واخا

Wedding in Les Sables d'Olonne

2009-09-13T22:22:00.003-07:00

Marie and I had decided before I left for Amman this summer that we would get married in September; the paperwork and arrangements were our concern and we didn't know if we would have time to complete the process when I returned to France in mid August. I had to visit the US Embassy in Paris, complete an interview at the city hall, get documents translated, and make legal arrangements. Not a terribly lengthy process, but it did require me to miss the first week of class in NY.

It was a beautiful, short, sweet civil ceremony yesterday followed by a walk on the beach front, an apéritif in her parents garden, a tour of a salt marsh and second apéritif, and a great dinner; all activities that I wish my U.S. family and friends could have seen, but hoping that they can catch up on when we have a more grandiose church ceremony at the local Cathédrale Notre Dame next June and after which, Marie and I can give the boot to our current long distance predicament.

I've just returned to NYC approaching midnight and long to get on a return flight to Paris tomorrow. Long distance relationships are terribly difficult (al-Hamdullah for Skype) and further compounded in New York by the romance you see at restaurants, on the street, and indiscriminate locations throughout the city at all hours, but particularly on weekend nights as you're walking home from the gym or library. Hopefully, divine intervention will step into make time pass quickly, extend breaks and holidays, and lower international airline prices. We can all hope. Tu me manques, mon amour.

Quote of the Week

2009-09-13T22:22:00.001-07:00

"The life of our city is rich in poetic and marvelous subjects. We are enveloped and steeped as though in an atmosphere of the marvelous; but we do not notice it."
-19th century French poet Charles Baudelaire

Mont Saint-Michel

2009-09-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

(Mont Saint Michel at dusk.)

(Marie and a statue of Saint Michel.)

In addition to Omaha Beach, Marie and I spent several hours at Mont Saint Michel. Regarded as one of the top tourist destinations in France, it did not disappoint. A beautiful, island-of-sorts with an old monastery and a now well developed tourist industry. More soon... Marie and I are both relaxing on the beach in Les Sables and running around, completing errands.

Omaha Beach and the D-Day Museum

2009-09-09T04:37:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Week

2009-09-04T02:04:00.001-07:00

(Marie on the beach in Morocco 2007.)

"Surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy."
-Louis Bogen

From the Apartment Window: Villers Sur Mer

2009-09-02T06:25:00.000-07:00

(Looking out on the L'ile aux Oiseaux. Note the small boat).

Marie's new home on the English Channel (in French: la manche, "the sleeve") is a beautiful place. Just 200 km from England, the water here is colder, calmer, but seems no more saltier than the Atlantic. I tried to put up a brief fight when I first arrived that this is really part of the Atlantic, but was properly quieted.

With a summer population of more than 30,000, activities and masses have abruptly ended following last weekends last weekend of the season. Info on Villers and Marie's office of Tourism can be found here.

International Stories in Contemporary Morsels

2009-08-31T14:09:00.004-07:00

Here's Marc Lynch on 10 recent notable stories at his foreign policy blog. Now in France, I'm really having to take in news in brief from aggregate, condensed sources. Overall, like everyone (ok..maybe most), the older I get with more responsibilities (work, education, etc), a serious relationship, and all of life's other extras, the less time I have for domestic and international news. I'm having to increasingly rely on Google reader and two to three blogs for my information. Come back to me oh so sweet time...

Haut Monde, Harrison Ford, and the 35th American Film Festival in Deauville

2009-08-31T14:09:00.003-07:00

(The famous wrapped umbrellas of Deauville).

Marie and I visited Deauville and Trouville. Blasé in name-only, these small communities are the hot spot for Parisians who want a seaside getaway only 2.5 hours away. Deauville is the top tier, Rodeo Drive like location for the wealthy, while Trouville is its working class neighbor. Marie and I enjoyed walking the streets of both and could only stare at the bling in Deauville.

On Friday, Deauville celebrates the 35th annual American Film Festival. The Guest of honor this year includes Harrison Ford. Other notables include Andy Garcia, Robin Wright Penn, the Zucker directors, and several prominent french directors. Too bad we'll miss it; we'll be on our way to the famous D-Day beaches and southwest to Les Sables d'Olonne beginning Friday.

Quote of the Week

2009-08-31T14:09:00.001-07:00

“In my hotel room that night, I thought - as I still do - of the moral principles she instilled in me: never to harm a living creature; throughout my life, to place the poor, the humble, the meek of this world above all others; never to forget those who were slighted or neglected or who had suffered injustice, because it was they who, above all others, deserved our love and respect, in Iceland or anywhere in the world. I spent my entire childhood in an environment in which the mighty of the earth had no place outside story books and dreams. Love of, and respect for, the humble routine of everyday life and its creatures was the only moral commandment which carried conviction when I was a child.”

-Halldór Laxness, Nobel Lecture 1955

Les Sables to Villers Sur Mer

2009-08-29T13:14:00.003-07:00

After arriving in France a week ago, missing my north-bound train in Paris, spending the night drinking with Marie's brother, catching a morning train, heading with Marie two days later back to Paris, the Les Sables d'Olonne for 3 days, then back across country 5 hours to Villers- we're understandably tired.

Marie's new residence in the North, Villers Sur Mer, seems like a pleasant little tourist community. I look forward to being here the next week. With our visit to Les Sables, it was great to see her family: parents, sister returned from Germany, brother and girlfriend captaining a yacht in the Caribbean, and 7 year old nephew visiting said father from Seychelles. We drank, we drank coffee, ate well, and spent limited time on the beach.

Below is an earlier photo in Les Sables of a community band serenading someone in the city center. Above is from an adjacent street to Marie's house, where a straight shot of 100 yards will have you firmly on the beach and in close proximity to the Bar des Fleurs.

2009-08-29T13:14:00.001-07:00

A We Society: A Favorite Aspect of Arab Culture

2009-08-27T11:58:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite parts of Jordan, Morocco, and elsewhere and a culture strength of the MENA region is the Arab cultural and lingustic emphasis on "we,” whereas in the US and Europe people more often refer to things in terms of “I.”

"We" talk fills up a room and I rarely have felt lonely during my 2+ years in Morocco and during my current stay in Jordan. I can't say the same for life in New York. I love the city (or at least often) for its incessant action, energy, and crowds, but the issue lies in that so much of people's activities are done alone. Other people are your natural environment much like flora, fauna, and the landscape and if not attune, you begin to tune them out as such. Some of the side effects of urban density/suburban sprawl/US transitory living patterns are outlined in books like "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community," but I'm more interested how the linguistic emphasis on "we" historically in tribes in North Africa, the Levant, and the larger East affects current behavior.

