Back to work

I went to my job today. I work at a cultural center that is also a library for the university students. It's a great place! Lots and lots of books, people studying, taking classes in the classrooms upstairs or having meetings about volunteer work. The library is a "second home" to a lot of people, both young and old. There are Moroccans, Spaniards, different African nationalities, Germans and many more.

The classes will start on Monday October 29th, so there's not much time left. I will have one group this year, twice a week. That is going to be so much fun! But I don't have much time to prepare my clases right now so I'm glad I can use the same book I used during summer. That will make it a lot easier, because I already know the book and have prepared some games and additional activities. That will save me a lot of time.

I will have to spend a few days next week planning my classes. I will also have to plan my own studies because my classes start next week. I guess I'll have to learn the fine art of PLANNING! *lol* Otherwise it will all be a mess and I'll get a nervous breakdown before Christmas.

I'm going to Ceuta tomorrow to do my registration. Wish me luck and pray for me. I can really need that. I hope to have good news when I come back home.

Are you studying Spanish?

I have an idea. I am Spanish as you probably know by now, which makes me a native speaker. I'm going back to school to study Spanish from a more academic perspective. And I love to teach! So I have got this crazy idea of starting a blog for Spanish students. What do you think? Do you think that's a good idea? Reading books is good when you are learning a language but sometimes the language in the books is not what people use in their everyday life. So there you have the idea behind another blog. *lol*

I'm thinking about explaining grammar, write about words (like the word of the week or something like that), about books and movies, about what's going on in Spain and what people talk about, Spanish culture and history. In English of course.

What do you think? Could that be of interest to you, your kids or someone you know? And what would you like me to write about?

Tech Tags: Spanish Spain study school tutorial blog

Music classes

My kids study music at school, one hour a week, and they learn how to play the flute. They love it! I think it’s great that they learn to play an instrument at school. I’ve read somewhere that a person with a good ear for music has a good ear for languages as well and that you can actually improve that skill. I hope it’s true because my kids already speak many languages and I hope they will learn some more as they grow up.

I’ve been thinking about taking them to guitar classes, but I’m not sure if they are still too young. G is 8 and B is 10. B talked about learning to play the guitar before summer vacation but then he changed his mind. I don’t know why. I guess it’s normal in a kid his age. They change their minds all the time.

I think I’ll have a little talk with them tonight. My kids don’t have any activities outside of school and I think that maybe it could be good for them. And since they are not much into sports and such, music might be what they need. Actually I’d prefer to take them to yoga, but since there is no such thing around here I have to look for something that might be available.

There are 2 music academies in Tetuán. One is the Conservatory and it’s very expensive. I couldn’t afford that one. Then there’s the non official one, which still is expensive but not quite as much as the Conservatory. And then there’s the cultural center where I work. I’m not sure there are going to be guitar classes this year, it depends on if my boss finds a new teacher. The classes are affordable and the best thing is that it’s within walking distance from home.

I should be studying Latin...

And NOT be blogging right now. But it's Monday, I'm tired, I've been thinking about my classes most of the day and I have a headache. So no, I don't really feel like studying Latin right now. Besides, the book my boss gave me is for people who already have some knowledge of Latin and it's way to difficult for me. Oh boy, this is going to be sooo hard! I need to learn the 5 conjugations in less than 2 weeks.

I'm going to the university on Wednesday to do the registration but I don't even understand the registration form! I've been staring at it for most of the day but it's like reading Chinese, I just don't get it. I feel really stupid. :-(

I've been looking on line to see if I can find some Latin tutorials or something, because I guess I'm not the only one in the world trying to learn Latin. Not much luck just yet, but I'll keep on looking. At least for a while. And then I might take the night off the computer and go and watch my favorite series "CSI" on TV. I usually fall asleep on the couch on Mondays because they broadcast all the different CSI:s in a row, so it's like 4 hours... And then I'm like a zombie on Tuesday mornings.

Back to school 2

There's a new student in my home -ME! I've been doing paperwork all summer and last week I finally got the admission letter. I'm in! Now I have to register and pay the fee (way too much money, if you ask me, but hey, what can you do?). I'll do that next week when I go to Ceuta.

I'll study "Filología Hispánica" (Spanish Philology) so when I finish I'll have a degree in Spanish and Literature. 5 years.... Oh, I'm so excited! I can't wait to go back to school. This is something I've wanted to do for years, ever since I dropped out due to health reasons 15 years ago.

