panicked because I realized that I didn’t have one and the bus driver was checking each passengers slip before letting them off of the bus. I turned to find the clerk, but the crowd was so large and everyone was shoving to get off so I walked forward and the driver requested my bus slip. I replied in English, “The clerk never gave me a ticket?!” The driver kindly asked me to speak in French, so I told him in French and he told me to wait near the bus seats with other stowaways who didn’t have the pink bus slip. After looking out of the window at my friends who were waiting at the bus stop and making faces at them to pass the time the driver begins to lecture all of the passengers who didn’t have pink bus slips. He was loud so I raised my voice and said in French that I paid but the clerk did not give me a pink slip. All of a sudden the bus clerk comes from the back of the bus that is now almost empty and yells,” NO! NO! NO! You did not PAY!” (in Arabic) I was filled with righteous indignation and began to yell back, “That is not true! I paid! YOU never gave me a slip! Why? Why?” (in French) Then the clerk proceeded to stand on the bus seat yelling that I did not pay while a baby grabs my braids and tugs quite hard. All of a sudden the bus starts rolling forward. I then began yelling, “Shnu brighti? (What do you want?) SAFI!?! (Enough!)” and then I just started yelling, “…. let me off of this bus! I don’t know where this bus is headed! I paid you! What do you want?!” Meanwhile my friends were chasing the bus and banging on the bus windows. After a few minutes the bus stopped and I pulled a few dirham out of my wallet which I hadn’t even counted and placed them in the drivers hand and bustled off of the bus infuriated that I had to pay double. I walked quickly away from my friends and let out a slight growl that probably sounded something like, “Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghh!” One of my friends offered me the chance to relieve my stress by punching him in the shoulder with the most serious expression on his face that I have ever seen. Then he said, “Oh Candace, I know let’s shadow box! You wanna shadow box?!” Then I burst out laughing so hard. ONLY in N. Africa right?! Gotta love the transportation here! So now every time I ride the ‘chicken bus’ or any bus for that matter I am always sure to get a bus slip so that I don’t get busnapped again! LOL

41. I now know that ‘chicken buses’ are good for one thing. Before the fiasco with the bus slip occurred I was standing close to a girl who spoke English and asked if I was from the UK. I told her no and she proceeded to tell me that she was a student studying English and business. She had a bus slip by the way and disappeared into the Medina…thirty minutes after we got to the Medina we saw her walking down a corridor and she ran up and kissed my cheeks and grabbed my hands and was so happy to see me again ‘instant friends’. Later that week I was walking home from work and I saw her again. She gave the kisses and handshakes again and then we exchanged phone numbers so that we could meet at a café in the future. She was very helpful and gave me advice about living in town. I guess bonding with strangers on the ‘chicken bus’ is a good thing and therefore I have decided to try it again sometime soon!

42. Who knew that bed sheets could be used as a table cloth!

43. Saying goodbye to people in the community has become common practice. The town where I live is a language center for many students. So as soon as you begin to get to know someone they have to return to their country or another country to use the language they learned here. So I am learning how to say ‘see you later’ as I hope to travel to visit some of the friends that I have made who share many common interests.

44. Who knew that Christmas gel clings could bring so much joy to my heart!

45. I have started running in the mornings after receiving my running shoes in the mail from IL in preparation for a half marathon. I have two options, a race in Marrakech in January or in Casablanca later in the Spring. Marrakech is flatter, but the spring will be warmer hmmmm….. As I run I often want to hold my breath when the buses, cars, and mopeds go speeding by with a trail of black smoke behind or thick gray smoke that results from burning trash which happens every few days. The haze of pollution hangs in the air like fog sometimes and that haze is residing in my lungs every time I go running. I am still processing the pollutions effect on my goal time. LOL

Taxis: Part II

46. My roommates taxi driver noticed that her family members who were visiting from the states were writing down the taxi number when she got into the taxi just in case something were to happen to her on her way home. The taxi driver leaned over and asked my roommate “Are they writing down the taxi number?” She told the taxi driver that her family was writing down the taxi number. So he stepped on the gas, peeled out into a U-turn, rolled down the window and yelled, “ I am going to kidnap her!!!” and he sped off with his tires screeching all the way to our apartment swerving and driving recklessly. When she arrived home she told me the story and said that after such a crazy ride she wasn’t sure if she should have paid him taxi fare but to reduce any chance of further drama she just paid and quickly departed the taxi! Only in N. Africa!

