Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Salima Anjar
Hello everyone, I hope that you read this blog and you are in the best condition.
On November 14, 2021, I received a call from CorpsAfrica/Maroc staff telling me that I would join my site in the following two days. At that moment, I felt mixed feelings – joy, fear, and enthusiasm. On the night of the 15th, I started packing my clothes and everything I would need in my new site. My mother prepared some sweets for the road so I would not feel hungry. I went to sleep and, in the morning, I said goodbye to my family and headed towards Asni. That was our first destination and where we would meet the staff.
The first person I met was Asmaa Berkia. When I saw her, I was so happy that I hugged her, then we took the double van to go to Ijjokak. As we got into the car to go to our host family’s we bid each other farewell and felt overwhelmed with longing. The staff started advising me to take good care of myself and to be responsible. When I heard that, I looked at Asmaa again and at Mr. Abdelaziz and started crying. We said goodbye to each other, and I entered the house of my host family, where there is no noise and no shouting. I just heard the murmuring of the valley’s water.
The host mother and her husband came to me, and we took the plunge together. When darkness fell, I went to sleep and felt a feeling of loneliness and nostalgia. I was waiting for tomorrow when I would meet my volunteer friends in the weekly market. When I met them, we had a great time and had a lot of fun, but soon it was time to leave. Honestly, I did not want to get back to my host family house. I said to myself, I am going to get bored and feel lonely again. That is indeed what happened. It was just me, my host father, my host mom and their 5-year-old child. At first, I had no one to talk to, but suddenly the granddaughter of the host father came to visit. When I saw her, I felt very comfortable. Fortunately, she spent the whole night with me. The next day all the good things started. I decided to go out for a walk to discover the village and meet the locals. While I was walking around, a woman invited me for a cup of coffee. It was delicious and I enjoyed talking to her. Her welcoming words, which were full of love, made me feel warm. I told myself that surely, I would like it here eventually. All I need is time to figure out all the beauty and the blessings in my sites.
I forgot to tell you about the 5 years old child, my cutest host brother. Abdul Samad, my little angel, is the child who often makes me smile because I see him every morning. I began to love him and treat him like my younger brother. Abdul Samad is more intelligent than adults are. He is only 5 years old, but he has the characteristics of sane people. He is smiling; his mother told me that when he gets up, he asks about me, saying, “Where is Salima?”
I admire his manners, as I admire my host family. They are so kind. They are treating me as if I were their daughter, and I treat them as my real family.
This is my short story from my first week at my site. Now, here I am after spending a month, saying what if my service ends? I will miss my village, the vibes, my host family and especially Abdul Samad.
