Here’s a quick update on the 50 Day Memory Challenge. I am about to take off for a five hour train ride.
Monthly Archives: August 2013
A Month at The Orphanage
Tomorrow is my last day at the orphanage. It’s strange how attached I’ve gotten to these kids over the last 28 days. I’m so glad I was among the five who got to spend time here. I can’t even begin to explain how amazing and frustrating this month has been. But it has been entirely worth it. Now I set my sights back to my town–Bhalil. I hope I can make as big of a difference there as I have in this village. Over the course of the school year, I will have plenty of opportunities. I just need to be myself and grab them. I want to work my ass off so I can deserve next summer. I’m crossing my fingers.
I am still trucking along with the 50-Day Memory Challenge. Remember, if you want to attempt it, just send me a link and I will set you up with my 200 subscribers.
Field Strip to Casablanca
I just went on a field trip to Casablanca with 15 of the best artists in the orphanage. It was a great experience. We were fed a fantastic lunch (FOR FREE!!!). Then, after walking around the campus of the country club, the kids were given an endless supply of good paper and paint. They painted for two full hours. It is incredible how many people want to give to these kids. This is at least the fourth group that I’ve seen interacting with the kids in a big way–and I have only been here for four weeks. They come from a tough background, but they have an incredible upbringing in this place.
Another day, another memory:
Day Seven: Lightening in the Cemetery
Witnessing a Beautiful Moment
This moment has been with me for the past five hours. I was t the supermarket behind the orphanage. As I checked out, I made the lazy decision to take the moving walkway instead of the stairs. As I walked up to the walkway, there was a 50-year old woman standing there, looking at it. She was in her hijab, looking really uneasy. I gave her a smile as I passed by her. A part of me wanted to help, but I knew that would be inappropriate.
I’m glad I didn’t. When I looked back at the woman, her husband had caught up with her. He took her hand and eased her slowly onto the platform. It took her a couple false starts, but she got the hang of it. It was so cute. It was one of those moments when I realize I want a love that lasts into old age.
That being said, my next memory is about a wedding:
Spending Time on Yourself
One of the best things about the Peace Corps is that it forces you to confront yourself. The quote that comes to mind is, “You can never avoid yourself because–no matter where you go–there you are.” The solitude that comes with service amplifies that. You get to figure out who you are alone–and in an environment you don’t understand. You go through endless existential crisis and emotional collapses. But the most amazing thing blossoms out. You become a better you. Spending so much time thinking and realizing the truth about your life forces you to confront your problems head-on.
I am loving this opportunity. I am finding a way to be a better me while simultaneously being a better friend to the people that I care about. It’s hard to remold yourself after adulthood, but it is quite nice to see the changes inside me.
Her is day five from the 50-Day Memory Challenge:
Day Five: How She Lost Her Mother Twice
This Feels Like Posh Corps
So I attended The First Annual El Jadida Grand Prix today. We found a good spot at a corner and watched rally cars take the 300-degree turn at speeds that would make my car back home flip. It was fascinating to see. I’ve never been to anything like that–even in The States. I suddenly realized what Posh Corps means. While most of the people in the Peace Corps experience poverty and constrained diets, I am living in a metropolitan city…and a three minute walk from a large super market. For the most part, I am in the Posh Corps. Though Posh Corps does have it’s downsides….namely harassment.
Anyway, today is Day Four of The 50-Day Memory Challenge. This one is a strange one from 2010.
The Weekend at Last
It hasn’t been an especially long week, but I found myself excessively tired this morning. After doing our morning with the young kids, I was glad to be on weekend. Now I get a day and a half off before doing the intense last week of work here at the orphanage. It’s been a great month for me–full of reflection and work and writing. I have come up with several ideas for how to utilize my time in the Peace Corps. Most of it requires wifi for faster internet. So September is going to be an interesting month for me–looking for a new house and setting up the internet while I start working with the kids.
Today is the third day of The 50-Day Memory Challenge. I wrote about last summer–reflecting on the massive fire that burned the mountains just outside my town.
Sharing Important Moments
While shopping today, I ran into a older married couple that is serving in this wonderful beach-side city. They informed me that their son just became a father a few hours ago. It only took me a couple questions to realize that I was talking to newly-minted grandparents. This was their grandchild. If it weren’t for them telling me, I’m sure I could have guessed by the eternal grin on their faces. I wonder if that grin ever really fades.
For today’s 50-Day Memory Challenge, I took a memory I wrote last year and completely rewrote it. It is about the Inauguration of Barack Obama.
Getting Back to Writing with a Memory Challenge
Now that this blog is back to being a writing blog rather than a Peace Corp Writer’s blog, it is time to embark on a new project. After much contemplation, I decided to restart the 50-Day Memory challenge. I tried to do this last year, but broke a lot of the rules and stopped far short of the goal. If all goes well, I should be done with this project in early October. I hope you enjoy.
An Email Chain
I have started to severely fall behind on my blogging. This is not due to laziness. Actually, I have tried to write updates several times. Every time that I start to write, however, i censure myself. On this blog, my supervisors and fellow Moroccans are able to read what I am writing. As a result, most of my real updates are now going to be done through Email. If you want to be included in my email list, just send me a message or leave your email in the comments.
Thank you =)
I will continue to update with writing material here once I have enough time to type up all the things I have written.
Richard T. Reilly 