Thinking Positive Is Powerful

Getting Ready for the Camp

2010-01-04T17:03:00.000-08:00

10/7/09-15/07/09

As part of the practical part of the course, for a period of five days, most of the time working day and night and with our instructor "locked inside the house" we worked on preparation of a puppet show for the children of Larache. The idea came from the small workshop that we had done the month before (see the blog entry of "I Love Puppets") they liked the idea so much of using puppets to teach that they asked the instructor to help them bring to life an idea that they had for the Day of A Right to a Clean Environment during the camp. They wanted to use puppets to teach the children not to throw trash on the ground and to be aware of the effects of human contamination on the environment. In the five days of work, we created some big puppets, a stage, and a script for the performance. Thanks to the teacher and to the dedication of the students, their idea became a reality.

We take these little cut up pieces of magazines

and we mix them with water and flour

to give shape

and later paint and decorate

Our dear.........Papa Tree aka....Baba Shjara

And other puppets

And a stage

To show these young people that anything is possible in this life

Thanks to the students and to our dear and loved instructor who played a fundamental part in transforming the ideas of my students into a real, tangible evidence of the beauty that exists in this world

Memories of Summer II

2009-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

Memories of Summer

2009-09-26T04:08:00.000-07:00

I want to say thanks to everyone...we have created some unforgetable memories of the camp this summer. After a month away, I already appreciate the accomplishments that we made this past year so much more. I think not many people would have been able to do what we did and this is possible because of the enormous effort that everyone put into making this dream a reality. Soon the Board is going to evaluate the past year and start to talk about the future here in Morocco. I hope that we can learn from the good and the bad of the past year and improve what we can offer to the lives of all those that are touched by our work here in Morocco.

Workshop of Musical Instruments

Our dear clown, Haninu.

A bit of song and dance before starting the workshops

All of us have a right to an education

Workshop on Children´s Rights

Workshop on the development of the Rights of Women in Spain and in Morocco

Moving street theatre with the theme of "Everyone together for a cleaner natural environment"

From here everything is starting to look so beautiful. We hope to continue being blessed with the opportunity to make people feel good. A better future is possible and its all contained inside the palm of our hands.

Walking the Camino de Santiago

2009-08-22T13:33:00.001-07:00

I want to say thanks to the artisits who took these pictures...

Jessica and Devora

Many people ask me about the Camino...and its difficult to express the feeling that one has on the Way. You have got to dream with me...imagine that you dont have to study, that you dont have to work, the only thing you have to do today is to walk, and while you are walking you find yourself closer than ever to God, you are surrounded by nature that is so beautiful it is sublime, and there is a parade of divine people passing by that never ends. This is the Way...and all this you do every day for 30 days.

We Love Puppets!!!

2009-08-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

In the middle of the project of the Social Cultural Center, the alumnos were in need of a distraction for at least a day. And we immediatly jumped at the opportunity to host the Puppet Mistress, Lady Sache. The idea was simple enough...show the students how to use puppets as a tool to teacher with.

In a hour and a half the students had to write two different dialogues, one which respected a certain human right and another which did not. Create the different puppet characters and perform their sketch infront of the group.

From the first minute that the students got their hands of needle and thread and begin to create, we had a great time and learned alot.

Little by little we realized the power of a puppet. A costume, a face, a little bit of color and wer have a way to resolve conflicts, talk about a difficult topic, or propose an idea. We were amazed at the potential of the workshop.

¡¡¡We Love Puppets!!!

Project Part 3

2009-08-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

We continue with the different phases of the Project for a Social-Cultural Center For Youth in Larache

Using the lesson from the third chapter: Analysis of the Reality the students created questionaries to gather data about the project and to have some research and real data to base their ideas upon. On a cloudy monday we gathered together by the boardwalk to talk with the public about the lack of sporting and social-cultural centers here in Larache

At the moment of encounter. Each students had to perform 10 questionaries at random with the public.

They worked together and created the questionaire by themselves

Here is the questionaire:

name
age
sex
occupation
education
education of their mother/ father
occupation of father/ mother
Are you a member of an association?
Yes...what association
No...Why Not?
For you, what does the phrase "Social-Cultural Center" signify?
What kind of activites would you like to see in a center such as this?
Do you believe that this center could reduce the number of problems that affect young people in Larache?
Suggestions?

Each student had a hour and a half to fill out the ten surveys

But for me, it just wasn´t enough, I wanted to continue doing surveys. Simply asking people questions you could see that they were inspired by the possibility of such an idea. It was amazing how the light just lit up in their eyes...and indeed I am fascinated by the power of just simply asking, Why not?

