Aguddim Village

Blog by Jack (3/13/19)

Differences (and lack thereof)

One of the Pillars of the Muslim faith is prayer five times a day everyday. Sunrise, Morning, Noon, Afternoon, and Sunset; At each of these times from towers spread throughout the city, there is a call to prayer.

This sunrise it was my pleasure to wake up to this call. Despite being awake I remained in bed. If I didn’t get out of bed in Hawaii when my alarm woke me up why would anything change here? However looking up at the mountains from our courtyard was well worth leaving the warmth of my many blankets.

We had our first lesson in Darija, which is a local mixture of Arabic, French, and Amaziri, a local language. Later this morning we set out on a walk through the village with our leaders. We learned about the work the Atlas Cultural Foundation has done so far in Zawiya Ahansal, which includes restoring historical buildings called Saint Houses, establishing a communal garden to produce foods year round, and providing education for local children and constructing.

After lunch we became acquainted with Sadia, the granddaughter of our host, the Sheik, the village leader and finalized our lesson plans for working with students at the community center. More on this in future blogs!

My time thus far in Zawiya Ahansal is highlighted by the fact that people around the world are strikingly similar, a truth I rediscover every time I travel yet seem to forget upon returning home.