...the candles sell fairly well, and hold a price of about 5-40 dirham ($1 - $5).

Daggers

These are the daggers from Brian's site of Kelaat M’gouna.

...and this artisan is Mustapha. He's a 3rd generation dagger maker, and lives in Klet M'Guouna with the SBD Volunteer, Brian. We hit it off, and he calls me "Booifaten", which means something like "Lazy Man". I think he called me this because I was without an artisan and was simply there to survey. The name has stuck, which I sort of like. :)

...the speed at which he produces these daggers is quite impressive. The end product, looks something like this...

...final product. Nice, huh?

Pottery

This was the pottery presented. I would LOVE to have something this good to display from Amizmiz, but unfortunately at the moment our guys aren't up to this level. Quickly, here's an example of our pottery...

...pottery from Amizmiz. Unglazed, unpainted, but with plenty of visible rocks in the clay.

...and these are the girls that came as artisan representatives from the region of Imichil.

Rugs

Rugs from the Imichil region...

...I will surely return to this beach. Maybe next season, but it's a "to be continued", that's for sure. :)

SBD Project: A few words...(Part II)

You know, they tell you that the Peace Corps is the "Toughest job you'll ever love", but you just don't quite grasp this statement until you've begun your service. At the moment, I find myself with about 10 months of Peace Corps service underneath my belt. Obviously, I can't speak for everyone in this program (currently or RSVPs), but the Peace Corps experience can be filled with many highs & lows. Over the past few months, my thoughts have varied from moments of major distaste - to moments of pure elation . Just as I'm ready to call it quits with this whole program, I soon after have an opportunity to experience this wonderful country in a way that I had never dreamed of, which then changes my entire perception.

What's cool about the Peace Corps is that it has three goals, which are:

1. To help the people of interested countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained workers
2. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served
3. To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans

Taking into consideration these 3 goals above, I feel as though I'm well on my way towards fullfilling #2 and #3. Now, it's just a matter of fullfilling #1. In an earlier Blog entry (SBD Project: A few words -Part I), I mentioned the frustrations with the 1st goal of the Peace Corps experience. Well, yesterday at 1pm I had a meeting with my Delegation in Marrakech, and my Peace Corps Program Manager. Hereafter, are the basic minutes of that meeting...

It's been said, that when people generally are aware of a problem, it can be said to have entered the public consciousness. But when people get on their hind legs and holler, the problem has not only entered the public consciousness, it has also become a part of the public conscience; and at that point, things in our democracy begin to hum. With this being the current circumstances in parts of the Marrakech region, and after hearing these cries for help from some of the SBD (Small Business Development) Peace Corps volunteers in the region of Marrakech, the Peace Corps' Program Manager for SBD came to the aid of these few volunteers and issued a meeting with the Delegation of Marrakech.

One of three purposes of the meeting was to foster new input to the SBD Peace Corps Volunteers serving in the Marrakech region on current issues, concerns, and questions concerning voluntary intervention with local artisan's development from our diverse perspectives. This broad SBD assignment led to a far-ranging discussions over the past seven months and a considerable amount of confusion on the part of the SBD Peace Corps Volunteer and that of the Delegation. As the SBD Program Manager stated in their opening remarks, voluntary intervention by Peace Corps volunteers are clearly a resource which people in the Delegation do not fully have a grasp of yet, and therefore should be aware of the skills/experience they bring to Morocco, in order for the Delegation and the artisans to use these SBD Peace Corps Volunteers effectively. There are many different paths to take to resolving this confusion, but our SBD Program Manager felt that a meeting with the Delegation and the SBD Peace Corps Volunteers was the most effective way of airing out these issues and developing a action plans to mitigate these issues. Some of the major comments and suggestions mentioned at the meeting are featured below.