As always we did an evaluation by the river Lixus after completing the activity. Here we had an opportunity to relate our own experiences and the mistakes we made while we were performing the surveys.

Its a beautiful day today, why dont we go study outside?

2009-07-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

The Project #2

In the last two weeks the students have began to plan their project for this year - a social cultural center for the young people of Larache. Can you imagine that a city this size doesn´t have a place where young people can practice sports, meet together, do art or theatre, or study. Because of this necesity the students decided to create this year a project for a Social Cultural Center for the youth of Larache.

Now we just need somebody to fund it. Any takers?

As the students are doing a great job planning the project myself and the other teachers decided to take them to a beautiful place here in the country to study.

For all those that it might interest, the place we went to is called Sidi Barack (saint barack) And no I am not talking about Saint Barack Obama, this place is named for a religious man of a few centuries ago. Now dead, his tomb is a place of pilgramage for woman who want to get married and get pregnant. There is cave here where they go to wash themselves, hang their undergarments on the roof, and ask the spirits for the man of their dreams. Very interesting but we didnt go here to get married exactly, we came to learn.

Two of the girls in front of a traditional house on the way to the village

Our classroom for the day. Looks pretty cool doesnt it?

And Mr Tree isnt bothered by the thumb tacks. Anyway I think he likes the idea of helping us learn. Here Layla is explaining a "problem tree" that her group has created in response to the problems of the youth of Larache.

After the lesson....as always...we do a creative evaluation of the activity.

So much praying...looks like it worked. On the way back we ran into a parade of woman who have spent all the day asking the saint for a man to get married to. We decided to give them Simo. I dont think he minded at all.

And as the woman let out the traditional wedding chants Karim and Abdsamad wrapped up the deal.

How beautiful!

Chapter 4 The Project

2009-07-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

CHAPTER 4: How to create and plan a social-cultural project

The Goals of this chapter are: To teach the members of the course how to design and plan the different activities that they would like to develop with their association or as an individual. With that goal in mind they will adquire the fundamental concepts of a social cultural project.

The first part is to learn the difference between a plan, a project, and a program.

Here to the instructor, Seloua, uses a brillant technique. We get rid of the chairs and sit all together on the floor. One single level, there is no professor nor student, we are all here learning together. I loved the idea! Now that we had gotten the first part down the students could begin to go through the different steps of planing that go into a social cultural project.

The different phases are:

Analysis of the Reality

Title of Project

Type of Project

Justification

Goals

Methodology

Activities

Expected Results

Time Management and Schedule

Budget

Evaluation

For hands on learning and in order help teach the lessons we invent an imaginary project. Each group will be designated a specific part of the project. Through the putting together of the project the students will discover parts of the learning process that doesnt come from lectures.

Its a long process, the project is complicated and requires a lot of work...but even so we are moving along very nicely. Thanks to the all of the students this year who amaze me everyday with their relentless dedication and hardworking spirit.

A Dream Come True

2009-06-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

On the outskirts of Larache, there lies a village, which is poor and abandoned. Rakada, hidden and forgotten behind a simple dirt path, is located some 7 miles from Larache. . Only 200 meters separates the village from the Atlantic ocean and this place is a jumping off point for drugs on their way to Spain and illegal immigrants that dream of making to the Spanish coasts. For young people, to be born here means to grow up in a world where life is difficult and few will be able to ever escape the harsh reality of life here. As for the girls, many will never have the opportunity to study more than the first six years of elementary school. Here there are no middle or high schools and the only option to continue would be to travel to Larache, 10 km from Rakada. For many of the parents the city is a dangerous world and they prefer that their daughter stays in the house to help the family instead of sending her off, away from the watchful eye of her brothers, cousins, etc. For the boys, if they don't get involved with the drug mafias they will pass an adolescence trapped inside of a dark world where there are plenty of drugs everywhere but there are no job opportunities. Frustrated, weak, and defeated by the village life and the routine of a drug addict they will pass their days dreaming of an easier life in the city or in Spain. When we think of international aid, when we think of the people that need us more than anyone, they are places like this, like Rakada, that ask for whatever little help we can offer. The truth is that there are thousands Rakadas in Morocco and thousands and thousands of children who will have to grow up in an environment like this one. With confidence in our ability to make an impact, the help of TS-CPLP, individuals in Spain, and local associations we came together to plan an activity of animation to bring a little bit of light, joy, and education to the children of Rakada. Our instructor and friend in the course, Seloua, is a teacher here and she took care of the huge task of facilitating for us access to the school and the community. For a week the students in the course, besides their normal responsibilities, worked to prepare the activity. Come now, with us and discover the beauty of the work that these socio-cultural monitors do and the things that are possible with a little bit of money, a voluntary spirit that has no end, and a group of children that need to laugh, paint, create things, and feel good about themselves and the world that they live in.

