So if you’re just learning of our upcoming Moroccan adventure, you probably have some questions for us. Or maybe you’ve known that we are leaving, but haven’t taken your chance to ask yet. Or maybe still, you’re one of those who has asked us these questions multiple times already, but doesn’t remember the answers…that’s ok. We understand; we would forget the answers too if we weren’t required to repeat them so frequently. So here is a list of the questions we answer most frequently.
Q: Where are you going?
A: Morocco. If you want more detail than that, too bad. We do too. We know we will be in Rabat (the capital of Morocco) for a few months of training. After that we will be somewhere in Morocco. We’ll let you know when we find out, which we believe will happen sometime after we arrive in Rabat.
Q: Where in the world is Morocco? Is that next to India?
A: Morocco is in the northwest corner of Africa (the Arabic word for Morocco – Maghrib – is related to the word for west because it is the furthest west the Arab empire reached). It’s right across the Strait of Gibralter from Spain. Remember that Jason Bourne movie where they went from Spain to Tangier? That’s Morocco.
Q: Africa! Won’t you get Ebola?
A: No probably not. You’re more likely to get Ebola in Texas than Morocco. Morocco has a buffer called the Sahara Desert between it and where the Ebola outbreaks are occurring. And if Ebola does make its way to Morocco, the Peace Corps will pull us out of the country.
Q: So what will you be doing in Morocco?
A: Good Question! We will be teaching English at an after-school program. Anne may be teaching at a women’s center, and along with teaching we will be encouraged to start other after-school activities and clubs for the youth in the community. We would like to be able to give music lessons as part of that, but really it will depend on what the community wants and needs!
Q: Will you learn to speak Moroccan?
A: Yes we will! Moroccans speak a dialect of Arabic called Darija. We will take classes in Rabat, and then be thrown into the the deep end to swim…or sink…as Anne seems to fear. They also speak French in much of the country.
Q: Will you come back to the US during your Peace Corps service?
A: Well, barring a family emergency, we do not plan to. We will miss everyone here very much; we can’t begin to imagine how much we will miss you all, but that just means you will have to come visit us!
Q: Wait, I can come visit you?!
A: Yes! Please do! Just wait until we’ve been there for 6 months, and then we are allowed to have visitors. We’ll take some time off, show you around Morocco, provide you with some delicious mint tea guaranteed to raise your blood sugar, and have a great time!
Q: Why are you doing this?
A: Now you’re asking good questions.
Q: Why thank you!
A: To answer that let’s start from the beginning…in 1988…ok not that far back…let’s say in 2010 we were dating, and one of the things we had in common was the desire to live overseas. We both loved traveling, experiencing different cultures, and learning new languages. Those things are still true for us today, and we want to experience life somewhere where our character and faith will be challenged to grow in ways it would not be here in the US.
Q: What does Barney Stinson think about the Peace Corps?
A:
If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask us in person, or reply to this post!
Alice is the oldest current PCV. All of us feel very privileged to serve with her. I think she is 85.
Gigondas
Palais de Papes
Down the river (note Matt and Martize in the corner)
Three lovely ladies!
Guys hanging out watching soccer on the other side of the wall.
So happy to be new PCVs!
95 of us Swore-in as official Peace Corps Volunteers on April 1, 2015.
View of the waterfalls from the bottom
One of the pictures resulting from the trash photo hunt. I think they felt bad for the donkey.
Anne got henna for the xutoba.
I put this picture in the album not because it was a common site, but because it was a rare site. Most cities in Morocco have many donkeys. This unfortunately was the ONLY donkey in our training site.
Here is Santiago. He was full of energy and you would often find him bundled up in his sleeping bag during class.
This is the street we lived on. The strange things we put on our classroom walls make a little more sense after seeing this depressing picture.
Milui
Men and women praying outside in Casablanca
Here is a picture of the souk from our bedroom window. It is pretty big.
Matthew often pretended to be Gandalf throughout CBT. He never did find a good staff, though.
Peyton and me
The girl who ended up not taking as many photos as she thought did take this one and really liked it so I thought I would post it for many to see.
Here are Katie and Lisa, two of the most encouraging and cheerful people you will meet.
Horse cart!
Sunset from our bedroom window
This is the Youth Center where we spent time teaching English and doing activities with some of the youth. Unfortunately, the snow was also a common site.
Here is our wonderful teacher Hind, always close by to the heater.
Mid-west Region
After… Package 1
Here is Matthew trying to keep warm in his jellaba and blanket.
Our wonderful CBT group!
Floating Head Matthew
Oh and we also saw some Barbary Apes
After… Package 2
View of Avignon from the Palais de Papes (Palais of the Popes).
Here is Joseph, 3rd time Peace Corps Volunteer. That man is a wealth of experience and knowledge.
Anne got henna for the xutoba.
Tree house
The grounds of the hotel with Martize in the corner
Horses charging at the musm.
Kids from the camp
Our CBT (most of us anyway) with the US Ambassador.
One of Anne’s favorite shots from the trip
This is us in the snow. The building of a legendary snowman and an epic snow ball fight followed the taking of this picture.
Alice is the oldest current PCV. All of us feel very privileged to serve with her. I think she is 85.
Gigondas
Palais de Papes
Down the river (note Matt and Martize in the corner)
Three lovely ladies!
Guys hanging out watching soccer on the other side of the wall.
So happy to be new PCVs!
95 of us Swore-in as official Peace Corps Volunteers on April 1, 2015.
View of the waterfalls from the bottom
One of the pictures resulting from the trash photo hunt. I think they felt bad for the donkey.
Anne got henna for the xutoba.
I put this picture in the album not because it was a common site, but because it was a rare site. Most cities in Morocco have many donkeys. This unfortunately was the ONLY donkey in our training site.
Here is Santiago. He was full of energy and you would often find him bundled up in his sleeping bag during class.
This is the street we lived on. The strange things we put on our classroom walls make a little more sense after seeing this depressing picture.
Milui
Men and women praying outside in Casablanca
Here is a picture of the souk from our bedroom window. It is pretty big.
Matthew often pretended to be Gandalf throughout CBT. He never did find a good staff, though.
Peyton and me
The girl who ended up not taking as many photos as she thought did take this one and really liked it so I thought I would post it for many to see.
Here are Katie and Lisa, two of the most encouraging and cheerful people you will meet.
Horse cart!
Sunset from our bedroom window
This is the Youth Center where we spent time teaching English and doing activities with some of the youth. Unfortunately, the snow was also a common site.
Here is our wonderful teacher Hind, always close by to the heater.
Mid-west Region
After… Package 1
Here is Matthew trying to keep warm in his jellaba and blanket.
Our wonderful CBT group!
Floating Head Matthew
Oh and we also saw some Barbary Apes
After… Package 2
View of Avignon from the Palais de Papes (Palais of the Popes).
Here is Joseph, 3rd time Peace Corps Volunteer. That man is a wealth of experience and knowledge.
Anne got henna for the xutoba.
Tree house
The grounds of the hotel with Martize in the corner
Horses charging at the musm.
Kids from the camp
Our CBT (most of us anyway) with the US Ambassador.
One of Anne’s favorite shots from the trip
This is us in the snow. The building of a legendary snowman and an epic snow ball fight followed the taking of this picture.