Amizmiz - SBD Project

The second portion of this meeting was with regard to my site in Amizmiz. As my SBD Program Manager and I began to explain our position, we pointed out that there is currently a lack of direction stated by the Delegation as to the "work" that I was to accomplish while being stationed in Amizmiz. As well, there was an issue with the Counterpart in Amizmiz, in that he was using the Peace Corps volunteer assigned to Amizmiz to work on projects that did not coincide with that of the Delegation. This was a concern because I was in need of a "artisan focused" project that would satisfy my particular need to use his currently available education and experience in the the field of artisan marketing and sales, as well as satisfy the needs of the Delegation whom make decisions for the artisan community throughout the Marrakech region. It was agreed upon that I was in need of a project that was a result of well-thought out research and need throughout my community of artisans in Amizmiz, and was not subjected to any Counterpart that was not working with the wishes of the Delegation and that of his own.

After a bit of confusion on the Delegation's part with the information that was being filtered to them by my now former Counterpart, the Delegation offered their apology and began to inform me directly as to what they would like for me to do in Amizmiz over the course of my volunteer service. The Delegation informed both my Program Manager and I that they would like for me to work directly with the Potters there in Amizmiz. The Delegation would like me to assist in the areas of design, training, and marketing/sales of these ceramic artisan crafts. So, as of that moment, I was to report directly to the Delegation as they would now take on the role as supervisor and supporter with these newly realize objectives that the Delegation had laid out for me just moment earlier. The kick-off of this new project will begin with a visit to the Technical Ceramics School in Tamesloit, just a few kilometers outside of Marrakech. Both the Delegation and I believe that a visit to this Technical Ceramics School will be advantageous for me and help me to begin realizing what is hot in the market. From there, the Delegation made the action item to prepare a meeting with the Potter community within Amizmiz. In this meeting, the Delegation would then introduce me, and provide me the Potters with an understanding of my credibility and at the same time show the support of the Delegation for my intervention. From there, it will be my responsibility to find two or three Potters that would be willing to work on protypes for markets outside their current and immediate area of Amizmiz. A time and date for this introduction meeting by the Delegation is still in question, but should happen over the next few weeks.

Over the next few weeks, I will begin to contact various resources for this project which includes one of my fellow Peace Corps volunteers, Laura Somel, along with a few Pottery Training Schools throughout the Marrakech and Safi regions. So, after I chose a few willing and able Potters from my community, I will then take them to the upcoming Imichil Festival in August. The hope there is to introduce them to the "local market" and to provide them with training by ATA (http://aidtoartisans.org/). If over the next few months, my 2-3 Potters are satisfied with my assistance, than the rest of the Potters will (hopefully) follow suit and welcome my suggestions. So, I'm sure there will be more to write on about this in upcoming blog entries.

A few words...

The primary "experience" that I thoroughly enjoy is that of the cultural exchange. The Peace Corps has provided me with the opportunity to experience this country, which I am thoroughly grateful. However, sometimes I wonder as to if I could have experienced this without the assistance of the Peace Corps? I mean, what is Peace Corps after all? Could I just travel to some distant country and live there while learning the language/culture? I definately believe this could be possible, as long as you had the money to pay for your own way, and had a job that would allow you to stay in this country for an extended period of time. At the same time, I think it would be difficult to find residence for 2+ years in a country and not be subjected to a normal 9-5pm obligation. I think you might be hard-pressed to find employment for an overseas company, who told you, "Okay, for the first 6 months, all we want for you to do is intergrate with your community". So, maybe I'd be able to have this "experience" without the Peace Corps, and maybe not. At the moment, the Peace Corps is fathering my experience here, but it will come to an end in December of 2006.
I believe the very thing that will help me to complete my service in December of 2006, are the Moroccan people themselves. Morocco, has over the past 10 months, become my second country. Interacting with the Moroccans (Arabs, Berbers, etc.) is what I came 6000 miles to do. And it's also extremely amazing to me that my second language will eventually become Arabic! Coming from California, the primary second language is that of Spanish. I studied Spanish in schools, but found that I wanted to stretch myself alittle and serve in a non-Spanish speaking country. Considering our current times, and the relationship Americans have with the Arab world, learning Arabic is quite important to both our futures. And I haven't even begun to speak about the Muslim religion itself, which is widely misunderstood by most Americans.
In the end, I'm just happy to say that I'm taking a break from the American culture that I've experienced for the past 27+ years, and now find myself in Morocco learning a completely new culture. Hopefully, if I can stay focused on this factor, than I will be able to power through the highs & lows of this program and accomplish the remaining 17 months of my Peace Corps commitment. (nshallah = God Willing)

This upcoming August, I will be heading off the Imichil Festival. This festival is world famous, and was recently featured in the January issue of National Geographic...
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0501/feature4/index.html

I hope to have many photos and stories to add. Stay tuned!

