Learning a Little about Morocco's Peace Corps

In October 1960, then-Senator John F. Kennedy spoke to students of the University of Michigan in a late-night speech that he described during its conclusion as the "longest short speech" he ever made.  In between its 2 am beginning and quick ending, the future president's message challenged future doctors and engineers to look at more than just individual financial stability; it prompted them to consider spending a couple of selfless years in support of their country, and the world.

Today, the Peace Corps marks this speech as its unofficial beginning, and since 1961 over 200,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in at least 130 countries to promote world peace and friendship by working through various specialties that include youth development, environment projects and health services, among many others.

The Peace Corps currently serves 77 countries through 8,600 volunteers, and a good number of them are in Morocco.  But this shouldn't be surprising.  According to the US Embassy in Rabat, Morocco "was among the first countries to invite the Peace Corps to assist in its development...in 1963."  


Throughout the nearly fifty years since, about 4,000 volunteers have served the Moroccan Kingdom, and a rough estimate has the number around 250 in country today working in four sectors: Environment, Health, Small Business Development and Youth Development.


Since my arrival in January, I've had the opportunity to meet and establish friendships with what seems like most of them.  Facebook, Super Bowl parties, Soccer matches (Go Barca!) and random encounters have put me in contact with some of the altruistic types that then-Senator Kennedy sought at that large Midwestern University so long ago.

Every time one of these meetings happens, I can't help but smile at the disparity between our organizations' differences and how pleasant each encounter always ends.   One's purpose is to fight and win wars, while the other's is to promote world peace and friendship.  Regardless, we seem to leave having enjoyed the conversation.

So, when my latest chance to sit down and learn about the Peace Corps arrived yesterday, I couldn't help but jump at the chance for some good conversation and see if the volunteers enjoy living in the middle-of-nowhere Morocco as much as I enjoyed the same for a few years in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Yesterday's opportunity came about as the result of some country-wide health awareness training in Rabat for all of Morocco's volunteers.  Accordingly, an old acquaintance, Aaron, whom I met during a trip to Demnate's "Happy Valley" gave a call and four of us met for a good dinner in the middle of town.

Juan, whom I met a couple nights before at a soccer match, and his girlfriend rounded out the attendees as well as the Peace Corps sectors.  To Aaron's Health, Juan added Youth Development and Jen, Environment. The only piece missing was Small Business Development and from what my three mates told me, that wouldn't be an issue soon.

As we chewed through medium-rare beef, a couple dishes of pasta and a large fish, the volunteers informed me that Moroccan Volunteers will soon shift from covering four sectors to just one: Youth Development.  In their opinion, the move seems to make sense because the one remaining sector will line up well with what Moroccans want and what volunteers can reasonably expect to give.

The English language tops the list, but youth services and organizational activities not covered in either of the Youth or Education Ministries round out some of the potential projects.  In my opinion, it appears that the organization is successfully moving towards this change if projects like "summer camp" and "spring camp" are indicative of the overall effort.


Each camp spans between a week and two and integrates a small number of rural children into a big-city environment.  Apparently, this summer's camp will be hosted by Essaouira, and each Youth Development volunteer can select a small number of kids from his or her regional area to participate.  For most of these kids, it's their first time away from home and the experience opens their imaginations to unseen opportunities.  


Though I have a lot to learn about the Youth Development sector and the different methods that Peace Corps Volunteers are able to improve it, the idea sounds like a good move because it focuses on education and community involvement.  Sifting through my licorice-tasting vegetables, I couldn't help but think back to my first trip to Iraq.  One of my areas was similar to what these volunteers see today: limited utilities, remotely located and subsequently cutoff from the government.


The biggest concern my Iraqi counterparts expressed was the lack of educational and communal activities available to their youth.  After driving around that border area in a convertible Humvee for a couple months, the roadside sites reflected those concerns.  Youth everywhere, doing nothing productive.  Not learning anything, caught in the remains of a depressive cycle where a powerful dictator kept his Kurdish minority weak.  


Though not a product of a situation that remotely resembles the state of affairs here in Morocco, the Iraqi people's desires seemed to reflect those of most Moroccans today.  Equally as opposing are our organizations, and its nice to hear that my new friends can focus most of their resources assisting their country's most valuable asset.  Good for the Peace Corps, and good luck to them.


