An update...

As for me, nothing has really changed much. Same ol' sh_, different country. However, it does have that 3rd World feel, that makes it all the more interesting and challenging. I've just finished my IST (Inner Service Training). This is a part of the 27 month program where we volunteers bring to the upper managment our ideas for "enhancement" amonst the communities of our site. We are to bring project ideas that we've identified after analyzing the issues (needs, wants, dreams) that our community faces each day. Then, hopefully and potentially changing or assisting our communities with the help of these new projects.

The essence of my projects focused on "training". Training in the way of Business Management as well as in Technical Training. Over the last few months I have not only been integrated with my community, meeting leaders, sharing tea, introducing myself as an American volunteer to the community, explaining to everyone that "I SWEAR, I'M NOT MOROCCAN"... but I have also been asking questions related to the assistance I might be able to help them with. Whether that be financial assistance, or training, or whatever. It all depends on what they require and if it's feasible or not.

As I arrived to my site months ago, I really didn't have any idea as to WHY I was here. Unfortunately, my community didn't know either. It's strange, this whole Peace Corps experience, because you give 2+ years of your life for a cause without getting paid for it, then you arrive to your site and no one knows what to do with you. Quite often, I apply to jobs where there is a job description, and I feel as though my skills/experience coincide with that opportunity. I swear though, as I arrived back in December, my community had no idea why I was there and what skills I brought to the table. In fact, when I arrived to my homestay family there at my site, they had no idea who I was and why I was there. And keep in mind, that my language skills were not up to par at that moment, so trying to explain to them who I was became an immediate challenge. I quickly however, kept saying in my best broken arabic..."I'm an American, I work with Hyatt Salam (Peace Corps)!". Then only after I placed my paperwork in their hand, they regained conscienceness. Moving ahead to this last week during my IST, my Moroccan counterpart realized that I have had some business experience and know a thing or two about the process business and of design innovation. This only after, 6 months!! (normal pace here)

What I've said above here, was a major downer in a way for me. I was extremely frustrated with the fact that this site hadn't (in my view) been properly developed, and that my community was unaware how they could use me effectively. All the planning, resume building, and experience needed to apply to this program, seemed like time uselessly wasted. So, then again, I've had to go through the process of re-evangelizing myself to my community. It's not that bad, it's just another challenge that seems like a "no brainer" in America.

So, the sector that I work within Peace Corps is called "SMALL" Business Development. However, coming from large organzations like Oracle and Unisys, this has become "MICRO-MINI" Business Development. Last year the Peace Corps Staff and the Ministry placed volunteers in sites with about 100K+ population. Still small by American standards, but rather large in comparison. This new volunteer training group was placed in even smaller sites than that. Mine in particular is quite large compared to this year's volunteers, and my site only has about 16K+ population. As well, being so close to Marrakech, there's really no reason for my site to gain exposure for their artisan products. No market will arrive on our doorsteps, looking for quality hand-crafted artisan products, due to the fact that Marrakech is the center of everything in this regard. That's a small issue, but I soon realized that I needed to either develop a reason for tourists to visit my site, or push the products out to Marrakech and beyond. As I was exposed to the artisan products of my site, I came with an outsider's eye, but an uneducated eye as to the global marketplace. I had to ask myself questions as to the quality of these products and the marketplace they were selling in. I had to ask questions after questions, which took much time due to my lack of arabic, but over time I had the inclination that these products weren't all that good. I stayed humble though, and decided to look into bringing an outside consultant (http://aidtoartisans.org/) to place an expert's eye on the products being produced at my site. This allowed me to understand the world market and compare my community's products to that. As well, it provided me with a benchmark to understand just how much training (and what type of training) my community artisans required. Unfortunately, I found out that my community doesn't produce the quality necessary to reach a global market. And, not to my surprise the products were well below that standard. And by the way...when I say "global market" I only mean International Craft Fairs. Things like Pier 1 Imports, Various Interior Designers, etc are waaaay out of reach at this moment.

I have found a few NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) that work throughout the Marrakech region to assist in the development of women, in all aspects of development. They work with Illiteral women, they teach managerial skills, etc. As well, I have found Pottery trainers in Safi, Morocco that provide various training on; glazing technics, kiln design, kiln fuel alternatives, as well as analyze the veins of clay that our being used at my site. So, my projects over the next few months will focus on bringing those two parties together in hopes that these new technics and education will be useful in the development of quality products. Then, later, I might be able to find a different market for these products to enter into.

*the breakdown of my project ideas came not by myself alone, but by working in tandum with my Moroccan counterpart. And together we will work on these project ideas to recreate a foundation that seems to have deteriorated over time and generation.