Its official! This summer, I'll be coming to D.C. to represent PC Morocco at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. I'll be bringing two weavers from here in Morocco; one from the north, Fatima, and one from the south, Khadija. I'll be in D.C. from June 28th through July 12th. The festival is June 30th to July 4th and July 7th to 11th. The ladies will be demonstrating Moroccan weaving techniques outside on the mall. I'll be there to help translate and explain about weaving here in Morocco.
Its a huge honor and I'm really excited to be the PCV chosen to represent PC Morocco. I must admit, though, I am a bit nervous about the huge undertaking this trip will be. Neither of this women has traveled extensively. They come from small villages in rural Morocco. This trip will be the first time Khadija has been on a plane! (While Fatima took a short plane ride from Casablanca to Agadir, she's never been on a large jet like the one we'll be taking.) They both seem very excited and I hope that excitement helps them cope when faced with western toilets, strange American food, the 'nakedness' of American clothes when compared to Moroccan jellabas, etc. They are going to be constantly surprised by the strange things we'll be seeing/doing in D.C.
While both ladies have been taking a few English lessons these past few weeks, their knowledge is pretty basic. Besides 'My name is...' and 'I am from Morocco' they won't understand much of what's going on. That means they'll be relying on me 100% for translations in addition to explanations of what's going on. I'm both excited and nervous about doing all that. I have a feeling I'm going to be exhausted at the end of each day, but it'll be worth it. What an amazing opportunity for all of us! How cool is it that I'll be the one helping introduce them to all of these new things?!? I'm going to do my best to help them make the most of their two weeks in America. Our two days off will be jam packed with site-seeing, eating at different ethnic restaurants, and riding the metro (one of the women has never been on a train; neither have ever been on a metro.) Many RPCVs are going to be joining us, including the RPCVs from Fatima and Khadija's villages. Its going to be so much fun! If you are in the D.C. area, please stop by to see us at the fair.
Here is the website for the Folklife Festival - http://www.festival.si.edu/
And here are the news articles about me being in the festival with Fatima and Khadija :) I've never been in the paper before....
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/deb-peterson/article_73f9aed8-9b88-11e0-8e4e-001a4bcf6878.html
http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=about.fiftieth.folklife
I'll have my computer with me, so I'll have email access. If anyone needs more information about visiting us at the fair, or setting up a time to see Fatima/Khadija in the evening, please email me :)
Its a huge honor and I'm really excited to be the PCV chosen to represent PC Morocco. I must admit, though, I am a bit nervous about the huge undertaking this trip will be. Neither of this women has traveled extensively. They come from small villages in rural Morocco. This trip will be the first time Khadija has been on a plane! (While Fatima took a short plane ride from Casablanca to Agadir, she's never been on a large jet like the one we'll be taking.) They both seem very excited and I hope that excitement helps them cope when faced with western toilets, strange American food, the 'nakedness' of American clothes when compared to Moroccan jellabas, etc. They are going to be constantly surprised by the strange things we'll be seeing/doing in D.C.
While both ladies have been taking a few English lessons these past few weeks, their knowledge is pretty basic. Besides 'My name is...' and 'I am from Morocco' they won't understand much of what's going on. That means they'll be relying on me 100% for translations in addition to explanations of what's going on. I'm both excited and nervous about doing all that. I have a feeling I'm going to be exhausted at the end of each day, but it'll be worth it. What an amazing opportunity for all of us! How cool is it that I'll be the one helping introduce them to all of these new things?!? I'm going to do my best to help them make the most of their two weeks in America. Our two days off will be jam packed with site-seeing, eating at different ethnic restaurants, and riding the metro (one of the women has never been on a train; neither have ever been on a metro.) Many RPCVs are going to be joining us, including the RPCVs from Fatima and Khadija's villages. Its going to be so much fun! If you are in the D.C. area, please stop by to see us at the fair.
Here is the website for the Folklife Festival - http://www.festival.si.edu/
And here are the news articles about me being in the festival with Fatima and Khadija :) I've never been in the paper before....
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/deb-peterson/article_73f9aed8-9b88-11e0-8e4e-001a4bcf6878.html
http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=about.fiftieth.folklife
I'll have my computer with me, so I'll have email access. If anyone needs more information about visiting us at the fair, or setting up a time to see Fatima/Khadija in the evening, please email me :)
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool! I'm sure it will be a great experience for all of you!
Love,
\/m/