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Friends of Morocco Quarterly Newsletter July to September 2020??News from Morocco (compiled almost weekly by?Mhamed El Kadi?in Morocco)????8/29 Weekly News in review????8/15?Weekly News in Review????7/25?Weekly News in Review????7/11?Weekly News in Review????7/04?Weekly News in Review????6/27?Weekly News in Review????6/20?Weekly News in Review????6/06?Weekly News in Review????5/30?Weekly News in Review????5/23?Weekly News in Review????5/16?Weekly News in Review????5/09?Weekly News in Review????5/02?Weekly News in Review?? Peace Corps Connect to the Future. We’re bringing together members of the Peace Corps community around issues of racial injustice and climate change — to help shape our agenda for the future. We want to help reignite the work of Peace Corps around the world. So how do we do that, and make sure that Peace Corps — and our community — is the best that it can be? That includes all eight town halls and the global ideas summit we hosted in July. These will shape reports and recommendations in the weeks ahead — for the agency, our broader community, policymakers, and the American people.While we’re doing that work, here’s a brief document that we hope you’ll find useful: an executive summary of the summit. This includes overviews, quotes, and key takeaways from:Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen’s addressBig Ideas for the Peace Corps Community — highlights from the eight town hallsThree Host Country Perspectives on Peace CorpsA panel discussion with RPCVs on “From Ideas to Action: Re-Imagining the Future of the Peace Corps”NPCA Board Chair Maricarmen Smith-Martinez’s closing remarks — including: First and foremost, engage with us. Second, donate. Next, connect with the Affiliate Group Network. And finally, amplify our voice.The executive summary also includes links to videos of each segment of the summit — including Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick, M.D., announcing that the university is working with NPCA to host the 2021 Peace Corps Connect conference and the 60th anniversary of Peace Corps commemoration. And, for levity in tough times, some original songs performed by NPCA Board Member Katie Long. If you missed the summit or want to share ideas and inspiration from it,?here’s the video of the entire summit.??? WorldView Magazine: An Edition for Unprecedented Times The summer 2020 edition of WorldView magazine tells stories of global evacuation from every region where Peace Corps Volunteers served. And it captures their experience back home — amid pandemic, economic turmoil, and protests for racial justice. We hear from counterparts and country directors, parents and legislators, and from Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen the events that led to the decision to evacuate all Volunteers. There’s never been a crisis like this — so we set aside the standard playbook for the magazine. These are powerful stories in words and images, and we hope they’re seen far and wide. On page 28 Joshua Warzecha (2018-2020 Tata) writes of his evacuation experience. On page 32, counterpart Omar Lhamyani writes of his ten years of working with Peace Corps volunteers in the Zagora province. On page 33 Giovana Giraldo (2019-2000 Tazarine, Zagora) writes of her soccer experience in Tazarine and her relationship with Omar Lhamyani. On page 36, Sue Dwyer, Country Director Morocco (2017 to present) writes of managing the evacuation and planning for reinstatement. Read the entire magazine for free now in the WorldView app. Here’s how:STEP 1 - Create an account:?Click here?and create a login name and password. Use the code?DIGITAL2020?to get it free.STEP 2 - Get the app:?For viewing the magazine on a phone or tablet, go to the App Store/Google Play and search for?“WorldView magazine”?and download the app. Or?view the magazine on a laptop/desktop here. The print magazine is in the mail. If you’d like additional copies for yourself or sent to someone else, contact NPCA. The NPCA small but dedicated team is posting stories online, and you can read and share some of them here. Past issues of the Magazine are available on Issuu at ’s Borders Remain Closed to Non-Citizens, Non-Residents by Morocco World NewsMorocco reopened borders on July 15 only for Moroccans, foreign residents living in Morocco, and their families. Since July 15, Morocco has operated special flights to return Moroccan citizens and residents stranded abroad. The exceptional flights also serve to allow members of the Moroccan diaspora to travel to their countries of residence. Foreigners in Morocco are able to leave through the exceptional flights.?Morocco’s Overseas Security Advisor Service (OSAC) reiterated