47. I was on my way to a friend’s house for dinner and told a taxi driver the name of the pharmacy nearest to her house and the taxi driver agreed to take me to the location. After about 10 minutes or so he pointed his finger toward a pharmacy and said something in Arabic that I couldn’t understand, but I knew that the pharmacy he pointed to was not the name that I had told him at the beginning of the taxi ride. The taxi driver pulls over and keeps pointing at the pharmacy building. I called my friend and she had no idea where I was and told me to take another taxi. So I hailed another taxi and this driver nodded as if he knew where the pharmacy was but after about 15 minutes my friend called asking where I was while the taxi driver took my phone and repeatedly asked her to tell him the name of the pharmacy. After another 10 minutes he said, “You have the personality of an American. Where are you from?” I didn’t know if this was a complement or not so I told him that I was an American. He looked puzzled and said, “But you speak French and you are American?!” I then told him that many people in America speak more than one language. Then he tells me that he has travelled to many places including Russia. He said he worked for the fishing and boating industry there years ago. So I began speaking the little Russian I remembered from years ago and his face lit up and he replied in Russian. We finally reached the correct destination 15 dirhams later and I saw my friend walking to meet me. Only in N. Africa would you be able to speak Darija (Arabic), French, English, and Russian in one taxi ride. LOL

Christmas Special

47. a. Tonight we were in a taxi and our taxi driver was very quiet for most of the ride. After he dropped off the older man who was sitting in the front seat he turned on the radio. The first song was Moroccan Pop music. Then, he scanned through a few stations until he found Mariah Carey’s All I want for Christmas is YOU Baby”!!! We started to laugh and sing along loudly and he just chuckled to himself as we said thank you and he picked up another passenger who I am not sure would have enjoyed the song as much as we did!

Visa Hop to Spain

48. In early November I went to Madrid, Spain due to delays in receiving necessary documentation to reside in N. Africa after 90 days. The following is a list of things I found interesting while site seeing:

When you are in a new city/country you must figure out a few things in order to settle in. For example, you must figure out:

-how the toilet flushes. (Do you push the silver knob? Do you twist the lever? Do you pull a chain? Do you just walk forward a little? Do you stand and wait to see if it worked? Do you pour more water down before you flush? What do you do if it gets clogged? What do you do if it overflows? Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way! LOL)

-how the keys work in the key hole. (Do you turn clockwise or counter clockwise? How many times do you turn the key? Do you hold the knob while turning the key? Do you pull or push while holding the knob? Do you turn the knob while turning the key? How do you lock the door from the inside? It looks easier than it really is I can tell you that! LOL)

-where the light switches are located in the room and how the light switches work. (Do you push the switch or turn the knob? Is the light switch on the wall outside or inside of the room you are entering? How do you turn off the lamp that appears to have no switch in plane view?)

I find figuring out these things quite entertaining especially when my roommate and I are laughing with tears streaming down our faces trying to find a solution to these necessary amenities. LOL

49. Street performers should be a staple in every town square. There was a painted person who looked as if they were frozen to a chair, a man crouched under a blanket of tinsel with the head and legs of a gazelle poking out from underneath who was wearing brand new white tennis shoes, a headless man, a man who blew humungous bubbles that went floating by on the street, an pleasantly plump Spiderman, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, a strange looking Winnie the Pooh, a cross dressing man painted green in funny clown clothes, a man playing classical guitar outside of the Prado, another man playing Alleluia by Jeff Buckley outside of the cathedral on a little amplifier, a woman singing Crazy by Patsy Cline on the metro with a little karaoke machine, a man playing the accordion on the metro, a mariachi band at Plaza de Mayor, and a man playing the xylophone on the metro for about four stops. What an interesting dedication to keeping people entertained as they walk the cobblestone streets of Madrid.

50. As of November 7^th2009 I have missed the second flight of my life. The delay to the airport was due to getting off of the Metro at the wrong terminal and having the correct shuttle blocked by a semi truck for a pain staking 10 minutes. Arrrghh! Another day in Spain wasn’t so bad after all. We made the most of it!

51. Gelato is still my favorite especially when it is served over a freshly made waffle with chocolate drizzled on top. Yummy!