Of note, if I had backed out of the above photo, you would notice that outside of this large gathering of men, few other people were swimming along the Beirut coast (setting aside the fact that there's few attractive public places to swim). In western culture, we look for isolated places where a small group of friends/family can find privacy. Just as with my experience along the coast in Morocco, Arab beach-goers congregate towards each other. This quality and its expansion into all areas of interaction is something for which I admire... epitomized by the two friends lying back, arm-in-arm in the water.

Visiting Jerusalem and Ramallah

2009-08-27T11:58:00.001-07:00

(Cameras and a wedding party in front of the Western Wall).

(The Dome of the Rock or Masjid Qubbat As-Sakhrah. Built in 691 AD).

(The West Bank barrier seperating Abu Dis
and Ramallah from Jerusalem).

With little more than a weekend and week left in Amman, I made a quick 3 day trip to Jerusalem and Ramallah. Making the mistake of leaving on a Saturday, in which the most accessible and direct Jordan-Israeli crossing (King Hussein bridge) is still closed because of Israel's public recognition of the Shabbat, I had to then head from the border to a northern crossing. I had no problems making the crossing, but had trouble along with some Spanish friends of finding a fair rate taxi. Eventually finding a public bus, we made it hours later to Jerusalem and breathed in the sweet, cold air of the holiest city.

In Jerusalem, I spent most of my time in the old city, visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, and walking aimlessly through the market. It was a beautiful place- and felt like a mythical place. The divisions sometimes seemed to be clear, but were also nuanced...

I also visited Ramallah and to see a friend on contract with a Palestinian Ministry. The political heart of the West Bank, it was an active little city with so many people on the streets at night. With quite a bit less public walking in Jordan, I had forgotten how lively Arab streets can get. It was great, but also is one of those indicators of youth unemployment. With less job opportunities, young men often take to the streets and the cafes. Education for Employment has a successful affiliate foundation in Ramallah, but I didn't have time to visit.

Quote of the Week

2009-08-25T14:23:00.002-07:00

“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.”

-Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

Border Crossings: 400 km in 10 hours

2009-08-25T14:23:00.001-07:00

(At the Syrian border, heading to Jordan. President Bashar al-Assad and his father, former president Hafez al-Assad wish you safe travels).

What excess! Beirut to Amman in a GMC suburban taxi with leather interior. No, I don't mean the transit, but the travel. 3 border crossings. 2 exit fees and 1 entrance. 10 hours for a journey that would take 4 hours without borders. It doesn't help that I'm traveling back in high season and at the worst time. I should have traveled in the middle of the night, finally shedding myself of old Peace Corps security restrictions.

At the Microphone Bar

2009-08-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

To close off my sojourn in Beirut, Eli and I finished my last night at a local dive bar, name forgotten. It was fantastic. It was last call. With local flavor and an elder bartender, Eli showed me the aluminum microphones on the ceiling and said the Syrian's were still listening. In truth, the bar was around the corner from a former Syrian surveillance/intelligence center and the owner and co. had added them as a local touch.

Ice Cream and Fisticuffs

2009-08-19T00:11:00.000-07:00

In the midst of the renowned Souk al-Hamidieh in the old city of Damascus is the equally acclaimed Bakdash ice cream parlour. Hearing about it on the 1st Syria go-around, it prefaced my return trip and Ashleigh and I were not disappointed with good ice cream and genteel service.

Most interesting was the staff's interest, as shown above, on the pictured tv and an earlier backroom fistfight between two employees. They played this continuously with no sound while we elbowed for ice cream; 2 co-workers yelling, then one throwing a hook, the other putting the first in a headlock, and both falling to the floor. Rewind. Replay. It was not the most interesting clip, but with such interest by the staff, it was one of those things you study more intensely out of the belief you missed something.

The Best Souk in Town

2009-08-19T00:10:00.002-07:00

Souk al-Hamidieh in the old district of Damascus is physically one of the best bazaars I've walked through in my short travels in the MENA region. It's expansive- 15 meters wide, 2 stories high, and extends for some distance. It's old- first built in 1780. Best of all- natural lighting leaks through high off windows to light the walkway just enough. The shops are nice, but are mostly the same as globalization has made Indian, Chinese, Taiwanese, Brazilian, Malaysian, Egyptian, Canadian, Korean, American, Colombian, Pakistani, Ghanaian, Australian, Japanese, Germany, Italian, Russian, Mexican, Saudia Arabian, etc products ubiquitous.

Quote of the Week

2009-08-19T00:10:00.001-07:00

"The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting."
-Milan Kundera

Wedding Bells in Damascus

2009-08-19T00:08:00.001-07:00

(Looking upon a Friday night wedding).

(A large, impressive church complete with Christmas dressings).

With little exposure to the Christian population in Jordan, I was surprised to walk upon so many churches in Damascus. 10% of the population in Syria, 6% in Jordan, and 35% in Lebanon. These churches were prominently laid out in the city center and at the one pictured above, Ashleigh and I witnessed the proceedings for back-to-back weddings.

5 Days in Syria and Lebanon

2009-08-18T23:19:00.000-07:00

(Souk al-Hamidieh in Damascus)

(On the seaside in Saida, Lebanon)

(Ashleigh, Daniella, and Walid in the darkness of a Saida medina)

2009-08-18T23:14:00.000-07:00

2009-08-05T22:37:00.001-07:00

Quote for the Week

2009-08-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

(Houman at Cap de Trois Fourches, Morocco 2008).

"We don’t have to live great lives, we just have to understand and survive the ones we got."
-Andre Debus

Syria, Round I: Damascus, Allepo, and the Sea

2009-08-05T22:34:00.001-07:00

(Everyone's favorite water man/flower supplier
outside the Aleppo citadel).

Traffic and Intersections

2009-07-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

I witnessed my 3rd car accident in front of my apartment today. Ok, I wasn’t on the street, but in the living room when as twice before, I heard the boom crunch crack outside our 4th floor window. Both vehicles damaged. Both drivers limping.

Prematurely, I was impressed with local driving when I first arrived in Amman. But after daily NY-style traffic jams and two close calls, I now conclude that auto safety is terrible. The conditions are worse than the driving, but I still pass 2-3 accidents daily while carpooling to-and-fro on a 15 minute ride.

On traffic conditions, in mid June the Jordan to Saudi/Gulf vehicle ratio was probably 4/1. Two weeks ago, probably 3/1 and it’s only going to increase in the weeks before Ramadan. Friends complain and proclaim they need to run off to Aqaba or Sharm El Sheikh for the summer.

Rent Seeking In the Levant

2009-07-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

(From the historic site of Um Qais, a family overlooks
the Tiberias Lake or Sea of Galilee).

I finished days ago a nice visit with Brooke and Adam to northwest Jordan to view the historic roman ruins of Um Qais. I have not seen the more expansive ruins of Jerrash, but the surrounding landscape of Um Qais is beautiful. Tiberias Lake pictured above is 11 km away with the city of Tiberias just after that. All are on the Israeli side and the northeastern coast is still disputed by Syria, who controlled the area from 1948-67.