Refocusing on my dinner mates' satisfied faces, we decided to part ways: the altruistic off to enjoy the spoils of the big city for one last evening, and the Soldier back to his apartment to behave himself and start looking up more about Kennedy's Peace Corps.

The Super Bowl Abroad

I was a bad student today.  Or - more appropriately - I wasn't a student today, as I skipped class in favor of nursing a slight hangover after watching last night's game at the Embassy's American Club in the over-sized Marine Corps villa.  It was a late night spent drinking and mingling with some of the embassy staff, Peace Corps volunteers, visiting military members, and various ex-pats who included students studying abroad and English teachers in Rabat.

The atmosphere was light but engaging, as individuals and small groups of friends branched out to meet others while catching glimpses of the game on the large flat-screen between conversation, games of pool, burgers, cigarettes and other activities while the Embassy's Marines played host, bartender and staff.

Conversations typically started with the standard introduction and brief reasons for being abroad.  Each shed a little light on our official and unofficial presence in this multi-cultural country.  Aside from the close game, meeting some of my fellow ex-pats was the highlight of the evening.  A few of my favorite personalities...

Doug, the flamboyant embassy staffer whose carefree demeanor shed a little light on his wealth of experience abroad and unflappable outlook of our host country and how we do business here.  After a brief conversation with him, one might be less inclined to view living and working in a foreign country from the romantic perspective of a tourist.  Though we didn't discuss much work, talking to him was a good reminder that foreign service never ends and visitors should be just as aware of a country's political climate as much as its historical landmarks and tourist sites.

Jason, the young Civil Service worker who just arrived to the embassy a few days ago from D.C.  Optimism and a sense of duty were evident in him, and it was refreshing to see that type of outlook from a non-military type.  Eager to learn and get involved, he made the rounds and finished the night as one of the more popular guests after not knowing anyone some five hours prior.

Libby, an embassy staffer who didn't wait ten minutes before she got a commitment out of me to be on her softball team in the spring.  Hopefully, I fair better than my last stint in my old man's softball game (when I went 0 - 4 and tripped over my shoelaces in the outfield, letting in a couple undeserved runs!).

Mary and her friend, Rajaa; English teacher (and her friend) who's been in country for more than a couple years but doesn't speak either Arabic or the local dialect.

Cat, Mark, Gary and a couple other undergrad exchange students who paid out of pocket to study abroad here in Rabat.  Each live with Moroccan families, and the similarities appeared to end there, as I got a different answer from each of them regarding their universities, goals and attitudes.  Good kids in all, and I appreciated the conversation with one of them that described me as a typical product of "America's bastard military industrial complex."  We did, however, eventually agree that despite our different backgrounds we both wanted the same thing out of our experiences here!

The Fellows, Brittney and Gina.  Both having finished their graduate programs and conducting research in the area, these two were a couple of gems.  From Brittney's apparent mastery of Darija to Gina's recent experience in Egypt during the beginning of the "revolution," I was all ears and came away from our talks with another reason to want to improve my language skills and understanding of political science.

Aaron and the Peace Corps (PC) crew.  I didn't know that Morocco had so many PC volunteers, but according to them, it's one of the largest PC populations in the world.  Given the country's rather modest size and population (~ California and 33 million), I didn't expect that.  Hearing of their rugged lives in the Berber mountains and the Rif (North Morocco), I was reminded of Afghanistan and and how good I have it here.

The Marines.  Though small in number, these guys are big in personality!  Assigned to guard the embassy (as it's only a Marine job), these men threw a heck of a party.  Further, before last night, I thought they were just randomly selected out of basic training to fill vacancies at the post.  I was wrong; according to them, they needed to volunteer, pass tests, interviews and follow-on training prior to being selected. The attrition rate is high, and only the best are selected.  Each of them fit the bill and reinforced my admiration for the Corps!

After all was said and done, the Pack rolled, Rodgers got his trophies and I returned to the apartment around 4:30 am, knowing that I wouldn't see Gaelle and Gwyneth in class today.