winding down

so the countdown begins. just over four months until my service is completed. it’s been quite a ride. as much as i’m looking forward to going home, i know there will be a lot of things that i miss about morocco. for now, i’m focusing on finishing up the rest of my projects and work, waiting to hear from grad schools, and planning my final trip.

i will be at cos (close of service) conference the first week of february. i’ll get a chance to see everyone again in rabat for a few days. peace corps will explain the logistics of closing service – information from peace corps, health insurance, what to expect on our return to america, preparation for adjustment, etc. i’m not looking so forward to the information (except about how they plan to pay me my readjustment allowance), but it will be nice to see everyone again.

this week, i have been working on a grant for my final project. as i’m sure i’ve mentioned before, i am working with a teacher that lives here. we are writing a grant to fund a community resource center (that’s really just a euphemism for a school library... and who doesn’t love euphemisms.) we have collected over 100 french and arabic books from various organizations. i’m hoping that with this grant we can expand the library another 100 books or so. i will also donate some art and writing supplies that i have, as well as a full 2 years of newsweeks (aren’t they lucky). with the grant, i’m hoping that the teacher will be able to choose books that are useful in his classroom, instead of just whatever organizations choose to send. right now, it’s looking like the library will be located in an extra room in the mosque next to my house. it would be a good location that people of all ages could have access to most times during the day. we will also (hopefully) add book club for older students and a reading hour for the younger ones. it’s so wonderful to see a teacher as enthusiastic as he is. we are looking forward to finishing the grant and getting it approved. if it does, it will be posted on the peace corps website and anyone can donate directly to the project.

the other project that i took over from another volunteer is just about off the ground. the irrigation project grant was funded and the association has the check. i’ve asked them to cash it and purchase the material by the end of january. i’m hoping that they will finish construction by the end of march or mid april and i can finish the final paper work. they were also really excited to begin construction and complete that portion of the project.

in november, two volunteers (from the small business development sector) moved close by me. now i have two people within two hours travel! they both came to visit me a few weeks ago, and we had a lot of fun discussing their adjustment, language, culture, etc. it reminded me of when i just got to my site and it helped me see how far i had come. they are almost finishing living with their host families, and will soon move to their own houses. both of them are planning to get internet in their homes and said that i could come and use it anytime!

it’s exciting to think that i will be back in america so soon. but before i head back, i’d really like to take a final trip. i’m deciding between two trips, 18 days each. one would cover the middle east – egypt, israel, jordan, turkey, and greece. the other would be in europe – czech republic, poland, hungry, slovinia, italy. both really appeal to me for very different reasons. i’m having a lot of trouble making up my mind. i’m thankful for the opportunities to travel, see, and live in this part of the world. it’s certainly helped me mature and see things differently. before i complete my service, i’ll blog about the most important things that i’ve learned here, and the skills, ideas, and ideals that i hope to bring back to america with me.

anyway, that’s all for now. if anyone would be interested in taking either trip with me or meeting me for part of it, let me know. or if you have been to any of the places mentioned and have travel advice... please do advise.

tr