the same notice when Morocco approved a decree to extend the?state of emergency?until September 10. Morocco has been in a state of emergency since March 20 but suspended all international flights to and from the country on March 15.The decision was part of the country’s proactive approach to contain the spread of?COVID-19, and remains in place to date for the same reason. Morocco has recorded over 33,237 cases of?COVID-19?as of August 9.?The number of cases increased notably in recent weeks, with daily infections often exceeding 1,000. The death toll has hit 498, with the health ministry reporting more than a dozen new fatalities related to COVID-19 for several days in a row.??Virtual Educational Opportunities for Fall 2020My name is Colleen and I’m an RPCV from Morocco, 07-09 and Peace Corps Response Morocco 14-15. I’m now managing AMIDEAST’s study abroad programs in Morocco, and we are really excited about our online Middle East-North Africa program we’re putting together and wanted to share it with Friends of Morocco specifically! Beginning this fall, we will be offering virtual courses that can be taken as a full semester or as individual courses to fit students’ academic needs. All of our courses will also include virtual cultural exchange with faculty and students in the MENA region – many of our local and American staff are RPCVs or alumni of State Department-funded programs, so we have and continue to invest in meaningful cultural exchange, whether virtually or in-person. All courses are designed to foster collaboration among students onsite and in the virtual environment. Cultural exchange is embedded in each course and binds each program component together.Usually, we only have current university students enroll but because of the virtual nature of this program, we’re able to open it up to some others as well – including anyone who is a member of the NPCA (and all RPCVs and evacuees). There is a special reduced tuition for RPCVs and alumni of ECA programs, AND scholarships are available to all students, regardless of how many courses they take. We have and continue to work with life-long learners and believe that these courses would be a good match to be advertised with any life-long learning opportunities you may offer for your groups.You can find more information here: Daley | Education Abroad Program Manager or my colleague Rachel in DCAMIDEAST | Morocco 35, rue Jabal?Oukaimden |?Rabat, MoroccoPhone: +212 5 37 67 50 75?| Mobile: +212 6 79 99 93 83US Phone: +1 (202) 664-1757 | Website: ?? The High Atlas Foundation (HAF) is administering the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer program during the next three years, and we sincerely hope that you will give your needed and inspiring energy again to benefit families in Morocco. Cooperatives, associations, and education centers in Morocco require business planners and website designers, experts in irrigation and agroforestry, professionals in value-added processing and certifying organic, and those with real proficiency in achieving food safety and agricultural-related goals, from nurseries to the markets of Moroccan products.HAF’s program can support both short and long-term assignments (from two weeks to three months). It centers primarily in the regions of Marrakech, Oujda, and Beni Mellal, and is especially directed to the profound benefit of women and youth. Apply now, and join us in engaging with the Moroccan people, when time allows you and travel restrictions are liftedAchieving the potential of agricultural development in Morocco is a lasting action that can uplift all social dimensions—education, health, livelihoods, empowerment, and justice. Join us and give your time to assist the people of Morocco in achieving their best.??The Couscous Chronicles -- A Peace Corps Memoir?is now available on Amazon!Make movies in the Peace Corps? Richard Wallace did just that. Fresh out of college and packing his film production degree, he wanted to travel. In 1977, he joined the annual deployment of trainees to Morocco’s capital city of Rabat, learning French, some Arabic and the nuances of Islamic culture. Richard’s job post: a media team for the Ministry of Agriculture, producing training films and printed materials for farmers. Sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer with a new job to tackle, he was challenged to assimilate into the Moroccan way of life. Associations with his female roommate and co-worker, plus a steady parade of visitors, proved both entertaining and educational.?? This memoir relates the adventures a bunch of ambitious, curious and mostly dedicated twenty-somethings would experience, living and working among a population so unlike their own. For