If one can allow themselves to wash their hands of geopolitics and national security agendas, the stark condition of those who have suffered from the Arab-Israel conflict becomes evident on visiting Um Qais, other areas of Jordan, and hearing Israeli stories.

We met a local man upon our visit who had lived near Um Qais all his life, yet had only been to nearby Tiberias once, with subsequent trips rejected by Israeli authorities. He seemed to have committed no offense. He was a bystander in a region engulfed by fear, umbrage, moat-building, and suffering from political-economic rent-seeking. In short, political leaders in the region benefit politically and economically from the perpetuation of the Arab-Israeli conflict. They receive larger sums of foreign aid and are able to marginalize or shift the blame of in-country political grievances to an external threat. The losers- powerless residents and everyday men like those near Um Qais and throughout Jordan, in Syria, Israel, and elsewhere whose freedom and securities are restricted (or in the Palestinian territories, corralled) by the political insolvency of regional issues.

Arab Leaders and Obama's speech

2009-07-16T23:40:00.000-07:00

Marc Lynch has written a nice piece here about what Arab leaders should expect in the coming months and years from the Obama administration.

Happy Bastille Day

2009-07-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

And a belated Happy 4^th of July too. Here’s too all my French and American friends. Et mon amour, je t'aime. Tu me manques.

2009-07-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Week

2009-07-11T22:58:00.002-07:00

"The highest form of morality is not to feel at home in one’s own home."
-Theodor Adorno

Petra and Wadi Rum

2009-07-11T22:57:00.001-07:00

(Wadi Rum. A favorite haunt of T.E. Lawrence and where some of "Lawrence of Arabia" was filmed).

(Wasef in Petra with a coliseum in the background).

2009-07-04T23:02:00.000-07:00

Aqaba and The Red Sea

2009-07-04T23:01:00.001-07:00

(A family on the Jordan side. Across the bay is Israel. Jordan and Israeli ships (or Italian rentals) enter/exit their two adjacent ports and Jordan constantly has a battleship anchored on the sea border. Egypt-bound ferries also leave this port frequently)

I visited Aqaba and the Red Sea this past weekend in the south. Jordan only has 24 km of coastal land (it once was only 8) and Aqaba is its only seaport. It was a friendly, developing place that should be booming in 10-15 years, but was rather lacking in night life when we visited for the weekend. I'm sure it picks up during national holidays. Or maybe the party was somewhere else. I did see Levant and Gulf tourists and several U.S. Iraqi contractors on R&L, but their was no mass weekend influx like I was expecting.

On snorkeling. We rented equipment from the ritzy Royal Diving Institute and spent several hours exploring their great reefs. As advertised, the flora and fauna in the Red Sea is beautiful and this itself deserves a repeat trip to the area if I have time. All colors and sizes of fish and coral. It was breathtaking at times and if I had another month here and was $400 richer, I would happily spend the 3 days it takes to get scuba certified. But maybe next time. Or maybe in the better known Sharm el Sheikh that everyone talks about.

Reem's Cafeteria: The Best Shawarma in Town

2009-06-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

This is advertised as the best shawarma in Amman (even in the NY Times) and this is no joke. Reem's doesn't mess around or even offer the staple chicken shawarma, just lamb. And although of course the BBC tells me it has only 140% of my daily saturated fat content, I talked the experience up at work the next day and we made a repeat trip for lunch.

Quote of the Week

2009-06-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

"The women have been a very dominant factor in Iran throughout the ages. It sounds counterintuitive because in some instances, in the court of law, no matter what law we’re talking about – criminal, divorce, inheritance, child custody, etc. – women count for only half of a man. But in society women have been very strong, and women have had a much more vibrant, participatory role in Iran than in any other of the countries around that region, including so many of the countries the United States calls friends and allies. And ever since the beginning, 30 years ago during the revolution, women were out on the streets en masse. Because it then became an Islamic society, traditional men could not keep the women out of the public sphere anymore, couldn’t keep their girls from going to school, because now it was an Islamic society and there was no reason to do that. So now 65 percent of university students are women. Women are in all sorts of spheres of professional endeavor. Women drive, they vote, they can hold a public position. Now, 34 million women are in Iran right now, out of a population of 70 million."

This from the excellent Christiane Amanpour in a worthy interview. The green shoots of a revolution in Iran have been captivating from Amman (although developments, public rallies, and the international reporting on such events has subsided in the last week) and the reports of women leading street protests in many instances have been moving, although few are talking about the situation here. One explanation "The Palestinian issue takes up all our time."

Summer Travel Plans

2009-06-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

My weekend travel and short vacation schedule for the rest of the summer are now materializing as I've made plans with some new friends and agreed upon dates with others. June went by so fast, but I found time to hike the Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve for 7 hours with a group, which is adjacent to and whose river flows into the Dead Sea. The hike was literally 1 hour marching over an arid landscape and 6 hours navigating the river and repelling down a waterfall. Highly recommended. Here's the tentative schedule for the coming months with dates marking Fri-Sat weekends.

July
2 Aqaba (Jordan’s only port, acclaimed for its coral reefs)
9 Petra (UNESCO site, Ancient city carved into rock)
16 Damascus (historical capital city, rich culture)
23 Damascus (meeting friends)
August
1-5 Beirut (beach, friends, and Mediterranean life)
13 Ramallah (capital city, rich culture, friends)
21 Depart for France
September
7 Return to New York

Missing Gafait

2009-06-23T23:23:00.001-07:00

In Jordan now a week, I miss Gafait and the place I called home for two years. Urban environments are quite different, but the people, regular schedule, work, and quiet evenings are what I miss right now. To all my friends in the Orient and throughout Morocco- I hope all is well and look for me in summer 2010.

About Work: The JCEF

2009-06-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a short, locally produced video that encapsulates the organization I'm working for this summer. The same video can be viewed here. It seems to be an excellent organization that is combating a difficult problem in the MENA region- youth unemployment, which is the highest of any region in the world at around 25% with 2/3 of the overall population being under 24 years of age.

2009-06-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

The Dead Sea

2009-06-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

The Nokia Flashlight: The Ultimate Amenity

2009-06-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

Recently reunited with my cellphone from Morocco, I instantly fell back on old habits: playing "snake" on the bus (yes, the Nokia default), programming my alarm, and using my flashlight excessively.

For service, I'm using the well-named, but dead-zone champion Umniah. After 2 days recently of being able to take calls, but unable to be heard, I was ready to switch over to the more expensive Zain network, but alas found the problem was with my phone's mic. Now the solution is to 'pack' it on the palm of my hand like one would cigarettes before every call to get a good connection.

