Running

The beauty that takes my breath away, the fresh air that fills it up again and my feet to take me farther into its depths.


Like everything I struggled at first but soon I found my bearings. Running has taken over my body and mind like a drug. I crave the high. I habitually think about running, from the moment I wake and again an hour after I complete my run. I could have gone farther; maybe I can go again today? Where will I run to tomorrow?
It is a healthy asphyxiation driven by the pure desire to get the endorphins flowing through my body, pulling the corners of my mouth upwards into a smile, my heart lighter and my eyes refreshed with the view of the fresh green fields before me. I want to keep my body moving, to breathe in the fresh country air and feel the sweat pouring down my heated chest.
I only wish I knew the joys of running before this, if I could have stuck out the initial pain at first. But could have should have, I am thankful that I did.
While running, particularly a girl running is not common in these parts men and women occasionally cheer me on. Sometimes I get a confused look by passersby who appear to ask themselves, ‘Is someone after her? Does she need help?’ The only dangers I face are the sheppard’s dogs who upon seeing me bark and unleashed make advances towards me. If I had not been munched on before from the ancestor of a wolf, I might not be so fearful.
Everywhere I go is up hill yet the reverse never seems to be a downward slope. The landscape is ever-changing. Thanks to the high frequency of precipatation this winter the fields are now gleaming in the most vibrant green I have ever seen in nature. The fertility of earth is in contrast to the red harsh rocky soil.
Thank you Kerrie, Alexis and Alicia for encouraging me and introducing me to this endorphin rich routine, thank you earth for your beauty and resiliency.

Village snap shots

International Women's Day - March 8th

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld2hfLAvqkA


Excerpt provided by the United Nations website:


Why dedicate a day exclusively to the celebration of the world's women?

The United Nations General Assembly, composed of delegates from every Member State, celebrates International Women's Day to recognize that peace and social progress require the active participation and equality of women, and to acknowledge the contribution of women to international peace and security.

For the women of the world, the Day is an occasion to review how far they have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development.

You might think that women's equality benefits mostly women, but every one-percentile growth in female secondary schooling results in a 0.3 percent growth in the economy. Yet girls are often kept from receiving education in the poorest countries that would best benefit from the economic growth.

Until the men and women work together to secure the rights and full potential of women, lasting solutions to the world's most serious social, economic and political problems are unlikely to be found.

In recent decades, much progress has been made. On a worldwide level, women's access to education and proper health care has increased; their participation in the paid labor force has grown; and legislation that promises equal opportunities for women and respect for their human rights has been adopted in many countries. The world now has an ever- growing number of women participating in society as policy-makers.

However, nowhere in the world can women claim to have all the same rights and opportunities as men.

The majority of the world's 1.3 billion absolute poor are women.

On average, women receive between 30 and 40 per cent less pay than men earn for the same work.

And everywhere, women continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women of reproductive age worldwide.

NGO!

So my project is moving along!

Not only am I working on a film, but the group of Moroccans that I am working with want to make sure everything is sustainable, which of course I agree with 100%. So, the group and I are taking it one step further and forming an NGO that will work as a networking tool to help connect women from across the country and also with international opportunities and resources. Check out our NGO website and please stay posted.

http://initiativesdesfemmes.webs.com/