Not too many new posts lately and if I could think of anything interesting to write about, I would post it. But, things have been very sloooow lately and a little boring. Just doing the routine. Go to Dar Chebab. Play ping pong. Go home. Usually, I'd be content with the slow pace of things, but I think knowing that my parents are going to be here soon is making me a little stir crazy.
So, tomorrow I'm going to the beach. Going to get some sun and eat a cheeseburger. Maybe even a milkshake. My friends Chase and Dan are both entertaining family from home, so we're all going to meet up tomorrow night. I'm really looking forward to meeting their families. It'll be nice to have a little American time, too.
Well, I gotta get back to the kitchen. I'm making some chili and it smells like the bomb. I hope it tastes as good as it smells!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Response to Comment
The following comment was made on my blog and I'd like to respond to it:
"why should anyone who smokes, drinks and brings women home, with the women's consent of course, why should he be a bad man? Harassing you is another matter, but smoking, drinking, womanizing..
Also, why this language? I thought only American generals and politicians used to label people good and bad. People are seldom all good and all bad.
Are you sure you are grown up enough to be a peace corps volunteer?"
First of all, yes, I am grown up enough to be a Peace Corps volunteer. Secondly, I want to make clear my circumstances here. I am a woman living alone in a Muslim country. If you have any idea what Muslim societies can be like, you would understand that it is not easy for me. In Muslim culture, smoking, drinking and womanizing is "haram" or forbidden. So, it is totally appropriate and not at all judgmental of me to label men who participate in those activities "bad." Another reason for simplifying things into categories of "good" and "bad" is because the Darija dialect of Arabic is simpler and has fewer words than English used to describe things. Things are either "good" or "bad." There's only "beautiful" and "ugly." You're either "hungry" or you're "full." Sometimes when writing this blog, I am translating things from Arabic into English and some of the meaning might get lost along the way.
And believe me, I realize people are seldom all good and bad. I see this contradiction every day here. There are people who pray five times a day here. There are people who never pray. There are people who drink. There are people who smoke. There are people who steal. There are people who respect their parents. There are people so kind and generous it could make your heart break. If there's one thing I have learned during my time in the Peace Corps, it is that there are contradictions everywhere, but this is a part of life. Once you accept these contradictions, you can see and appreciate the human experience of life. Life can be so varied and diverse on earth and I am thankful I was given this opportunity to open my eyes to the rich diversity of life.
"why should anyone who smokes, drinks and brings women home, with the women's consent of course, why should he be a bad man? Harassing you is another matter, but smoking, drinking, womanizing..
Also, why this language? I thought only American generals and politicians used to label people good and bad. People are seldom all good and all bad.
Are you sure you are grown up enough to be a peace corps volunteer?"
First of all, yes, I am grown up enough to be a Peace Corps volunteer. Secondly, I want to make clear my circumstances here. I am a woman living alone in a Muslim country. If you have any idea what Muslim societies can be like, you would understand that it is not easy for me. In Muslim culture, smoking, drinking and womanizing is "haram" or forbidden. So, it is totally appropriate and not at all judgmental of me to label men who participate in those activities "bad." Another reason for simplifying things into categories of "good" and "bad" is because the Darija dialect of Arabic is simpler and has fewer words than English used to describe things. Things are either "good" or "bad." There's only "beautiful" and "ugly." You're either "hungry" or you're "full." Sometimes when writing this blog, I am translating things from Arabic into English and some of the meaning might get lost along the way.
And believe me, I realize people are seldom all good and bad. I see this contradiction every day here. There are people who pray five times a day here. There are people who never pray. There are people who drink. There are people who smoke. There are people who steal. There are people who respect their parents. There are people so kind and generous it could make your heart break. If there's one thing I have learned during my time in the Peace Corps, it is that there are contradictions everywhere, but this is a part of life. Once you accept these contradictions, you can see and appreciate the human experience of life. Life can be so varied and diverse on earth and I am thankful I was given this opportunity to open my eyes to the rich diversity of life.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Oopsies! I have a blog!
Sorry to all my loyal readers! I haven't been very attentive to your blogging needs. If it makes you feel any better, not much is going on anyway. After the English Olympiad, I did some traveling, got my nose checked out, caught up with some old Peace Corps friends, and now it's back to regular life.
I started Operation Humidity this week here at home. I've been having bloody noses for the past month, and that along with not being able to breath through my nose, got me a trip to Rabat to get my nose checked out. The diagnosis: allergies. I don't know if I quite agree with that. I've never heard of allergies giving people bloody noses. But, thanks to my mom's great idea, I've been feeling better lately. Her idea: boil water in my kitchen. So, every day, I fill up a pot of water and let it boil down, filling the air with a little moisture. And, I've noticed a small difference in my nose already.
So, other than boiling water and going to Dar Chebab, not too much is going on. I'm still doing my exercise regime every morning. I think I've lost some weight, but I'm not sure because my scale is broken. I got a sweet package in the mail yesterday from Sara which included both a lemon poppyseed cake mix and fudge brownie mix.
Let me rant for a second about the dentist next door. Just now he sprayed the hallway with his air freshener that reeks. He does this only about twenty times a day. And I'm almost positive that he sprays it into my open windows. Do I smell that bad? It's soooo obnoxious! One day I went out and told him I hated the air freshener and what did he do? He laughed at me and sprayed it directly at me. I was not pleased. I just have to keep reminding myself that this living situation is only temporary and that his mental disorder is probably permanent.
Today I'm going to organize my house a bit. Squeegee the floors (we squeegee here, rather than mop and my favorite house chore is squeegeeing) and do some laundry. Then, for lunch, I'm going to make corn on the cob! I got some from the farm this morning and I can't wait to taste it!
I started Operation Humidity this week here at home. I've been having bloody noses for the past month, and that along with not being able to breath through my nose, got me a trip to Rabat to get my nose checked out. The diagnosis: allergies. I don't know if I quite agree with that. I've never heard of allergies giving people bloody noses. But, thanks to my mom's great idea, I've been feeling better lately. Her idea: boil water in my kitchen. So, every day, I fill up a pot of water and let it boil down, filling the air with a little moisture. And, I've noticed a small difference in my nose already.
So, other than boiling water and going to Dar Chebab, not too much is going on. I'm still doing my exercise regime every morning. I think I've lost some weight, but I'm not sure because my scale is broken. I got a sweet package in the mail yesterday from Sara which included both a lemon poppyseed cake mix and fudge brownie mix.
Let me rant for a second about the dentist next door. Just now he sprayed the hallway with his air freshener that reeks. He does this only about twenty times a day. And I'm almost positive that he sprays it into my open windows. Do I smell that bad? It's soooo obnoxious! One day I went out and told him I hated the air freshener and what did he do? He laughed at me and sprayed it directly at me. I was not pleased. I just have to keep reminding myself that this living situation is only temporary and that his mental disorder is probably permanent.
Today I'm going to organize my house a bit. Squeegee the floors (we squeegee here, rather than mop and my favorite house chore is squeegeeing) and do some laundry. Then, for lunch, I'm going to make corn on the cob! I got some from the farm this morning and I can't wait to taste it!
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