It's going to be tough, I know. I'm a semi-single mom, with 2 kids and no car and I'm sort of alone in this country. But I know I can do it! I HAVE to do it! This is a chance of a lifetime. Besides, most of my studies I'll do on line so I only have to go to school to do exams and meet the teachers a few times a year. I've studied on line before and I know it's harder than going to class, because you have to make your own timetable and follow it. It's so easy to get sidetracked and then end up having to study day & night for the exams. Been there, done that.... *lol*

These are the subject I'll study the first year:

• Spanish Medieval Literature
• Latin
• Linguistics
• Literature Theory
• Spanish Fonetics

So, now I have to think about buying a lot of books and stuff and get myself organized. I just hope my home will be finished by then but I doubt it very much. Anyway, that's life and I have a lot ahead of me. Wish me luck!

Children at work

In Morocco, child labor is accepted both by society and by law. The legal age for labor is 15, but about 11 % of the children between the ages of 7 and 14 work, according to official figures from 2000. Wherever you go you can see children at work - shining shoes, selling handkerchiefs and chewing gums at the red lights, helping out in the shops, working in the fields or as shepherds, learning a trade... And then there are the "invisible" children in the domestic service who you seldom see because they live their lives within the four walls of the employer's home.

One of the main reasons for child labor is poverty. Poor families, often with several children, see no other option than to send their children, sometimes as young as 5 years old, to be apprentices to tailors or carpet weavers or work in the domestic service. Many maids, even the youngest, are forced to work 100 or more hours per week, without rest breaks or days off. Most of them suffer from frequent physical and verbal abuse, not being allowed to attend school, get medical care or enough food. Sexual harassment by employers or their relatives is common. If a girl loses her virginity due to the harassment, her family is considered to have been dishonored. If possible, she is obligated to marry her aggressor. If she becomes pregnant as a result of the rape, society is most likely to turn its' back on her. Abortions are illegal in Morocco and unmarried, pregnant girls are usually forced to prostitute themselves for life in order to survive.

Education from age six to fifteen is compulsory and free in Morocco. In spite of that, millions of Moroccan children don't attend school. Poor families can't afford to buy textbooks, school material, uniforms and pay for transportation, so the dropout rate is very high. Many girls in rural areas are not even registered at birth so they are not allowed to attend school. Instead, they are sent to the cities to work as maids. According to a 2001 study of child domestics, over 80% of the maids had never attended school.

The government is working to help these children, but much more could be done. International organizations, like UNICEF and Save The Children, have projects in Morocco. I believe the key to all this is EDUCATION. Illiterate parents are more likely to send their children to work instead of letting them attend school. By giving the children of today a chance to study we help both them and their children to come. Benjamin Franklin said “The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.”

More posts about different types of abuse at Blogcatalog.

Tech Tags: kids childhood abuse Morocco

WW - Back to School

Last day of summer

My boys are going back to school tomorrow. Their back packs are packed and just like every year, weight way too much. On the first day of school the kids have to take everything they are going to need for the whole year (books, paper, pen, blocks, rulers, glue, scissors....) and that's a lot! I'm going with them to carry some of their heavier stuff, because I don't want their poor backs to break.

I told you in a previous post about our problems getting to/from school. Well, it seems like there is a solution. My best friend has agreed to take them to/from school every day, at least as long as Ramadan lasts and then she'll take them in the mornings. That's a great relief for me because I've worried a lot about this issue for weeks.

My kids are going to my best friend's house today to play with her kids. I'm glad our kids get along so well. My friend has a boy aged 11 and a girl aged almost 6. Her M goes to first grade, my G to 3rd grade, my B to 4th grade and her N to 6th grade (the last one, next year he's off to Secondary School). She's making lasagna and my kids can't wait to have that. One thing they really miss with not having a kitchen is home made food. We're all sick and tired of the food you can get around here, we want healthy, home cooked meals!

The work in the kitchen is still not finished... I'd say maybe, God willing, in another week or two... "Bob the builder" might start working on the floors today. I hope so, because then the house won't be so dirty anymore. he mixes concrete on the kitchen floor (!!!) so there's sand and concrete dust everywhere. With the tile floor in place I don't think he's going to mix any more concrete on my floor and might use a bucket instead. Well, I don't know..... All I know is that I'm so tired of not having a home and living like this. 3½ weeks already. Oh God, give me strength!

Learning can be fun

As a future teacher and mother of 2 kids in school I'm always on the lookout for great links that can help teachers, parents and kids. I just found Score, the Innovative Tutor, which is a program for kids aged 4 to 14. I didn't know about this program before but from what I've seen browsing around it looks really good. They use an innovative teaching system to make learning fun and interactive. When a kid is having fun, he/she will learn. It's as simple as that.

