The plane landed as the sun rose in Casablanca. Once could not ask for a better entry into a country. The security officer met us in the airport and helped all 120 something volunteers make it through customs. We all piled onto busses and began the trek to Rabat. Everyone was full of laughter, enjoyment at the amount of camels, horse, and other animals we were able to see right out of airport gate, and jetlag from the trip. We all made it to our rooms and my new friends and I meet up in the lobby of the hotel for our first walk in Morocco on our own. This was unexciting, and uneventful but wonderful.

My friends here have some of the sharpest minds, they are brilliant and have amazing pasts, wonderful ideas, and theories of the world. I could sit and listen to for hours. I don’t think I have ever met such a wonderful open minded group of people. Debates cover all subjects and never seem to run dry. One of the things I am most impresses about with my new Peace Corps friends is just how respectful they are (please not this does not cover all of the people I have meet just my group of friend, many a harsh argument has occurred.)

We spent a week in Rabat beginning language classes and listening to endless lectures that will hopefully give us valuable information for the rest of our stay here in Morocco. Within this week of lectures we were given a day off where my friends and I went off to do crazy touristy things. Back in the States my dad would call this day a culture day, where we go off and get culture and learn all sorts of new things. With this group though and getting some culture was more fun than one could ask for. Each moment here is filled with culture and it is hard to get a break. It is amazing at how fast we have all bonded though, when put in a situation like this one it is to be expected.

Unfortunately, we were split into three groups and then into even smaller groups to be sent off. Three Hubs of immouzer, Azrou, and Fes were sent off on buses. I ended up in Fez where I am currently living. Our little group is in Ain Amir. We live with host families, and meet at the Dar Chabab every day for language classes. Last week we got to partake in our first spring camp which was not what I had hoped, but is what is was and a good experience. Derija is one of the most difficult language I could have been asked to learn, and I am so happy I have a little French. My host family is crazy, and some of the stories I can’t post online. In the morning we share stories of what has happened to us and the others in my group always end my stories by asking me if the Peace Corps. actually screens the families they place us with. My Culture and Language Facilitator is of course happy to help, and loves to remind me that I will end up meeting lots of people like this in Morocco. I do my best to take everything with a grain of salt, but things sometimes get to overwhelming.

Once more I was given a few days off. A group of friends came to Fes and the hardest part was not being able to run up to them and give them hugs for it is just not culturally acceptable.  It is amazing how not being able to hug someone can make things just a little tougher to take. The next weekend I headed to Mulay Acupe for a hike in the rain. I was sad that two of my other friends ended up choosing to head with another group. One friend expressed  “I am addicted to our group”. We have all shared our concerned about the fact that we fear we are all being to clinging but in a way it is just the best support system we could have. The days we get to get together help with any extra stress we can hold. The amount of friends I have woken up to talk to in the middle of the night, but because they needed to talk can’t be count. Everyone put on a brave face and we do our best to make it.

Crazy stories are abundant, but not really post-able. The hard days are more difficult and one could imagine and the happy moment hardly makeup for them. As they say this is the toughest job we will ever love. One here is happiest in this cold country when the sun finally shines and you can sit outside with your friends, and understand a conversation, it may be in French, English, or Derija. Hopefully our stay here will soon be productive.