2 more months… to go (Johnny Cash Limited Edition)

Not listening to anything…

So for the past two years I have done my best to keep you all (my lovely readers) informed of my goings on and happenings in Morocco… and beyond. Unfortunately, my streak has pretty much ended, due to some technical difficulties.

Shortly after I came back from India, I was using my computer, and I heard a snap, and my hard drive just stopped working. It was an old compy, and sadly, it couldn’t be fixed.

This led to me disappearing from my regularly scheduled programming, mainly computer time. So I slacked on the blog a lot. But I return now, maybe for one of my last times here… I hope not though.

I now have two months left in my Peace Corps service. It is an incredibly exciting time, as projects are finished for the most part, and i am just biding my time.

While I will wait to reflect on my time in Morocco, I will explain what the next two months will mean for me.

For the past two years, I have lived in a small village. The people here know me by name, and likewise I know them. As a white boy, I stick out, and that is okay. I am used to it (I think going back home and not sticking out will make me feel lonely.) I have made some fantastic friends, and people who I will miss dearly, who I hang out with when I am around, drink tea, and socialize. We have conversations about marriage (them trying to get me to marry a Moroccan woman or two,) religion, politics, issues facing Morocco, and just banter.

I have been taken care of, and feel at home. The people in my village watch out for me, and really, it reminds me of the small town charm maybe of a past period of American culture. Cheers-esque (like the show) if you will. Everyone knows my name, what I do, and that I mean good.

As I alluded to above, it will be difficult to leave, and know that I am going back to a place where people are not as generally friendly, and don’t say hello to everyone (that happens here, and it is rude not to shake everyones hand, or say hello to people.)

While I initially am going back to a small town, I hope to have and use this as a buffer. I like talking to random people, and I like being friendly. Essentially, this is just one part of Moroccan culture and life that I hope to take back with me to the states.

In my last few months, I plan to spend time with friends both Moroccan and fellow PCVS, and do a little bit of finishing up work (Environmental Education club in the youth center, and working English language spring camp.) I also will be cleaning my house up and getting ready for the next volunteers hopefully taking my house (couple replacing the health volunteer here.)

As for after Peace Corps, I am spending a month in Italy with some fellow PCVS, then going back to the US to see friends and family. I will be going off to school somewhere come the fall, but I have no idea where yet. Still waiting to hear back from all the schools, and weigh my options.

I am excited for all of this, and excited to see friends and family, and immerse myself back into the culture I have not been around for essentially three years. I am excited to actually get a nifty new phone, and computer, and to drive a car again.

While I am excited for all of this, I am trying to live in the present, and really take in everything around me, and not cash-out too early. I will be busy cleaning up and seeing people… and quite frankly, that bit about not having a computer is a shame, but I think it is a blessing in disguise. I now am not as distracted by a computer, so I can be here and in the moment.

Lastly, I hope to connect with a number of you when I get back home. I would love to catch up, and I hope to see you folks around, or when I have my new digs, have you over for tea or coffee.

Much Love, and I am not done with the blog yet. There are many issues I still want to tackle, and I really want to reflect upon the last two years of being in Morocco.

Ciao.