I have to make this blog quick because I have to leave soon for the orphanage. Yesterday went much smoother than monday since we knew some of the nurses already and what to expect from most of the people there. One of the boys likes to high five and clap a lot so I taught him how to pound it and blow it up hahah... A very necessary skill I'd say.
I got to spend a lot of time with a boy named Bader who is blind as well as mentally handicapped. He usually sits very still and straight up with his legs crossed like an indian so he usually looks like he's meditating. He has a huge puff of black curly hair on the top of his head and big pouty lips that he likes to make strange sounds with. When we go out to the courtyard he sits in this huge trampoline with someone almost the whole time so I went over with suannt (I miss-heard her name yesterday) to bounce with her and say hi to Bader.
After hanging out for a while Bader started flapping his arms like crazy so I took his hands to see if I could calm him down. This worked all to well because he grabbed my hands and proceeded to stand up! Jason, a volunteer who had been watching him most of the day said "now you've done it!" with a mocking grin on his face. Apparently when Bader takes both of someones hands he wants to walk, and by walk I mean run awkwardly in small circles on the trampoline. So we danced around for a while until he got tired and plopped down. A few minutes later he grabs both my hands AGAIN and starts doing the same, this repeated several times and I must say that it was a good work out! The last time he plopped down he made sure to keep track of where I sat down and scooted over next to me and then proceeded to move himself over and put himself on my lap! It almost knocked the wind out of me since Bader is about my size and age I would guess, but then I just had to laugh because of how silly it looked.
While we were in there, the gardener came to talk to me and asked if I was married. Then he proceeded to tell me that his friend is marrying an american girl in 4 weeks that he met online. He asked how long I would be in Morocco and how old I was then invited me to have tea with him and go to the beach after work. This was rather awkward since I didn't know if it would offend him to say no, but obviously it wouldn't be a good idea to accept! This also took place while I was running in circles with Bader so luckily I was able to play dumb, like i didn't understand what he was asking until a few minutes later we had to bring the kids inside *PHEW*! Later I found out that this guy has been going around telling all the girls they are beautiful.... mister suave ;D
When we returned home from the orphanage, I had lunch and went on a city tour with Khadija! She took us through the Medina and gave us some tips to get around easier. We also went to the Casbah which was built back in the 14th century (if I remember correctly... I should have taken notes!) It's a big walled garden with paths and fountains (very pretty!). People were just laying around enjoying the shade and taking a break from their day. Then we walked around some smaller streets which may have been a part of the casbah and found our way to a gorgeous view of the ocean and the beach! I really hope I get this picture posting problem figured out because I would love to post them here. Otherwise I'll just put them on a website or facebook and provide links.
When we returned I took a nap then worked out on our balcony. It's so relaxing because it's pretty private and nobody can see up there. It felt good :D Later on a group of us went to our favorite Tapas restaurant for dessert. The funniest part was when Jordan referred to his eyes as ovaries when he was trying to say ocular cavities or something. Therefore I had to use that as my title, it had us doubled over laughing for a good while!
I think we're going to have a lesson on Arabic now so I'll write again later about my day today!
*Bissous*
-Sarah-
The Casbah sounds so nice! Makes me wonder why Cheri don't like it. (old song by the Clash)
ReplyDeleteGREAT word pictures, Bear!
Hahah I actually had that song stuck in my head for like two days straight so I went and looked it up. Apparently it has quite an interesting meaning behind it!
ReplyDeleteHere's what I found: MG EXPERT REVIEW: After enduring five years as a cult act in the U.S., the Clash finally broke through on the U.S. charts with a Top Ten hit in the form of "Rock the Casbah." The lyrics, penned by Joe Strummer, were inspired by a news report of Iranians being flogged for the crime of owning a disco album and create an amusing fantasy where a disco-hating sharif is defied by everyone from the citizens to his own air force as he tries to stamp out "that crazy Casbah sound." The music lives up to the playful style of the lyrics with a rollicking melody that contrasts simple verse melodies that bounce up and down in a dance-friendly style with a shoutalong chorus that uses stuttered notes to create a punchy rhythm. The Clash's recording began as a short demo by Topper Headon consisting of a funky bass/drums vamp with some ticklish piano riffs on top. The rest of the band looped and remixed to it to a proper song length and fleshed it out with funky yet fiery electric guitar riffs, more percussion and an array of electronic sound effects. The result was a song that was tough enough for rock fans but rhythmic enough to appeal to dance music lovers. A combination of live exposure via a tour with the Who and a video on the then-new MTV network helped "Rock the Casbah" shoot to number eight on the U.S. pop charts. It remains a favorite on classic rock radio today and is frequently played by sarcastic disc jockeys whenever there is a military situation in the Middle East (example: it got a lot of airplay during the Persian Gulf War). - Donald A. Guarisco
I did not know that! (Kelsey already straightened me out on the Cheri/Sharif thing).
ReplyDeletehahah yeah I thought it was Sharia :P
ReplyDeleteGotta watch out for the middle-eastern men! Even 'back in the day' when I was in a folk-dance club in college up at CSU, I was asked to marry a guy whom I'd just met 2 minutes before, after a single dance! I spent quarter of an hour discussing and explaining American dating rituals and relationships to him, but really I think he was just treating it as a primer. I was watching and am pretty sure (from the look on her face) that he asked the next girl he danced with to marry him, too. ;)
ReplyDeleteHey, an afterthought here ... you might think about something I learned a long time ago. A lot of the physically and mentally challenged folks you meet are NOT actually mentally challenged.
ReplyDeleteWe TABs (Temporarily Able-Bodied) have a bad tendency to assume that, when it doesn't apply. Often, the mind is completely intact, in full, and any mental impairments exist as a result of the limitations their physical handicap has imposed on their experience, AND on how everyone around them has treated them.
I learned this the hard way when I helped out a guy in an ill-fitting suit, sitting slumped in a wheelchair, trying to use a 'talking board' to communicate with anyone in a crowd of people who were studiously ignoring him ... I talked with him slowly and eventually helped him get onto the right bus, but found myself filled with a sudden wash of deep pity for his situation, and I'm sure it showed involuntarily on my face at that moment. WHAT AN IDIOT I WAS: I learned I was a complete fool, when I recognized the guy on TV -- it had been Stephen Hawking. Lesson Learned.