52. I had a roasted chestnut for the first time. You know I think that Christmas song has highly overrated the taste! But, Jack Frost was in Spain that weekend nipping at my nose! LOL

53. There was a man on the Plaza de Sol with a Bible in hand yelling in Spanish, “Repent. You have a second chance! Make your decision today!” That was all the Spanish that my roommate was able to decipher as we walked by the Plaza. The interesting thing is that I have seen the exact same thing in Illinois and Indiana of course the men there were speaking English.

Back to N. Africa!

54. You know that you have arrived in N.Africa again when someone pushed you in line and yells, “Avance!!!!!” as you scramble to keep a good hold on your belongings and fill out an immigration from for the second time on your returning trip from Madrid.

55. La Petit Prince is a very interesting piece of literature. I am reading the book in French to help me understand what it must be like to be required to read and comprehend in another language that I am not proficient in speaking.

56. I am grateful for a washing machine, but sometimes I think that its alive and coming to get me as it bangs around loudly in the kitchen. Some nights I come into the kitchen after a load of laundry finishes and find the washing machine two feet away from the wall. I find it quite entertaining, but if this becomes too entertaining I think I’d better get out more.

57. Aid El K’bir has come and gone. I now know how this special day is celebrated in commemoration of Abraham’s sacrifice. I never knew how sheep were slaughtered or about the process of skinning a sheep, but now thanks to my neighbors I do! You can believe it, I was awaken to ‘baaaaaaaaa’ and bleating for almost a week! LOL I guess it wouldn’t have been so difficult to watch if there hadn’t been twelve sheep and if they hadn’t resided in the courtyard below my bedroom window for four days and if I hadn’t fed them apples from the window one morning, which made me sympathize with the poor animals because they had no idea what was going to happen to them in the days ahead, but I thought if they were going to go they might as well depart from this world with a full tummy! Good times! J

More to come………

2009-11-28T05:26:00.000-08:00

Ode to Audrey Hepburn...

While in Madrid I saw interesting fashion trends and styles. Boots with leggings, stockings or tights, shorts with suspenders, baggy hammer pants etc.... everyone men and women alike were dressed so fashionably (tres chic), but I never would have guessed that I would have seen Audrey everywhere! So I decided to dedicate this blog post to her (just for you Mindy!) Audrey was quite the actress in her day! I love her movies and her fashion sense. My favorite scene from Funny Face was the scene when she discovers "empathicalism" and dances out her feelings! I always feel like dancing like her when life

gets too stressful!

2009-11-28T02:00:00.000-08:00

The Cathedral in Madrid, Spain

We traveled to Spain in early November due to delays with our immigration documentation. The temperature was considerably chilly when compared to the weather in N. Africa. So we bought hats scarves and gloves! We walked around Madrid and found little pastry shops and cafes. We ate churros con chocolate and tapas! It was amazing to see the difference in the architecture and the organized efforts of sanitation and cleanliness. But as we walked down one street we saw a large display of flowers dedicated to a patron saint and realized that we were outside of a cathedral. There was the faint noise of a man playing and singing 'Alleluia' by Jeff Buckley on a little guitar with an amplifier. We walked in and I was immediately struck by the beauty of the buttresse, carving, gold engraving, thrones, candles, statues, and multi-color stain glass window depicting Christ's life death and ressurection. The following pictures are a small glimpse of the wonderful aesthetics of the cathedral.

2009-09-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

Top 12 for settling in continued...

13. It's funny walking down the streets and hearing men call out "Hello!" How are you,fine?" Africa Mama! Jamaica! Where are you from?" Obama...Michael Jackson!" Hola! Great Britain...do you want some fish and chips?!" Do you need a tour guide?"
which I am learning to ignore, but some days it catches me off guard and I want to burst out laughing in their faces. So random!

14. I have an official farmers tan on my toes! Didn't know that could happen.

15. Fivelle the mouse wouldn't survive here because there are so many cats everywhere you go! If you know the song sing along," There are soooooooooooo many cats in N.Africa and the streets aren't filled with cheese!!!"

16. Entertainment includes walking down a lighted walk way to stare at a fountain that has a choreographed light and music show!

17. I saw a run away donkey down one of the corridors of the Medina. It was quite entertaining watching the owner run after the donkey screaming in Arabic!

