So I'm officially a volunteer with the Peace Corps of the Government of the United States of America! Last Wednesday, we (the new Youth Development and Small Business Development) were all sworn into the Peace Corps in Rabat, Morocco's capital. The Minister of Youth and Sports and the Minister of Small Business Development (both positions appointed by the king) spoke at the ceremony. The US Ambassador was also at the ceremony and gave a speech, along with director of Peace Corps Morocco David Lillie. They all spoke about the challenging journey that we were all about the embark on and the importance and nobility of our mission to the people of Morocco and the partnership between Moroccans and Americans. The speeches made a lot of us tear up, and were also really inspiring in reminding us all of why exactly were were there and what the real purpose of our service was.
After the ceremony there was a reception with really good fresh juice, macaroon cookies and some special guests. During the reception I got a chance to talk to some employees of USAID who had attended the ceremony and I also got to talk to the Ambassador, who I found out, attended the same high school as I did in Saint Paul Minnesota. It must be a sign... I also got to talk to a girl who is currently working at the Embassy and she invited me to hang out with her if I am ever in Rabat, since she had just finished her own Peace Corps service and "really" understands the need for a hot shower and beer.
After swearing in, everyone set out to have some drinks and celebrate our new positions in life. Everyone seemed to be really excited yet also extremely nervous about heading off on their own and beginning the next chapter of Peace Corps service (myself included). The next day we all set out, slightly hung over, on our separate ways to journey to our final sites. A large group of about 20 of us all took the train down to Marrakech together. Going back to Kech' was really nice, I got to explore the city a bit with some friends of mine who were also headed down south. Also, between Rabat and Marrakech it was great to be out of the bled (county) and in urban metropolises with Western amenities and a fast internet connection.
After 'Kech, all of us going down to the South once again had to endure the Tishka Pass. This time it worked out great due to the heavy dose of dramamine that I took right before the bus took off. In between my drug-induced slumber I caught some of the breath taking views of the High Atlas Mountains and little Berber villages that are scattered through them. Also, since the last time I saw the Mountains 3 weeks ago during my sight visit, there has been a lot of snow and the Mountain tops (which you can see from the streets of my new home) are now almost entirely white.
I am now safely in my site and am dealing with the steps of community integration which, after only a day, are proving to be stressful and exhausting since I my Darija is pretty basic still and I am not accustomed to the Moroccan legal system. I am having a really hard time understand the new accents, and southern dialect of Darija, and my new host sister keeps on correcting my pronunciation and incorrect sentences.
Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have accomplished a few things and will have some good stories to blog about, insh'allah.
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