When the kids are sick

As I've told you in previous posts my kids go to a private school. It's a rather strict and tough school so if a kid miss one day of school he/she has to make up for that the next day or during weekend. They have homework just about every day anyway so if you add a few days away from school on top of that the kids would be doing homework all weekend.

I'm glad my kids don't have many sick days because having one at home and one in school makes life rather complicated for me. We live over 15 km away from school (I'm sorry, I don't know how much that is in miles. Somebody help me, please!), in another town, and there are no school buses so going to school isn't easy. So far, they have been able to get a ride with another kid from school in the mornings but I'm not sure they will be able to take them this year as well. My kids start school at 8 AM so we leave the house at 7.20.

They have classes between 8 AM - noon, and then there's a lunch break until 2.30 PM. Since we live in another town my kids don't go home for lunch. They eat in the lunch room at school and afterwards they play on the school yard until it's time to go back to class. They finish school at 4.14 PM.

I leave for school around 3 PM because I don't have a car (or a drivers license) so I have to go by shared taxi. I'll write about that in another post, it's something very Moroccan. *lol* It usually takes me about 50 minutes to get to school, so while I'm waiting for the kids to come down the stairs I talk to my friends and try to catch up with everyone. There's a LOT of talking going on. Moroccans LOVE to talk and to gossip and since I'm a foreigner I know I'm one of their favorite subjects. I don't mind really. If they have nothing better to talk about, then go ahead!

Once my kids leave school we have to walk down to the taxi stop. It usually takes us about 20 minutes. It's actually one of my favorite parts of the day, because we talk and laugh a lot and they tell me about their day at school. If we're lucky we're home by 5.10 and if we're not it's almost 6 PM before we get into our slippers at home.

Living where we live and having the kids in the only Spanish school in the area is hard when one of the kids is sick and can't go out. I can't really leave one of them at home because I'm away for about 2 hours or more and I don't want my kids to be alone for so long. Anything could happen to them. So I just say a prayer and have to take my sick child with me to school (in taxi and walking both ways) OR call a friend so she can bring me the one who's in school. Sometimes I've had to have them both at home in spite of only one of them being sick, because I couldn't find anyone who could drive my other son home. That's life, when you don't have a car....

Me - a teacher?

Officially I'm a SAHM and I really love being at home with my kids. But I also want a dream of mine to come true - I want to become a Spanish teacher and help people with other languages learn the language of Cervantes and other great Spanish writers. In order to achieve my dream I need: a) to go back to school for 5 years, b) get some teaching experience and c) earn money so I can pay for my studies. I want to go back to school now, while my kids are 8 and 10 years old. That way I'll hopefully finish my studies by the time they are 13 and 15 (or maybe a little later, if I find it to difficult to study 50 points a year and decide to take only 30 points a year). When they turn 18 they are most likely going to Spain to start their studies at a university and if I've finished my studies by then I can go too and become a working mom again.

a) is hopefully on it's way since I've been to Ceuta (a Spanish city on the north African coast) several times these the past weeks doing paperwork for the registration. I've still got several papers to do before I'm entitled to pay the registration fee. The registration fee is disgusting - about 822 USD for one year! And on top of that goes everything else: books, dictionaries, stationary and lots more. Can you imagine? I must be nuts for doing this out of my own free will!

I already have several years of teaching experience from when I used to work at nurseries and schools in Sweden. I've also been doing some volunteer teaching during spring and in October we open up the cultural center for another year. I suppose I'll have at least one group of students, maybe two. I don't get payed for working at the center, but I love it! I think it's my duty as a Christian to help people and share my knowledge with them. And teaching makes me feel good, so I don't really care about the money part.

c) is the tricky part. *lol* Especially since I enjoy working for free. But I'll try to find a few students who need private tutoring and that will give me a little money each month. And then there are my home made cards. I don't know, but I'm optimistic. I'm sure things will work out somehow, they usually do. I have faith in myself and in God and I believe there will be a solution for every problem.

Healthy snacks

My kids have lunch at their school because they spend many, many hours at school - between 8 A.M. and 4.15 P.M. At 10 A.M. they have half an hour break to eat their snacks. Usually my kids take a sandwich or some fruit, but this year I want to be more organized and give them healthier snacks and not give them the same things all the time.

I've been thinking about giving them tortilla (the Mexican tortilla *lol*, not the Spanish one) and I found several recipes here. Granola bars is something my kids are not used to having, but I love them and since they are not sold here I'll have to learn how to make them myself. I also found a recipe for Caramel Bars. They sound really yummy but are not to be served on a regular basis, at least not in this home. But every now and then we all need a special treat. *lol* I also found a healthier recipe, using zucchini - I'm definitely going to try that one on my kids because zucchini is a veggie they seldom want to eat and I love it! Picnic bars with shredded coconut and walnuts or caramel apple bars with apples and caramel? There is so much to chose from on the Internet. I think I'm going to have so much fun this fall trying out new recipes, when I finally get my kitchen back. I think I'll post photos and reviews when I try something new. I can't wait to have a kitchen again!