18. Now I know what shwarma is and I like it! Thanks J and AM!

19. Surprisingly I am loving the Dannon yogurt and Gouda cheese! It goes great with just about everything.

20. Singing with other people brings such calm to my soul, especially from the rooftop in the Medina!

21.We met a little girl who followed us asking for money. When we kept walking because we had nothing to give she became aggressive and began pushing and shoving us and grabbed my friend's wrist. I asked her if she was hungry in French and she looked me in my eye and said "La!" which means no in Arabic. I told her "safi!" which means "enough!" as I walked away. The next day I was to meet a friend and got lost, by the time I turned around and found the meeting place I saw that my friend was not there. But I saw the little girl from the day before running down the street after me. I didn't know what to say, but as she got closer she yelled "sac! sac!! agee! agee!" I began to say I don't understand in French but she proceeded to yell and began to show exasperation with me. She flailed her arms and pointed in the other direction and there I saw my friend in the distance. So I quickly walked with the little girl and when I met my friend she told me that she sent the little girl to the meeting place to get me because she had been robbed and was going to go to the police station. I was very startled and a little confused but grateful to the little girl who helped us in our time of need. I have seen her here and there in town and now when she sees us she will come up and hold our hands gently and ask for a dirham.

22. We were walking down the street the other day to get photos for our school documentation and saw a man with a little monkey on a chain! The monkey looked old and dishevelled with orangish reddish grayish hair and a little pair of turquoise shorts with yellow lining. Let's just say we walked away quickly to avoid any uncomfortable encounter with the old little monkey.

23. What's up with me going into places and totally blanking out on what to say....It's hilarious! I spend the whole walk to the shop rehearsing my lines or what I will say and then the shopkeepers will say something really quickly that I wasn't expecting and my eyes get really wide, time stops, and my mouth just hangs open......until some sweet person next to me either yells or laughs snapping me out of my language coma and they even ask me what I want to tell the shopkeeper in English or in French! Thanks to all of the kind locals!

24. Every now and then we see men and boys dressed in brightly colored clothing with drums and instruments who play in the streets at night. But one day there was one man who waited for us to come out of a shop walked up to my friend and began playings a rhythmical piece right in her face. He finished his rock show and then held out his hand in her face! She just stood there and then stared at me. He then began to play again and extended his hand again! LOL We walked away and began to wonder what it would be like if when approached again by a street musician if we let them finish their show and then busted a move like the 'running man' or 'The Charleston' with jazz hands if he would pay us for entertaining him. We haven't seen him since but we will be ready for him for sure! LOL

25. I have finally learned, at the end of Ramadan, that going to the grocery store 30 minutes before F'tour is not the best idea (mind you, this is after the fourth trip after school and the place is crowded with many angry people with low blood sugar!)

26. Taxi drivers here are something special! One taxi driver wanted to take us to the Ruins, but didn't know the way so he persisted to get on my cell phone to find the location while other locals surround the taxi loaded down with packages. He was so determined to get our taxi fair that he hung up the cell phone and then told us that he would drive and we were to tell him when to stop and drop us off. So we are on the route to the correct location and he keeps trying to pull over way too early so my dear friend in the back seat keeps saying "zeed! zeed!" which means go higher/continue in Arabic but he just trying to keep pulling over as we motioned for him to go forward. Then all of a sudden I remembered the word for 'go straight ahead' and yelled out "Neeshan!" He was so excited he repeated me and gave me a high five! LOL I immediately panicked because I wasn't sure if a high five was culturally appropriate! We saw the place and told him to stop the taxi. After we got out he says in French 'You girls really need to carry a map with you with pictures and an Arabic phrasebook!" We told him thanks for the advice but we had left our maps and phrasebooks at home. He smiled and drove away!

Another taxi driver saw my friend and I with multiple bags of groceries close to F'tour time and decided he would wait across the street for us. We made it to the median amongst the speeding cars and mopeds. All of a sudden a white car full of people slams on his breaks in order to allow us to cross the street. Meanwhile the cars behind him weren't aware of his gesture of kindness and ran right into the back of another car! We were like deer in the head lights until the drivers began to yell and honk at us to get across the street. The taxi driver who had been watching the whole ordeal laughed and said "Welcome to N. Africa!" Then he proceeded to talk to us the entire time about how Harira is the best soup in the world and how this city is the best place to be in the entire world.