Richard, trips to many small towns expanded his impressions of his adopted home. The sights, the banter, the flavors of Morocco are vividly captured during Richard’s excursions. Highlighting his account are favorite memories recalled by volunteers in his 1977 class, all cherished personal examinations and life lessons – unforgettable moments – cemented in their minds. Richard’s memoir features a Foreword by Ambassador Paul J. Hare, who was the Peace Corps Country Director in Morocco at the time of his service, and who later served as the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia. The Couscous Chronicles delivers a lighthearted behind-the-scenes look at life in the Peace Corps, capturing volunteers’ efforts to make a contribution to one of America’s longstanding allies – as JFK’s ambassadors of peace.? ?ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Wallace volunteered with the Peace Corps, serving in Rabat, Morocco 1977 to 1979. He returned to the United States and, for the next 38 years, worked for a nonprofit trade organization representing lumber manufacturers. His career included producing many audiovisual programs, developing publications for the building trade and transitioning later to media and public relations work. He retired in 2017 and lives in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.??Video: Understanding Islam with George GorayebGeorge Gorayeb (Morocco TEFL 1971-73 Tetouan & Marrakesh) produced a video lecture called “Understanding Islam with George Gorayeb"?in 2017 for the Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Maryland. 1:15:39. It was just posted on Rick Steves' Travel website. It is also available on YouTube.Rick Steves, the TV travel show maker and author of many travel guidebooks to Europe, has been active on Public Broadcasting Stations across the U.S. for the past 20 years. Rick has over a half million Facebook followers and he is recommending the video to them. Because of Rick Steves' popularity and the power of his recommendations among his FaceBook followers,?this video has already garnered over 87,000 views in just a couple of weeks.Video: Understanding Islam with George Gorayeb | Rick Steves' EuropeIslam, which is practiced by a quarter of all people, is the fastest growing religion on earth. To learn more about the Muslim faith, Rick Steves recommends watching this simple and straight lecture about understanding Islam from George Gorayeb, an Arab-American-Christian and former Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco.??Sarah Chayes' New Book Examines 'Corruption In America'Sarah Chayes (1984-85 El Ksiba & Khemisset) writes in her new book,?that the United States is showing signs similar to some of the most corrupt countries in the world. Corruption, as Chayes sees it, is an operating system of sophisticated networks in which government officials, key private-sector interests, and out-and-out criminals interweave. Their main objective: not to serve the public but to maximize returns for network members.From the titans of America's Gilded Age (Carnegie, Rockefeller, J. P. Morgan, et al.) to the collapse of the stock market in 1929, the Great Depression and FDR's New Deal; from Joe Kennedy's years of banking, bootlegging, machine politics, and pursuit of infinite wealth, as well as the Kennedy presidency, to the deregulation of the Reagan Revolution, undermining the middle class and the unions; from the Clinton policies of political favors and personal enrichment to Trump's hydra-headed network of corruption, systematically undoing the Constitution and our laws, Chayes shows how corrupt systems are organized, how they enforce the rules so their crimes are covered legally, how they are overlooked and downplayed--shrugged off with a roll of the eyes--by the richer and better educated, how they become an overt principle determining the shape of our government, affecting all levels of society. NPR six minute interview?? See You in My Dreams:?A Daughter’s Journey with her Father through Dementia in Sonnets?Julie R. Dargis (Morocco 1984-87) Independently published 67 page May 2020$5.99 (Kindle); $9.99 (paperback)84121-32700Julie R. Dargis (Morocco 1984-87) works internationally, supporting refugees and local communities affected by war and natural disasters. Her first book,?Pit Stop in the Paris of Africa?(2013), is a collection of narrative essays and verse, highlighting the profound personal connections she experienced overseas. She is also the author of?White Moon in a Powder Blue Sky?(2016), a book of poetry that includes “thought experiments” on the nature of reality.?Borderland: An Exploration of States of Consciousness in New and Selected Sonnets?