What does (Moroccan Dialect) Arabic sound like??

I found this weblink with a sample of the language (dialect) that I am learning here in Morocco. There's an audio link that you can listen to, while you following the dialogue on the righthand side of the webpage. It's pretty cool, if you haven't ever heard the language before. As well, it gives you an idea as to what I'm speaking everyday here.

Check it out!!...
http://www.dalilusa.com/arabic_course/moroccan_arabic_lessons_02.asp

Worldwide Country Director of Peace Corps visits...

Gaddi H. Vasquez is visiting our Rabat Headquarters in Morocco, in order to meet with the Peace Corps staff. Then he will extend his travels to meet with a few of the Volunteers stationed here in Morocco during the first week in August. Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to personally meet Gaddi Vasquez due to a last minute change in his schedule.

Hereafter is the profile that Peace Corps has on him...

Gaddi Vasquez is the 16th director of the Peace Corps. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on January 23, 2002. Mr. Vasquez is the first Hispanic American to serve as director of the Peace Corps.Under Mr. Vasquez's leadership, the Peace Corps is meeting the challenges of the world in the 21st century. Mr. Vasquez's priority as director has been to revitalize the Peace Corps through a comprehensive outreach and recruitment program focused on attracting a diverse group of Volunteers and staff from America's best and brightest. Mr. Vasquez's public career includes service at the city, county, state, and federal levels of government. He began his 22-year career in public service as a police officer in Orange, California. Mr. Vasquez served as an appointee of former California Governors Pete Wilson and George Deukmejian and was appointed by former President George H.W. Bush to federal commissions. Among Mr. Vasquez's professional and civic activities are service on the National Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and the board of directors of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. At the local level, he has served on the board of directors of the Orange County Council for the Boys Scouts of America, the National Conference for Community and Justice, the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, and KOCE-TV Foundation (a PBS affiliate), and was a co-founder and honorary chairman of the Orange County Hispanic Education Fund, which has raised nearly $2 million to fund scholarships for Latino students in Orange County. Mr. Vasquez also served on the advisory board of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and on the board of directors of Olive Crest, an organization dedicated to the protection and development of children and youth who are neglected, abandoned, and abused.A native of Carrizo Springs, Texas, Mr. Vasquez is the son of migrant farm workers of Mexican descent who instilled in him a strong work ethic and the value of always giving his utmost to any endeavor. Mr. Vasquez became the first member of his family to earn a college degree. He is a graduate of the University of Redlands and has served as a trustee professor at Chapman University.

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=Learn.whatispc.management.dir

Happy 4th...

Good ol' Uncle Sam!

It's FOURTH OF JULY weekend!! Well, hey, I wish I were there to celebrate our most American of holidays with my family and friends! I hope you all have the opportunity to fully enjoy it. It's odd, because it's a holiday that I've experience for the last 30 years, however this particular year it will be missed. What comes as such a commonality for us while being state-side, has now become something of a luxury for me while being stationed here in Morocco.

At times like this, I can only imagine how things might be progressing back home... The preparation of the "tailgate party", the decision making process behind the eternal question of "how much ice should we buy". Hearing my Dad's voice through my bedroom door at 6am, as he rallies me in order to reserve a park bench for the afternoon BBQ. Sitting in the afternoon sun, playing dominoes while the smell of grilled pork fills the air. Filtering down to the local watering hole (the Delta) and checking out all the river-rats that spill out into the murky waters. Waiting patiently until the street lights are dimmed to experience the crackling of fireworks!

It's all so magestic just thinking about it now. But then again, most of my July 4th celebrations are filled with the joy of just hanging out with my family and friends, which will be missed this holiday. So, have another slice of apple pie or smother another spoonfull of chilli on the that hotdog for me!! And of course, have a safe weekend!!