And no Mom, I'm not smoking here. The coffee culture- an espresso and a smoke is just not what it is in francophone countries. However, the sheesha (aka hookah, arghila) fills that void and almost everyone, including conserative women, smoke.

From the Apartment Window: Amman, Jordan

2009-06-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

Looking out the 4th floor kitchen window at the apartment of Nuri and I. Profile Nuri: a 26 year old Turkish PhD student in Amman for the summer to do research on stability in small Arab states. He'll later be settling in Tunis and Kuwait City to round out his research. I was fortunate to find Nuri like I've been fortunate to have a great roommate in NY. Low maintenance (besides an early morning cleaning twitch), a jovial personality, strong character, and bright ideas, it so far has worked out brilliantly and I look forward to a great relationship.

Arriving in Amman

2009-06-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

I just arrived last night in the city and found a nice, cheap hotel room downtown near this mosque, Jmea Hussein. I find the green glow sticks on the minaret in the evening a nice touch. From shuffling by taxi around the city a bit today, I think I'll end up preferential to this area. It's the authentic heart of the city with all the good shops and is where the working class congregates.

After a 10 PM arrival yesterday, it took me an hour to find the office at the Jordan National Employment Center, but the reception was very nice and the staff and environment I'll be working in this summer seems to be great.

UPDATE: Days later, I saw this same mosque and a reporter roaming the surrounding streets on Al-Jazeera TV as they ran a report on Iraqi refugees not able to find work in Jordan (500k people), Syria (1.5 mill), and other neighboring countries. What a sad situation.

Hmm..Places That Deserve An Extended Stay: Istanbul

2009-06-15T13:11:00.001-07:00

Or any stay at all. Unfortunately, I only saw the city from the air and my terminal (which is probably negligible) as Istanbul was a transfer for me between Paris and Amman, but the view flying in looked oh so nice and the sea ever so tempting last Sunday afternoon. Perhaps I should have stayed a week before continuing to Amman (I seriously thought about it after leaving behind a week on the French coast, but Turkey is a country that most likely deserves several months to explore.

Quote of the Week

2009-06-15T13:04:00.001-07:00

"..this is why I value that little phrase 'I don't know' so highly. It's small, but it flies on mighty wings. It expands our lives to include the spaces within us as well as those outer expanses in which our tiny Earth hangs suspended."

Wislawa Szymborska, Nobel Lecture 1996

I'd like to think I could live off that idea- "I don't know" for the rest of my days. I find it immeasurably motivating and a better ailment (if you want to call it that) to obsess over then vanity, power, material wealth, etc. Hedging, pacing, and second guessing is one thing, but an overly generous level of curiosity, humility, and dialectical thought is one way by which to achieve a life well lived.

Symborska is not the first to talk about the idea of not knowing. Socrates, Kierkegaard, and others have discussed it in the context of strengthening an argument.

Summer Begins in Les Sables

2009-06-15T12:36:00.002-07:00

Rasheed at the Louvre

2009-06-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

Rasheed, passed on by Sumona in Morocco, survived several trips, but was finally put to rest somewhere outside the Louvre last December.

Catching Up on the Last Year

2009-06-15T05:47:00.002-07:00

Peace Corps Redux I: School Tree Planting & Country/World Mural

2009-06-15T05:40:00.002-07:00

Peace Corps Redux II: Gary the Clown

2009-06-15T05:36:00.001-07:00

Peace Corps Redux III: Vetiver Project

2009-06-15T05:23:00.001-07:00

Peace Corps Redux IV: Fruit Tree Planting Project

2009-06-15T05:19:00.002-07:00

Remembering Last Summer

2009-06-15T05:04:00.001-07:00

New York, New York

2009-06-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

Overlooking Washington Square Park from the NYU Bobst Library.

Looking upon my apartment building (far left) on Union Square West.

Marie, Rosalie, and Les Sables d'Olonne

2009-06-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

Ramadan's Over and Winter Begins

2007-10-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ramadan has passed without a post, so apologize for that. I promise more in a couple weeks when things begin to slow down as the cold sets in and life relaxes. Above is a photo showcasing the bounty of Ramadan food at a neighbors, moments before fast was broken.

Quote of the Week

2007-09-14T05:16:00.000-07:00

"Seven blunders of the world that lead to violence: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, politics without principle."
-Mahatma Gandhi

Rasheed in Saidia

2007-09-14T05:01:00.000-07:00

Rasheed on Saidia beach midsummer while Josh looks on in jealously. Don't hate Josh, don't hate! Yet, I can understand. It's hard not to be green-eyed towards a man like Rasheed.

The End of the Tourist Season

2007-09-14T04:50:00.001-07:00

The tourist season in Gafait officially ended last week, although the largest and nicest café will stay open during Ramadan to house entertainment and late night coffee socialites. Store owners began closing their shops, taking away shop materials and food items.

Yaheah, my good friend and barber, moved his shop back to its permanent location in the Taznight area. Out-of-town owners from Jerada, Mrija, and elsewhere returned to their respective communities.

Below is a photo of the Cascades d’Ouzoud near Marrakesh taken by PCV Connie Genger earlier this summer. It looks like fair competition for Gafait with the bridge, rafts and assortment of people.

Parliamentary Elections

2007-09-14T04:43:00.000-07:00

In the recent parliamentary elections held last Friday, 37% of eligible Moroccan voters went to the ballots. In all, there are 31 political parties in the country and 27 were accounted for in nearby Jerada.

The secular Istiqlal party of the ruling coalition won 52 of the 325 seats, while the Islamic-leaning Justice and Development Party (PJD) won 47 seats. The PJD was expected to win as many as 80 seats, running on an anti-corruption platform, but fell short of those predictions.

For a short synopsis of the elections, look here.

Peace Corps in Real Time

2007-09-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

I talked with my family; brothers, mother, father, sister-in-laws, and nieces for the first time via video last Monday on Labor Day. A time for picnics and golf tournaments in the states, I did not celebrate the holiday here. However, setting your own daily itinerary most days probably offsets that.

I had problems with managing the sound, I could be heard but could not hear, so had to talk by phone for most of our conversation.

Great Lightining and Blue Skies

2007-09-04T03:49:00.000-07:00

PCV Andrew Cyr took this photo, one of my favorites. I just love the natural lighting here, particularly in the evenings. And Lindsey used to say that the sky is bluer in Morocco, which I always thought was funny. Then yesterday, justifiable by no obvious climatic or weather related phenomenon to someone who knows nothing about the previous, I walked out of the house, looked up at royal blue sky, and happily ate crow.

