I feel loved

I feel loved. I just got off the phone with my sweet, loving parents. First phone call from the states. I had given them the correct number yesterday over IM, but in the rush of a Friday afternoon they lost it. I was afraid that might happen, and was laying here in my bed praying that even if they couldn’t find the number, that somehow they would find a way to reach me. They had gone back in to work (on a Saturday) just to find my number and call me! How sweet is that? It was so good to hear a parent’s voice… just as if I was in Cincinnati, talking to them on my cell. It made the world seem smaller, the distance shorter, the separation from their world and mine not so unfathomable. We talked for over thirty minutes with Mom giving her helpful vitamins advice (I’m sitting in bed with a fever right now) and Dad recollecting his Peace Corps training experiences, compared to mine. They sound excited to come visit me, inspired by the beautiful landscape I’ve attempted to capture on my blog. Yeah!

As I mentioned, I am sick. But my many friends have all comforted and taken care of me. Jesse brought me mango juice, cookies and dark chocolate from town (my favorite snacks); Sara keeps popping her head in to make sure I’m okay; and Cory comes in to check on me regularly, fetching vitamins and bringing a plate of dinner. Andrea took my temperature multiple times in the middle of the night. My Peace Corps family is taking care of me.

On another note, we found out our Field Trip sites today. (I was actually already informed of mine, considering the Peace Corps volunteer I’m going to stay with sleeps two beds away and is a way cool girl.) Our site – Ain Chaib, of a 1000 people – is to the far south, near the Atlantic Coast. The two-day journey will require a night stay in Marakesh. Several groups will be heading that direction and sounds like party time for us! So excited. We might even get to go to the coast one day. My site-mates will be a good friend Lindsay and Julianna, one of my CBT site mates. I’m very excited to have more concentrated time to get to know Lindsay, she’s a sweetie. It is interesting to me the consternation that goes into both choosing sites for Trainees and the wish lists of the Trainees. One friend was quite in tears upon reporting her location. I think people are just a little pent up wondering where in Morocco they will be spending the next two years of their lives, and some people have specific reasons they really want particular locations, village sizes, environment, etc…understandably …considering that I could be plopped in the middle of a scorching (44C), parched desert or nestled in a mountain valley.