On Becoming the World's Strongest Woman

So, I need to fill you in on Becoming the World’s Strongest Woman. Basically, its tough to be a woman in Morocco. I am stuck somewhere between a woman, a tourist, a baby and a man. Because I’m a woman I am hissed at, men yell crude things at me, and sometimes throw rocks. I am told by the women in my community that this happens to all women, but I’m not sure if I entirely believe that. Because I’m a white woman, they think I am the most beautiful person ever created, which can feel great, but mostly just sucks because it makes the men do and say ridiculous things. Or I just look like a freak and people laugh at me with their mouths hanging open. This, I can handle. When some stranger points and laughs at me, I usually just laugh too, because I know I must look ridiculous to them and it probably is funny. Because I am white, people think I am French and yell things at me in French like “Bonjour Madame.” When I go to the store, I am often spoken to in French, which I don’t understand, and even after asking for a price in Arabic, the storeowner may still talk to me in French. It’s frustrating. I don’t speak or understand French! I only know Arabic!

I have only been living in my town for a little over a month, so many of the people think I am a tourist and wonder what on earth I am doing here and when I will be leaving. I am the first non-Moroccan to live in this town. In time, they should get used to me. And, because my language skills are very basic, I am treated somewhat like an infant. Don’t let the American walk alone today! I saw the American today and her hair was wet in the sun, so that must explain why she got sick! But, the one benefit (I think) of being a white foreign woman here is that I do have more freedom than the woman of this town. So, that makes me a little more like a man. I can leave my house, number one. I can wear whatever I want (but no tank tops, shorts, or any low-cut tops) and talk to whomever I want. And I do not have to wear a veil.

Okay, so back to the regime I’ve started. A lot of the women volunteers I have met have become very jaded and I refuse to let that happen to me. Instead, I will focus on Becoming the World’s Strongest Woman. This is the new mantra I repeat in my head whenever something irritating happens or I feel like I have no control. I think to myself, “This will make me stronger.” And then it doesn’t feel so bad, it feels good, like I am improving myself. So, that is the mental aspect of the regime. The physical aspect is to get into shape so I can feel more confident. If I can walk every day, eat good food, and stay well-rested, I think this will help. And the good news is that I am not harassed all the time. Normally, I can laugh about it and just walk away. Sometimes a few days or even a week go by without harassment and I feel great, but sometimes there will be many instances crammed together in a short amount of time and that’s when I feel frustrated. And that’s when the mantra comes in handy. Please don’t feel bad for me or think poorly of my town. Harassment is a fact of life here for women and it is not specific to my town or people. It exists for cultural reasons that I am only beginning to understand, so please be patient as I figure these things out. I just want you all to know that I have a very positive attitude about this and the other volunteers are very supportive of each other regarding this aspect of service, so please don't worry!