A Beautiful Day

Smiling faces. Swinging hips, twirling hands, arms in the air, spinning, laughing, sweating.

Today was spent at the Aachoura Girls School, a cheerfully painted orphanage hidden behind a plain wooden door, lost in the medina.

The members of the Rotaract club arrived around 2:30pm to set up the tables, chairs, food buffet and portable speakers for the band. The girls mingled shyly in the courtyard until we invited them into the large open dinning hall, where they sat shyly at the table cloth covered tables. However, once the music started, the rotaractors pulled the adorable mis-match of young girls onto the dance floor and circles formed, hands joyfully joined together. We danced for at least an hour, singing along with the popular songs in Arabic and laughing with happiness. After the dancing we ate cake and pastries, and finished the day with happy goodbye kisses.

It was a beautiful day.

hiking and exploring the north country

January 8 2008

I basked on a tiled rooftop terrace today, over looking the ocean and crashing waves. The white sun was playfully dipping behind the puffs of cotton swabbed clouds and shivers prickled my arm hair each time she ducked out of sight. Happily she returned to share her warmth as I caught up on the world news and listened to the breeze whisper amongst the line-dried linens. Sometimes the world seems so far away from life in Rabat.

TWIN & NYC

I was so happy to get an idea of what Kevin's life is like in NYC. He is simply inspiring- as a friend, teacher, roommate... His apartment is beautiful, his roommates fun-filled, his city fast paced, his girlfriend sweeter than pie and his life non-stop go. I can't wait to get to travel with BOTH my brother in a few weeks!

ICP in NYC

After seeing the Gerda Taro and Robert Capa pictures in the International Center of Photography, I was blown away by the strength, beauty and emotion in their work. I was also struck by the stupidity of war. The pictures of civilians photographed in the morgue lay so life-like, with eyes focused on the camera, even as blood ran from their bodies like dark grape juice.

Jess Time in NYC!

Holland Christmas 2007

It is so luxurious being home for the holidays.

As I sit next to the fire, wrapped in a soft wool blanket, it is snowing heavily outside. I simply sit quietly, sipping my Chai and observe through to picture window as the world turns a lacy white.

The smell of pumpkin bread wafts out from the kitchen and I hear mom bustling around making pie and other tempting holiday goodies. My tummy reminds me that I haven’t yet had breakfast- I think I’ll wander over and see what’s cookin.