so I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a 5 day holiday with only taking one day off! A small group of 
us headed to Chefchouen, the "Blue City," about 8 hours away; it's a small, relaxed city in the Rif Mountains and we later made our way to the Mediterranean, where I was happy to finally swim! We had a nice time, relaxing and discovering.
Just before that, I finally attended a Moroccan wedding... well, actually, just one of the three nights (and I think this was one of the less interesting nights)... women all sat in one room, singing and dancing... we ate dinner... then we all headed to the roof top, where men also joined us, and a band played more music and we danced... I didn't see the bride or the groom the whole time (I was told they were coming tomorrow)... very strange. I stayed until 3 am, but it continued on till dawn!
So, now it's Ramadan... Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, basically the whole month of September this year. It's meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility, a time to fast for the sake of God, and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance into the future, ask for help in refraining from everyday evils and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. I fasted for a few days with them (from sunrise to sundown), but determined this style of fasting as rather unhealthy and have modified it, so I can stay healthy and still participate in the fasting and festivity of the month. Each evening when the sun sets, each family prepares a special "break fast" meal with food only made during Ramadan - usually at least dates, different types of sugary treats, special bread prepared with animal fat, and a tomato based soup. It's fun to eat, but not really very healthy... Then I'm full for the rest of the night, but Moroccans eat a very late dinner (anywhere from midnight to 2 am), then sometimes eat something small again right before the sun rises (and go back to bed)... My modified plan is drinking water all day and having only a breakfast when I wake up and the "break fast" meal... maybe a yogurt or something small in the evening... It's been a great time to get to know more people and integrate further... Any family in town would be pleased for me to show up at their "break fast," however, I've still just waited for invitations... I've eaten somewhere every night except two...
One of those nights, two of my nearby volunteers stayed the night and we made a HUGE and wonderful meal for our "break fast." It included fruit salad, pasta, cheesecake, garlic bread, and bubbly water... It was so filling... we were all in serious pain. It was silly to eat so much, but SO fun. We have been cooking a nice meal together almost every weekend (that we are all in town), which so far has been 3 times... but that's about to change... Logan, one of the two, has decided to move to my town. His counterpart (Moroccan working partner) will be living here and he has determined it too difficult to commute. We found him an awesome old house the other day, so he'll be here the first of next month. We have so many plans for cooking! I think we are going to have the best food in Morocco in my little village... soon we will both be receiving all sorts of Thai and Mexican ingredients :) Jed, the other of the three wishes he lived here too, but he comes every week to go to the market and we've just decided to all have French tutoring sessions together once a week!
In addition to Logan's coming, about 6 other volunteers will be here next week, for training. They are in the Small Business Development Program (like me) and will be working with my association, so I'm really interested to see how this goes and meet them all! I'll only be here for part of their stay (because I'll be traveling with my parents), but they'll be fully integrated in my life during that time (working with my association, home staying with families that I know, and living in my little town, school right around the corner from my house). So, when I first moved here, it really seemed I was sort of isolated, not being on a main road and not that close to other volunteers... if I didn't leave, I didn't see other volunteers... but that's really changed. It's a welcome change :)
As far as work goes, this month is usually a down month for any type of work... however, my counterpart isn't like everybody else. He works more. Since he's not eating, he uses that time to work... We managed to get a grant proposal sent out to support the "tadart" project. I've been working more closely with some of the weavers (I put in 3 commissions for my family and helped another woman come up with a new design). We hosted a French Association to come and give away clothes and wheelchairs to the disabled, orphaned, or abandoned people in town. Plus, we've been getting the school ready for the new 
volunteers, among other things! Busy, busy...During all this, I also managed to get my cat to Fez to have her spayed (although getting the stitches out hasn't been successful just yet) and went through a painful process of getting my NJ driver's license renewed. If you ask me, I think Peace Corps Volunteers should get the same extension privileges as the military... but hey, I guess they just think we are SO much more resourceful... we'll just figure it out.
Other than all that... I've spent all my free time planning a country tour for my parents! They'll be here almost the entire month of October and we are going to see a lot of the country (unfortunately the South had to be cut out). It's going to be intense and probably exhausting, but I think they'll have the time of their lives and I'm so excited to see them! I love that I'll have the opportunity to share all I've learned about this amazing country with them and that we'll have this to share for the rest of our lives! How special :) So, look forward to the next update: Parental adventures in greater Morocco!