Before Getting Started There Was Some Prep Work To Get Done

Everybody Participated

9:00-10:00

10:30-11:30 Our Monitors Warm Up The Crowd

They themselves didn't hesitate to demonstrate their artistic talent.

It Seems That For Every Part of the World There is a Rap Star...

And at 11:30 we could get started with the workshops

Arts and Crafts

Workshop on Raising Awareness of Recycling and the Environment

Two Parts

1)Collect Trash Around the School Zone and Raise Awareness Amongst the Students About the Importance of Respecting the Environment

2)Recycling Workshop. How To Transform Trash Into A Treasure!

Art Workshop

The Grand Finale...Our Lovable Clowns Haninu and Fininu

Everybody is Loving the Performance

The children said that it was not only the first time that someone had come from outside to do something for the public but for many of the children it was the first time in their life that they had seen a clown!

Thanks to everyone who made this idea a reality. On this day, 120 children had the opportunity to have fun, play, and feel good.

¡¡¡Chukran!!!

All this work...and no play?

2009-05-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Excursion to the countryside of Larache-Ain Khamasa

As the students had worked so hard in the last week, we decided to reward them with a trip to Ain Khamasa, a natural source some 15 kilometers from Larache.

Actually, the spring itself is source of legend. It was apparently built, (or at least the housing structure that we see now) by a Spanish man in the 19th century. Apparently, this man searched all over Europe for a cure to a certain skin affliction without being to find a cure. He heard talk of a spring in Morocco where the waters could cure such a thing, came and of course...the water cured him. As a show of gratitude he erected the structure that now protects the spring.

This is Seloua, our fearless instructor for the chapters 3,4, and 5 in the course.

After a heated game of soccer it was the time to get down to some cooking. The kitchen squad wasted no time beginning to preparar the tajines.

Some worked while others a little tired, could not resist the urge to take a snooze in the afternoon shade.

And....its the moment! The chefs present the exquisite dishes they have prepared, barbecue fish tajines.

Spending the afternoon together, in this beautiful place, getting to know each other better.

The Problem Tree

2009-05-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

Workshop "The Problem Tree"

After finishing with the first two parts of the course, we continue our study into socio cultural animation.

In this part of the training course we are studying Analysis of Reality. Again translation does not do me much justice, so while I search for a better word, I could sum it up as all the things that we use to analyze a particular place where we want to work. In order to begin any type of social work, of course it is necessary to do a further investigation into the area where you are going to work. That would be the general idea for this module.

During the instruction of Analysis of Reality the students learned...
0. How to conduct an observation of a particular area/place of study.
0. How to design a questionnaire.
0. Proper techniques when asking people to fill out a questionnaire.
0. Different types of interviews.
0. Research of government sources and resource materials.

The students themselves created a questionnaire and were responsible with interviewing people on the street at random about education here in Morocco. This was done to help us prepare for what was the biggest part of this part of the course, The Problem Tree. As for anyone working in a social field, we are always confronted with various problems in our society. Now in order to guide these into a project we have to a good understanding of the chain of cause and effect of the various problems that are present in the area we want to work in. For this we use the problem tree:
To help with the instruction of the Problem Tree we relied on the assistance of a team of specialists from Spain.

Here they are:Thanks for all the help guys!!! You did a great job!

The Bridge

2009-05-19T03:47:00.000-07:00

The Bridge

Today’s class has served as a summary of all the material that we have been working on during the last month. Over this period we have been focusing on such things like:

the responsibility of the monitor as a transmitter of knowledge, attitudes, and abilities,
the monitor and the group
how to perform an evaluation
the difference in the capabilities of the individual versus the group
communication,
problem solving,
team work,
the role of the individual in society,
and other basic concepts of sociocultural animation

The material during this first month is of utmost importance as it is going to serve as the guidelines that will carry us throughout the duration of the course.

As a final activity to recap all the learned during the last three weeks the instructor created an activity ,The Bridge, as a way to regroup all the material in a way that is entertaining, creative, and productive.

