First post here

And I only have 5 minutes. After that, my group is going to a hip-hop dance battle outside Rabat. I found a flyer for it on the ground. Perfect. I figured out how to make a french keyboard into an english one but a couple keys like at symbol and exlamation mark do not work. So just imagine the enthusiasm. Really, it's all good. I've been at the cyber almost everyday but just no time to update though. I'm happy though, considering how abrupt all this is and how my life is in a state of constant change for an undetermined amount of time...

But, about Morocco. Here are some things:

1) My co-leaders are great. I can't imagine leading a program like this without other staffers to support you and hang out when kids go to bed. It's fun. Also they are helpful, and we are able to cover for eachother on little things. Many of the programs run with just one group leader and I think regardless of the country, that would be very hard.
2) My kids are great. I have 11 teen girls and so far they are doing a fantastic job of looking after one another, not forming clicks, being good students during all the orientation lectures, playing silly games, being responsible, etc. My co-leader's greatest strength is easily his previous experience in Morocco. Mine is my previous experience with youth, so what I've been primarily focusing on is group dynamics work. I am pretty much running the group like a cabin at Rowe, with some adjustments based on my work with teens in other environments. We do check in every night, although we switch up the style of it. They seem to really like it and it's a good way for me and Josh (co-leader) to keep tabs on how everyone is doing. I know there will inevitably be some rough patches throughout the program, but so far it's all going really well. Knock on wood.
3)Rabat was not as hot as I had expected but I hear Fez is the hottest. We go there next.
4) There are decorative tiles all over the place. I stopped by a tile shop and talked to the men who make them. They made me a tile heart with an H on it and gave me tea.
5) I've been to one arts market so far and its very cool but I'm holding out on buying since we have so much more to see and so many more places to go.
6)The men are agressive, but I feel okay so far. And am still talking to them because you can't live in a country and never talk to the people that are from it. Just walking and talking is the best way to get a feel for this place, I think.
7) In many ways, Morocco is different than Mali even though it is geographically pretty close. In some ways it's similar. More on that another time.
8) I wanted a list of ten but have to run. More later.
9) Love, Heather
10) Photos eventually.