(2018) explores?how nature and science collide to create our collective consciousness. See You in My Dreams: A Daughter’s Journey with her Father through Dementia in Sonnets is Julie’s?fourth book.Dargis holds an M.A. in Education and Human Development from the Gorge Washington University in Washington, D.C., and a Ph.D. in Integral Health from the California Institute for Human Science, a research facility dedicated to the mind-body-spirit connection. ?? Julie Dargis wants your words of wisdom (Morocco) Jul 12 2020The last day of my Peace Corps training, I entered the main hallway of the high school where I had spent the past three months. Each day, Craig Storti, an RPCV, and the Director of our training in Morocco, had posted an inspirational quote. As I prepared to set off on an overnight bus to the southern town of Taroudant, I stood before the corkboard, pondering the last bit of advice that I would receive before my journey: “Always remember, no-one is going to look out for you out there, except for Jiminy Cricket. You can be as good a Volunteer or as bad a Volunteer as you want. And chances are, after two years, the way that you feel about your Peace Corps service will be the way that you feel about yourself.” Words, like an inner symphony, that still resonate with me today. Read MoreI am inviting all the readers of our RPCV community to be part of the initial research process by offering a link to a short survey on personal wellness. The average time commitment to complete the survey is no more than 5 minutes. You can find the survey here: r/9LKCK72?? Greg Emerson (Morocco 2002-05) currently volunteers with the New York City Peace Corps Association and hosts a storytelling podcast called?Peace Corps Stories: The Unofficial Podcast. The podcast is an unfiltered look at the toughest job you'll ever love. Each episode features true stories about the Peace Corps, told by returned volunteers reflecting on the thrilling highs, the debilitating lows, the near-death experiences and the crazy adventures that you may not hear about from the Peace Corps organization itself. Greg Emerson is a traveler and storyteller, having lived and worked in many countries across Europe and South America.?? 180+ Books: A Look at Moroccan Literature Available in EnglishArabLit Editor Nadia Ghanem surveys the twentieth- and twenty-first century Moroccan literature?available in English. The list is primarily literary works, understood as novels, short stories, plays, poetry, and memoirs. Essayistic nonfiction is included. The list is divided in four parts: a) novels, short stories, plays, b) poetry, c) memoirs/essays, and d) collective works. Each section is organized alphabetically by author, and works are listed by year of publication, with the latest coming first. The original language of the book is given in square brackets [AR= Arabic; EN=English; FR= French; SP= Spanish; TZT=Tamazight]. In the first section (novel, short stories, plays), the type of work is also indicated in square brackets. ?? Culture Vultures is an art and cultural organization that feasts on the bountiful expressions of art that are a part of everyday life in Morocco. This artist-run venture is based in the Northern Moroccan market town of Sefrou. Nestled in a small, ancient medina at the base of the Middle Atlas mountains and just outside the Imperial city of Fez, Culture Vultures is close to modernity and yet steeped in the rich and fascinating history of Morocco. Founded in 2009, Culture Vultures’ mission is to celebrate and facilitate local, national and international arts and offer immersive cross-cultural experiences. Our grassroots arts-focused projects, events, residency programs and tours are designed to connect the global with the local through a wide range artist expression.?? Mustapha Zemmouri alias Estevanico, first Moroccan explorer of the American continentFate will lead Mustapha Zemmouri, alias Estevanico, to Portugal, Spain and then to Florida as a slave.?From 1535, the Moroccan became famous as a "great healer" then "translator and guide" for an expedition to the Seven Cities of Gold in New Mexico.?History of the first Moroccan to set foot in North America. By Yassine Benargane for Published on?07/04/2017.?? National Archives Catalog has a wonderful 10-minute video called?The Peace Corps in Retrospect. The video contains 15 public service announcements (PSA) for the Peace Corps that date from the early 1960s to the early 1970s. The first PSA has JFK explaining that volunteers in the Peace Corps will “be serving a larger cause: the cause of freedom and the cause of a peaceful world.” The PSA focuses on the goal of working together to build something better not only for us now but for future generations.?Another PSA shows a college-age student entering a party of family friends who all congratulate him on his recent graduation. He is overwhelmed, thinking about what he will do in the future, and faces questions like “What’re you going to do now, son? I mean with your life.” That existential dread of thinking about your future is overwhelming. The PSA ends with a voice-over stating, “There’s time enough to start a good career, but first find out something about life. If you don’t, you may never learn that money isn’t the only thing in it.”