Quote of the Week

2007-09-04T03:34:00.000-07:00

Nothing can happen to any human being outside the experience which is natural to humans -- an ox too experiences nothing foreign to the nature of oxen, a vine nothing foreign to the nature of vines, a stone nothing outside the property of a stone. So if each thing experiences what is usual and natural for it, why should you complain? Universal nature has brought you nothing you can't endure.
-from Marcus Aurelius' Meditations

(Stone writings at Volubilis)

Wedding Snapshots

2007-09-04T03:28:00.000-07:00

A friend Mohammed taking a photo of his cousin and groom Hafil arriving on horse. Prior to attending the wedding, I was debating rather to take both my camera and camcorder, after I was told that maybe no one was going to bring a camcorder. I decided against it, wisely, and as Hafil approached the ceremony at dusk, half a dozen camcorders and many cameras and camera phones came out from an ebullient paparazzi of friends and family members.

Wedding Bells

2007-09-04T03:20:00.000-07:00

I attended a wedding of a friend, Hafil, on the West side of town in the old district of Harrash two weeks ago. With the surname Hamzaoui, Hafil has an extended family of maybe 250 in Gafait. I like to joke sometimes and say that everyone in Gafait is Hamzaoui.

The wedding ceremony that I attended along with other men included dancing, eating, fundraising for the newly married (isn't this just a given at all weddings), and general socializing. The women had their night together the previous evening. Friends and family started prepping for the ceremony in mid afternoon, the ceremony began at dusk with a caravan of cars returning from the mausoleum of Sidi Hamza near the Kaid's office. I left at approximately 11 PM and the festivities probably continued till 2 AM.

(Note: there are two mausoleums in Gafait, the other one being named after Ben Abdelrahman. In general, mausoleums in Morocco are small shrines housing the remains of important local Islamic leaders from the past. And in many cases, although I have not validated this statement with these two particular men, these were Islamic missionaries, spreading Islam through N. Africa centuries before and combating or replacing the indigenous Berber's paganism).
The groom arriving by horse at the wedding reception.
Members of the band (includes percussion and a wood instrument resembling a clarinet), the wedding czar (who solicited money for the couple later in the night), and the wedding singer.
Line dancing with canes, drums, and some men that really know how to dance, which is mostly in the shoulders and hips. Sometimes in large groups of 6-10 like that pictured, but more often in smaller groups, men stand in front of the audience and entertain their friends. I always deftly avoid dancing at weddings. I do enough already to embarrass and bring attention to myself.

Rasheed in Volubilis

2007-09-03T06:40:00.000-07:00

Rasheed in front of some Roman columns outside of Meknes dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries. My Lonely Planet guide states that the site was settled even earlier by Carthaginian traders. At it's peak, the city housed 20,000 people.

Quote of the Week

2007-08-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

“One of the most harrowing moments in the whole history of the harrowing of the heart in Northern Ireland came when a minibus full of workers being driven home one January evening in 1976 was held up by armed and masked men and the occupants of the van ordered at gunpoint to line up at the side of the road. Then one of the masked executioners said to them, "Any Catholics among you, step out here". As it happened, this particular group, with one exception, were all Protestants, so the presumption must have been that the masked men were Protestant paramilitaries about to carry out a tit-for-tat sectarian killing of the Catholic as the odd man out, the one who would have been presumed to be in sympathy with the IRA and all its actions. It was a terrible moment for him, caught between dread and witness, but he did make a motion to step forward. Then, the story goes, in that split second of decision, and in the relative cover of the winter evening darkness, he felt the hand of the Protestant worker next to him take his hand and squeeze it in a signal that said no, don't move, we'll not betray you, nobody need know what faith or party you belong to. All in vain, however, for the man stepped out of the line; but instead of finding a gun at his temple, he was thrown backward and away as the gunmen opened fire on those remaining in the line, for these were not Protestant terrorists, but members, presumably, of the Provisional IRA.”
-from the 1995 Nobel Lecture of poet Seamus Heaney, found here.

Heaney ends the next paragraph with the following salient words, which seem timely in the current zeitgeist of fear and moat building.

“The birth of the future we desire is surely in the contraction which that terrified Catholic felt on the roadside when another hand gripped his hand, not in the gunfire that followed, so absolute and so desolate, if also so much a part of the music of what happens.”

Wizard of Oz in Oujda

2007-08-22T03:35:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I stayed with my neighbor Meddi and his family in Oujda, where he’s a school teacher for most of the year. On a satellite TVwith more than 200 channels, less than 10 of which are in English, we found the original “Wizard of Oz” being shown with Arabic subtitles. I then took the following photo, showing Oumayma watching this classic.

A month later, I met my parents in London for a few days before traveling back to Morocco, where we spent more than a week traveling around. In London, we saw “Wicked,” an excellent play adapted from the Oz storyline.

Rasheed in Gafait

2007-08-22T03:23:00.000-07:00

Upon ending her service and leaving Morocco in June, Sumona gave me some tea and a priceless gift, a Rasheed Wallace bobbing head doll. Mr. Wallace is one of her favorites on her home state team, da Pistons, and after learning this fact last year, it became a talking point from time to time. As one of the NBA’s most emotional players and recipient of the most technical fouls, he provides constant fodder.

I told Sumona I would take a series of candid photos of Rasheed while traveling around Morocco, to be later collected into a coffee table book. Well, here’s photo #1 of Rasheed taking several months ago. Several more photos have been taken since then and will be posted in the coming weeks.

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

2007-08-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

(Sumona and Lindsey outside Lindsey's village near Taza.)

My friends keep leaving me. My best friend in Morocco and site mate Graham left many months ago for greener fields in England. Two close friends Sumona and Lindsey finished their service in June and have returned to the states. Jessie, a good friend and cheerleader for our region, left in July.

I miss these friends. Others fill in but can’t replace. I have fewer people to text message with Sumona and Lindsey gone. Little messages like “Grandma told me the best joke about a cow and a donkey giving birth to a hunting dog this morning over tea. tc” can have real meaning in the dead of winter. Or my favorite “What do you do..” always prefaces candid and often humorous lines.

I’ve had many moments that you want to talk with someone about and it’s nice to have someone close in proximity and friendship to talk with them about. So here’s to departed friends. We'll see each other again.

Caterpillars in the Cemetery

2007-08-21T05:10:00.000-07:00

Two photos of caterpillars on the march, several meters from their birthplace on several bushes in the Gafait cemetery, representing the life cycle of death and birth and our reliance on each other. I don't know where they were marching to; I took the first photo, then returned several hours later to take the second, but lost them several hours later in the camouflage of nature.

Quote of the Week

2007-08-21T04:50:00.000-07:00

"Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. The more
uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what
is right and what is wrong. All human progress, even in morals,
has been the work of men who have doubted the current moral
values, not of men who have whooped them up and tried to
enforce them. The truly civilized man is always skeptical and
tolerant, in this field as in all others. His culture is based on 'I am
not too sure.'"
-Early 20th century critic H. L. Mencken.