The Bridge works like this:

There are two villages. These two villages are separated by a river. This river has made communication between the two villages difficult, practically impossible. The students are divided into the two villages. Each village is given a carton box, scissors and two meters of string. The objective of the activity is to construct with the given materials a bridge that crosses the river. The two villages, of course, cannot communicate drectly with each other, each village is permitted to send two letters to the other village and permitted two meetings between the designated representatives of the two villages.

The activity demands concentration, dialogue between the group, team work, division of responsibilities, oral and written communication, not to mention some creativity. It was a fantastic way to bring to an end the first two parts of the course. In the end, both groups used the concepts learned in the first three weeks of class to solve the task and successfully completed the bridge although it wasn’t perfect it was strong enough to pass the test.

Village Number One
Village Number TwoThe First Letter

Planning the bridge...Meeting of the two villages

And Voila...The Bridge

Constructing on top of the ancient ruins of yesterday towards the progress and possibilities of tomorrow

2009-04-29T03:49:00.001-07:00

.....Last weekend, we decided to take a trip together with the students to “discover” the ancient Phoenician and Roman city of Lixus that lies on the outskirts of the city of Larache. I say “discover” because for many of the students, even though they have lived here all their lives, have never had a chance to visit this city, thought to be the oldest city in Morocco. After the demanding first three weeks of the course, us teachers that it would be good to take a day off and spend some times together outside of the classroom.

The program:

Tour and visit of the ruins of Lixus.

Head out on foot to walk the three kilometer hike along the banks of the river Likkous to the beach to the beach Playa Peligrosa.

Work in teams to make lunch, Moroccan fish tajines

Lunch

Games and group dynamics on the beach

Catch the Sunset

Head Back Home...

VI Spring Intercultural Encounter Hispano-Moroccan In Larache Morocco

2009-04-14T03:27:00.000-07:00

The Luckiest Guy In The World

That’s the way I felt walking home under a gentle blue sky, knowing that I do THIS for my job, and for the first time in my life I thought that its truly possible that nobody else has it as good as I do.

Saturday night we wrapped up the sixth version of Semana Santa, and looking back on it now, I cant quite get my grip around the words worthy of expressing what every person, all 33 of us that were in that room, felt last night. It was a moving experience, something that touched all of our souls, brought joy to our bodies as well as our minds, and we were all there united by our love for this life, love for human beings, and love of sociocultural animation.

The program…

Friday

Introduction and Commencement of the VI Spanish-Moroccan Intercultural Encounter.

Workshop and presentation by the students of the class Technician Socio Cultural of Larache- The History of Larache

Workshops presented by members of the class of Socio Cultural Animation of the Superior Institute of the Macarena, Seville-Spain

a) How to Plan an Activity

1) Ten Easy Steps To Plan a Carnival

b) Methods for the creation of dynamics through the use of ones creativity

1) Through art…come up with an idea for an activity in the field of sociocultural animation

c) Conflict Resolution

Saturday

a) Morning workshop: Popular games of Spain and Morocco.

Alternating between games and dynamics that are well known in each country.

b) Dance Workshop

Exposition of Spanish dance. Flamenco and Sevillanas.

c) Group Lunch

d) Juggling Workshop

e) Cooking Workshop

-How to make Andalusian food- Salmorejo

f) Costume and face painting Workshop

g) Carnival-Fiesta

h) Closure of the VI Semana Santa

Its moments like these that give me hope. I know what everyone is saying, I know that the prospects are dim. I have even heard the trees themselves say that there way of life is dying and that mother earth is suffering badly. The elders say that every generation is worse than the last, the teachers say that the students don’t want to study anymore like they used to, and young people themselves say that there is no hope and no future for them in today’s world. Yet, as god as my witness, there is something out there makes me believe and there is something special that I see in the young people that I work with. I know in the deep of my heart that there is still a chance out there, and as of yet, I have not lost hope neither in the goodness of the human spirit, and its infinite possibility for regrowth, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

Now it’s not easy to transmit this hope that I possess but I know I am not only the one. In fact I hope that my own hope is contagious to others out there. And just in case anyone is not convinced…take a look at some of the photos taken during the activities this weekend.

Peace love and truth everybody!!!

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Thanks!!!

Inauguration of the Third Course in Socio Cultural Animation For the Associations of Larache

2009-04-09T01:49:00.000-07:00

After completing the course in 2006 and 2008, I am very proud to be present to you the opening of the course, now in its third year, 2009. This past Wednesday was the inauguration of the Third Course of Social Cultural Animation presented by Tareas Solidarias Caravana Por La Paz in Larache.