??? Friends of Morocco in web site migrationCreation of and migration to the new Friends of Morocco website has started. The beta site is now in draft and under construction. For the moment, the existing Friends of Morocco web site at will be the most current. After pertinent content is migrated, the URL will be re-directed. The existing site will become an archive site. Consultant for the project is Johnny Graces, a RPCV (Jordan 2009-2012) and web designer and developer based in NYC and who has worked for startups and non-profits across various platforms (Wordpress, Shopify, and SilkStart). His work was underwritten by a donation from a FOM member. Bad links and expired content remain to be updated prior to migration. Volunteers are needed to speed the work on sections such as restaurants, recipes, links, souq, and yellow pages. ?? The Friends of Morocco web page Learn Moroccan Arabic is a compedium of resources, including Peace Corps Morocco publications, also includes Tashlheet and Tamazight resources. In updating the web page, we have identified additional resoures which we call to yoour attention. ????Speak Moroccan, your ultimate resource to learn Moroccan Arabic online. Our goal is to help you learn Moroccan Darija, i.e. the Arabic dialect spoken in Morocco. Here you'll find a diversified set of free Moroccan Arabic materials and other resources.????Facebook Group Interactive Darija For English Speakers. A fun, interactive way to help you learn the basics of Darija. Soon you will speak better, understand more and eventually be able to converse easily. The group is created and managed by a university graduate who majored in linguistics and has an 8-year experience of teaching both English and Darija.????Moroccan Arabic For Foreigners Complete Online Course. Listen, Practice and Speak Moroccan Arabic language from beginner to advanced with an online professional teacher. A Udemy coourse. This course includes:8 hours on-demand video3 articles20 downloadable resourcesFull lifetime accessAccess on mobile and TVCertificate of completion????YouTube search results for Darija Arabic?? Friends of Morocco ReunionsThree Memorial Day weekend FOM reunions were canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 50th Anniversary Reunion for volunteers starting service 1969 to 1971 has been postponed to September 2021 still in Washington, DC. Details at the Facebook group 1970 Peace Corps Morocco. 1988 volunteers reunion was canceled to a possible later date TBD but had a very successful Zoom happy hour subsequent to the decision. Peace Corps Morocco Reunion. Summer of 86 Staj and friends was similarily canceled. The NPCA Peace Corps Connect 2020 Conference with support from the NPCA group SEAPAX scheduled for July 16-18 was canceled. Planning for the September 2021 conference in Washington, D.C. is already underway as part of the broarder celebration of Peace Corps’ 60th anniversary. Friends of Morocco has an almost complete database of volunteers who have served in Morocco since 1962 based on 1) Freedom of Information requests to Peace Corps, which is bound to provide name (first, MI and last) and SOS and COS dates by country of service 2) data sharing with the NPCA and 3) more than 30 years of correspondence from FOM functioning. This information can facilitate Year of Service (YOS) reunions. For many, however, we do not have current contact information (email, mailing address, or phone numbers) but this could be rectified by YOS contact volunteers with a little effort with Facebook, LinkedIn, USPhonebook, internet searching and networking . Contact timresch@ if you would like to accept this challenge for your year of service . ?? In Memoriam:? ????John Paulas, a.k.a. “Africa John” of Goldendale, Washington (Boured 1968-71) suffered a massive heart attack and died on Friday, August 21, 2020. Born in 1946, John grew up in Chatham and later Fredon Twp., New Jersey. He was a 1965 graduate of Newton High School. John graduated with an associate degree in forestry from Paul Smith’s College of Saranac Lake, N.Y. in 1968. In the fall of 1968 John entered the training program for the Peace Corps. He served as a volunteer and later as a coordinator of