Sean goofin' with the kids (he fit right in)!
DANCE PARTY!!!
Yeah for Spring Camp!!! Halla'!!!
Art class 101...the color wheel.
Sean and I and our Step Crew!!! Who let the dogs out!?! Apple bottom jeans....boots with the fur!!!!
A+ star student!
English word search...who knew they could be so intense?
...another dance party (drums and horns included)!
Em schoolin' the girls on the court (NOT!) :)
Just a small part of the crew...PEACE!
...I promise this was not staged...Peace Corps all the way...
The cool kids!
Art class!
Watch out kids...Spring Camp!!! Wow. 100 teenagers, nine volunteers, seven days, four languages and one too many Moroccan-drumming dance parties…it is good to be home, but what an amazing experience. Sean and I are back to the desert oasis after a whirlwind traveling extravaganza and a week long, early morning singing, late night game playing, intensive English immersion Spring Break camp. Needless to say, when we got home we showered, got into bed and didn't get up for a day and a half…life is certainly good.
Every spring the Moroccan Ministry of Youth and Sports "co-sponsors" a Spring Break English Immersion Camp in conjunction with the Peace Corps. In the past Youth Development (YD) volunteers were the only Peace Corps volunteers that could participate in the camps, but this year, the offer was extended to all volunteers across all sectors [Environment, Health, and Small Business Development (SBD)], so Sean and I gladly signed up and taught marketing, art and geography to the kids at the camp. Our experience was incredible…we came out alive, intact and with an entirely new appreciation for anyone who works with large groups of teenagers (especially boys)! Even though we were not able to always communicate effectively due to our lack of Darija, the universal language of fun, sports and dancing transcended the challenge of a shared language fluency and we connected on multiple levels; thank you Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Flo Rida, Michael Jordan, and who ever made up the silly Banana song.
So instead of going into detail, please enjoy the pictures and know that kids are kids all around the world, Muslim or not, girl or boy, short or tall, they all have insecurities, cell phones, cliques, great smiles and amazing rhythm! Thank you Oujda!!!
Peace and love to all!
~em
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