To Be Fair

So after my last entry I felt I should clarify some things about life here. People sent me messages like; “Oh Peace Corps sounds so hard,” and “Do you hate it there?” I don’t know where people picked up this sentiment but I want to be clear; I have yet to hate anything about this place or my time here, and while Peace Corps can be tough sometimes it is mostly because of where I live; I got placed in a really difficult part of the country. I asked our programming staff for exactly this: put me in the highest, coldest, most remote place you have just don’t put me in the Sahara or somewhere there is a lack of work.

The fact is while life can be really challenging where I live, those who know me are aware that I love challenges. Having obstacles to getting things done everyday motivates me to go and do them. Little challenges turn everyday tasks into adventures.

Just yesterday I was looking for the local school superintendent, so naturally I went to his office in the school. Not there. Where is he I asked? Somewhere in Immouzer one teacher answered. I spent the rest of my morning tracking down this guy like a detective. Went to his house, his favorite coffee joint, the Youth Center, the Youth Center manager’s house, walked the main drag a few times, and talked to everyone I knew on the street asking them “wesh tshuft Mimoun, lmudir dial mdrasat n Talzemt? La? Safi shukran asidi.” All along this way I am getting invites for tea, late breakfast, offers to help, invites for the Prophet’s birthday, congratulations Obama speeches, everything.

Nobody is disrespectful or doesn’t want me around. People seem to love talking to me and asking me questions. On the street everybody waves and yells my name. I have never had more people know my name and know things about me concentrated in one place. I am not embarrassed to ask for help so everyone now is looking for Mimoun the superintendent. We end up finding him and the villagers rejoice. I meet with Mimoun for about 10 minutes about designing a new health curriculum for our schools. He agrees quickly and we conclude our business.

Even though Marmoucha is a small world, I learn tons of new things on these adventures.
“Hey Casey did you know your neighbor had a baby this morning?”That woman was pregnant?
“Hey Casey did you know that tomorrow a bunch of us are leaving with our families to live in tents and herd sheep until spring comes?Isn’t spring 4 months from now?

Sounds lame but my favorite thing to do is learn new and random things about people and places. The fun little tidbits that come out about my village and the people are what make the little everyday adventures memorable. In the states my everyday was usually fun and interesting, whether it be with work or school or going out in DC or surfing or whatever. Here it is incomparable. The things that I eat, do, hear, say, drink, ride, buy, look at, wonder about, and experience are so far from what I ever expected my life to include that sometimes I question whether I really lived in the states a year ago or whether I really live here now.