training in Tangiers, Morocco for 12 years. During those years John became interested in buying and selling Moroccan rugs and learning about Neolithic trade beads.John also worked in several north African (Saharan) countries under the guise of the U.S.A.I.D. (Agency for International Development) and the United Nations for about 20 years. He was sent in as the project coordinator for special environmental programs in Chad, Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Sudan, and Somalia. John returned to the U.S. in the 1990’s and began his business, “Africa John’s Handmade Stone Beads.” He was often seen selling and demonstrating his methods at rock and gem shows throughout Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and New Mexico. In the early 2000’s, John settled in Goldendale, Washington. ????Carolyn Hoke?“Jill”?Johnson?(Philippines 1970-72; Peace Corps Staff Cameroon 1990-91, Morocco 1993, Central African Republic) 4/3/41 to 5/21/20In 1965, Jill volunteered with U.S. Army Special Services and spent a year in Korea. She returned to California and then, in 1967, volunteered again with Special Services in Vietnam. She was in country during the Tet Offensive in 1968. Jill returned from Vietnam in 1968 and married Lane Wolcott Johnson, of Salem, Ore., on Sept. 4, 1968. Jill and Lane were married over 30 years. Together they joined the U.S. Peace Corps, serving in the Philippines from 1970 to 1972. The two spent five years in the Philippines and their two children were born there in 1971 and 1974. They returned to the United States in 1976 settling in Wisconsin. In 1980, the family moved to Shelton, Wash., where Jill taught ESL to southeast Asian refugees and Lane started private practice as a family physician. Jill also worked as a community health educator for Planned Parenthood. In 1989, the family (minus Philip) moved to Cameroon, West Africa where Lane was a Peace Corps Medical Officer and Jill worked for the United Nations Development Fund and CARE Cameroon. Jill also served as a training coordinator for a group of volunteers evacuated during a coup in neighboring Chad. This led her to serve as a Peace Corps training director in Morocco, the Central African Republic, and the Solomon Islands.????Sophie Klausner Zermuehlen?(1983-85), 5/7/20Sophie Klausner Zermuehlen passed away on Thursday, May 7, 2020 at the age of 86. She was born on August 17, 1933 on a farm in Bavaria, Germany to Wolfgang and Sophie (Hofmann) Klausner. She was the oldest of seven children. A Brittingham Scholarship brought her to Madison, Wis. where she met Don Zermuehlen, who two years after she returned to Germany, followed her, and brought her back as his wife. Don and Sophie were married in 1958, and their three sons, George, Hans, and Franz, were born while they lived in Two Rivers, Wis.?When the children started school, Sophie also returned to school and finished her first BA in English and then an MA in German. She started teaching in the Madison Public Schools in 1975 and continued until her retirement in 1998 with a two-year break in which she spent as a Peace Corps. Volunteer in Morocco as an English teacher (“with a German accent”). After her retirement, Sophie became a student again and continued to be for over 21 years, auditing one class at the UW each semester, until ill health prevented her from continuing to do so.????Rosemary L. Andrews, (1972-74) 5/16/20Rosemary L. Andrews, 69, of Lakewood, N.Y., died Saturday, May 16, 2020, in her home. Rosemary was born Aug. 3, 1950, in Dunkirk, N.Y., the daughter of the late Louis and Margaret Benenati Leone, and was a 1968 graduate of Dunkirk High School. In 1972, she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from SUNY Oswego. She then earned her masters degree in public administration from Kent State University, School of Management in 1984, and Masters of Science Education Counseling and New York State Guidance Certificate from St. Bonaventure University in 1991. Rosemary received her Advanced Certificate of Specialization in Counseling Psychology for School Counselor from St. Bonaventure in 1995 and Advanced Certificate in School Administration/ Supervisor from SUNY Fredonia in 2002.Rosemary’s work experience began as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language for the Peace Corps in Morocco, North Africa. From 1974-75 she worked in claims adjudication for the Veteran’s Administration in Buffalo, followed by two years as director of the Westfield Day Care Center. She served as assistant director of the Economic Opportunity Council in Warren, Pa., from 1985-86 and Director of Recreation of the Busti-Lakewood Recreation Center from 1986-90. Rosemary was then a guidance counselor at Chautauqua Lake Central School from 1991 to 2005 and served as high school principal from 2005 until her retirement in 2011.????Susan Kelley-Almeida?