Figuig Palms

2007-08-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

An overview of palm trees in Figuig, where dates will start to be harvested next month. Of note, those hills, approximately 2 kilometers away, mark the Algerian border.

Swimming in Figuig

2007-08-21T04:28:00.000-07:00

A place estimated to be several hundred years old in the desert town of Figuig, where I taught for 2 weeks at a English language camp. Built around an underground spring, the water flows into this walled pool, where local men come to bathe and relax, then is directed into fields in the area through a complex irrigation system.

Daily Routines: My Swimming Spot

2007-08-21T03:47:00.000-07:00

Here's my swimming spot at the nearby river. This watering hole is probably 6 ft deep in an area of probably 10 ft squared next to the ledge, which makes it great for diving. Otherwise much of the river is as shallow as a bathtub.

This area has become a little busy this summer and I like a tranquil place to swim, so I've changed my hours, swimming more in the morning or at dusk, as pictured below and upstream, where I can stretch out more and swim for 25 meters.

Scorpions and Rational Thought

2007-08-21T03:24:00.000-07:00

The scorpions have come back in greater abundance this summer. Last year, I found two in my house, while last week in one evening, I found three; one in the bathroom sink, another in the bedroom, and the last in the kitchen. It probably makes for a good excuse to sleep on the terrace. Or also because the interior of the house is like an oven at night after a hot day.

In the households of most of my neighbors, some family member has been stung this summer by a scorpion, with most similar to the one pictured above. My neighbor Bachere was stung a couple weeks ago and said he was up all night screaming. Although not deadly except sometimes with the young and old, they are the formidable opponent of man in my site. Near Marrakesh last month, a man was killed by a more deadly type of scorpion that simply looks vicious. The headlines in the national papers in the days that followed included complaints from residents about inadequate health facilities.

Tourist Season in Gafait

2007-08-21T03:09:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Week

2007-08-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

“Once in a while [in opera], when everything is just right, there is a moment of magic. People can live on moments of magic.”

-Opera director Sarah Caldwell, who also once said “If you can sell green toothpaste in this country, you can sell opera.”

King James VI

2007-08-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

This is recent mail I received from Ryan, another volunteer in country. I'm a little surprised I didn't hear about it from my postmaster or someone in the government. Although not intended to be a slight on the King, I can see how it could be misinterpreted. Anyways, I thought it was quite funny and so did my neighbors.

Lazy Summer Days Intensified

2007-08-08T04:08:00.000-07:00

I’m in the midst of the busiest time of my service. Here's my current schedule.

Environmental Education Programming
-Summer Booth: make sure there’s enough handouts, etc
-Club: advertise
-Mural: no funding yet, delay project till spring

Vetiver Wastewater Management Project
-Approval to lay 6-8 rows of vetiver/rock barriers through mile long polluted stream.
-Concerned about vetiver runoff in flood, no soil to grow in. Not a big issue
-Secure rocks with chain link, vetiver in barrels

Tree Planting
-Fall at school (small #), Spring in community (5000)
-Need to map houses, allot tree amounts (work with Hamada)
-Wanting olive, almond, and fruit trees

Rosemary and Cheese Co-ops
-Talk with Kareem about cheese factory products marketing, design, and advertising
-Holland NGO Human Force has begun marketing, Talk with them.
-Rosemary- 20k hectares up for sale and no buyer. Need interest from someone locally- then will start project
-Get Paula info and photos of new rosemary building and schedule tentative date for her visit.

Ecotourism
-Create potential plan and itinerary for Summer 08
-Give to Mo to revise, translate to French
-Give to association to act on

Artisans
-Found artisans in town; talk to them about assisting and connect with Kareem.

Toilet project
-Plans drawn for mosque toilet, need to implement
-Push septic design, but probably settle for raised latrine
-Stress seriousness of shallow water table

GPS Training Followup
-Give new MapInfo to EF tech's and answer ?s.

Zimbabwe Hut
-Write grant, gather materials, and start project with Hassan after Ramadan.

SIBE EE posters
-Gather gazelle materials and discuss with Justin.

Plant survey of Gafait
-Photos gathered, consolidate into book with FileMaker, and present to EF.

The Dogs Bark...

2007-08-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Whew... I’ve been away from this blog for some time. Regular posting ended in mid April. I have a list of excuses I think I could make; work, no computer until recently, several visits from parents and friends, etc but overall, I’ve just felt apathy towards writing of late. Indolence is my real reason, mixed with a desire to do something else. Take a walk, cook, clean (hard to believe, yes!) drink tea, read, or swim. Mostly anything but sitting in front of a computer and typing, or watching movies, or wondering how three Journey songs arrived in my iTunes playlist “25 most played.”

In the time between nice, cool Spring to scorched earth Summer, life has been busy and full. Fulfilling now belies a heat induced slow August.

An old Arabic proverb says “The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on." Well, life continues to be a series of forward motions. And to live each day new, not returning to the past or obsessing over the future is a life lived well. And to hear similar words echoed recently by the great radio host Diane Rehm on a broadcast and by my Grandma Ocie in a phone conversation can lead me to fall in love with those two women all over again.

(Photo is of the straight road to Figuig).

Quote of the Week

2007-06-06T05:07:00.000-07:00

"As a poet I hold the most archaic values on earth.They go back to the Neolithic: the fertility of the soil, the magic of animals, the power-vision in solitude, the terrifying initiation and rebirth, the love and ecstasy of the dance, the common work of the tribe."
-poet Gary Snider

Snider has an interesting story. He started out as one of the Beat writers of the 1950s in San Fransico, then left in '56 and went to Japan where he spent the next twelve years in a monastery, studying Buddhism.

I've haven't posted anything for over a month. Sorry, I've been extremely busy, maybe becoming a little schizophrenic from work. For the most part, I enjoy the energy that comes from multitasking in the states; doing several jobs at once and getting more work done. Resources and materials are more readily available, transportation is easy, and a protestant work ethic means people better understand a busy face. Multitasking does not transfer to Morocco as easily, but maybe its better. We work too much and don't allow ourselves to enjoy life daily. I believe it was Heinrich Heine who said that he thought a blaspheming Frenchman was a more pleasant object to God than a praying Englishman.

People here do a good job of living in the moment, this coming in most part from a fatalistic paradigm. I need to absorb more of the latter. I'll post more shortly.

Gafait

2007-04-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

Quote of the week

2007-04-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

"It is not growing like a tree
in bulk, doth make man better be,
or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
to fall a log at last, dry, bald and sere:
a lily of a day,
is fairer far in May,
although it fall and die that night;
it was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see,
and in short measures, life may perfect be."

-poet Benjamin Jonson

Quote of the week

2007-04-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

“Without realizing it, the individual composes his life according to the laws of beauty even in times of greatest distress.”

