First two weeks at my host family's

  I would like to apologize for taking so long to write another blog entry, but this has been my first day back from my host family to the city of Fez so I am back reunited with my laptop and have some time now to let you know how things have been. Starting two weeks ago I began a two month stage of the Peace Corps called CBT, or Community Based Training. I am living in a town about forty five minutes from Fez in a town called Immouzare. It's a town of about 12,000 people and it's situated like a bowl within some beautiful hills and smaller mountains. Living with my family has been extremely rewarding and there's never a dull moment. My mother and father only speak Derija (Moroccan Arabic) and French. Beyond being able to say "WI!" for yes I know zero French and currently I have a pre-schooler's language ability with Derija so it's like being a child all over again. I have an 18 year old brother who loves to hang out with me and talk in his limited english and so we meet each other half way. I teach him English lessons in the evenings while he helps me with new words and phrases in Derija. The kid has a great sense of humor and loves american hip hop and so we connect on several levels. My host sister is twenty six and teaches at a grade school and has been an immense help for learning this new language. She has a slightly better understanding of english than I have of Derija and so I converse with her more than I do with any of the other members of the family.
  I can't believe the amount of food I am eating here. It feels weird to be in my family's house for more than an hour without a basket of fruit or freshly made bread being presented to me. After eating non stop imagine my surprise when I found out today that I have actually lost about six pounds in the last two weeks. The non sedentary life style here of the constant walks and the fresh foods and non processed meats and foods really help to come together to create a good lifestyle I feel. Plus getting good sleep and keeping a good sense of humor ;)
  It has been great feeling more integrated into my family here and getting to know the culture and language and the people. There is a great need here for helping with the youth among other issues and I am so excited to be able to do what I can here.