(1986-88), 5/11/20Susan Kelley-Almeida, 55, known to her coworkers and diners as "Chef Susan," passed away at her home on May 11, 2020. She loved cooking for others and seeing them enjoy her food. She was a talented and creative chef who fed many Cincinnatians, most recently at Cincinnati Financial. She also worked at Luxotica in Mason, Ohio, Ivy Hills Country Club, and Chateau Pomije. She and her chef husband, Jose Almeida (deceased 2018), started a gourmet sausage company and could be seen at their sausage booth at the Hyde Park Farmers' Market for several years. Susan Marie Kelley-Almeida was born in Quincy, Massachusetts. She attended grade school and high school in Toledo, Ohio, and held a BA in English from the University of Cincinnati. After college, she served in the Peace Corps, and was assigned to Morocco. After returning to Cincinnati, Susan attended the Greater Cincinnati Culinary Arts Academy and then started her chef career.?????Norm McCarthy, (2001-03) 5/10/20Top of FormBottom of FormNorm McCarthy of Yakima died May 10, 2020 at Cottage in the Meadow. He was born in Portland, Oregon October 6, 1943. He lived in Vale, Oregon and Seattle before coming to Yakima where he graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1963. He attended St. Martin’s College for a year and then served two years in the U.S. Army. He attended YVC and went on to earn a B.A from CWU. The first two years of his career he was a probation officer and then the rest of his career was at Roche Fruit Company. After retirement JoAnn and Norm served two years in the Peace Corps in Ouarzazate, Morocco. After returning they traveled in their motor home in the Western U.S. He loved to travel and did trips to Hawaii, Mexico, Europe, and South America. He loved the Oregon Coast and has a second home in Yachats, Oregon.????Cornelia Schlotter?(1966-68), 4/26/20On April 26, 2020 at the age of 84, of Collingswood, NJ, former longtime resident of Westmont, NJ.?Born January 8, 1936 in Bethlehem, PA, she was the only child of Ellwood and Madeline Schlotter. Corny graduated from Moravian College in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science and later earned her MS at Temple University.? In 1966 she joined the Peace Corps spending two years in Ouarzazate, Morocco.? The majority of her career was in medical research at Temple University's Medical school.? She was an honored member of the Master Gardeners of Rutgers Cooperative Extension where she proudly wore her name tag with the title "Chief Bug Person" recognizing her knowledge of insects.? Corny's needle point creations won awards at numerous fairs and together with her late housemate, Marcella Kimmick, lovingly adopted several rescue dogs over their years together.???Portrait: Reflections on Omar Himmi of Toubkal, MoroccoRecently, I had a moment of self-reflection brought about by the passing of someone who made a difference in the trajectory of my life. Years ago, I lived in the home of Omar Himmi Ait Omrar in the village of Amsouzerte in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Sharing stories about those two years (1993-1995) living in Omar’s home and what followed, those stories of life, may be meaningful to others. Dr.Yossef Ben-Meir is a sociologist and President of the High Atlas Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to sustainable development in Morocco. High Atlas Foundation can be found in Marrakesh, New York and on? in The North Africa Journal July 14, 2020.?? Sarah Rupert memorializes friend Si Mohammed(Editor note: pulled from a Facebook posting but it captures the relationships that can develop in Peace Corps)My friend Si Mohammed passed away yesterday. Si Mohammed was one of my first friends in Bounaamane. Our paths crossed at the Dar Taliba, where he was the guard. I often taught after dark, so he would walk me home in the evenings. He loved to tell me about his children and grandchildren, and he treated me like one of them — asking about my health and family, giving me tea and hard boiled eggs, and scolding me if I tried to walk home at night alone. His constant companion was a black and white cat outside the Dar Taliba — he was loving towards her and protective of her. Last fall, my classroom moved to the library adjacent to the Dar Taliba, which required a different set of keys. After class ended, I always — without fail — had trouble locking the door. We developed a routine: he’d let me struggle with the lock until we determined once again that I wasn’t going to get it, we’d both laugh as I handed over the keys, and he’d have the door