Jenny the Cockroach Slayer

I know you're all expecting a major update and today I'm going to do my best at writing one for you all.

So, where do I start with everything? I think the last time I posted it was when my parents visited. So after they left, I went back home to my town for a few days, got ready for camp, and traveled back north. I worked at the El Jadida English Immersion camp for one month. I enjoyed going to the beach every day, hanging out with cool Moroccan kids who are trying to learn English, and trying not to eat too much ice cream or hot doughnuts on the beach. The first camp I worked as the camp librarian, checking books and games out to kids. I really had a great time in the library and became good friends with some of the girls who regularly came. The second camp I taught beginners English and had a fun, energetic class that kept me on my toes. It was nice to be around Americans again, but also some of them drive me crazy with complaining and laziness, so I was happy when camp was over.

After camp, I met Abdslam and his brother in Rabat and traveled with them to their family's house. His family is so nice and I had a fun time hanging out with them. I brought some games along like Phase 10, Uno, and Old Maid, so we played a lot of games. We took a few side trips and explored the countryside. We drove out to this mountain where legend has it treasures were buried long ago. They say you need to know magic in order to dig up the treasures. We walked out to a natural fish pond on the side of a mountain. They also say that if you come to this place on a Friday you might catch a glimpse of a big fish with white hair! We also took a trip to Errachidia where it was 112 degrees. We also saw the small town of Rich and drove out to the family's small village where they have another house. The road to the village was not so much a road as a series of obstacles we had to drive through and around. After turning off the main road, we crossed a small river, navigated through a forest, and somehow ended up next to this old ruined kasbah, which their house is right next to. The view there was amazing - on one side of the house you have the kasbah and the other is an expansive mountain. After spending a day at the village, we went back to town and soon after, I made my way back to Rabat.

Going to Rabat I became very excited for my Close of Service conference. Arriving, it was so cool to see all the volunteers I came to Morocco with two years ago. Some of them I hadn't seen in a long time! We talked a lot about our experience during Peace Corps, how to cope with finishing our service, and what to expect after Peace Corps. There were some times during the conference that I felt out of touch with the other volunteers, and other times when I felt the same as the others. It's funny- Peace Corps is such a personal experience and is hard even among other volunteers to talk about it.

After a great time in Rabat, that included another trip to TGIFridays, I made the long travel back south to my house. I found my house wasn't in too bad of shape after being gone for a month and a half. Only a thin layer of dust and surprise, surprise, no water! The last week I've been at the mercy of the pipes. Sometimes the pipes are generous and give out the water, other times the pipes hoard it to themselves and leave me thirsty and unbathed for days. Today, the latter of two is true. Also, with the drying of the pipes, cockroaches and ants have been spilling out of the faucets in place of the water.

One day I encountered a flying cockroach, two cockroaches in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen all within the same five minutes. That's when I decided enough was enough, and bought some bug-killing spray. Two nights ago, I attacked the pipes under the kitchen sink and what scurried out was disturbing, but I was prepared with a house slipper in one hand and a broom in the other. A colony, or family, of cockroaches ranging from the biggest of the bunch to teeny tiny little babies, fled from their nest in the pipes and met their deaths that night. Since then, I am happy to report that I haven't caught wind of a single cockroach. But, I have a sinking feeling that this spray is just a temporary fix and that a new batch will replace the old soon. Also, today there has been an influx in the ant population. While squatting over my turkish toilet this morning, I saw the most unusual sight. A giant dead spider was being pushed through a hole in the faucet by an army of ants. Maybe these ants aren't so bad to have around. But, as I sit writing this, I have flicked five ants off my arms and legs....so, maybe not...

Luckily for me, and for the other smaller and greedier tenants of my house, I'll be traveling again today. I'm off to the north to visit an old host family and heading back to Abdslam's house for my second Moroccan wedding. This time, I will not be publicly embarrassed! Or be forced to overeat! Almost two years have passed since my first Moroccan wedding and knowing the language is always a plus.

Stinky and thirsty,
Jenny