Words I put into sentences......

So I started this post a couple of days ago but for some reason or another it didn’t save which is a total bummer because I had some good material going in that one. Oh well, on to this newer edition!

This past week I went to Rabat to get my mid-service medical stuff taken care of! I was excited because it meant that I could get this ear problem that I’ve been having taken care of. What ear problem you may ask? Well it’s sort of nasty but I think I’ll tell you all anyway :)

Plain and simple: EAR WAX! So much so that it was interrupting with my hearing ability, although in the bl3d of Morocco with men, women and children always yelling, I’m not so sure it was a totally bad thing haha. So yeah over the course of however many months I guess the wax has just been building up and building up so much that whenever I woke up I could barely hear anything. SILENCE! I though oh shit I’m going deaf in Morocco and shit is really going downhill for me. But no I was just freaking out but it did hurt for a while. 

At first I thought I was getting an ear infection because I used to get them a lot as a kid but since my little brother isn’t around to pass germs to me, I thought hmm how could it be? But no ear infection just a bunch of wax build up from my ears trying to protect me from Moroccan elements I suppose. 

So I went to Rabat and my doctor used a giant syringe filled with warm water and proceeded to flush out the wax from both of my ears. It felt soooo weird, I got pretty wet but eventually the wax came out and I felt soo amazing!!! Like a brand new person haha. I thought oh shit, I can hear again!! Thank God :) 

Aside from cleaned ears my physical went off without a hitch. I’m a 100% with no signs of even one cavity! Amazing. Just amazing. I was sure that with all the cups of tea, cookies and being on the road that my dental health was in the shit hole. But actually since being in Morocco I have increased my dental hygiene regime out of fear lol. I guess it paid off! 

Rabat was amazing and every time I go there I have a bit of culture shock. Men and women seem to interact more freely than anywhere else in the country, perhaps maybe Agadir but I have yet to be down there. There are so many different restaurants and people but yet it feels more sophisticated than Marrakech and Fes. I love it! 

Let’s see besides having a clean bill of health and my network TV shows ending their seasons lol, “work” has become a little different. Once again the definition is changing and re-defining itself and so am I. You have to in order to survive here. Right now I’m focusing on getting back into it with the kids in my site, playing games and whatnot all summer…..well not all summer but for a good majority I think. Also I’ve been getting some work with the American Corner in Oujda. 

The American Corner is an organization in Oujda which works with the US Embassy and some other local organizations/associations. They work to promote good relations between Morocco and America and also work on cultural exchange. Yesterday I went to an event where a Professor from Columbia in the US gave a presentation on how “Birds are Living Dinosaurs”. It was so cool! I felt like I was back in college again learning and discussing about evolution. It was awesome :0 Afterwards there was a Q&A session and then the closing ceremony for a crossword and sudoku(sp?) contest.

The event seemed random but at the same time really fun. It’s this mix of events that I love about the American Corner. Another great part is that you meet Moroccans who are really interested in what Peace Corps does and how our lives in Morocco differ from them in America. The funny thing is that these are city Moroccans and they find it so weird sometimes that volunteers live in small villages. They don’t know how we survive and sometimes I don’t know either.  But we make new friends and contacts and it’s a great networking environment. I’m looking forward to going to the American Corner more and more and participating and doing a couple of musical performances! 

Well since May is almost over (can’t believe it!), I’m looking forward to summer, not because of the heat but because of vacation haha. Since schools will be out it will be more difficult to get people together to work though I still have hope for my medicinal plant book of my site. 

In July I’m going to Paris to see Karen!!! Karen is a long time friend from high school and college :) In August I’m going to Spain during Ramadan with some other volunteers so that should prove to be an excellent time. Also 4th of July at the beach is planned which just makes sense in my bones :) 

I suppose that’s all for now. Oh but I would like to let everyone know that my “Rough Cuts from the Bl3d” album is coming together quite nicely. The other day I sat down and tried to organize what songs I have already and I have about 20! Now most of them aren’t complete haha but they are a start. I’ll perhaps start recording some this summer and will be releasing them on my myspace and other social network sites soon, so be ready!

Peace,

Socorra