finally in Morocco!

I am now sitting in Hotel Chellah, using the computer the desk workers use. They have a couple computers for guests, but for right now aren't working. When I asked for them the girl said I could use this one. It's lunch time and we have about and hour and a half break before we continue with our sessions with the Peace Corps. I am very impressed with all the PC staff, in Philadelphia and here in Rabat, of which 3 are from the US and the rest are Moroccan. We have a group of doctors that has been giving us shots yesterday and today-cultural,safety, language, financial, librarians, etc people-- all very friendly and with wonderful sense of humor! I love this because what keeps me going in any transitional time is to be able to laugh. As we speak I am hearing the call to prayer from the nearby city-center mosque. This is what reminds me I am here, in Morocco- no it isn't a dream. If it were a dream though, it would be a beautiful one. The people are warm and friendly and beautiful. Yesterday I went out in the city a little bit- ok I confess it was only a few blocks from the hotel, but I felt it was an accomplishment. I went with one other friend and we asked some girls to show us how to get to a cybercafe. We had a little map that PC had given to us but in trying to follow it we realized that the street signs here are either too small or.. non existant. haha.. or maybe our jetlagged minds struggled with seeing the obvious. The girls ended up taking us to the cyber where I learned I did not remember much of the Darija I had learned earlier in the day, so I proceeded to find out that I do understand french and can actually communicate a little bit if I find my self in a situation where I need to communicate! I wore my djellaba, a long garment worn by many people in Morocco. I got some looks of curiosity but didn't feel laughed at which I was thankful for. I asked some of my new Moroccan friends who are with PC to tell me how it was percieved for a foreigner to wear Moroccan traditional dress and they said it was a compliment to people and that it made them happy to see an outsider enjoying and trying to adjust to them. In a week I will be moving in with a Moroccan family in the south of the country where I will be training also nearby. I am excited to learn to communicate!! It is when you can't talk to someone that you realize how much you value people, relationships, and knowing others! I had to laugh at myself... I saw my eagerness increase as I realized my limitedness. I think it's good! All the more! I will put a lot of effort into learning the language!!! Friday we take a bus to Ouarzazate (9 hours!) to the south, over the mountains. This will be where part of our training will take place. It's been nice to be with 59 other people (also Peace Corps trainees, like me) that have gone through a similar process while applying to the PC and anticipating the final arrival here in Morocco. It's easy to carry on conversations on things that interest me, a lot of these people have very interesting backgrounds, travel experiences, and similar mindsets about social development. I haven't eaten much Moroccan cuisine yet, as I am in the hotel, here, where things are very western. Soon... soon!... I will even be using turkish toiletes too!. I know, I know.. I should work my thigh muscles. :D . I am feeling a lot more rested, very excited, enjoying everything, etc etc. Hope to write more soon, and maybe even post pictures. If you have any specific questions about what I wrote, the PC, or have specific requests regarding what you would like me to post here please leave me a comment or write me an email. I will be back soon.. Insh Allah!!!