After an eight hour flight and traveling across five different time zones I landed in Morocco. Sleep deprived due to the extreme heat and lack of dark during the flight – yes the flight attendant’s left the overhead lights on for a good two hours after dinner then cranked up the heat.
Stepping off the plane I got slapped with the 7 or 8 am heat of Morocco. Its like a living thing by the time I made it to baggage claim I had sweated through my clothing and had sweat streaming down my face. Anyone who says you can have a “Southern Glow,” is totally BSing you.
Getting to Pre Service Training in Fez involved a 5 hour bus ride from our point of entry – Casablanca. Although Morocco is small enough to fit in my home state of California – the roads aren’t always direct as one would like to get from point A to point B.
During the drive I snapped photos and then finally passed out after about 24 hours without sleep give or take with time zone differences.
The lovely Peace Corps Training staff gave each of us a bag with fruit, drinkable yogurt, cookies and water. It was perfect for the trip to Fez.
We had a pit stop around 3 -4 hours into the journey at a gas station.. and thank you Allah – a Western Toilet !!!
I don’t think I could have handled a Turkish toilet on amount of sleep I actually had.
Finally we arrived on the outskirts of Fez and with our arrival we gain a security escort. From what I was able to gather – having a large group of 1. Americans 2. Peace Corps Volunteer = high security. This of course doesn’t mean anyone in Morocco has bad intentions – just that from a security stand point its better safe than sorry.
I actually thought it was pretty cool although it made our arrival a spectacle.
Once we pulled up at the center we unloaded and picked our rooms. This is where packing a hefty load of luggage becomes a pain in the ass – there is NO elevator – stairs all the way.
Did I mention no A/C? Yep.. I sweated off a couple of pounds humping my gear to the third floor although a lovely LCF helped haul the other bag upstairs.
I finally made it to my room and collapsed on the bed. Oh but wait.. more programming!!
I have to say I am not sure how I stayed awake… only that by some miracle I did.
Some time during the programming of the first day.. I realized – it might have been after lunch when I got locked into my room that half the door handle was missing.
(Our Pre Service Training Schedule)
Thank goodness we shared a balcony with another room and the ladies happened to be in the room so that when I pounded on the door.. they opened it and sprung me from my impromptu prison.
So then myself and my roomies got moved to the fourth floor which although it being a hike.. for two days was awesome because it was a women’s only floor!!
So I didn’t have to get crazy with figuring out how to shower and not be seen without hijab or running to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Well until a few days later.. but thats another story!!!
InshaAllah I will catch up soon on the blog.. so bear with me as I balance writing for the blog and training at the same time!
Your blog is fun to read.