We were in the modeling mood before work:
Today was really fun in spite of my fears. I was at the ladies' site all day, as were most of the Moroccan workers. Joey wants the roof on by Sat, gosh darn it! The others ran errands a lot, but my team was there most of the time. We could only get water (yay hmar hmuck), more bricks and wood, take nails out of wood (both are reused), and fetch and carry for the expert brick layers. It was awesome--we got to know the men better.
Y and his young brother M (15) both speak a little English, so between them, S, and our wee Arabic and charades, we communicated quite a bit. They are all such flirts. Haha! And show-offs--they had arm wrestling competitions for us, and then made us go. Amy beat me and Anna, and Anna beat Mustafa. :)
Y, J, and A built one whole wall today with bricks, cement, boards, and rebar. The bricks look and smell like terra cotta. We moved a LOT of bricks around. Let. Me. Tell. You.
We prepared with brick piles and wood supports:
Y starts his part of the wall:
The boys work hard:
Anna and Beth sift sand so it's very fine:
I hand bricks to the brick layers, with attitude and style:
Callie and I took tea back to Rashida and Fayeeda today. Rashida was at the doctor's office (we charade and baby-arabic-ed) because of a hurt back. Fayeeda told us about Hanan going to school in Ait Kameran someday, and that Fayeeda's dad died when she was about Hana's age. "Papas Hanan" (Hana's father) left them. :( I'm really encouraged by how much better communication is going--with them, the boys, and W and S at home.
Lunch was split pea soup (mmmm) and sardines. Like, whole, cooked, fish bodies. With guts and a head. The Moroccans devoured them, and I bravely ate one. It was ok...
Whole fishes:
How we ate every work site lunch, on the ground and with communal bowl and bread:
I used Sandy's "special tree" for the first time today. Yep, couldn't hold it all day. After the squatty potty, it wasn't that difficult.
Sandy had quite the time getting lunch to us! Joey drove the pickup, Dee sat in front, and Sandy sat in the back with a huge load of boards and the big tub of food and dishes. She was fine until...the hatch flew open while they were driving!! Sandy yelled to Joey, but he didn't hear her. She sprawled across the wood, holding to the truck with one hand and one foot, the wood with the other foot, and the food with her other hand, praying that the wood wouldn't slide and she wouldn't die and the food wouldn't spill. She drove by us yelling, and we laughed and yelled "GET A CAMERA!!!" It wasn't until she was down by the riverbed (Joey had to turn around) and saw Anna coming with tea from the ladies that she got Anna to stop Joey. She, the soup, and the wood arrived fully intact. :) Alhemdu Allah!
Sandy, perseveringly and precariously perched in the pickup:
Since work, I've been chillin', showered, washed some clothes (hand scrubby!), drank coffee at tea time, ate too many Bugel-like fried things and cookies with Nutella, and had fun repeating Arabic and Rifi words over and over with the gang of gals, S, W, and Dani. :) Lovely.
Notice my legs pre-shower--this is not tan line, this is dirt:
Clothes tiiime:
Tonight we shall eat and hopefully sleep early! I have a weird rash on my two forearms that started yesterday morning. It's either allergies (took Benadryl and Sandy gave me cortisone cream) or a heat rash. Hopefully...!
OH MAN. On the way home, Amy, Anna, Beth, Callie, Susanna, and I rode in the back of Joey's pickup (sans wood or food). IT was a BLAST! We stood up and blew in the wind and drank in the view. Mmmmm! Men waved, stared, and probably heckled (but we couldn't hear). Yep. We cause scenes wherever we go, man.
Toyota should pay us for this:
WELL, we had a lovely evening--unexpectedly so! I, on a whim, asked W to tie my scarf like they do. It looks good!! I loved it so much! Haha. Later, after dinner...
W and me:
(written June 9, 2009)
...Dani tried on her new jilaba and head scarf. Inspired, Amy asked S to tie hers, too. Soon, EVERY female in the house (except Miriam the baby, but yes Amal the 2 year old) was wearing a headscarf, tied expertly on by W or S. That's be...13 gals! We were so cute and took lots of pictures. :)
***Remember, there are lots more pictures from Al Hoceima here.***
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