-Czech author Milan Kundera, who is too easy to quote. Some more:

“Happiness is the longing for repetition.”
“The sound of laughter is like the vaulted dome of a temple of happiness.”
“The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.”
“Metaphors are dangerous. Love begins with a metaphor. Which is to say, love begins at the point when a woman enters her first word into our poetic memory.”

Kundera's metaphors are beautiful and his existentialism shines throughout his writing.

(Note: New photos under "my photos.")

Another Strike

2007-04-07T04:07:00.000-07:00

We're stuck in Figuig as of this moment following the language camp because of another transit strike brought on by the introduction of a traffic bill in parliament. Of note from the papers:

"The bill, which introduces a point-record driving license system, breath analyzing tests and fines up to USD 350, in addition to the incrimination of some infractions especially in serious injuries and death cases, has sparked off much debate in parliament circles as well as the uproar of several transport trade unions, who started, on Monday, a 48-hour strike."
And that strike still continues; the bill's future unresolved. If implemented, the point system would allow authorities to take away the license of poor drivers who have been in accidents, fined, etc in rank order. Critics say it will lead to corruption and that it threatens large single income families where the lone breadwinner is a transit driver. From another source,

"Faced with the unavailability of taxis and buses, travellers in both urban and rural areas have been paying exorbitant prices for non approved carriers. According to managers in the key ports of Casablanca and Kenitra, the lack of lorries is delaying the delivery of goods. The prices of vegetables, fruit and basic foodstuffs have risen steadily and many observers feel the situation could worsen over the next few days...
El Bouzid Khallouf, who is in his fifties and owns a lorry, thinks this new law will have to be revised before it can be adopted. "This move to take away drivers’ licences is only likely to encourage even more corruption. We don’t want to be bribing the police and traffic officers to be able to drive around in peace." Yassine, a Casablanca taxi driver, feels that confiscating driving licences poses a real threat to the profession. "Given the mediocre earnings we receive each month, we refuse to be deprived of our licences every now and then for mistakes we rarely, if ever, make...
While waiting for a solution to the conflict, unionists say they are prepared to continue the strike until they get their message across. In their view, the fight against road traffic accidents should be directed not at repressing drivers, but at raising traffic control standards and improving the social and pay conditions for those working in the transport sector.
Transport Minister Karim Ghellab insisted that he will not give in to what he termed as blackmail. He stated that his aim is to make the roads safer by reducing the "slaughter" taking place on Morocco’s highways."
By slaughter, he's referring to this

"Morocco is among the worst countries in terms of road safety, as 10 people are killed every day and USD 1.3 billion lost every year.
Last year, road accidents claimed 3,622 lives, i.e. a 4.17% increase compared to 2005. Some 56,426 accidents were recorded during the same period, that is a 5.22% increase compared to the previous year."

I've always thought the greatest security risk in Morocco is transportation. It seems like the government is trying to reduce that risk, but I can understand where transit workers are coming from. They're stubborn because of the risk associated with change.

The Prophet's Birthday

2007-04-07T03:30:00.000-07:00

We came upon this scene last Sunday evening in Figuig after our first day of class. To celebrate the birthday of Mohammed, local tradition in Figuig is for a man to dress up and march through the streets. As far as know, he represents a bad spirit of sorts. Children were walking with him, taunting him, and throwing firecrackers throughout the city, but not in his direction. This same event happens in the Middle Atlas Mountains and other places with Berbers during Eid Kabir. However, unlike there, this man was not chasing after scared children with a stick. Additionally, I've been told that the Tamazirt language is different here.

Figuig's a very intriguing place to say the least. Camp has been a great experience and has just concluded today, hamdullah. It's nice to meet and greet campers and have them be thankful for the experience, but a week with 100 high school aged students is a long week. I have a few stories to tell and like the postponed writings of last months Sahara trip, I'll put them up soon.

Figuig- SE Morocco

2007-03-31T05:03:00.000-07:00

I visited the water and forest department in Figuig yesterday to look at their info kiosks and provide input on ways to fill the interior of an empty building. While there, I looked at one of the maps of the local reserve and thought the geopolitics of Figuig's placement next to Algeria quite entertaining. When sitting on the beach in Saida, we're often amused to look at Algerians swimming in the next beach over, seperated by flags and border guards. Saida, however, has nothing on Algeria. After the border was closed in 1994, those unfortunate family members or friends living just East of Figuig (approximately 2 km) were seperated from their loved ones. When asked what improvements they would like made in the community, many residents first response is an open border. In the meantime, some will cross the border illegally at night, just like those petrol barons I know up North.

The Coal Wagons A Coming

2007-03-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

There's 3 new signs like this posted in Jerada representing a donkey or mule drawn wagon. In close proximity to most cities and towns, vehicles share road space with wagons transporting souk goods, produce, etc. In Jerada, however, most wagons are carrying coal from the remains of the French turned Moroccan mines closed two decades ago, with drivers' faces and clothing blackened. They're transporting the coal outside of town, where a full load can fetch 500 Dhms. Therefore, these signs for me memoralize those men with charred faces.

Quote of the Week

2007-03-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

"I think that Jesus would be disappointed in our ignoring the plight of those around us who are suffering and our focus on our own selfish short-term needs. I think he would be appalled, actually."

-2008 presidentail candidate John Edwards in a recent interview. Edwards seems to be running an updated, populist campaign based on admitting mistakes, promoting universal healthcare, and making U.S. poverty a platform issue. Some might call it brave or gutsy and its sad to think such things would be considered so.

At the End of the Road

2007-03-30T06:11:00.000-07:00

Excuse my Arabic or your possible word association, but I'm currently "fuq Fuigig" (on top of Figuig) or "on top of the world" in world's fair Americana. I'm in the southeast corner of Morocco in Figuig, population 16,000, 2 km away on three sides from the Algerian border, and 100 km from the closest Moroccan town. It's geopolitically a border pimple, a town that sustains itself from the governments desire to mark its boundaries with neighboring rival Algeria. Its also a tourist haven (particularly with the French) for its date palmaries and desert feel. Before air travel, it was the last stop in Morocco for those faithful making the long pilgrimage to Mecca.

The weathers beautiful here, an improvement from the wind, wind, and rain of the last two weeks up North that kept blowing over the bamboo fence in my yard. I'm here in Figuig for the next 8 days for an English training camp with a couple other volunteers and Moroccan staff. Starting tommorrow, we're expecting around 100 campers from the region, with a daily schedule from 7 AM exercises to 10 pm clubs and activities. When questioned about the feasibility of a 15 hour day supervising high school age students, the local delegate responded "but this is Figuig, people only sleep for 3 hours here." Yes, three hours in the summer heat with car horns annoucing local weddings, but not in other seasons. Otherwise, these Figuigi's are to be praised for bringing the big top to this isolated nest. Furthermore, after subtracting 3 hours for lunch and 2 for tea breaks, the schedule was looking more manageable. And coordinating instructions in English instead of caveman Arabic should be a welcome relief.

