Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

For many women where I live, their day consists of cooking, cleaning and caring for their family.  In their free time they might go to a friends house for tea or maybe to the hammam to get squeaky clean but that's about all the fun they see.  For International Women's Day, I wanted to host an event at the dar chabab for the women in my community to gather, learn something new and get to do one of their favorite things - dance!

The women starting the dance party!

About a year ago, a PCV along with PC staff created a video called "You Can Dream".  It is a short documentary on the lives of six Moroccan women who have looked to help their communities by doing something that is out of the norm for most women in Morocco.  If you would like to see it, it is in Arabic with English subtitles but can be found here.  We watched the video and had a short discussion on the obstacles that the women had to overcome and talked about how things are changing for women in Morocco.  I also put together a short presentation (in French!) about gender roles around the world and we discussed important Moroccan and Muslim women from history.  I think the women really got into it and we had a great discussion.

Without these girls, this wouldn't have been a success

After the nitty-gritty of the day we went on to what the women really came for, dancing!  I had planned on making a few American goodies to the event and I bought soda for everyone.  I was surprised when each woman walking through the door had also bought a treat to share.  These women don't mess around when it comes to parties!  They had bought a buta tank and all the fixing for tea as well.  The women started passing around the drums and as we prepared all the cakes and tea they started doing their different traditional dances.  You know they're getting into it when they need to open the windows and wipe their faces down!  What Moroccan party is complete without dressing up the foreigner?  I was a willing doll once again to be dressed up as a bride and have the wedding song sang to me.  I enjoy it just as much as they do.  

Leslie, an American doll coming to a Moroccan town near you!

Before we knew it, it was 7 and the women started to head out.  After our good-byes and multiple invites for lunch and tea, they left and I stayed behind with my girls for the clean up and to finally eat our share of the goodies.  Without the help from my three students, this event wouldn't have been as big of a success.  I was expecting around 20 women to show up but we had over 40!  At first the women were a little cautious of me and said no pictures.  After they dressed me up though, everyone wanted a picture with me.  I feel as though that counts as part of the success.  

Getting our dance on

It's events like this that make me happy to be where I am.  Even though it's taken me over a year and a half to be invited to a house that isn't my host families, I now have over 10 people who are insisting that I come in the next week.  All the work that's gone into this event and all the cheek kissing has paid off!  I finally feel as though they have accepted me into their community.  I'm one of them.  I couldn't have asked for more :)