See you Tuesday!

I'm coming home early! I'm flying into MSP at 10:38 pm Tuesday night! See you there!

I'm a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer!

That's it! I can't believe it, but I am no longer a Peace Corps volunteer. This morning we had a nice closing ceremony at the Peace Corps office and officially signed out. Check out the new pictures on flickr.

Dar Chebab Party

Four pizzas, three bottles of pop, one chocolate cake, and I'm pooped! Tonight I had a small party for my dar chebab boys at my house. I made pizza and the boys ate, danced, and played games. It was mostly just laughing and having a good time, but at the end a few of them got a little teary-eyed when we said our goodbyes. I'm really going to miss those boys. They were fun to work with and became my good friends. I'm pretty tired now and a little sad, so I won't write much more, but check out the new photos on flickr.

We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For

I first heard reference to this speech the day I graduated from the University of Minnesota. Our commencement speaker was Peggy Flanagan, the first Native-American woman to serve as director on the Minneapolis Board of Education. Also, one of the youngest to serve. As a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Peggy quoted the words of the Hopi tribe Elders saying that my graduating class, my generation, are the ones we've been waiting for. Then, three years later I heard Barack Obama make reference to this speech during his campaign for presidency. I find the words of these elders inspirational and true.

A Hopi Elder Speaks: “We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For”

You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.
And there are things to be considered:

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water. See who is in there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we've been waiting for.

—The Elders Oraibi
Arizona Hopi Nation

November Rain

October's gone already and with November came the rain. Morocco has been experiencing heavy rains the past month in all regions, except dusty little insert-name-of-town-here. It's rained so much that trees, people, cars, houses, gardens, and entire villages have been swept away. I'd noticed a lot of airplane traffic the past few weeks but hadn't really thought about it until one of my students told me that all flights going north had been rerouted south because of the weather. After waiting through a month filled with dusty winds, finally last night we got rain, too. It's still coming down strong today and everybody in my town is smiling and happy the crops will be healthy this year.

I have absolutely no intention of going out there today. Because it hardly ever rains here, the town doesn't need to worry about drainage but when it does rain, giant puddles form on all the streets. There is a really gigantic, deep puddle across the street from my house that is impossible to avoid when going out, so I'll just stay inside instead.

Yesterday I received from very good news. My replacement called to introduce herself and let me know she'll be visiting on Monday for one week. My first reaction was a happy one. I told her host family that she was coming and told the kids at the dar chebab. But, with time, the worrying set in. The little things that annoy me about my site started to pile up and suddenly everything seemed horrible and I started to wonder how anybody could be happy in a dump like this. But, those were all irrational, crazy thoughts that have now passed and I'm back to feeling excited. The host family is very excited to meet her. She'll be staying with my very good friend Kabira and her family.

I can't believe that it was two years ago that I made the journey from the training site to my town for my first visit. I had no idea where my town was or how to get there and somehow I got in a taxi, paid 5 times the amount I should have, and after a eye-opening ride through what I thought was the middle of nowhere, I got dropped off on the side of the road of a little town and the taxi sped off, leaving me standing there alone. Standing alone in the street, I took a deep breath and walked across the street to the closest store and asked the men there in my broken Arabic "Where is the Dar Chebab?"

Well, I've come a long way since that day, thank god. Now, after building a life here over the past two years, I have to figure out some way of disassembling it. I'm starting to realize that it's really over and I'll be honest, it's a little scary. But, unlike the day I arrived, this time I have an entire community supporting me and my departure.

I'll try posting more often over the next few weeks, but I can't guarantee much. Meanwhile, I think today I'll just enjoy the rain and curl up in my blanket and stay warm.