Other taxi drivers like to entertain us by turning on music very loudly as we ride along. One driver in particular turned on music that was quite delightful until he began singing in a strange falsetto tone the entire ride home. We did everything in our power to keep from laughing out loud. As soon as we got out of the taxi and around the corner we laughed and try to reenact the scene on a daily basis!

27. My classroom for first grade is a small little room in the basement of the school building with marble tiled walls and concrete floor which is great for the summer because it's nice and cool, but the dilemma lies in how to get posters and teaching tools to stick to the walls. A fellow coworker was kind enough to buy me a set of plastic shower hooks that have worked wonderfully well! ( I will post pics of the classroom soon!)

28. I now know that homemade pita sandwiches are great! You can put just about anything in pita and it tastes great! Not as great as Muhkooduh (which is a delicious potato pita sandwich that you can get in the Medina) but pretty close! Why didn't I think of this before?!

29. I am LOVING the new golden lion statue in the middle of the lighted walkway. We noticed the lion yesterday and as we got closer we noticed that the paint was still wet and that the odorous fumes meant that the statue was brand new to town! It represents the official soccer team or something like that...at least that's what the night watchman said. Many people gathered to take their photo by the statue so we thought we would join in! Now that I think about it the lion looks a lot like Aslan! (will post a pic soon!)

30. I am really enjoying getting to know my coworkers. We are so different, but when we are together great things happen!

.......More to come!

2009-09-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Cooking our own F'tour

I have found that cooking is a great way to relieve stress and save money while living in the city! Upon arrival we found many cheap meals close to our apartment, but with Ramadan many of the restaurants are closed until about 8:30pm except for McDonald's which is expensive and not very appetizing. We go to the market about every two days or so and buy fresh fruits and vegetables. We use our Arabic the best we can and sometimes we mispronounce words, but many of the shop owners are very patient and forgiving.

Last week we wanted peaches and the shopowner pointed to nectarines. All we knew to say was 'la' which means no and we pointed at the peaches. He then proceeded to say the name of the peach and hold out his hand saying "khoh" and he said it until we repeated. Then he pointed to the nectarines and said "shehdiyah" and repeated the word until we did. It was just like being at school. He smiled and told us to write a list for the next time we came so he could serve us more quickly the next time we needed fruits and vegetables.

After shopping we wash all of our vegetables and fruits and then we prepare delicious cuisine. The following meals have been made in our kitchen: pasta with meat sauce, stirfry, chicken salad, guacamole, (a novice) couscous, pita pockets, omelets, pizza, Harira (soup) etc. The only meal that we haven't made successfully is hummus which turned out to be chunky! LOL We didn't realize that the blender wasn't strong enough to mash up our garbonzo beans. Someday I will post recipies, but really all of the meals we have made have really been made up on the spot in the kitchen. We cook our meats with green and red peppers, onion, garlic, etc and then we add a sauce or noodles and rice. I will admit that I really miss seasonings like Lawry's Seasoning Salt or good old Mrs. Dash! We bought a wonderful greenish mixture of spices called 'hannout spice' or lazy cook spice. The lazy cook's spice is a mixture of forty some spices and tastes pretty good on just about anything!

2009-09-19T02:53:00.000-07:00

Experiencing Ramadan...cannons and all...

Now that we are approaching the end of Ramadan I thought I should share what we have heard each day for the past few weeks right before eating dinner in our apartment. Listen closely to the videos posted here to see if you hear "allah akhbar" meaning "God is Great!" When the streets clatter with the sounds of cars speeding home to break fast and all of a sudden everyone vanishes into their homes and the only sounds you hear are from the neighborhood cats we know that F'tour is coming. A cannon fires from the Medina and then we hear the call to prayer. We gather to pray and eat as well at this time knowing that many who live in the city are feasting together with their friends and families in celebration and devotion to their faith. After an hour or two the streets begin to come alive again with many people old and young who appear content. Loud music plays in the streets and the crowds gather around contemporary looking fountains and lighted walkways until after midnight. Soon after people return home to sleep for a few hours to arise at 4:00am to eat breakfast before sunset. I am deeply impressed by the commitment of my new friends and coworkers that are fasting as each day of Ramadan passes. Eid- al F'tour is coming on Sunday where people will celebrate the month of fasting and the forgiveness of transgressions for the past 11months before Ramadan.