SBD Project: A few words...(Part I)

The words below are excerpts from an email that I sent to my Program Manager & the Program Supervisor just the other day. I thought it might serve as a good post also...

The following email excerpts were simply an expression of the frustrations that I have been feeling towards not the Peace Corps in general, but to that of my own personal experience with it thus far. These are thoughts that I have had for some time now and thought that I would share these with you all. And before these thoughts began to fester and rot away at my Peace Corps experience, I thought I would share them with my upper management here in Morocco-Peace Corps. In writing this email, it was my hope that I could in return receive some useful words of guidance. Whether that be a re-organization of my current site, a full disconnect with my counterpart, an intervention by someone at PCO (Peace Corps Office), an alternative approach to my current issues, or.... whatever.

Throughout Peace Corps (at least in my experience) there are the typical problematic volunteers which have complaints with just about anything. I certaintly don't want to become one of them, but I thought it was my duty to inform them of how I am currently experiencing the Peace Corps under their command, rather than speaking in the dark with co-workers whom are nothing better than sounding boards. As well, I thought they should also be aware that a few of these topics, that I shall soon share with you, were the same topics of discussion that boil to the surface for many of my fellow SBD volunteers stationed here in Morocco. I thanked them in advance for their time and waited for their guidance.

Pre-IST (Inner Service Training) -my first 6 months in the field
Most of the SBD volunteers arrive with some sort of basic business skill-sets. But, not all of us have several years of experience with development work (in general) and/or have the invaluable experience that is consistantly recognized by our veteran SBD volunteer (Gregg, who is in his late 50s and served in Peace Corps back when I was born). So, recognizing my own short comings early, and understanding my weaknesses as far as business effectiveness in this particular community, I had an the idea to invite an outside consultant (Aid to Artisans - http://aidtoartisans.org/) to arrive at my site in order to evaluate the posibilities for my site's artisan crafts. It was my hope, that by introducing an experienced international evaluator, that they would in turn be able to share with me a direction as to properly assist my community over the course of my future service. Coming away from this evalution, it was my understanding that these artisans required a major re-organization/focus/and training in order to extend their artisan crafts outside the inner-walls of their community marketplace (let alone an International market).

IST (Inner Service Training)
So, coming to IST, I was posed to present my ideas based on the information gathered from this evaluation (along with my own personal evaluation over the previous 6 months). Unfortunately, my counterpart was unavailable during the presentation of my project ideas at the IST (due to the fact that I was the last person to present and we had run over our time with other presentations). This was a major disappointment, returning back home to my site. Because I had come to the IST with my palms open, looking for some sort of useful answer(s) to the project ideas I was presenting. Along that line, I also saw this as a way for the PCO to become a mediator of sorts, and help both my counterpart and myself to reach an understanding as to the direction we should head in the future. Then by using the combined ideas/perspectives of my 6 month assessment, along with the willingness by my counterpart to absorb these ideas, we could then emerge from IST and begin executing the plan we had set forth for our future business relationship. However, upon my return to my site, I had a meeting with my counterpart to discuss these IST project ideas, in hopes that I would we could begin this process of implementation. Unfortunately, those project ideas that I presented at IST have now been rejected. My counterpart told me that he would rather I work on two new projects that were his primary concern now. I can't exactly say that I'm in agreeance with his project ideas, but who am I to argue with him? The way I see it is that it's his community, and he can run his artisana anyway he choses to do so. I'm only here for another 20 months, and then it's up to him to continue.

...SBD (Small Business Development) Peace Corps in Morocco...

Because of this, I currently feel that I've no real "business related" reason to be here at my site. Yes, I've successfully integrated throughout my community (even with the language barrier that I will discuss with you later), and according to my Chief of Police he and the community have completely welcomed me into their little village. So, this part of the Peace Corps objective is being fully realized. However, as for the business aspect to the "SBD" Peace Corps objective, I'm feeling as though this portion will come quite short of full realization. As of recently, I've somehow turned into my counterpart's "sidekick" and am at the will of his decision-making process. And the current work that he has proposed for me in return, seems so remedial that someone with a much lesser education/experience level could easily accomplish this. I have to question my Peace Corps experience and ask, "Have I been placed in a community that can fully utilize my unique skills/education, or am I just another helping hand in the community working for free?"