locked within moments. After that, we’d walk back to the Dar Taliba together for dinner before he walked me home. In the disruption to life that was (and remains) COVID-19, there were so many goodbyes I didn’t get to say, and so much gratitude that I didn’t get to properly express. He was a wonderful father, grandfather, and friend to all. Si Mohammed’s death is a loss for the Dar Taliba and for Bounaamane — he will be dearly missed.?? Vote From Abroad is a non-partisan platform that helps US citizens vote from abroad by producing the necessary Federal forms. In using this site, only the information necessary for filling out Federal forms related to voting as US citizen overseas is collected. Vote from Abroad has one goal - to make sure every US citizen abroad has the information and tool you need to easily vote from abroad. By using our online tool you are able to generate and send to your local election office in the States a Federal Postcard Application which notifies your local officials that you are abroad and that you’d like to vote in this calendar year. We provide assistance to voters who are US citizens living outside the US, and to members of the military and merchant marines, as well as their families. We help voters request their ballots in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the territories. Public Service provided by Democratic Party Committee Abroad ().?? Friends of Morocco and the National Peace Corps Association are dues-free One can join NPCA and Friends of Morocco at the NPCA membership page. Membership in the NPCA is?complimentary for everyone in the Peace Corps community – serving Peace Corps Volunteers, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current Peace Corps staff, former Peace Corps staff, host country nationals and anyone who shares Peace Corps ideals, so long as we have accurate service and contact information for you. Alternatively, one can fill out the Friends of Morocco Membership Application and email it to timresch@. Contributions welcome.The National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is connecting and championing Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and the Peace Corps community. It provides service and education opportunities that build on the Peace Corps experience, and is also the longest-standing advocate for an independent and robust Peace Corps.? The National Peace Corps Association is a nonprofit organization encompassing a network of over 50,000 individuals and more than 180 affiliate groups. The NPCA and its member groups produce global education programs and advocacy campaigns, and provide community, national and international services. Friends of Morocco and the High Atlas Foundation (Morocco) are affiliate groups of NPCA.? Become a Mission Partner?by contributing $50 or more and you’ll automatically receive a one-year subscription to WorldView.?Your contribution to NPCA’s?Community Fund?supports our core programs. You’ll be helping to increase our community’s development impact, provide transition assistance to recent RPCVs and advocate for a bigger and better Peace Corps. You can also get?WorldView on a subscription-only basis for $35 per year.? WorldView archival issues can be viewed free online.???Friends of Morocco (FOM), active since 1988, is an organization of Americans, mostly returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs), with experience in Morocco, Moroccan-Americans and Moroccans in America united with an interest in promoting educational, cultural, charitable, social, literary and scientific exchange between Morocco and the United States of America. FOM seeks to:?????unite Americans with experience in Morocco, Moroccan-Americans and Moroccans in America;?????improve the awareness of Americans regarding the culture, needs and achievements of Moroccan peoples; ?????keep members and others current on events in Morocco; ?????organize and implement development education and outreach activities;?????support projects of the U.S. Peace Corps and private charitable organizations in Morocco; ?????support scholarship on Morocco and Moroccans.?? This message is sent BCC to Friends of Morocco members for whom we have email addresses.? BCC to prevent well-intentioned (or malicious) SPAM.? Feel free to forward onward to your friends who might appreciate knowing about these events and who may not be on our email list.? If they would also like these periodic updates, have them contact us at tim@.?? Advise the same address if you would NOT like to receive these infrequent email alerts.? Tim Resch, PresidentFriends of MoroccoPO BOX 2579 Washington, DC 20013-2579 tim@C 703 470 3166 ................
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