Scorpion Fishing

Step 1:

Pick one of these yellow flowers, leaving plenty of stem length. If you live near me, you should have no trouble finding one, as millions of them populate the landscape.


Step 2:
Find a scorpion den. They look like this. If you live near me, you should have no trouble finding one, as millions of them populate the landscape.


Step 3:
Insert the flower into the den until you feel it stop. Now gently pull. If you feel a slight resistance, it is likely you have "hooked" the scorpion, and he has pinched onto the flower with his pincers, as demonstrated and obscured by a twig in the out-of-focus photo below:


Step 4:
Pull back very gently so as not to break the stem, much as you would reel in a fish gently so as not to break the line. If all goes well you will have removed a freaking scorpion. Cool.


Step 5:
Quickly cover the entrance to the scorpion's den with a rock, as he will surely be eager to return, thus spoiling your enjoyment.

Step 6:
If you are male (and it is quite likely that you are), squat in the dirt with your friends and poke at the scorpion with a stick or your fingers. Watch how uses his tail to inject venom into anything you put in front of him.


Step 7:
Return to Step 1 and repeat.

This method is courtesy of my good friend Aziz, a scorpion-catching master. There was much squatting in the dirt the day he showed me this little trick. Please remember to keep your scorpion tormenting to a minimum.

PeaceWorks

This past weekend I traveled to Rabat in order to assist in the editing and assembling of PeaceWorks, a quarterly publication of Peace Corps Morocco-related news and volunteer-submitted essays, poetry, artwork, photographs recipes, and miscellaneous other stuff.

During training I was elected as my stage's editor, and last weekend was my first opportunity (of how many, I don't know) to take part in the process at the Peace Corps offices. I had not returned to Rabat since the day they bussed us over from the Casablanca airport. At the time we were like zombies, fatigued and disoriented from the jet lag and overload of new input, so it was nice to revisit the city with a clear head and a bit of perspective.

The actual composition of the issue itself consisted of two days' worth of sitting behind a computer doing basic editing, formatting, and layout of the submissions. It was considerably simpler and more laid-back than I had expected, likely due to the excellent company provided to me by the Volunteers I met over the course of my stay.

A stage of COSing (Completion Of Service-ing) PCVs was in town taking care of medical appointments, so due to that and a country-wide transportation strike, I opted to stay around after having finished work on PeaceWorks.

I've always enjoyed listening to what other PCVs have to say regarding their time spent in country. There are, naturally, a wide variety of experiences, opinions, and attitudes from them, ranging from jaded and disgruntled to bubbly and grateful. Positive or not, hearing of their experience is valuable and often comforting-- knowing that others are or have been in the same boat. Also, lots of juicy gossip and some wild stories.


Having no further agenda or obligations, I spent time wandering around the city with others, visiting the Tomb of Hassan II, Chellah (a beautiful area of Moroccan and Roman ruins and wild gardens populated by thousands of storks), the Oudaias Kasbah (an ocean-side neighborhood of narrow streets and blue and white painted houses), and the rocky coast. I squinted hard but still could not see America.

Getting out of site can be quite rejuvinating; every now and then a wave of isolation comes by and weirds you out for a little while, and a change in environment and some good company are often the cure. Rabat is a beautiful city; it definitely did me some good.


see some more pics here

Good While It Lasted

Due to some pretty severe budget cuts, we’ve received word that Peace Corps will no longer be active in Morocco as of next month. In lieu of a plane ticket home, those of us currently in service have been given the option to transfer to new locations where our skills and experience may be of use. Having opted to stay, I recently received word via anonymous phone call that I will be headed to Gytchi Smlaria, a small riverside village in central Africa accessible only by water ski. Peace Corps has generously provided me with documentation regarding small mammal-trapping methods, common deadly parasites, a comprehensive list of motivational phrases, and a can of DeepWoods OFF!®. I’m unclear as to what specifics my work at this future site will involve, but the mystery is what drives me. I'm sure that despite whatever challenges I may face in my community, the people will be welcoming, warm, and grateful for my vague intentions toward empowerment and sustainable development in their already quiet, peaceful lives. Here I come guys!!