Updates

Despite the "waiting", time is actually progressing pretty quickly. Here are some life updates.

- Yesterday I was accepted to the Lewis and Clark School of Law in Portland, Oregon. Lewis and Clark has one of the best and most prestigious environmental law programs in the U.S. and has been my dream since I was just a wee-child interested in environmental law and policy. Frankly, I am just so happy they accepted me. I am still freaking out. Thanks to their kind acceptance of me, my Mom and I are flying to Portland exactly two days after I land in America from Morocco to do a school visit before the deposit deadline! This also means I get to see my newly-engaged and beautiful friend Brittany in Oregon. She has kindly volunteered to be our chauffeur around Portland! I am really looking forward to the trip, even though it's going to be a chaotic week. We are going to visit Indiana about 12 hours after we land from Portland!

- I recently got rid of my first bags of "stuff"! It seems like just a few days ago I was major-ly stressing about packing for Morocco and now, two years later, I am getting rid of ALL of my stuff. The thought of clearing out my fully stocked house has been stressing me out for a long time. I have accumulated a lot of stuff in two years, and I have to get rid of it ALL before I can board that plane to the good ole US of A. The good news is that my local counterpart Lahcen, and his family, were eager to take some clothes, blankets and trinkets off my hands. Despite me giving them three giant bags full of stuff, they still offered to take more as the time comes! I also got final word from my Host Mother in my original site that she wants my furniture and whatever is left before I leave for my host sister's pending marriage. The end of March I just have to call my truck-guy, Huessin, and he will take the rest of my stuff off my hands for me. At least I know all of my old stuff will be both appreciated and put to good use. I plan on coming back to America with a few souvenirs for myself, my computer, my Kindle and the clothes on my back, saa-fi (that's all).

- Our final work-related wrap up meeting happens this Thursday. I requested a small grant ($150) from the Mid-Missouri Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Association a few months ago to hold a "wrap-up" and sustainability meeting for all of the villages who have recently gotten running water thanks to Peace Corps. My site mate worked with three villages before I arrived and we worked on two together, totaling five new communities with running water. This meeting will focus on making sure the projects stay working and the bills get paid. I am hoping it will be a way to get people together and network making problem solving easier in the future, after we are gone. There will be certificates handed out, fancy cookies eaten and even some expensive juice. It should be fun and most importantly, symbolizes my last official work-event with Peace Corps.

- The person in charge of booking my flight home contacted me today, meaning it's really happening. A flight is getting booked. I will be in America no later than April 6th, 2012. My life-long dream of doing the Peace Corps will finally be completed!

- My coming home party date has officially been set. On Friday, April 13th all are welcome to my house in St. Louis to come and celebrate my glorious return to America. We will have good food and delicious drinks on hand! I am really looking forward to seeing everyone! If you want to come and didn't get my e-mail invite, shoot me an email at carastuckel@gmail.com

- I am on day seven of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and let me tell you, it's kicking my butt.

This is how I look after every-single-workout. I am a hot mess.

I will update again after our wrap-up and celebration party on Thursday!

The Waiting Time

My to-do list is about fifty items long and yet none of them can be checked off just yet. What an annoying and frustrating place to be in.

I am back from vacation, feeling excited and nervous about my last few months in Morocco. I have a lot to do here. I have a lot to do to prepare for coming home. Picking up my life, again, and starting from scratch seems daunting and nerve-wrecking, but I knew coming into this that one day it would end. Somedays that fact was the only thing that got me through.

So, for now, I wait. 

Dr. Suess, in all his genius, wrote in Oh the Places You Will Go about the "bad" time, the waiting time. He warned us that waiting is not a good place to be, and it can only lead to less-than-good things. I have headed his warning, but my options are few. I must wait.

I am waiting for the rest of my law school decisions, financial aid packages and information. I am waiting to close my service, pack up my house and leave Morocco for good. I am waiting, and counting the days until I am home again, sleeping my parent's house, eating my mother's delicious food and speaking English all day. I am waiting to pick a future life path. SO. MUCH. WAITING.

For now I pass my days running and reading, planning for my last work-related event. I cook and clean, surf the internet and Skype friends. I daydream about the new IPhone I will buy and the snazzy new clothes I will wear. I get lost thinking about the good times ahead. 

Our Close of Service Conference in Rabat is only four weeks away. While there is a lot to do, there is also very little. The ironies of my life are plentiful.

Only 72 days left in my service. Ten pounds in my weight loss journey. Six schools to hear back from. One more work event. 

Life is winding down so for now I enjoy the waiting, the idleness, because America will not be so kind to me, I fear.

"Rome"-ing Around

If Rome wasn't the most fun vacation I have ever had, I don't know what else is. Great company, great food and amazing sites, it was everything I wanted and more. Plus, as an added bonus, it wasn't freezing cold like I expected! 

