hello from bouarfa!

Hello Friends and family,
How are you all? Good i hope. I am great. I am in my site...which is very nice! I am really happy but feeling QUITE overwhelmed and feel a little eager to head to my next stop just so i can have some time to soak up the idea of living here for two years. I am in good spirits but have been pretty sick. Since I am sooo far east the food, water and everything is different AGAIN so my body is acting like I just arrived to morocco again. My homestay family is great. Just a wife, husband and the cutest little 3 year old boy. I have a nice room and my own bathroom (which is unheard of). I am just a little attached to my old family but i am sure this one will grow on me too.

There is a current volunteer here already and she has been REALLY helpful! I had to go to all the cops and mayor and etc to introduce myself and she has been my translator. I am shocked by how well I understand people...i just need to work on speaking more. I am REALLY excited about my potential work! I will be working at the Nedi Neswi which is usually just a place where women gather and do skills transfer. However the one in my town is EXTREMELY well established and acts more like a technical school.So there are 3 classes, sewing, computer science and hair dressing! All the women have to enroll and go to classes for 2 years and finally they recieve diplomas! I am hyped cause I will be able to do womens health forums, teach yoga and aerobics etc. The ideas are endless. I may also seek work at a near by boarding school where children from far homes in the mountains/desert come to live in order to attend school.

All in all things are still going amazingly! Everyone is so welcoming and all the people I will be working with are really happy about my arrival. Winter should be interesting...I will be living in below freezing temperatures with no heat and no insulation. Most Moroccan families own well over 50 blankets...all of which i will put to good use :)

Next week I will be headed to Errachida to visit another volunteer so that I can view more teaching techniques etc. Then I will head back to Fez and have my final 2 weeks of training and the FINALLY i will be sworn in as an offical volunteer! Then I will head BACK to my site and live there for 2 years (Enshallah-god willing)

So thats the update for now! I promise I will write more soon! Thanks again for all your thoughts, prayers, letters and love!
xoxoxo
kris