When I was first hired for the job the concept by name was completely new to me. But, never being one afraid of trying new things, this exciting new challenge offered by this innovative style of education immediately attracted me to the job position. Socio-cultural animation is relatively unknown back in the United States and I am happy to do my best to give life to the term for the people back home. Socio-cultural animation encompasses so many of the things that I believe in and build my life around and its exciting for me to have the chance to once again bring the concept to a new group of young people here through the work of this NGO.

So for those who are not familiar with animacion socio cultural...

What is Social Cultural Animation?

Okay the first part, socio-cultural, that is easy enough, it’s the word animation that is a bit difficult to grasp. In English animation doesn’t mean much. Personally, it makes me think of cartoons, the process of creating motion and stories through images. But in other languages, the word animation means to breathe life into something, to give it energy to it, to make it move, to dynamize, to create action, thought, and consciousness in the object that was once still. To bring the idea into a closer context we can find similarities in English by thinking of animation as a combination of three similar concepts: community education, social pedagogy and informal education, yet the three together still don’t do the concept justice.

It’s to give life, to create feeling, to move, to motivate, to energize, to accompany, to communicate, to help grow.

If I could borrow from the wonderful prepared material by our volunteers in Spain to help explain the term:

“It could be described as:
• A process directed towards the organization of people to carry out projects and initiatives from a cultural viewpoint towards a goal of social development or progress. The four pillars of the sociocultural animation are: the culture, the organization of individuals, projects and initatives, and social development.
• A series of actions which offer the individual the possibility to transform themselves into an agent of their own personal development and that of their community, which generate processes of participation, respond to real needs taking into account the centers of interest of the persons involved and that is based upon a pedagogy that is active and dynamic.
• A privileged instrument to make possible a situation of cultural democracy
• A social technology, based in a participative form of pedagogy, which acts in different aspects of the quality of life of a person, through the participation of the people in their own social development.”

In the course we teach that socio-cultural animation basically states that each person is responsible for his own destiny, that we create the society and the area that we live in, for we are not just simple observers but actors in the dynamic between people and the institutions and mechanisms that affect our lives.

One former student described it as: “If we put together all of the areas of our life that are grouped into socio-cultural animation we discover that it is a factor in about 95% of our daily life. Taking this course is something that can actually change your life.”

Yet, here in the less developed world, Africa, and Morocco in particular it’s can be challenging to get young people to believe in such an idea when they are taught in society a negative and powerless image of themselves and the world around them. The idea is continuously reinforced that poor is poor and brown is black and some people are on top and the majority on the bottom and there is nothing you can do about it but to put yourself in line and become part of the system. So, there is a formative educative process that is needed. And even then its for still not easy to get someone to believe when society and culture have trained them not to.

But enough talking for now … come and get to know the students of this year:

It’s a group of 13 students, (we are hoping that it eventually increases to 20) of seven girls and six guys. Among them there are high school students, a young leader of the first youth network in Larache, young people that work in the service industry, carpenters, builders, a bright, creative young lady with a degree in sociology, volunteers from associations that work with children, professors of “free” education and young people that have finished high school and are now pursuing additional training in various fields. They come from diverse associations and it’s a group that is intelligent, motivated, and beautiful…very beautiful.

Thanks!!!

And a special thanks goes out to Mark Smith for the helpful description of socio-cultural animation. Smith, Mark K. (1999, 2009) 'Animateurs, animation and fostering learning and change', the encyclopedia of informal education. Here is his work which does a great job of explaining the concept of socio-cultural animation
[www.infed.org/animate/b-animat.htm] If anybody would like to know more about the field of sociocultural animation, check out the website above.

Larache and its Port

2009-04-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

Looking from the port across the river Lixus towards the beach

The port as seen from its entrance

In order to understand Larache you have to know that it all begins with the port. It’s a place where a boy of 15, who never cared much for studying, can find work and dreaming of squid, shrimp, and lobster find his way to what seems like “easy money”.

The fish industry here employs about 5000 people, from the one who drives the motorcycle that moves the fish around, to the ice seller, to the one that collects enough scraps off the boat docks until he can sell a kilo the hungry passerby.

There used to be five factories here. They have all since closed down. The port is the last remaining gold rush here in the city. Anyone can come down with twenty bucks, buy kilos of fish, and make enough to sit in his favorite café, drink coffee and pass the afternoon smoking hashish, and doing the best a poor boy can do to look nice for the the ever so materialistic ladies on parade. Waking up the next day its back to the port to do it all again the next day.

For those of a more brave nature, they can take to the sea. One week of work can take in 600 dirhams depending on the quantity and the quality of the fish they bring in. The life of the fisherman is not an easy one and it is what gives Larache its rough flavor.