I thought I would give you a picture recap instead of writing out everything we did. Let's just say we saw a lot, ate a lot, drank a lot and even got to see the Pope up close and personal. Rome was a blast.

This was day one, we were heading towards the Colosseum and ready to see some sights. Left to right: Danielle (my best friend), Claire (my sister) and Socorra (my fellow Moroccan Peace Corps Volunteer).

We were just so excited to see it up close and personal.

Myself, Claire and Danielle outside of the Colosseum. 

This is the place where the early emperor's of Rome sat, so I was pretending to be the emperor too!

Our first real Italian meal, complete with an awesome bottle of wine and Danielle's happy face.

This is the only picture we got of the four of us inside the Colosseum. It was just as big and awesome as you would expect it to be.

Inside St. Peter's Basilica, it's STUNNING. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

This was hands down the best meal we ate in Rome, and possibly the best thing I have ever eaten. It was a Roman-style pizza crust covered in olive oil and spices, then topped with fresh rocket, buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. YUMMY.

After we climbed 323 stairs to the top of St. Peter's Dome, this was our view. It was simply stunning to see all of Rome.

Danielle and I on top of St. Peter's Dome.

This was the next level down, where we rested and shopped after our tough climb up to the top of the dome.

Hands down the best gelato ever, right outside Vatican City's walls. It was SO YUMMY despite it being SO COLD outside.

The inside of the Pantheon. They call that "pillar" of light the largest single pillar in the world. That hole is 30 ft in diameter and the building has been around 2,000 years.

The best cup of coffee, ever. I know I have been saying that a lot on this post, but this is no lie. I have never had coffee like this, and probably never will again. It was amazing.

This is our "no smiling" Moroccan style picture at dinner on the last night. Also, Danielle and I are rocking our new shirts we got at the Gap in Rome!

This is the view from St. Peter's Dome of Vatican City. 

Danielle, Socorra and Claire making their wishes courtesy of the pennies Claire brought from America into the Trevi Fountain.

Claire and I in front of St. Peters Basilica, inside St. Peter's square.

This was our golden ticket, the one that got us into see the Pope!

Yes, we went back the next day for the same gelato. It was that good.

This is what happens when the wine is so good and there is a mirror in the elevator.

The guy in the middle, wearing white, is the Holy Father himself.

Claire and Danielle's Moroccan Adventure

A few months back I posted an open-invite to everyone who reads this blog that they were welcome and encouraged to come visit me in Morocco. Thankfully, Claire and Danielle took me up on this offer. 

The month of January has been good, to say the least. I am excited that 2012 is off to such a great start. After the finishing up of the project, and the transferring of money in early January, I began my mental and physical preparations for my sister, Claire and best friend, Danielle's arrival in Morocco!

They were here eight days, and we had a freaking blast! I think they would agree! Here is a recap of our trip.

Danielle and Claire arrived in the Marrakech airport! I was so excited to see them.

We spent the second day touring around Marrakech's markets (souks) and buying lots of fun scarves and gifts. 

On day three we headed to Agadir and even got tour the newly painted Agadir Zoo. 

The three of us standing in front of Atlantic Ocean in Agadir.

I just love this door to a mosque near the hotel we stay at in Agadir. It's so beautiful.

On the fourth day we took a trip out to the tiny villages which recently got running water thanks to a grant from USAID. We ended the evening with a traditional Moroccan dinner prepared by my counterpart's wife.

Claire and Danielle were the entertainment for the groups of women outside walking around. They just kept commenting on how beautiful Claire and Danielle were.

On Day six we headed up to Essaouira, a great beach town and spent the next days relaxing and eating Msmsns, a delicious Moroccan pastry.

Standing at the ramparts on the Atlantic Ocean in Essaouira.

Nina even came by and hung out with us!

On Day seven, Claire and Danielle got to ride camels. Claire was a little freaked out as the camel kneeled down!

The three of us and the camels.

Me and my camel friend.

The beautiful doors of Essaouira.

On day eight we headed to Rome. A post about the fun times we had in Rome will follow.

Only two-ish months left in Morocco!

Money Exchanged and a Card Recieved

From left to right: The President and Vice President of the Association Ikroma, Lahcen (our counterpart), the President of the Association Iganouin, myself and Sarah-Kate. We were celebrating the exchange of money and the official end of the water tower projects in the two villages!

The amazing selection of vegetables in Tiznit. I love all the colors and textures.

MY CARTE DE SEJOUR! Yes, it FINALLY came! After posting my crazy Gendarm story a few days ago, the card finally came and it's official, I am allowed to be here.

This morning I went to my favorite photo printing place in Tiznit to get some photos printed and some photos taken for the Gendarms to help speed up the process of my getting my identity card. The photographer told me I was looking particularly good and that I should take a picture in front of his new display. I obliged. This is the product. Happy new year to you too!