Saturday, January 15, 2011

Rats!

Side story; I've had some nights last month before I went back to America where I heard noises in my roof. Surprisingly enough I didn't just cower under my covers but I immediately went out to investigate with pocketknife in hand. I expected to see a herd of goats (has happened before.. well there were 2) on top of my roof but my flashlight revealed nothing. I turned off my flashlight and listened, I heard some movement. I went into one of my rooms with the unfinished ceiling and my light and I caught the end of a very large rat and its tail crawling into my bedroom ceiling crevice. It can't get into my bedroom as the ceiling is finished so I thought I'd leave it alone. Then I got a package with Spam, left it out, and it got eaten by this rat. Actions were then taken, and I put poison out for it the week before I left. I left out some cookies to test the water, and they weren't eaten- I eliminated my pest. I went home, returned, and saw no real signs of it still being around. If it really wanted to it can go into a box I have in an open room but no dice. But no terrible odors either... but it has been winter so I expected the smells to surface come springtime anyway.
Well today the rat either rose from the dead.. or I'm dealing with a cat. Had a half kilo of goat meat wrapped up in tinfoil and plastic, put it on a chair in a cold room with a reasonable hole in the wall. I left for about an hour to visit my host family, returned, and it was gone. Gone. I peered around with furrowed brows but can make no allegations yet beside it either being a cat or zombie rat. If it was the rat then I'm not even mad, I'm impressed. It would've been almost the same size as it. Whatever it is, will be got.
On a lighter note, I ate dinner with my landlord's family tonight. Tagine.. and delicious as always. I told them that I want the next kitten they see, and they said ok. Also had tea today with my host family (best tea I've ever had) and some snacks. They invited me over for dinner tomorrow after souq which I look forward to. Souq days are always busy for me, as I do my shopping but also meet with community members from further away in my valley when we get the chance. I need to get on the same page with one association president about the construction of a water chateau and new drinking water system tomorrow, and also find out from another president/artisan when we will go out and collect fallen food for his woodshop. The fallen wood we will collect comes from an indigenous boxwood tree species, and I would very much like to start a nursery for it, but I need to do some research on it. He also has some trash bins left over from a previous volunteer's project and we want to give them to some schools down by me. We just need to decide on a time.. Also am meeting with the teachers tomorrow to begin talks/plans on an Earth Day celebration. The Earth Day website is terrible to navigate by the way... wanted to get some lesson plan ideas or contact them about what we might do but the links on the site put me in a circle. Anyway, I've gone off on a rant, so that'll be it for me. Also, read a bit about the happenings in Tunis right now.. crazy stuff. Should get you started: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12198396
LP Butz

Friday, January 14, 2011

On Returning

Coming back to Maroc, I wasn't entirely sure how I would feel. Being at home felt like... being at home. I quickly got accustomed to showering everyday, wearing clean clothes, and looking presentable. I felt quite sure of myself every time I stepped out. When I was on my last connecting flight back here, it kind of hit me. I became stressed and unsure of myself, my language, or my ability to do any of the projects I told people back home I was working on. I sulked. I let myself sulk, then as I travelled back to my site, I saw the beauty that is Maghrib. I felt the culture and I felt the people. I became reassured of myself with every person I talked to.. minus a tourist I ran into on my last leg back to site. Long story short... it's a shame when people see me with a tourist and expect that we are friends because their actions then reflect on me. The tourist was quite odd, the kind of odd that laughs a little too long and watches a little too long. After a long taxi ride through the mountain passes I became more and more uncomfortable with the fact that I had to play translator and something of a dignitary. The volunteer I replaced told me just to stay away from tourists as tourist/local relations can sometimes become strained and you find yourself in the middle. Oh, how right he was. Had a couple other run-ins that were worse than this, but from now on I am avoiding travellers at many a cost.
Do I want to help travellers? Yes, I do, but if it comes at the expense of my own reputation I worked hard for, then no. I told the tourist today that he can do what he wishes as it is his vacation, but this is my life. He seemed to understand.
I was driven directly to my house, and took my bags in to start unpacking a little and already heard a knock on my door 5 minutes later. It was my landlord's son and he asked me over for lunch. I told him I was sorry and that I had already eaten but Thank You. He was stubborn but he understood. I was not at all surprised to have recieved a meal invitation so quickly after my vacation. I am sure to have many more. It is that kindness which I missed so much. It is that kindness that sets (at least) rural Morocco apart from the world I know. It is that kindness that reinforces my agenda to serve, help, and educate here.
Anywho, I am about to go back out to see the people I love, the ones who took me in and made me their friend and family member. I will hopefully have more to come soon. While I was home, many people asked me to blog, and I thought it before to be trivial, but I want to try my best to blog. So, first day, first entry. Life is good.
L.P. Butz