Doris and I are in Germany!

Doris and I are in Germany for Elfriede's funeral tomorrow.  Tunuka is also here but the Peace Corps would not let Khadijah take leave to come to the funeral.  Doris and I would like to thank everyone for your support.  Elfriede was an incredible woman who lived a splendid life; she will be missed by her family and friends who love her very much.

Elfriede!

Elfriede, Doris' Mother, died this afternoon while Doris and I were on Skype with her and Moni, Doris' sister.  Doris and Moni were both able to speak with their Mother and told her how much they loved her and that it was alright for her to leave and joined Karl Heinz, her husband and their Father.   She had had a wonderful life and a family who loved her very much. Elfriede's death was a peaceful passing from this life to the next with both of her daughters there with her in her final moments.  Moni waited at the hospital with their Mother until Hubi and Christoph arrived with bouquets of flowers from their gardens.  Moni lighted candles and filled the room with light.  This is a sad day for the Herr family.

Update!

Nothing new on the status of Elfriede's medical condition.  They are still trying to get her back home to the Rosenhof. Doris will fly back to Germany on Thursday. Right now it is one step at a time.

Update on Doris' Mom!

Elfriede has stablized and her vital signs are strong.  She is still paralyzed from the chest down and it is doubtful that this will change or improve.  Doris and Moni are consulting with the Rosenhof, the assisted living facility where Elfriede lives, to see if she can come back there to live.  Moni's children are visting Elfriede now and according to Doris there is a lot of laughter.  Maybe a bad situation might not be an impossible situation and the possiblity of joy and happiness might still exist. Let's hope so.  If you can contact Doris by email or phone to give her emotional and moral support, I know that she would appreciate any support from friends and family. If she does not answer right away, please realize that she is now involved in taking care of her mother and may not have time until later to respond.

Doris is flying to Germany tonight!

I dropped Doris off at the airport in Fes and she caught the 7:35 pm flight to Frankfurt.  She should see her mother tomorrow.

Doris' Mom is in ICU!

Elfriede, Doris' Mom, is in ICU after complications from surgery.  Doris would appreciate any prayers, good thoughts or positive energy directed toward her recovery.  Right now there is no long term prognosis by the doctors so we don't know what the final outcome will be.  If you have a chance send Doris an email, please do - contact with family and friends is always important at a time like this. 

Sick in Ifrane and loving it!

Doris and I were both sick over the weekend. - just a bug.  Doris has already recovered but I am still lingering.  What I would give to be a young 58 again like Doris.  Other than this little bug our health has been incredibly good since we arrived in Morocco.  We take care to wash out fruit and vegetables but no more so than I would in the US.  We occasionally buy Moroccan "fast food" at the Marche without any ill effect. We buy our bread from the local Women's Cooperative which is sold hot and fresh from a cardboard box and wrapped in layers of cloth to keep the bread warm.  My favorite is the flat, round whole wheat bread.  There are no preservative and the bread is baked fresh everyday.  You can buy 2 loaves for 5 dirham which is about 60 cents.  Ifrane itself has an very healthy enviroment.  The air is dry and crisp - a touch of winter is already in the air.  There is no pollution - we sit on top of a  mountain in the middle of nowhere high above the nearest large cities - think Colorado or New Mexico.

Teaching has become less overwhelming - I actually have time to breath.  I enjoy the work but I am looking forward to time off for the holidays and at the end of the semester.  I am also looking forward to having summers off.  Work hard for 8 months and play for 4 - that's my idea of retirement.  I really enjoy the changing dynamic  of my interaction with the students.  After 29 years of handling claims, it is a breath of fresh air - much less stress.  Well, I have papers to grade and tests to prepare.  Hi ho! Hi ho! It's off to work I go!

Yom Kippur a time of reflection!