Now with few work opportunities the city is completely dependent on the fishing industry and money sent from relatives abroad to survive. For this the dream of joining those on the outside everyday grows stronger and stronger. Its rare that a young person here would tell you that he wouldnt leave behind everything just for one shot to make it to Europe.

So... the way to salvation always leads perilously through the sea.

You can tighten your belt and head out for a hard days work on a fishing boat

All roads lead out to the sea

… Or for those more adventurous and ill-fated you can take out a loan of about 1000 dollars and pay your way across the Mediterranean in a tiny little dingy boat trying to reach what must seem like the other side of the world, in order to take your place among the many others from the poorer parts of the world trying to risk and chance their way to a better life.

An abandoned patera, this one safely made it across, many don't.

The special thing about Larache is the fact that its a place that has a charm that is a bit rough around the edges. Here, just outside of the tourists zone is where you will find both the undiscovered charm of a place out of the reach of tourist buses and big hotels but at the same time you will find yourself also confronted with the harsh reality of a Morocco that makes no effort to coddle you and pull in your tourist dollars. In fact life can be quite hopeless for many of the young people here as many of them cant seem to find their way out of a maze of alcohol, drug abuse, and the street life. Indeed, any visitor can easily see that things in Larache are in stark contrast to the way the country is presented to the ten million visitors that the Moroccan government hopes to welcome here by the year 2010.

Sure a donkey or a little girl fetching water are picturesque for those coming from outside Morocco. But for a grown man with five children earning 5 dollars a day, it’s just a cold, harsh reminder of the way things are.

During my entire first year here in Larache I was amazed at the poor condition and the at times scandalous language and behavior of the people when compared with other cities that I know here. I couldn’t understand the depilated and rough appearance of the city and its people after knowing well the luxury and pictureistic beauty of the well known tourist spots. But the day I returned to the city, walking back from the port, it finally all clicked. I realized that part of the beauty of this place is that fact that it is in a sense REAL. For the first time, looking through my new perspective, it all didn’t look so bad. The faces were recognizable, the language only half as vulgar as the port, and the city while it may not smell or look so pleasant for the new visitor, after leaving the world of the port and a hard days work behind you, my goodness … It all seemed very relaxing and pleasant indeed.

2009-03-01T13:40:00.000-08:00

Tareas Solidarias-Caravana Por La Paz

SO, exactly Who Are We?

Tareas Solidarias-Caravana Por La Paz is a non governmental organization or NGO, based in Spain with branches in Huelva, Granada, Sevilla, and La Rioja. In Spain they work to protect the rights of illegal immigrants that live in Spain and push for a greater consciousness in the developed world of the problems

that exist in the lesser fortunate part of the world and seek to educate the people of Spain as to what is the responsibility of each citizen to help create a healthier and more balanced world. As well, inside of the context of the "War on Terror" Caravana strives to increase communication and understanding between the two continents, the two religions, and the two peoples, in order to stop the racism, the fear and the mistrust of the outsider, and the violence that has arisen between Europe and North Africa since the start of the 21st century.

A Caravan of Peace if you will, a bridge of harmony, education, and peace connecting Europe to Africa.

The second face of Tareas Solidarias-Caravana Por La Paz's work is in Morocco. Based in Larache, it sponsors programs of cultural exchange between young people from Spain and Morocco. From this experience has grown, a program of formation in social-cultural entertainment and a summer camp held every year for the children of the city of Larache, ten days of educational and cultural activities in order to lend a hand to the local associations, strengthen the idea of the Civil Society in Morocco, and help to educate the future generations and future leaders of both Spain and Morocco.

TS-CPLP's work in Morocco is dynamic and welcomes new approaches and strategies. They are currently running a project for the spanish government in direct social work and training with adults and children in the poorest parts of the city of Larache, entitled "Education in the Neighborhood". The sky is the limit for TS-CPLP and the motivation and creative spirit of the members of their team and the bonds that has been forged between them and the people of Morocco hopefully will propel their work on in Larache for many years to come.

Music Needs No Passport

2009-01-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine came to ask for our help putting on a "Star Academy" talent contest in an elementary school. Our association made a small contribution, its not always our favorite way to be of assistance, that of serving as just an economic provider, but indeed its what people here are normally interested in when you are an NGO here. We are trying to change that culture but for the meanwhile a foreigner means money and that stereotype is not easy to get rid of. It was really great to see lots of different associations, groups and schools come together to work on the project, its not something that you see around here a lot. Most of the time the resources are so scarce and everybody is competing to look better than the next one that nobody really wants to work together and its sad because in the end the children (the ones all of this is really for) are the ones who lose out.

