FINALLY SOME PHOTOS!

HELLO ALL! After promising for many weeks to post some new pictures, I have finally done just that. I hope you like them!

I also want to say a quick "hello" to all my penpals at Westland and Watkins Mill. Your letters were so great and have really lifted my spirits. I'm working on sending you each a letter in response, and hope to do that within the coming week as life is going back to "normal".

I hope you are all having a safe and enjoyable holiday season!

PEACE


SO THIS IS OUR LOVELY LITTE SCHOOL AT CBT. FROM THE FRONT DOOR WE HAD A GREAT VIEW OF THE WHOLE TOWN.


I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT GET A KICK OUT OF OUR FAMILY TREE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR OUR UNIT ON FAMILY VOCABULARY. IT WAS A GREAT CHANCE FOR US TO DO A LITTLE CROS-CULTURAL LESSON WITH OUR LCF...


THIS IS ONE OF THE AMAZING TAJINES THAT WE ATE FOR LUNCH. THERE WERE ONLY SEVEN OF US, AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE WE NEVER FINISHED THAT MUCH FOOD. IT WAS DELISH, THOUGH!


HERE WE ALL ARE ON L'EID AT ONE OF OUR HOST FAMILY'S HOUSES AT CBT. IT WAS SUCH A LOVELY DAY AND WE ALL GOT TO DRESS UP.


THIS IS ME ALL DRESSED UP IN MY FANCY NEW JELLABA (TRADITIONAL MOROCCAN GARB). IT IS SUPER COMFORTABLE AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR AN EXCUSE TO WEAR IT AGAIN.


FOR SPECIAL OCCASSIONS LIKE L'EID THE WOMEN ALL GET HENNA. THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT MARRIED CANNOT HAVE IT ON OUR FEET, BUT THAT WAS OKAY WITH ME. THIS IS THE FREE-HAND DESIGN THAT MY HOST MOTHER DID AND I LOVED IT.


I'M IN MY CBT HOST FAMILY HOUSE IN THIS PHOTO WEARING ONE OF MY HOST MOTHER'S SUPER FANCY KEFTANS. I WAS AFRAID TO EVEN MOVE IN IT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT RAINED THAT DAY AND THERE WAS MUD EVERYWHERE.


THESE ARE TWO OF THE ADORABLE GIRLS AT CBT. THEY LOVED TO COME AND VISIT US AT THE SCHOOL - THEIR LAUGHS WERE CONTAGEOUS.


SO I'VE BEEN KNITTING HERE, AND THIS IS A GIANT BALL OF YARN I ROLLED. I'M VERY PROUD OF IT. :)


THIS IS THE VIEW OF THE KASBAH FROM MY CBT HOUSE. I THINK I TOOK THIS SHOT EARLY IN THE MORNING ON THE DAY THAT I LEFT.


MIA AND KATE ARE HANDING MOHAMED HIS NEW SIGN, WHICH WAS THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROJECT THAT THEY WORKED ON WITH HIM. ANNY AND I DESIGNED A BROCHURE IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH WITH HIM, AND MAHRI AND ANJULI WORKED ON PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. THEY WERE ALL VERY SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.


MY HOST SISTER THAT I MISS VERY MUCH. SHE IS THE APPLE OF THE WHOLE TOWN'S EYE.


AH, HERE WE ARE (THE WHOLE GANG) ON OUR LAST NIGHT OF CBT.


I HOPE THIS IS APPROPRIATE -- IT'S JUST THAT SO MANY OF YOU HAVE ASKED WHAT A TURKISH TOILET IS, SO HERE YOU HAVE IT.


WE HAD A GREAT HALLOWEEN PARTY AT OUR TRAINING CENTER AND I'M THE ONE ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST CARROT!


ON THE WAY TO OUR SITE VISIT WE STOPPED ALONG THE WAY TO EAT LUNCH. ROADSIDE TAJINE IS REALLY DELICIOUS!


IN AGADIR THE HILLSIDE IS LIT UP WITH THE COUNTRY SAYING: GOD, COUNTRY, KING. YOU CAN SEE THIS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S UNIQUELY DESIGNED EVERYWHERE IT APPEARS.


AH! HERE I AM ENJOYING MY FIRST REAL ICE CREAM AT THE ICE LEGEND! I KNOW PAUL AND KATIE WILL ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE MY JOY UPON FINDING THIS PLACE.


ON THE WAY TO MY SITE THE FIRST TIME I GOT TO SEE THIS BRILLIANT SUNSET (DON'T WORRY, I ARRIVED JUST AS IT SET AND NOT A MINUTE LATER). OH, AND ERIN, THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE SUNSETS HERE - THEY ARE INDEED AMAZING.


THIS A VIEW OF MY NEW TOWN. THE HOUSE IN JUST OUTSIDE OF THIS PICTURE TO THE LEFT. I JUST LOVE THESE MOUNTAINS, AND I ESPECIALLY LOVE THAT WE GO HIKING IN THEM FREQUENTLY. YAY!


THE WOMEN OF VILLAGE ALL WEAR THESE LOVELY EMBROIDERED VEILS (ZIF) AND BLACK SKIRTS.


THESE ARE SOME OF THE AMAZING SHOES THAT THE WOMEN OF MY NEDI (WOMEN'S CENTER) EMBROIDER. THESE WERE A GIFT TO ME BY MY HOST MOTHER - I LOVE THEM!


THIS IS OUR SBD GROUP JUST BEFORE WE LOADED THE BUS TO SWEARING IN. GOODBYE TRAINING!


AH, AN IMPROMPTU THRILLER DANCE PARTY A FEW DAYS BEFORE SWEARING IN. WE REALLY KNOW HOW TO UNWIND AFTER A LONG DAY OF SESSIONS.


FACIALS PRE SWEARING IN. I WAS HAPPY THAT MY FACE WASN'T COMPLETELY GREEN LIKE MY HANDS WERE WHEN I WASHED IT OFF.


THE BEST PIC FROM SWEARING IN. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT; THE AMBASSADOR'S WIFE, YOURS TRULY (PCV), THOMAS RILEY (US AMBASSADOR TO MOROCCO), AND BRUCE COHEN (DIRECTOR, PEACE CORPS MOROCCO).


HERE'S MY WHOLE CBT GROUP AT SWEARING IN.


...AND HERE'S THE WHOLE SBD GROUP.


ANJULI AND I SIPPING SPICY TEA IN THE SQUARE IN MARREKECH.


A VIEW OF THE SQUARE IN MK - IT WAS AMAZING.


SNAKE CHARMER IN THE SQUARE (YES, THAT'S A SNAKE IN HIS HANDS). SORRY AUNT PATSY.


BERBER DANCERS IN THE SQUARE


I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO THESE MEN WERE, BUT THE OUTFITS WERE COMPLETELY AMAZING AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT I FIND OUT.