My English classes will be environmentally theme based and with students rotating, we'll be talking about soils, water systems, plants, animals, and ecosystems over the next week. I'll try to keep you all informed.

UPDATE: When I say "caveman Arabic," I'm referring to how I speak the language; it's not a reference to the language. Arabic is a beautiful and rich language. It's easy to be misinterpreted in the Near East-West relationship, especially when perceptions masquerade as understanding. To say "I watch Al Jazeera (or Al Jazeera English) or Fox News and I know the truth" is to be dubed. To say "I see scantily clad American women or those fully covered on the TV and know what's best" is to be naive.. or worse.

Yeserday while putting up a welcome banner at the Figuig youth center, a student walked up to me and asked me about the star that took the place of the 'O' in the blue lettered 'Welcome.'

"Is that blue star the Moroccan star?" (The one featured in the Moroccan flag is green).
"No.. maybe.. it's just a star."
"Is it the star of Israel?"
"No, no. It's not Israeli just because it's blue."

Israeli's don't own blue stars and Moroccans green ones.

Quote of the Week

2007-03-21T04:35:00.000-07:00

“The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid 'dens of crime' that Dickens loved to paint . . . it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clear, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice.”

C. S. Lewis in “The Screwtape Letters”

Strike Strike Strike

2007-03-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

It’s been a strange week. Last Friday, I took a day trip to Oujda to meet with a consultant from CARE France (a branch of the large US NGO) about water systems, specifically wastewater management in Gafait. It was a productive meeting, although we ultimately didn’t connect because he was looking for an infrastructure project. Gafait’s water system was too developed. We were able to dive into other topics including his experiences from 20+ years in development work in Rwanda, Sudan, Kenya, Israel, etc.

After returning to Jerada and staying for Sunday souk, I got stuck there because of a national transit strike that still continues five days later. After 48 hours of strike, they extended it for another 72 on Tuesday. Yesterday, all regions of Morocco west of Taza had ended reach an agreement, ending the strike. The Orient region continues to protest, so I’m left in limbo.

I’ve been told that the transit workers striked to reduce fines, increase wages, and repeal a new “Road Code” bill that would require stricter safety standards. Several years ago, grand taxi drivers went on strike when the government tried to reduce their passenger limit from six to four. They perservered and continue to squeeze six.

So, I’ve been staying with Kareem this week, spending my time at the cafe, cyber and the parks department. I’ve also filled time by filling out my NCAA bracket. Notables: I have Michigan State and Crieghton in the Sweet 16; Texas, Louisville, Florida, and Kansas in the Final Four, and Florida repeating.

In all, Morocco normally operates at 80% for me. When I go into the cyber to use a computer, something inevitable doesn’t work like the mouse, buttons are stuck, or the W key is missing. Overall, the product works satisfactory as does the country. This week, that 80% feels like its been halved. In addition to no transport, the area was without internet connection for four days and power for two.

In hindsight, I could have hitched a ride at the beginning of the week back to site. However, we’re wanting (and still hedging) to go to Fes this weekend and I felt that I would have more trouble exiting Gafait then I would the much larger Jerada. Unlike many parts of Africa, Morocco does have good, reliable transportation (ie the train). But like any public transportation, you’re at the mercy of the providers.

Favorite Books

2007-03-14T03:18:00.000-07:00

March marks a year for me in Morocco and a years worth of completed books. With little entertainment and lots of time on my hands, I was able to check a lot off the list. My parents sent over 30 lbs of classics I had stashed away pre-departure in August and they’ll be bringing more this Summer- after my brother collects on a list of Dover Thrifts.

In country, our library is fairly vast when combined with the regional swap shop we’ve established, and Graham has a nice library if you exclude his Tom Clancy and Co. grocery store collection. Also, books are collateral here; “I’ll trade you my ‘Crime and Punishment’ for ‘Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood’ (which was excellent) and that Bill Bryson book.”

That said, here’s the top five books I’ve read in the last year.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
I read this before later reading her pulitizer prize winning “Interperter of Maladies.” I thought this was a better book and showcases the talent of Indian writers (like V.S Naipaul, Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, Rohinton Mistry, etc) when writing about issues like imigration, colonialism, diversity, and religion.

The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
This book came to me with a brown paper book jacket hiding the title and name. It’s unlikely that anyone near me would now recognize the author or his infamous book, which earned him a fatwa from Ayotollah Khomeini in 1989, but was rescinded several years ago. In all, Rushdie is a brilliant writer. His writing, which has been referred to as pidgin English, combined with his understanding of multiculturalism, makes for great lyrical prose.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
A pulitizer prize winning novel about a transsexual’s upbringing.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Always a recognized book for me with its cover design of Atlas, this book really peaked my interest when I saw this top 100 list of novels comparing books chosen by a publishers board with those of its readers. While Ayn Rand dominated the reader’s list, she wasn’t mentioned in the boards list. Probably less of a snub, more an egotists exaggeration, its still an excellent read for understanding the philosophy of objectivism, a religion onto itself.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
A great satirical novel about the Devil visiting Moscow in the 30s. Also, an indictment of Stalinist Russia. However, it ranks below my favorites from fellow countrymen Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov written the century before.

Wild Fox Onions

2007-03-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

These are abundant in the Orient region and we tried them once in the survivalist mentality that if we were starving, would it sustain us? No, they're almost inedible. Maybe that's why there's so ubiquitous.

UPDATE: I thought this was a pig onion, but I stand corrected. Related, I have only see 1 fox in country, down South, but have heard many incidents of wild boars in the Orient. Near Jerada, they shoot them while they're trapped in Gafait. Both actions are illegal.

2007-03-13T03:31:00.000-07:00

Camels and Donkeys

2007-03-13T03:17:00.000-07:00

My niece Elizabeth asked a couple months ago if I had ridden a donkey or camel. I have ridden donkeys several times, but the Sahara trip was my first camel experience. Camels are a strange looking creature, they're skinny legs with large soft, padded feet to the ugliest tail that I've ever seen. However, every physical feature seems to have a necessary purpose, especially in the rugged Sahara. Down South they sell camel meat as a delicacy, often throwing in a hunk of hump, which is white like cheese and pure fat.

One of the more remarkable scenes on my last trip was seeing camel backed tourists in the Sahara hauling snow skis, which we're used for sand skiing juxtaposed with donkeys being used as transit on the ski slopes near Marrakesh to get from one lift to another.

Quote of the Week

2007-03-13T03:12:00.000-07:00

"History says, don't hope on this side of the grave. But then, once in a lifetime the longed for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme."

-author Seamus Heaney, from "The Cure at Troy"

Sahara Trip

2007-03-13T02:55:00.000-07:00