Summer is almost over

Today it's easy to see that fall is on it's way. It's been raining all day. This is the first rain for over 3 months so I guess it was about time. There will still be nice, warm days before the cold season begins but the first rain always marks the end of the lazy summer days. School is getting closer, only 3 weeks left before our life returns to it's normal pace and we're back at our routines. As much as I love summer I really long to get back to my "normal" life. Life is somehow easier when you have routines.

Every year, about this time, I sit down and I work on my FLY Lady Control Journal. And for the most part I do what I plan. My life would be such a mess without FLY Lady! She truly is a hero to me!

Every year I add a few routines. I still haven't decided which will be my new routines this year. One thing I do know, I will schedule some pampering time for me each week. I think that will be my own personal challenge. And I will also add some scrap time for me each week, as well as a yoga session a day.

I really need to plan my weeks from now on. I still don't know how I'm going to combine my house, my kids, their homework, my own studies and homework, teaching at my job and doing private tutoring, blogging and writing articles - and on tp of that, having time to play. Wow! I really need to get back on track!

This year I'm trying the Google calendar to keep track of all my appointments, exams and dinner menus. I have only used it for a few days but what I've seen so far it seems great. you can actually have different calendars for different things, like one for menus (oh boy, I really do need that one! If it only came with the ideas as well, then it would be PERFECT! *lol*), one for the kids' activities, one for my own studies....

As school comes closer and I begin to work on my Control Journal I'll share it with you. I think getting feedback is a great way to plan your time better and find better solutions to everyday problems.

Credit cards

Here in Morocco August and September are really tough months money wise. With the kids going back to school the expenses get blown out of proportion. Text book, pens and other material for school, new clothes, new shoes.... There seem to be no end to it.

I could need a interest free credit card. Mint offer a low interest credit card with a competitive introductory offer and a host of benefits. Sounds great, doesn't it? I don't even own a credit card but i know they make your life easier - and safer. One thing I really hate this time of year is walking around with lots of money in my wallet, but that's the only way to pay unless you have a card. Hopefully I'll have one next year, so I don't have to worry so much.

School so far

My kids have one month left before school starts again. B will be in 4th grade and G in 3rd grade. This is going to be their third year in a Spanish school and so far I'm very happy with their school. They go to a semiprivate semipublic school. Does that make sense to you? I guess not, so I'd better explain. It's semiprivate because it's a Spanish school on Moroccan territory, so once you enter the school you're actually on Spanish ground, which gives it a special status according to Moroccan law. But according to the Spanish school system it's a public school, not a private one and therefor it's semiprivate and semipublic. *lol*

B did 2 years in a Swedish school before we moved here and G did one year. It was a Montessori school and at first I was thrilled with that school. They did SO MUCH to help B and he actually mastered lots of his difficulties at that school. He was diagnosed with "a behavior close to Autism", so he was never really Autistic, only very much alike someone with mild Autism. When he was 4 years old his social skills were like those of a one year old. He never learned how to play with other kids, he preferred to stay close to grown ups instead because other kids scared him. When he started school the teachers got together to help him learn how to be around other kids and after about 6 months he actually started talking to a few of them. After a year he would participate in their games every now and then, but he still preferred to stay close to his teacher. He has GONE A LONG WAY since then! Now he's a very talkative boy, with lots of friends who enjoys playing with other kids. But he still has some difficulties handling crowds and other situations where he doesn't feel safe.

B has always been a very clever boy. He taught himself how to read when he was 5 and he loves to read. He is actually too clever, because he is way ahead of his peers and he gets bored in no time. He needs to be challenged all the time, feel that he's not wasting his time with stupid things. I hope his teachers will be able to keep up with him because if he gets bored at school he's probably going to hate it and refuse to study. I really should look for information on kids with a high IQ, because as a mom I feel it's my duty to make sure he still enjoys going to school.

G started school in Sweden one year early so he wouldn't have problems adjusting to the Spanish school system but oh boy, he was so BORED at school in Sweden! In Sweden kids aren't allowed to learn how to read and write at school before they are 7 and he was only 5 when he started school and he really wanted to learn to read. Instead, he spent the days playing and that's not what he wanted. He wanted to LEARN to master the letters, have homework and feel like a "big boy". I guess he thought going to school was just a big waste of time. He was thrilled to start school here and in less than 4 months he learned to read and write. He was so PROUD about himself and he loves to read whenever he finds a book he likes.