2009-08-24T02:02:00.000-07:00

Random finds on the rooftop

The other day we were taking in the view from a friends rooftop and I was awestruck by the expanse of the land and buildings. I was taking deep breaths and thinking, "did I ever imagine being in such a beautiful place?" Then I turned around and saw countless satelite dishes, laundry, a tray of onions, and even a couple of bikes. My immediate conclusions were that laudry would get direct sunlight on the roof, a tray of onions would maybe taste better after being baked in the sun or maybe the heat would kill any bugs, but I am baffled by the bikes. Do people ride them on the roof? How did they get the bikes up there and why doesn't anybody else have bikes on the roof? Any guesses? I guess I am used to roofs serving as solely shelter, but storage or entertainment are all reasonable uses as well.

2009-08-22T03:04:00.000-07:00

Some days begin by dropping your doughnuts

The other day at around 9:00 am we were going to the Medina and a friend offered for us to try a Moroccan dougnut from a vendor. So we walk over, purchase, and she dips the aromatic goodness into a plate of nearby sugar. Now you would think that I would have remembered that these doughnuts were fresh, meaning they had just come out of the hot oil when I reached out to take one off of a ring made of a long stalk of some green plant, but I didn't remember...I put my hand on one of the five doughnuts hanging on the string, burned my finger and caused all five doughnuts to fly off of the ring and into the street. I quickly rushed to pick them up and almost dropped them again because they were so hot. Then I looked around and saw my friends laughing which made me begin to laugh until I cried and almost drooled because my mouth was hanging open. So there I am standing on a busy sidewalk laughing, crying, and all the while trying to switch the doughnuts from hand to hand without dropping them again. Eventually we got the doughnuts back on the plant ring told the vendor thanks again, as he looked at us in a very bewildered manner, and we walked into the Medina. The rest of the day was pretty great!

2009-08-18T17:30:00.001-07:00

Top 12 for settling in....

Well I have unpacked most of my suitcases. We are also beginning to recognize landmarks close to our apartment. N. Africa is beautiful in so many ways. I will post pics very soon!

1. I just have to tell you that we found the school supply store today and it was well WONDERFUL! Of course it wasn't exactly like walking into Walmart, but there were pens of many colors, gluesticks, erasers, graph paper (which will take some getting used to), and markers, pastels, crayons, etc... ) But there's nothing like schools supplies to warm a teachers heart!

2. I went to the market for the first time and ordered a sausage and cheese sandwich, yogurt, and water in Arabic (woot-woot!) The salesmen are very patient! I can't wait to buy apples and other favorites that I can find here!!

3. I almost ran straight into a donkey today!!! The cars and other modes of transportation (mopeds, bikes, scooters) are aggressive and fast! It's like playing frogger (ATARII video game from the 80's) LOL but kinda scary.. We've decided that if we follow other locals then 'they can't take us all!" LOL This is a very verbal culture the volume of noise is incredible.. there is always innumerable events happening at once and sometimes I forget that I am walking down the street because I am distracted by everything.

4. We went to this crowded market place that used to be owned by the Jewish community and we saw anything that you could think to buy from tea pots, to hijabs, jllebas, shoes, sweets, towels, potato chips made fresh. All of the sales men are yelling and the people are just hustling and bustling by without caring if they bump into you or what!!!

5. Did I mention it's blazing hot here?! Did I mention I might regret bringing the snow pants?! Oh, but we did hear today that we can go hiking in the mountains, maybe I can wear them then. The mornings are very cool here which maybe a precursor to what a glimpse of winter might be........I am stretching this as far as I can, can you tell........

6. We are now used to hearing the call to prayer.

7. We took care of a small insect that snuck into our apartment as we were coming up the stairwell tonight. With lots of screaming, throwing of multiple shoes, running as it chased us, and some courage we took care of the situation and will be placing our first notch in our beloved "bug terminator"Bass Shoe size 9 donated by our dear friend Laura! :) Bring it on we say! (We've decided to buy bug spray tomorrow, just in cast!)

8. I will be teaching 1st grade and sharing 3rd grade with Suzanne! School begins on Sept. 8th, and inservice begin September 1st! :) Here comes the learning curve!