Here is a video of the group that was created during the contest:

The director of the school was excited to see that I had shown up. She herself is convinced that the school experience shouldn’t just be rote learning but also a chance to have fun, discover ones abilities, and to develop one’s personality. She also expressed to me her perspective on the limitless power of music.

She said:"For example your association, they are Spanish, they are Christian (interesting fact - anyone from a “Western” country (no matter which one) is referred to in the arab dialect as a “Christian”, which is obviously preferable to the other term used for western foreigners, the pejorative "gouri", meaning non-believer) and they don’t speak Arabic. But I saw them this summer go into a room full of children and in 20 minutes they taught a song to a group of young Moroccans. Through that song they shared laughter, taught values, and without directly communicating with words they could overcome the borders that separate the two cultures. That is the beautiful thing about music, is that its international." I agree. It’s a feeling in the heart and a move of the feet, for a smile or a clap is enough to pass through the most hardened of hearts. Music needs no passport; it has no boundaries and triumphs over prejudice, racism, and hatred. And that is the beauty in music and in the work that we do.

Group of Volunteers Who Helped To Make It All Possibe

It was also a chance for the kids to show solidarity with Palestine and especially with the children with whom they share the same age but who can't find protection inside of a school building, much less walking to school, or even less sleeping in their homes at night.

For the kids it’s a reality, knowing that kids their age, kids that they can connect with, can't even go to school because of the fighting so it makes the experience of going to school even more special for them and they cherish the opportunity. Here is the entrance of the school…powerful.

Before the party got started there was a presentation five minutes long of the most awful and heart wrenching photos of deceased children that I have ever seen. The little girls were crying and honestly, it was unbearable to watch. I recorded the video and actually thought it would be moving to post here on the blog but I have decided not to. As hard as it was for me to see it, I couldn’t bring it upon someone else to watch it. And if you are still with me, allow me to explain.

I know that the last three weeks in Palestine have not been easy for anyone close to the Arab/Muslim world. Honestly, I don’t know how to feel, almost I prefer not to think about it except in my prayers. Its my own way of being in more of a positive energy field (if you can follow me) for I know that god is the all knowing, the all powerful, and the all forgiving...and for me to give the most I can in my life and work I have to channel my frustration in another direction, channel it into something positive instead of holding onto anger and rage. Its not just in Palestine, its all over the world, its in ourselves, so for me the fight is not there in Gaza its in the hearts of man, its in our distracted souls, and so there I prefer to do my battles.

Welcome to Larache

2009-01-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

And this is where i live for all of those who have imagined what its like over here...

And while its beautiful and picturesque, life is a bit harder and colder than it appears on film

But the people are happy

and thats the secret of the "poorer" people of the world

and perhaps thats why I like it so much

peace

Doing Something About It

2009-01-17T10:42:00.000-08:00

There have been a number of protests here in Larache in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. They have been permitted and well received by the authorities. Which is unlike the Spring of 08 when an unofficial protest by students for Palestine was broken up violently by the police. It was here that I saw middle school students being slapped violently, hit with batons, and thrown into police vehicles. A hard sight to see and a constant reminder of which side the Moroccan government is on when it comes to the Palestinian question.

Now, this freedom is not necesarily anything new and in fact Islam itself calls for a responsible, conscious citizen who doesn't hesitate to denounce bad governance and the suffering of its people. Yet, there is so much pent up anger and aggresion in this part of the world due to an increasing poverty, less and less social mobility, and a continuously corrupt and irresponsible government that with the help of Europe and the US keeps a iron tight grip on its people and their freedom. This is all done in the name of world economics, the fight against terorism, or whatever the evil of the current moment might be. So, it was beautiful to see this outpouring of human emotion and spirit behind last night's march.

It is the first one that I have seen since I came back from America. I was impressed by the sheer quantity of people that had come out for the march. People here are generally disinterested in any civic activity and they would prefer to sit on the sideline and ridicule those that do stand up for something than actually join in and participate. But Palestine is different. And it showed last night...there must have been at least 1000 people there tonight, and it was a tremendous show of support by the Larachi people for the Palestinians. You may feel the intensity in the air and feel as though there is something violent or dangerous going on but the strong emotion simply manifests the pain and the suffering that the Moroccan's are dealing with, for they are so close to feel the pain of the Palestinians but too far away to do anything about it. And its frustrating for them. At least here they have a peaceful and positive way of showing their feelings. Here's the video.

