open the window i'm mad as hell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dib2-HBsF08

Rabat

It wasn’t my first time in Rabat but the first time I wasn’t confined to my hotel under Peace Corps training rules. I remember when I was there prior under those conditions and I was scared of the city. It all seemed frightening. This time I am happy to say my mind has changed about the city.
I went to Rabat to attend a three day GAD workshop. GAD stands for Gender and Development. It is a committee I am on in Peace Corps. I was selected by my stage as a representative and am thrilled about the position. Here is an overview straight out of the donkey’s mouth:
Overview
The Gender and Development (GAD) Committee is a group of eight Volunteers, representing each stage, elected by their fellow PCVs. The purpose of the committee is to ensure that gender issues and activities are incorporated into community projects. Gender includes women, men, girls and boys. GAD is an integral part of all Peace Corps programming, staff and volunteer pre-service and in-service training. As such, committee members facilitate general communication among Peace Corps staff and volunteers, community partners, and other Peace Corps countries as well as provide resources on relevant gender and development trends in Morocco.

The committee has three annual meetings, is a resource for volunteer efforts, and collaborates with Moroccan NGOs on gender issues and advocacy. Activities the GAD committee typically assists with include GGLOW (Girls and Guys Leading our World) activities and camps, regional gender and development workshops, tea talks, harassment (programming & training), International Women’s Day, Take Your Daughter or Son to Work Day, International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women or 16 Days Campaign of Activism against Gender-based Violence, Women to Women (cross-cultural exchange curriculum), and more.
This was my first meeting and it was exciting to get away from my site for a little while and enjoy the big city life. While Rabat is nothing like New York big city life with its raves, bars and who know what’s, Rabat has nice high class restaurants, bars which is surprising since alcohol is not tolerated in Islam and some museums. While most of the big city life things are out of the range of my Peace Corps budget, I found some ways to enjoy the city. I spent a few nights hanging out with some Full Bright scholars that I was introduced to and experienced their life in Morocco. We went to the international film festival the first two nights. First film was an Irish film, although it was English it was Irish English and I really could have benefited from some English subtitles. It was about a lonely, simple garage man who worked at a gas station. It was kind of dark. The second night was a film in Portuguese with French subtitles about an old man looking for historical information about Christopher Columbus. Maybe it was because I could not understand most of what was said but it just might have been the worst film I have ever seen. This however was not a problem because I felt jazzy being back in the city.
I decided that I would take a personal day after my GAD meeting to enjoy the sun. It is remarkably warmer in Rabat than my site and I had to take up the opportunity to get away from the rain and snow. I spent the day being a tourist which is actually very enjoyable. I started it off going to an art exhibit showing some modern Islamic art as well as a great exhibit done by children aged 9-14. The children’s exhibit gave me some great ideas about some art activities I can do with my children here.
After the dose of encased culture I went to go see one of the cathedrals in Rabat. It was beautiful and new. The stained glass brought me back to Rome. The Stations of the Cross, depicted in a comic book like fashion was made out of pieces of tile. Following this, I went to the sea.
There I saw waves breaking as I sat up high at a little café nooked into a cranny, tucked into a garden. I spent a good part of the day there drinking mint tea without sugar and speaking some Italian with my waiter. I truly felt refreshed and ready to carry on.
During my time there I also saw a lot of construction, very well dressed people, expensive stores, bars and I really felt as if I was in a different country. There is a shocking contrast between the city and the village. I ran into a conversation at a restaurant/bar one night where this guy from the city was questioning a Peace Corps volunteer about why we were in Morocco. He felt that Morocco didn’t need us, that they were developed. Many people who grow up in the city just don’t know about how a majority of the people in the villages live. I guess there would be no reason for them to travel out that way. After a long conversation he felt sorry that people from outside of his country had to come in and help when some of the people within his country are able. I feel the conversation ended with providing all participants with some insight. We can all do something to help; we just have to find ways to do it. Opportunities are all around us if we look for it.
I thank Rabat, the guy at the restaurant/bar and GAD for a fulfilling, productive, enjoyable, contemplative and relaxing few days.

Dogs as wolves as dogs

So I know it has been a while and oh boy do I have stories for you.

This one goes way back into last year.

It was my first week officially at my site. A local friend at my site had begun a project of fixing up his cave. One of the many old caves in Zaouiat. It is where many families lived prior to having their now concrete buildings. Most homes are still built around them and are used as storage shelters, kitchens or barns of sorts. This young man in particular wanted to set it up as a tourist destination with the intention of hosting people there over night with local music, food and get this, playing old black and white Charlie Chaplin films on this old film projector he found.
So one day before some inspectors were coming to look at the cave I offered to come and give it a look over and help clean and set up. He called me in the morning and I walked over. As I descended some stairs outside into his house I was greeted by his dog.
The dog, doing what any good watch dog would do came charging at me. I had nothing with me, not a bag, a rock, nothing. The dog ran towards me while I stood half way down the stairs and immediately latched onto my leg. I was taken by surprise. I thought maybe he just wants to sniff, figure out who I am. But he went straight for the attack. I had on my heavy duty Levis which lived up to their legend of durability. I didn’t know how to protect myself as it all happened so fast. I just kept my hands away so that those would not be bitten. He clenched onto the inner of my left knee and I froze. Then he went for the back of my right leg. My friend’s aunt came to the rescue and shook him off me and dragged him inside.
I didn’t feel pain immediately and just shook it off like it wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t want to start any problems and went on inspecting the cave as if nothing had happened. They all felt terrible about the incident. I didn’t look at the wound until a few hours later to realize that the bite had penetrated my skin and blood was drawn. Following protocol I went and got medical attention from Peace Corps and received all three of my rabies vaccinations. Luckily my friend had papers on the dog’s vaccination and I felt a little bit better. Who wants rabies?! Rabies is a scary, scary thing which doesn’t show signs for a few days.

The best part was the interaction with my host mother when I showed her my bites. She immediately had me sit on the coach and ran into the kitchen. I had no idea what she was grabbing. Antibiotic maybe, no, not antibiotic. Nothing prepared me for the shoe. She came out with an old white stileto shoe which she placed on the raging fire place and then attempted to burn my wound shut. I couldnt help but break into hysterical laughter, mostly out of nervousness. I most certainly did not want a burn ontop of a dog bite. I calmed her down and told her it was not necessary and that I had medicine. I went into my bedroom and reapplied it in front of her to assure her that I was okay. She felt terrible and dragged my friends aunt over to my house to reinspect my wound. We all sat down and drank tea together and constantly assured them that I was going to be okay and no I did not want to go to the hospital. Haha, what a day that was.
Now all that I have left is some pretty cool scars and a great story. I survived a dog attack. It has just reinforced my fear of dogs here and I don’t hesitate to pick up a large rock when I go for walks. Dogs here are breed for different purposes. Not for being cuddly affectionate animals but being sheep dogs, watch dogs and alarm systems.
I am alright but damn, dogs really are ancestors of wolves.