housekeeping items

As usual, life is moving way too fast for me to experience, process, document, and record on this handy web log in a timely fashion.  So let me take a few minutes to catch up on some things that I haven't had a chance to write about yet (before I jump into my time in Morocco, which is really what is mostly on my mind). 

• I went to a yoga class.  Casual, right?  Except it was in a family friend's home studio, and ALL IN FRENCH.  Not so casual anymore.  I'm not exactly a yoga guru, but I love it, and I figured I could keep up by following the instructors so I was thrilled to go.  When I arrived, they greeted me with a smile, told me to take off my shoes, and handed me a mat.  The class began, and the very first thing the instructors (a husband and wife couple, by the way) said was close your eyes.  Well, there goes my last resort.  Either I learn French really quickly, or I look like a fool.  Not that that leaves me much of a choice.  But as we moved through the poses, I was able to follow along, and I managed to open my eyes every once and a while just to make sure I was not laying on the floor when everyone else was standing up, etc.  The instructors sporadically reminded us to close our eyes, which sounded like it was just part of their normal instructions but I'm fairly certain it was a personal reprimand.  I made it through though, and despite my increased anxiety while picturing myself as a water buffalo among gazelles, knowing that everyone could hear my food digesting in my stomach, and constantly opening my eyes and breaking my concentration, I think I actually managed to relax.  And after, they served us cups of steaming green tea, again with a smile and this time a kiss because we were friends now.  I reached a new personal record of awkward, but that didn't matter because it was a beautiful evening filled with beautiful people and a beautiful language I am really beginning to love.
• I planted currants.  One day I came home from class and saw Zia (my Italian host-aunt) outside working in her garden.  I literally sprinted over to her without even trying to hide my excitement, and found out that she was planting currants.  She let me help, I think because she felt bad telling me that she didn't really need help putting two sticks in the ground and then pouring a cup of water on them.  But she knew that it made my day, and I hope it's only the beginning of working in the garden with her. 
• I bought a 30 CHF winter hat at a music festival, which is the first hat I've ever purchased for myself and also the first music festival I've ever been to in Switzerland, and then they posted an artsy picture of me and my friend wearing them on the website. 
  
• Out of desperation, I finally asked Vita if oatmeal exists here and she said yes, but they usually just make it for the dog.  No judgement here though, so she bought some for me and laughs because I love it so much. 
• I listened to an awesome ragamuffin band in the train station play for 30 minutes and then found out they call themselves "Positive Monkeys." What a happy surprise.
• I went to an the house of the artisan-chocolatier Tristan and tasted Earl Grey chocolate with Bergamot
  
           
• I visited the WHO department for emergency risk management and humanitarian response, and then gave a presentation on it in French (just in case anyone was starting to wonder if I'm actually still in school)