Aminaville

(CAPTIONS: 1-View of town from the top of the hill behind my house. 2-The “tour guides” who hiked with us. 3-View of town halfway up the same hill. 4-View of the market area and mosque from my kitchen window. 5-Main street, lined with shops, homes, and cafes [for men], at dusk. 6-View of the “suburbs” from my kitchen window. 7-Ti leaves?! My site reminds me a bit of Kauai. 8-These irrigation channels run all through town.)

Located somewhere in the rolling foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Aminaville is so pleasant. We just missed the summer heat and aren’t high enough to get hail/snow (like some other sites). It’s perfect for me and my summer wardrobe. Red dirt, olive/pomegranate/lime trees, cacti with edible fruit, a river, farming plots, a gorge with a summertime swimming pool, and plenty of hills to hike can be easily found. Although frogs and snails love my house, I have yet to see a cockroach or mouse.

People here, one rock-throwing incident aside, have been very friendly. Greetings are important. Some kids and women kiss my cheeks. Men sometimes shake my hand. People zip by on bikes, scooters, and donkeys. No marriage proposals or conversion attempts have been made, alhumdullah. The city is known for their delicate, handmade jellabas (more on that later) worn by the Moroccan king and other affluent people. There are potters and bakers, but no candlestick makers. Like most towns, there’s a hammam (public hot water baths); plenty of hanuts (little convenience stores); cafés where men drink tea and PSTs play cards; and merchants selling fresh meat, dried foods, spices, and produce. Amenity-wise, there’s wifi, cold yogurt drinks, plastic Christmas trees, and varieties of La Vache Qui Rit cheese. Trash and animal poop exist but are by no means overwhelming (compared to RIM). Kids playing in the streets can be overwhelming, but at least they are having fun.

There are five other PSTs in Aminaville with me, and I think we are a pretty awesome group. I learn a lot, laugh a lot, and eat a lot. There’s also another CBT group in the boonies of our town. Both of our groups are learning Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect. Three other SBD groups are learning two dialects of Berber, Tashelhet and Tamazight. YD PCTs are in a completely different region, learning Darija and apparently, playing baseball. It will be really interesting when we come together again at the end of stage, and with the time flying by, it will be very soon.