Bonjour!

Hello again! Things are going better here in Kenitra. Classes are great and the food and people are wonderful. We have explored some and shopped and eaten so many things. For Uli and I, it seems like we are just like a moroccan, while Oksana is thought to have been the American. I was invited over to one of my students houses, along with Uli (unfortunatly Oksana has been sick). It was wonderful food, with three different dishes. It was such a different experience, with eating with our hands and speaking, german, french, arabic, english and spanish with the family. As Uli and I walked it, the family did a double take because we were not what they excepted from an american. hahaha.. that is the theme for me here. Besides that I am enjoying my intermediate students immensly, while my beginning classes are a struggle. We have made lots of friends, from the office girls so people we meet all over Morocco. I am definatly going to miss this place when we leave. I hope everyone else is doing great! ~Alesha

Boston Kremes & Semi Frozen Rivers

Hey All Y'all, thought I'd post a few recent photos. Unfortunately I forgot my camera the last time I went to Dunkin Donuts, which was about a half hour ago, on my way home from indoor soccer (a tie game for the Chipmunks!), otherwise I would post a picture of those most delightful donuts that those of you outside of New England must be missing so dearly! They await your return... if you feel a photo of these pastries would lift your spirits let me know...



Looking out on the frozen CT River from Amy's Bakery

Carolina and Ayako at our home base in the Graduate Building Basement

Hmong Cultural Celebration! Emily, Amelia, Nancy, Yuki & Mystery Man (initials BL) with a touch of Hmong Style!

Icicles formed on my windows during our recent cooler weather (though still wondering when it will snow so I can get out the student activities sleds and bobsled it down the hill in front of Boyce house!)

buenas from the pure life

Winter? I scoff at you, Winter! Just some warm and steamy messages from the gals down in Costa Rica. Here is Arenal Volcano on a clear Sunday. I went to visit a friend who happened to be in Costa Rica (small world) around the same time I am. So we met up near the volcano on a clear day. Quite clear indeed. Look at her in all her glory!



A view from a fine dining establishment called Sarichi overlooking the Orosi Valley...We obviously paid for the view (all 7 bucks worth of our meal).

A Thursday night in San Pedro with familiar faces and two who aren't (Jeany and Carmen from El Salvador up front). These two mujeres are taking the TESOL course with us at El Invu. We were rowdy in there....

Chipmunks Winter Training

While all of you have been traveling around in different parts of the world, the remaining chipmunks are hard at work! We miss you and thought this pictures may give you good memories of the games and of the unique town of Brattleboro. I hope your internships are going well and keep posting all those wonderful pictures.


The bottom pictures are displaying a frozen Connecticut river, to me it was like seeing snow for the first time!

Boxer rebellion, or just thighs of relief?

I dropped the ball on this one. I meant to inform all ya'll New York interns, but I got preoccupied with Mexico.

My apologies.

January 13th, 2007: No Pants Subway Ride 2k7

Sushi w/ Salsa?

I knew Veracruz had a small Japanese restaurant around somewhere, but I’d nearly walked all the way to the beach before I stumbled upon the squat building with Kanji painted around all the windows. As I stepped into the nearly empty restaurant, a short and weathered old Mexican man stood up to greet me, “Buenas tardes.”

I thought for a moment and then muttered in Spanish, “Hablo Ingles?” In a split second, it occurred to me that I’d conjugated the verb wrong. The old man just waved me off and motioned for me to sit down.

Not exactly sure what to do or say next, I reached down to the nearest table and picked up a pair of chopsticks. The old Mexican man looked puzzled and said, “Hashi da.”

With renewed confidence and a gleam in my eye, I asked, “Nihongo hanasemasuka?”

“Un,” grunted the Mexican.

“Eto ne… Boku wa Eigo no sensei desu. Kyo no jyugyo de hashi tsukaitai. Moratemoii desuka?”

“Ii desu yo,” he said delightedly and gestured for me to take the chopsticks in my hand.

“Yon seto de ii desuka?”

“Ii yo,” the Mexican’s son said coming out of the back kitchen with a handful of chopsticks for me.

“Arigatogozaimashita,” I said with a bow as I backed out the door. “Shitsuraishimashita.”

As soon as I was back out on the street, I thought it was strange to meet a Mexican family that could speak Japanese.

Then, I began wondering what they thought. Some white boy pops in off the street, can’t speak a lick of Spanish, but in Japanese says he’s an English teacher and wants to use four sets of chopsticks in his class, and he pops back out.

Yeah, that might be a little odd. I smiled and hurried towards the bank. Now I needed to ask for $20 worth of coins.

looking at the seams

Life offers its wisdom generously. everything teaches. not everyone learns. Life asks of us the same thing we have been asked in every class: "Stay Awake." "Pay Attention." But paying attention is no simple matter. It requires us not to be distracted by expectations, past experiences, labels and masks. It asks that we not jump to early conclusions and that we remain open to surprise. Wisdom comes most easily to those who have the courage to embrace life without judgment and are willing to not know, sometimes for a long time. It requires us to be more fully and simply alive than we have been taught to be. It may require us to suffer. But ultimately we will be more than we were when we began. There is the seed of a greater wholeness in everyone.
-Rachel Naomi Remen, "My Grandfather's Blessings"

Carry on, friends...Nos vemos pronto, Shei

here are some pictures from the first couple of days in costa rica... the first two shots are from Alajuela, a city outside of San Jose. Carol and I meandered and sauntered and got lost a couple of times in this busy city. the next couple of shots are from El Invu de Penas Blancas, at the school. Rochelle and Carol are looking at chestnusts that have fallen from the tree. Our advisor Mary walking in at the perfect moment while i take a shot. the landscape shot was taken on our way to the school.

more to come in the next installment from Costa Rica....
pura vida!

Pics from Mexico

Here are some pictures from our first week in Veracruz, Mexico.




These are pictures from the the Anthropology Museum in Xalapa.

Hello from Kenitra!

Hello everyone! Everything is going great over here in Morocco. Today I learned how to wash my clothes by hand, which was very different. We have traveled to Rabat, twice already. We enjoyed it tramedously! We saw the Royal Palace and the Ocean, along with the markets and the grand Mosque. Today we start our first day of teaching. We teach 6 days a week, one class a day. We have a wonderful apartment, though some mishapes. I hope everyone is doing well. We all will post more, as things come along.

~Alesha, Uli, Oksana

Veracruz, Mexico

MATs in a bag

zany MATs after the last day of the semester... yes, there's a story here, it's called "bite the bag" and my ass was so sore the next day. hope you all are doing well!

A MAT Back in B-Boro

Well it is a sunny Sunday morning here in Brattleboro and just as when we dispersed in the middle of December, January has not made up it's mind if it is winter or spring (to everyone's surprise, no snow!) Though different from December there is a new spirit in the air, one of anticipation and adjustment as we start our praticums/internships and one of realizing how nomadic our SIT community is. I think often on the importance of community and truly appreciate the community that we created in the Fall. Now as I drive I-91 down to Amherst High School three days a week I will think about everyone stepping in to new communities, whether that be in Massachusetts or South Africa, and feel thankful that the richness and learning experiences we will gain in the next few months we will be able to share in person come the real Spring. Hope all are settling in to this next phase well!

the dolly lama

look closely...VERY closely: in the hand of the tallest woman there (right in the middle, Susan Berry) is a sacred doll....the lamb, the dolly lama. Mary Scholl, Susan, Rochelle, Carol, Elizabeth, and I are standing in the Spiral classroom of Centro Espiral Mana at the end of our workshop orientation. PURA VIDA! stay tuned for the next installment from Costa Rica....