9. I can read french apparently. I was able to install the ASDL internet on my laptop after three tries! What do they say...the third time's the charm?!

10. I have observed that sometimes you can't be shy here, even if it takes leaning into a cab, rushing to a sales counter and speaking louder than three other people in a crowded area! Oh and we were advised today to bargain as much as possible on a variety of foods or items. I may need a little prayer and encouragement in this area...maybe that little talk about assertiveness in high school will pay off afterall! I'll let you know!

11. I learned how to properly greet women. It's very french. I place my cheek to her right cheek making a kissing sound in the air, go to her left cheek and do the same three to five times. The first night I was told that if I only greet with two or these then I am not perceived as being excited to see the woman I am greeting! This will be fun to try in the states someday! Just kidding! :)

12. I saw the palace of the king today! We heard that each tile was hand crafted and assembled! The entry doors are golden and had knobs that can only be reached from the height of horseback. There were soldiers standing guard. We took pictures and tried to peak in the sliver of sight b/w the doors to see a glimpse of gorgeous gardens!!!!! (I will post pics soon!)

Thank you for your warm wishes, prayers, and thoughts as I transition into life in N.Africa!

2009-08-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

Couscous, Tagine, and Olives galore!
I have been in N. Africa for the past three days and I have already eaten a lot of delicious foods! The first afternoon we stopped at a tourist cafe and had mint tea (very sweet to the taste, it reminded me of the sweet tea from Kentucky, but this had the mint leaves right there in the cup!) I ordered Tagine with chicken which is a stew like dish with peas, carrots, red olives, onions, garlic, etc. The best thing about Tagine was that we learned how to eat it with our hands and scooping with a small piece of bread. I laughed to myself thinking about all those years of my mom telling us not to play with our food! Well eating tagine without utensils was fun and somewhat liberating. Small pleasures in life are what make life worth living, right?!

The first night after unpacking my suitcase I walked with friends to a McDonald's....but we all decided it would be better to try authentic foods to immerse ourselves in the culture. So we walked a few blocks and stopped at a nice restaurant that had tables outside and we ordered couscous with chicken. The plate was piled high with raisins, carrots, potatoes, chicken, beans, and grain on the bottom. Every bite was delicious, but I was so stuffed that I took leftovers with me.

The second day we went to a local fast food restaurant that served us eggplant with peppers, greens with artichokes, and wonderfully seasoned cuts of chicken and beef. Again, I got to eat with my hands!

The third day, today, I had a chance to eat a meal prepared by a good cook in a local cafeteria. Earlier in the day at tea time, I saw her massaging the chicken in a marinade. An hour or two later after taking care of some business, I returned and there was a table set with cooked green and red peppers, cucumbers slices, rice potatoes and carrots, and in the middle of the table there was....the chicken covered in layers of green olives, onion, garlic, parsley, celery, etc. Carrying on with the theme, I ate with my hands again which I am really getting used to and really enjoying! Oh....it was absolutely delicious!!!!! I am getting hungry just thinking about that meal. :)

So far I think that this part of adjusting to the culture is a plus which gives me hope for three things:
1. that I will learn how to cook these meals and therefore broaden my repretoire of recipies.
2. that the dishes prepared with fish will be just as satisfying!
3. that other adjustments will have their liberating aspects.

2009-08-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

Great Expectations

Time is flying and all preparations have been made. In less than a week I will be 'leaving on a jet plane' to go to N. Africa! I have been asked many questions over the past few weeks. For instance, many people have want to know if I am excited or nervous. Some have even asked if I am afraid. I never feel like I have enough time to process my answer within the length of time provided in the conversation. To be honest, I have felt a range of emotions as I have read many texts, attempted to speak Arabic/French, and plan lessons for the year, so trying to melt it all down in to one sentence is a difficult task. I am greatly anticipating living in a new culture, yet I know that it will take time to adjust and find my place. My brain has been filled with fears and questions concerning my ability to handle the stress that major life change presents, but about a week ago when grappling with those questions in prayer a deluge of scripture came to mind.

-" I am with you until the end of the age..."

-"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

-"I am the Lord your God; I will hold your right hand saying do not fear for I am with you."
Isaiah 43:10

-"When you call I will answer and while you are yet speaking I will hear."

