a very merry birthday to me!

well it's been a while since i've updated......to say the least. truth is, february was not the most exciting month i've had here and it was a bit of a slump month. but now it's march and by god, it's a new day!! and of course it doesnt hurt to start out a new month with a new year of life.

this is how i celebrated the joyous occasion. the birthday weekend started on friday with a trip out to the big, beach city near by. i ate pepperoni pizza at pizza hut. my mouth was watering for it the entire 4 hour journey, and by the time i ate it, well, i was in heaven!!

the rest of that day was spent bumming around town, walking along the beach and just generally enjoying myself. Then just as i was about to return to my hotel, i found the most beautiful shoes i've ever encountered. i'm talking love at first site people. i thought "what the hell! its my birthday!" so i bought them. picture below. and i got a really great deal at about 17 dollars.

the next day i traveled about an hour down the coast to a town where two of my friends live. when i arrived, two other girls were there, everyone ready for a party. we went on a beautiful walk before starting the festivities. we made mexican food, had some drinks, and topped it all off with the most delicious brownie with peanut butter frosting. thank god for mandy and her fabulous cooking skills.

then when we were feeling the drinks a bit, we headed up to the roof to watch the lunar eclipse. supposedly the best view was from africa, and it really was incredible. we layed on the roof for at least an hour watching the earths shadow completly cover the moon and turn it into a big red ball. it had extra meaning for me as it was all happening on the eve of my 24th birthday. and my last birthday on this continent. next year i will be in america, and everything will be different.





can you see the barely there red ball? yeah, its hard to photograph an eclipse.

we also fooled around on the roof a bit, doing drunken yoga poses and having 30 second ballet routine contests. it was a wonderful time.



when we got up on my actual birthday, we made strawberry pancakes and whipped cream, per my request. once again, delicious. then i made the long journey home. and it was a long journey as the 3 hour journey actually took about 6.


upon arrival i made myself a jumbalaya dinner with a mix sent by grams (thanks grams!) and watched some TV. you might think, "wow, what a nice birthday weekend!" but it's not over yet folks!

on monday the women who i hang with threw me a party. they have to be the best group of women a girl could find in this country. the dressed me up as a bride and we had a cake that i specially requested, other desserts, pop, candy and we danced it up.

if i were to marry a berber boy, this is what i would look like at my wedding. only thing missing is the henna!

notice the 22 on the cake? ha. i wish! apparently they think i'm getting younger :)

then i got home just in time for the launch of a brand new english TV station on my satellite! and guess what was the first show???? LOST!!!!! i've been waiting 17 months for this day.

Happy Birthday to me, and that is no lie.

and how about a few general life updates? ok, excellent

1- a few months ago one of my students won the YES scholorship. this means that he is going to spend the 2007-2008 school year in AMERICA! all i did was pass on the information, but this is not the kind of opportunity that generally make it to the the small villages. this is a HUGE opportunity for him and i am so proud.

2- i was given the job of coordinating one of the spring language camps that will happen over spring break. i'll be making sure everyone has what they need and being the liason between the americans and other staff. i'm generally not too excited about this, but whatever i'll make the best of what should be an interesting experience.

3- my dad and sis have purchased their plane tickets and are coming to visit! they will be my first visitors from the states and i am really excited. planning vacations is stressful, but so much fun and i look forward to showing them a fabulous time!

4- i want to wish good luck to my grandma who is having her knee replaced in april. i'll be thinking about you!!

ok, i think that's all i've got. consider yourselves officially caught up with my life. hope all is well with everyone at home and i'll talk to you soon!

despite all of our differences, we are all the same

so as i've said before, i do this thing called "women's cafe" on saturday nights. who knew that this thing would prove to be a way for me to delve inside the brains of these women.

so a few weeks ago, things were happening as usual. dancing, eating, chit chat. you know, nothing too exciting.

then we all sit down for a little breather and two of the women go to the board and grab some chalk. they are giggling like little school girls and using their bodies to cover their artwork.

next thing i know, the room abrupts in hysterical laughter. i look at the board. "are you freaking kidding me?!" is the first thing that runs through my head.

without going into a lot of detail, lets just say that these middle aged, covered up, seemingly conservative berber women have just drawn and EXTREMELY obscene image on my chalkboard and are entirely pleased with themselves.

i laughed, but i was shocked. they then erase the first image and draw another one, this time featuring a man and some sort of dog/wolf creature. no, the man was not petting the dog.

if only i had a hidden camera and could have pictures as proof. everyday is an adventure.

Ode to the Slaughter

Twas the night before l3id
and all through the city,
Thousands of sheep thought "oh what a pity!"
Their lives before had been so much fun,
but early tomorrow their hearts would be in a bun.

the people all shopped for new clothes and new shoes,
you must be very clean to avoid slaughter blues.
they made lots of cookies, and cakes and of treats,
we must have something to counteract all those meats!

with less than 12 hours, before the big feast
the children all dreamed of the passing of that big beast.
the beast who slept poorly cause he knew what was coming
no more would his life be of eating and sunning.

Happy Eid to all and to all a full stomach!


It's a work in progress people, i'm no poet! but i did have a very enjoyable feast this year. Unfortunatly it was on the same day as new year's eve, but that's life.

I'm happy to say that i stayed in my apartment until almost noon in order to avoid the action. i think one year is more than enough. When i got to my host family's house, they were finishing up the goat (two families, two animals!) and starting on the inerd kababs.

I ate them. yep, i ate kababs made of heart, lung, liver, fat and other various inerds. aren't you proud! not bad as long as you dont think about it too much. lots of spices and the bread really makes it all quite tasty!

i then put on my brand new Emelheff and went off for some visiting. I went to the homes of three different families and enjoyed lots of tea and cookies. it was so much better this year because i'm just so much more comfortable. i know people, i move around, it's great!

then i stayed the night at a friends house and we drank a little whiskey to bring in the new year. it wasnt the most fun i've ever had, but not too shabby.

This week is school vacation, so i'm taking it easy. doing a lot more visiting of families and socializing these days. it feels good. 11 months to go.

the market before the feast was huge and bursting with people!!! here they are picking out the perfect animal to sacrifice.

and of course stocking up on fruits and vegetables!!! this is how i buy my food every week. we have the market on tuesday and wednesday.

spices!! i love how this looks, but it must be a pain to pack up everyday.

this is the store of my tailor. he does great work!

you can buy anything you can imagine at the market.

me and my host brother and some neighborhood kids on the day of the feast. dont they all look great in their brand new clothes!! and yes, i even bought that shirt for the big day :)