To be completely honest with you, when I signed up to work as a Peace Corps volunteer, and commited 27 months of my life to the service of a third-world community, I didn't quite expect to be doing this. In fact, I didn't know what at all to expect, because of the lack of information sharing on the part of Peace Corps. But, after the long application process for Peace Corps service, and the assesment of my skills (business experience, education, personal traits, etc.), it was my understanding that I would be placed in a community that could utilize these skills for their betterment. Was I somehow obtuse in my assumptions towards the preparation of my arrival? Or, was I simply just expecting too much from a division of Peace Corps in Morocco that was only 5 years old? These topics bring me to "Site Development"...

Site Development (the introduction of a volunteer to a community):
After discussing this with both my Program Manager and my Program Supervisor, and then again hearing their comments at IST, I understood that this is an area that is "under construction". However, when I signed up for Peace Corps Morocco, I was under the impression that all the months of paperwork issued to their office would be reviewed and matched appropriately to a site in need of my unique skill-set. And before I go into the other topics, let me just first say that Tachelhit (a language dialect of Berber) is the primary language that is spoken here at my site, and not Dariza (Arabic). However, over my 3 month training, I concentrated on Dariza (Arabic), and unfortunately there are not sufficient enough educators here at my site to train me in this new language. Obviously, this was an issue during last year's stage, which is why I'm assuming this year's stage was split up into; Tamazight (a language dialect of Berber from the High Atlas Mountains) , Tachelhit (a language dialect of Berber from the Lower Atlas Mountains), and Dariza (Moroccan Standard Arabic). So, this is an obvious mistake that should have been realized much earlier during the placement process. In addition to this, I am the first SBD type volunteer to be placed at my site, so one could assume that there would be some confusion with how this all works, but again this is something I feel PCO should have taken extra time to explain to my community before placing a SBD volunteer there. At it was, upon my arrival to my site, my counterpart had little idea as to who I was and why I was now standing before him at his frontsteps explaining to him (in my best broken Dariza-Arabic) that I was to live with him for the next 2 months (let alone how he may utilize me in the following years to come).

In closing, I explained to them that I didn't want to make more work for them or sound as though I'm one of those problematic volunteers. It's just that my motivations for being a Peace Corps volunteer are fading quickly, and I'd like to see what changes could be done, prior to me making an early exit. I continuiously ask myself the question, "Should I stay with Peace Corps, just because I am committed to service?" And my personal response to that has been, "Should anyone stay with a broken relationship, just because they committed to it months prior, regardless of the disfunctionality of that relationship?"

Because when we talk about sustainability in general, I also believe that the sustainability of the volunteer needs to be in consideration. Sure, each volunteer comes into service with their own personal motivations that will sustain each of them throughtout the duration of their service, and it's not the job of Peace Corps to maintain this for everyone. But, my particular motivation stems from the general concept of "helping out my fellow man". However, I was under the impression that would be accomplished by means of sharing experiences/skills that I've acquired. If I was just interested in "helping out my fellow man", than I could have signed up within another sector of the Peace Corps like Youth Development (where there is no prerequisite for service entry). And I don't think I'm asking too much if I ask to be placed in an appropriate community where this motivation has the opportunity to blossom. In the end, I as a volunteer need to feel as though I am making a significant enough difference, by sharing the years of experience I have accrued with that of my community. Sure, this is volunteer work, but I have to be selfish and say that I expect something of an "exchange" for my 27 months of service.

In a Berber Village far....far....away....

...every so often when we travel, we come across traditions/customs/holidays that differ so much from those of our own and those experienced on our home soil of America. Well, this just so happens to be one of those. Unfortunately, I can not tell you the name of this Berber Village (which is just 1km South of Amizmiz in the mountain ranges behind it) nor can I tell you the name of this sacred event that happened in the month of February. What I can do is show you pictures from it though, and try to explain the ceremony's details as they unfolded...

View of the Berber Village from afar (1)

View of the Berber Village from afar (2)