Monday, September 1, 2008

You know you're not in Kansas when...

Well, it is slowly creeping in. The realization that I have moved to a whole new place. Although I am (we all are) without boxes, I am doing my best to feel at home. One item I realized I did not need to get was an alarm clock. With the call to prayer from the mosque at the end of my block at about 5:20am quickly followed by the rooster, I figured why bother with the alarm clock! :)
Orientation with the full faculty was as busy as all orientations generally are. The entire faculty and staff here are such wonderful, helpful, friendly people. It's really a great community to be a part of.
One crazy thing to get used to is the fact that I have hired a housekeeper. She is so sweet and amazing. Now, I am all about taking care of myself, but when laundry has to be hand-washed, I am okay to let someone else help out. It was difficult for me to come to the conclusion to hire a housekeeper, but when it was presented to me as an opportunity to employ someone in a country that has (realistically) close to 60% unemployment, it is helping out a family. In my case, a single mother. My housekeeper, though, she is so sweet and wonderful. She comes to my apartment twice a week and will clean, do the laundry, and cook dinner for me on both nights. All of this for a minimal cost of 240 Dirhams, or $32 per week. Also, she will go to the market and buy food to cook for me. My first week with her was last week, and she cooked me the most amazing homemade feast! I had a delicious appetizer of cooked bell peppers with a thick, warm tomato salsa, followed by a huge salad with fresh vegetables, then a main course of something close to homemade beef stew, and for dessert, diced bananas and pears in fresh squeezed orange juice. At least we can all be sure I will be eating quite well. Needless to say, the meal was delicious and lasted for several meals. And when it comes to laundry, she not only hand washes all of my clothes, but irons them and puts them away. Such an amazing woman! I am so spoiled!! I am so not anywhere near Kansas!

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