In which Alisa is officially in Morocco:

Hey.... so I realize it's been like a month and half since I last wrote in this and I had good intentions, I really did. But then I got to Morocco and things have been go, go, go the entire time. So let me set some realistic expectations. This thing will probably only be updated once every month or so until I get to my final site at the end of May. Maybe even until July when I can finally get my own place. OMG my own place. If I can just make it until then I think I might just survive this PC craziness.

So I should probably fill you all in on what happened since the last time I wrote... ummm... lots of stuff? I honestly don't even know where to begin. Maybe highlights, lowlights (gotta keep it real) and what my timeline will be for the next few months? I'm being lazy, so yeah, that sounds good.

Highlights!
-Police escort through the Atlas Mountains (so b.a.)
-The views. Of pretty much everything.
-Holding a baby lamb
-Conquering the Turkish Toilet
-Coming to hub once a week or so to shower. I think I might see god when this happens.
-Learning a new language (Tashelheit!) and sometimes even having people understand what I say
-Getting a host family with a super nice, clean house
-Meeting some amazing fellow volunteers
-And of course, living in MOROCCO.

Lowlights :( 
-Conquering the Turkish Toilet
-Dragging my 100+ (counting carry-ons) lbs of luggage through JFK and half of Morocco
-Shots. So very many shots.
-Moroccan doors
-Getting harassed by a Moroccan soccer team. I really need to learn some Tash curse words.
-All the bread and sugar. Seriously all meals consist of bread and sweet tea.
-Getting a host family that doesn't really talk. Kinda weird here in Morocco.
-The PC stomach issues presentation: giardia and pinworms. Enough said.

So all in all, the experience has been pretty even so far and I think that's about as much as I could ask for.

My schedule for the next few months looks like the below:

• In my wee little village of Amerzgane until May 20ish
• I'll only have internet access when I'm at our hub site (Ouarzazate - aka Oz, the land of showers and internet), which is once every 7 or 8 days.
• Find out my final site on April 16, but don't travel there until the end of May
• Live in final site (tbd) with another host family (lets keep our fingers crossed for a better one) from end of May until mid-Julyish.
• Mid-Julyish: I get my own place and can receive packages!!! Internet access should also be pretty regular or at least on a regular schedule
• September 1st, I can travel and get visitors!
• May 2013 - I come home! Just saying...

Also, so many of you have been extremely thoughtful and asked for my address so you can send me stuff. Trust me, I would LOVE to take you up on it, but there's no way for me to receive packages until at least July this year. What you can do though is get dropbox (www.dropbox.com and you can find me there using my email address) and send me music you think I might like, or movies, or tv shows you have downloaded. It's free and it would me make love you forever and ever, not that I don't already, of course.

And lastly, but not leastly: I MISS YOU ALL SO FREAKING BAD. EMAIL ME EVEN THOUGH I WILL BE SLOW TO WRITE BACK. AND SEND ME PICTURES OF YOUR FACES, PLEASE. I MISS THEM.

Oh, and have some pics too (the majority are on fb though):

Oz (Ouarzazate)

Amerzgane (my home for the next two months)

My CBT (language training) group minus our one guy