Yom Kippur is a time of reflection.  We review the past year of our life and try to right the wrongs that we have done.  I've always thought that to wait a year to say I'm sorry or to correct an injustice that I have done is a year too long.  I've always thought it better to spend the day reflecting on the importance of waking up every morning and trying to be a better person. I probably fail more than I succeed but it's a goal worth pursuing.   I want to thank my friends, my family and Doris for being role models on how to be a better person.  The people that touch our lives are the only truly important thing in life.  I like the fact that as a Jew I am judged by my actions and not my beliefs. I find so much of the bad done is life is motived by beliefs.  When beliefs are seen as more important than people, it is a recipe for disaster.  So on this rainy morning in Ifrane, Morocco I wish all my friend and family a thanks for sharing their lives with me.  I am incredibly lucky that y'all are on this journey with me.

Family and friends and Doris too! Oh my!

Not a day passes that I don't think about family and friends.  I check out Facebook every day and I see little snippets of their lives.  A comment on my blog or Facebook page from someone makes my day.  It is the small things each day that makes my life a joy. I must be getting old.  I have lost the anger of my youth, the cynicism and the need to be in someone's face at the drop of the hat.  I have Doris.  I have my friends.  I have my family.  These are "axis mundi" around which my life revolves.  Each day is a new adventure.  Each day is full of small moments of kindness, a momentary connection to another person, a smile, a soft word... I walk to and from work every day with Doris.  We walk and talk.  We enjoy the cool, crisp mountain air, the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the moment.  We enjoy the rhythm of life together.  We walk to the Marche in the evening and buy fresh bread.  We run into friends and chat for a moment. We spend much of our lives together and it is very good. I am lucky to be with Doris. She has made my life an adventure and a joy.

9/11 in Morocco!

Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of 9/11.  Living in a Morocco for a month has strengthened my conviction that 9/11 should not be associated with Islam but with extremism.  Extremism exists in all religions and ideologies.  You can't blame all Muslims for the acts of a few extremists.  Most Muslims are decent, kind people.  They deserve respect as human beings.  Let their actions as individuals determine the nature of their character - not the actions of a few fanatics.  There are extremists Jews and Christians.  There are ideological extremists.  When you demonized all Muslims for the actions of a few extremists, you dehumanize them and justify extremist retaliation against innocent people.  Look at what happened in Iraq.  On 9/11, I was surrounded by the kindness and compassion of the Moroccan people.  It was the perfect place to experience the 12th anniversary of 9/11.  It reminded me that compassion and understanding are the foundation of peace and not irrational hatred and distrust.

A right-wing Catholic priest lectures in Morocco!

I went to a lecture tonight at AUI.  A conservative, right-wing Catholic priest gave a lecture to a Muslim audience on the place of faith in education.  The lecture was professionally presented but it was factually flawed and historically inaccurate.  At one time, I would have started an argument or written a rant about the lecture but I just don't care anymore.  What's the point - it would not be a debate but a clash of ideologies?  I don't care about what people believe anymore; I prefer what they do. If you're a good person what does it matter what you believe.  If you're not a good person, what does it matter what you believe.  Religious or atheist - you can be an moral and ethical person.  It is not dependent on faith, belief or lack of either.  It is dependent on how you act and treat other people.  I will leave the debate of theology, ideology and other such nonsense to the true believers, the extemists and the fanatics.

Home again in Morocco!

After awhile the strange and exotic become familiar.  People are just people.  Strangers become friends and you're home again.

Rainy day in Ifrane!

I was up late last night trying to figure out how to use my google chrome better - I had a little dark chocolate rush going.   I use my computer in my classes and it would be helpful if I could perform more functions with it.  I will probably get a better laptop before the end of the year.  PC or Mac - it's a hard decision.

It's good that we arrived in the middle of the tourist season here in Ifrane.  We had to get used to the noice right away.  Now that the tourists have left the Irish bar just down the street has started to go full blast with the returning students and the noise is worse now than before.  But, since we are already used to the noise, it doesn't affect our sleep...much.   At night, it's like living in little "New York".

It has been raining since 2am.  We went to the souk and it was like walking in red gumbo.   Ifrane is like south Georgia and north Tallahassee.  It has that rich red dirt that sucks the shoes off your feet once you've had a good hard rain. We then caught the grand taxi to Azrou to pick up some bowls, olives and raisins. Now that the tourists have gone, there are no more olives at the souk.  Azrou is about 15 kilometers down the mountain from Ifrane.  There is a place where the taxi exits the forest and the trees disappear and you can see all the way to the High Atlas Mountains - it takes your breath away.  Doris will go back to Azrou in a few weeks with  Angela who is an old friend of Doris and buy some rugs for the terrazzo floors - they will be icy cold once winter really hits.  Even with the rain today the temperature dropped and there was a bit of winter in the air.