The Conflict In Gaza Touches Morocco Too!

2009-01-17T04:41:00.000-08:00

As one might expect, the town here is up in arms over the massacre in Gaza. People feel that they are being targeted specfically because they are Muslims and it seems as if there whole culture, their religion, and their way of life are all under attack from Israel and its powerful ally, the US of A. People are glued to their TV sets and their computers with a continual 24 hour bombardment of horrifying, graphic photographs of children maimed, schools destroyed, and wailing mothers. What is it in ourselves that enjoys watching violence? What is it that attracts us to disaster? Is it a way to make our lives seem a little bit less chaotic? Are we just bored and looking for something to amuse us? Students of non-violence know that if a massacre is averted and people saved it will not receive nearly as much attention as a grisly murder of a family of five, although it is just as important to tell both stories, I am convinced that there is something more attractive about Negative News than Positive News...and I'm not sure as to why that is. But I think it speaks deeply to the consciousness and state of mind of our society.

Here too there is something that attracts the viewing public to watch other people suffer and something awful that doesn't let you get up from your seat. Compounded by the feelings of impotence and powerlessness that the Moroccans feel, helpless to do anything to help the Palestinians. Their only recourse is anger and disgust for Israel, America, and their own governments. Yes, one's imagination and thinking positive can be powerful things, perhaps life changing but a lot of people here are trained to think in a negative mindest. And it has been programmed in by generations and generations of repression by the government, the elite, and the Western governments that created and supported them. Honestly, its rare that I find someone here in this small city that has a positive outlook on his situation in life or believes that he or she can make things better. In America we are constantly reminded of the power of change, of dreaming, of the possibility to make things better but here the reality is more cold and social mobility is practically impossible. So the message doesn't really get through. It has perhaps been one of the hardest tasks of my job here, to get the kids I work with to believe that they can change their lives, their neighborhoods, and their city for the better. Its hard to get someone to believe when the present seems all too dark for a bright future. Any ideas how you help someone to believe, help someone to dream, help someone to think positive?

Putting the culture back into "Culture Shock"

2009-01-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

After a month of vacation I am back in Larache, Morocco. At the first sight I was shocked by how different everything appeared after an entire month away from here. People that have lived here or in other parts of the world can attest to the way life here can have a tremendous power over what one feels is "real" or "normal". In Morocco, it might seem perfectly normal to be befriended by someone, and in ten minutes you are already being swept off your feet as you are taken to his house and served one of the most delicious meals you have ever tasted. Whereas in another place it may not only seem strange but even dangerous!I feel as though before I left my eyes and my soul had become numb to the world around me. Now, when I hear the muzzein call the faithful to prayer I turn off the music to enjoy a sound that is once again mysterious and inviting, the colors seem more brillant, the smells more alive, the smiles more real, and now more often, I look to the heavens with hope. I think that I spent the last year running around without stopping for the entire year. Without stopping to breathe a little bit, without enjoying the sun or the wind in the afternoon and doing this I lost my spirit, my positiveness, and myself. I based all of my decisions and my work solely on my love for humanity and my own "good intentions" and it is only now that I realize that sometimes pure intentions are not enough in this world and that some will not hesitate to take advantage of someone who easily opens their heart to others. This doesn't mean that I have to change who I am or that I have to adapt myself to the ways of this unjust world just that I want to say that I am beginning to understand how to protect myself and have success in my job without sacrificing who I am or the person that I strive to be. Perhaps this year, I will take a bit of air, breathe now and again, and whenever necessary take a look up at the sky and dream.

Finally, I have come to accept that I am not here to erase a thousand years of hate, distrust, and bad blood between these two peoples, between these two countries, between these two religions. I just want to help Tareas Solidarias-Caravana Por La Paz provide their service of solidarity and love to the people of both countries. I am not here to save this neighborhood, this city, or even this world. And just saying it makes me feel as though the weight I have been carrying the past year has been lifted off my back.

Peace and Love

PeaceLoveTruth

2009-01-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

Just another soul...doing its thing to reach what is destined for it in its lifetime. And, it is peace love and truth that I want to live by and is my obligation to mother earth and the divine that constantly surrounds me. I am James McCallum Grove, 26 years old, and I work for a spanish NGO Caravana Por La Paz that sponsors educational programs and intercultural programs between children and adults in Europe and Africa. A Caravan Of Peace bringing the two continents closer together and doing our part to remove all the hate and distrust that has separated the two populations for just too too long. It should be a beautiful journey so stick around...and keep smiling.

Peace