IPDF Meknes: Combattants, Meknes

I’m actually not writing this until the next morning, but last night I was absolutely exhausted. Kept up with that writing every night thing really well, didn’t I? But regardless, here is a little update from my first Monday in Meknes.

Yesterday was a little stressful because it was my first day going to my placement at the women’s rights association. The organization is called Association Initiatives pour la Promotion des Droits des Femmes, or IPDF Meknes. Its main purpose is to serve as a legal liaison for women who are seeking counsel in their marital and parental rights. It is also a meeting place for women of the community, and hosts classes for women to develop skills and community. I’m not exactly sure what my place will be in helping yet. Yesterday when I got there, it was a little crazy (okay, it was a lot of crazy) and there wasn’t really a good opportunity to discuss my job description. No one in the organization speaks English, so I was very grateful to have had a translator with me. One of the students at the university who is an English language major came with me to help interpret and get me situated. He ended up being extremely helpful… vital even, because I am really struggling with both languages I’m attempting to understand and speak. Eventually though, we figured out that I will be working at the organization three afternoons per week, and that I will be at another organization that IPDF is connected to two days out of the week. I will hopefully know more about my placement after this afternoon. I’m so excited about it, but it’s definitely going to be a challenge.

Some of the other students and I visited a café for the first time yesterday. We spent a long time there just talking and sipping our coffee/tea, adopting the Moroccan lifestyle. Moroccans live a much slower lifestyle than we do in America, and spend a lot more time appreciating each other’s company. It’s something I want to embrace as much as I can and really get to know the people I am meeting – both American and Moroccan. On a side note, I’m never going to be able to survive without Moroccan tea at home. I’m addicted already, and it’s only been three days. So. Good.

We also got a little tour of Meknes yesterday that was intended to orient us to the city and just made me more disoriented than I was before, if that’s even possible. So, yeah, there’s no hope for me there. But I did learn how to say “Aidez-moi, je suis perdu.” so all is well. I’m trying so hard to learn as much French and Darija as I can, but my brain is non responsive. I think there is too much English in there, and it does not want to share. Stupid American brain problems.

I guess this update is a little short, but hopefully there will be more to share with you all tonight. We will see!

Salaam alaykum.