Right now it's about 7pm and I'm kicked back on the couch writing my blog.  Doris is upstaits working in her office. I have some tests to grade and some lesson plans to work up for next week but I think I will take a little "power nap" first.  Life is good here and getting better.  I'm starting to get a better feel for this teaching gig.  I found out recently that Morocco has a mandatory retirement age of 65 - three more years of full time employment and then boom! retired again.  I can still work part time (3/4 load) so it won't be too bad.  Maybe by then I will be ready to just kick back and relax...maybe sooner - who knows.  As long as I can hang with Doris I'm happy.  Life is always sooooo interesting when Doris is around.

L'shana tovah y'all from Morocco!

My first Rosh Hashanah in Morocco!  The closest synagogue is in Fes which is about 40 miles from Ifrane.  Since I have no connection to the Jewish community there and no transportation, I am spending the holiday at work and home.  I have not quite figured out how to be Jewish in Morocco yet.  Right now I'm just trying to adjust to a new job and a totally new life as an American ex-pat in Morocco - being able to emerse myself in work has help.  Also, interaction with 60 students makes feeling alone or isolated impossible.  I am amazed everyday how easy it is to connect with people here, especially my students.  Once you cease to see the "other" in people and see the common humanity that we all share, it can be a transformative experience.  Well, I'm tired.  As a Rosh Hashanah treat for myself tonight, I will get 8 hours sleep tonight. L'shana tovah, y'all!!!

Awake at 4 am and no place to go!

I've been up since 4 am preparing for classes.  I keep waiting for teaching to get easier but it just has not happened yet. I'm beginning to see daylight - metaphorically and literally.  I really enjoy teaching but I realize that it will always be a lot of work.  No matter how much I learn there will always be more to learn.  I also want to do right by the students - it is a constant motivation.  I keep thinking that I can always do it better. The hardest thing is to make the best teaching choices with the maximum results for the students.  I'm not very patient with myself - I want it all and I want it now. Ah, retirement!  It's so interesting. I'm working harder now than I did before I retired.

Life's is rolling on in Ifrane!

Life in rolling on in Ifrane.  Both Doris and I are busy and tired.  Lots of adjustments - new continent, new country, new culture, new jobs, new people and new expectations.  It's just a whole new world.  I'm trying to work my way out from under a learning curve.  I just found out that I can only work full-time in Morocco until I am 65 - after that I can only work part-time.  About the time I finally get this teaching gig down, I will have to retire again.  From speaking with other TEFFL teacher, there are many countries that won't employ TEFL teachers after 62 or 65.  It's late and time for bed.  Tomorrow is a new day.

The souk!

We went to the souk today with a friend - local farmer's maket. We bought - 1 medium melon, 1/2 kilo of grapes, 1 kilo of tomatos, 1 kilo of potatos, 1/2 kilo of green beans, 1 large bunch of cilantro, 1 large bunch of parsley, 1/2 dozen eggs, 1 kilo of apples, 1/2 kilo of zuchinni, 1/4 kilo of green peppers, 1 kilo of olives, 3 oz of black pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 large cucumbers and 1/2 kilo of onions - for $10.00. Most evenings we walk to the Marche and buy from the women's baking cooperative two round, flat loaves of whole wheat bread - still warm from the oven - this costs 5 dirham which is about 75 cents. At the Marche we can also buy a large hoe cake fresh off the griddle for 5 dirham - it's large enough for us to split on the way home - Moroccan fast food. Eating out is not as cheap as I thought it would be but eating in has exceeded my wildest expectations. Right now I have a large pot of lentil-barley-vegetable soup on...yummmm. Bon appetit.

Note: I copied and pasted this from my facebook - lazy person that I am - and it cut off the tails of some low hanging letters.  You can see it above in the word "copied" and "lazy" and "person".  Not sure what's up with the computer - must be a bad nano-hair day.