-"Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, I will help you speak and teach you what to say."
Exodus 4:11

-"God is not a man that he should lie; nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

-"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert...I provide water in the desert...to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise! " Isaiah 43:18-21

And finally I read this verse:

" The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 43:11

I have come to the conclusion that the Father has gone before me and it will be HIS strength that I will rely upon when I face any difficulty. My confidence will be in HIS ability because I know that I have limitations and that it's normal to fear the unknown. But the great thing about my limitations and fears is that HE can use them to show others how great HE is...I am honored to be considered worthy of such a divine audience.

2009-07-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

From the Airplane Window

I flew from Illinois to California a few days ago and had no idea that I would get to see the Grand Canyon from above! I've never had a chance to see the Grand Canyon in person but was delighted to have a peek at a beautiful and expansive part of nature. I have since been in California training with my team. I am learning Arabic, social customs, traditions, and reviewing Teaching English As a Foreign Language (TEFL).

I was challenged today in a cross cultural training session to be like water as I face the stresses of adjusting to life overseas. Water has many beneficial qualities. Water is transparent, flows easily, can bend, fill space or adjust to what it is contained in, and can uphold enormous amounts of weight. The speaker in the session stated that the Grand Canyon was carved out by the force of water. I immediately thought about the view out of the window of the airplane. The deep grooves in the rocks throughout the canyon were so easy to see from miles above, and hopefully some day I will see the canyon from the ground level, but to think that water had such an impact or impression upon solid rock is beyond my understanding. How can something so soft change the properties of something so hard? I am sure there is a geological explanation dealing with erosion and pressure over time, yet I am having difficulty fathoming how the Grand Canyon was formed. (Now I'll have to google the Grand Canyon tonight to find out, right?!) I am not sure how this challenge to become like water will manifest itself in my experience in N. Africa, but I really think that this speech will resonate with me during my time away as well as in life.
This challenge to be like water also makes me recall a passage from Jeremiah 17:7&8 that says, "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and puts his confidence in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

I guess I have always pictured myself as the tree in this passage, but I wonder what would happen if I thought of my self as the stream instead. Which qualities of water will I exhibit most over the next year while living in another culture?

2009-07-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Preparing for North Africa

I have spent the last months preparing to teach in North Africa! I am taking a leave of absence for one year from Bottenfield Elementary School to teach first through third graders in North Africa. I will be teaching math, science, reading, and writing in English! My dearest friends and family have showered me with their kindness, generosity, and support throughout this whole process (i.e. packing my apartment, moving my 'stuff' into a friends basement in the pouring rain, organizing my documents (there was a 'method to the madness' of my filing system, but I have reluctantly been shown a better way...thanks MK :) , countless meals, offers of housing until I leave for training, etc). I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Everyone has been so wonderful and many people have asked how they can help or be a part of my journey. One way you can help is by praying for my coworkers and I as we learn new curriculum and build relationships with the students we will teach.

2009-07-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

Have You Ever Thought About Teaching Overseas?!

This is the question I was asked in the fall of 2003 while dining with friends! I was a senior in college and ready to 'change the world' by challenging my students to be leaders and lifelong learners. Interestingly enough I had never considered the possibility of going out of the country with all of the responsibilities that come with entering 'the real world' (i.e. my first car, loan payments, etc.) After applying in three locations in the states I decided to stick close to home and I began working at an elementary school in Champaign, Illinois teaching second grade. I am very privileged to work at Bottenfield Elementary School because many of my students are from families who moved to America to study at the University of Illinois from countries around the world. After two years of gaining experience, much prayer, and encouragement from family and friends I decided that teaching overseas would be a great way to serve others and learn about another culture. In 2005 I had the opportunity to teach English in a small town in Russia for one month. Talk about a learning curve! I taught middle school students conversational english. It was so wonderful being greeted with loud "Hellos!" and questions like " What is Disney like?" or "Why would you want to come here to teach?" from the neighborhood streets which usually led to meaningful conversations that I still remember today. I ate borscht (hot and cold), saw many historical landmarks and memorials. The last week in Russia my team and I even had a chance to tour St. Petersburg and I saw the Hermitage! I decided then that the longer I teach the more I realize how much I can learn and if I ever had the chance to teach in another country again I would!