I'm happy both my boys enjoy reading. I think that's a very important quality because a person who loves to read will always find ways to learn new things and will have an open mind. The truth isn't always black or white, it can have different shades.

Preparing for class

In less than one month my boys will be back in school. So far I haven't done much of the planning and shopping so I'd better get going soon. Books have to be bought, I need to buy all the material they'll need, buy new clothes... And most of all - get organized!

Text books are very expensive. Every book costs like 20 Euros (about 30 USD) or more and they need like 7 or 8 books each. Last year I spent like 300 Euros (more than 400 USD) on books alone. This year G will be using some of Bs books from last year and B will be using a friend's old books. Thank God! Because the text books are killing me! Having to pay so much money at the end of summer is tough.

FLY Lady has some really great tips on how to get ready for school. Look here, here, here and here and how to stay on track. There's even a Control Journal for Students. My kids won't be able to use it just yet, because they don't speak English but I will translate some bits and pieces to Spanish and help them make their own Control Journals.

This year I plan to make them healthy snacks for school instead of giving them cookies. They have to take something with them every day for their morning snack - fruit, a sandwich, cookies, candy (way too many Moroccan kids take candy to school EVERY DAY! That's the negative aspects of progress)... I want to make them things which will help them grow and take away the hunger so I'm going to follow some of the lunch box- ideas from FLY Lady.

I don't celebrate New Year's much, because the only thing that really changes is the year and I don't think that's such a big deal. But I do celebrate the start of school. We usually do something special on the first day of school and we plan it well, because it's supposed to be a great and happy day. I don't know what we'll do this year. I'll let you know when the day comes.

I just signed up for PPP

And I love it! My friend Linda told me about PPP several months ago and how great it was, but back then I didn't have a blog in English and I didn't think I would either. But then one day I finally decided it was time to spread my wings and try something new. My blog was born! Since then I've wanted to join PPP and today I was finally accepted. And I'm thrilled!

Payperpost is more than just a business that pays you to write reviews, it's a whole community with bloggers from all over the world, sharing opinions and experiences, not only about blogging but also about life in general and many other topics. I hope I'll be able to spend more time hanging out with the other bloggers, once the kids are back in school, because they seem to be really nice and friendly.

I hope joining PPP will help me reach my goal - paying for my studies! I have finally found out what I want to be "when I grow up" and that is a Spanish teacher. I've had so much fun this summer teaching Spanish and now that I'm on "vacation" I really do miss teaching. But going back to school means I have 5 years of studies ahead of me. 5 years of studying day and night, doing exams and reading endless books on grammar, linguistics and Latin verbs, as well as being a happy SAHM and taking care of my kids and our home. I know that's going to be tough but I'm going to make it! With a little help from my friends of cause. *lol*

Raising a multi-lingual child

I read some very interesting posts about bringing up children with more than one language at Don´t eat my Buchela and wanted to share my 2 cents about it.

My husband and I are multilingual. I speak Spanish, Swedish and English and my dear hubby speaks Moroccan Arabic, Spanish, French and Swedish. Long before we had kids we decided we would give them all our cultures and languages so when oldest son, B, was born I spoke to him in Spanish only and hubby in Moroccan Arabic. My parents spoke Swedish with him. We did the the same with youngest son, G,when he arrived 2 years later. I was a SAHM for 4 years so B was 4 years old when he started nursery school and G was 2. Until then they had mostly comunicated in Spanish. It took them a few months to switch to using Swedish at school and Spanish at home. My hubby worked long hours so he didn´t get to spend so much time with the boys and therefor their Moroccan arabic was almost non existing, but they understod a few words here and there.

By the time the boys started school (at age 5 and 6) in Sweden they spoke better Swedish than Spanish but still used only Spanish with me and Spanish most of the time with their dad. When we moved to Morocco, in June 2005, the boys were almost 6 and almost 8. Their Moroccan Arabic was a disaster but their Spanish was still acceptable. They go to a Spanish school and they play most of the time in Spanish. Their Spanish is now just as good as that of any other Spanish child, born and raised in Spain or maybe even better. Their Moroccan Arabic is getting better and they also study Classic Arabic one hour a day. Their Swedish is still more than okey, almost like a kid in Sweden, in spite of not using it at all here. They read quite a lot in Swedish and watch Swedish movies and of course, they chat with their grandparents in Sweden. So my children use 4 languages on a regular basis. And on top of that they study English and French at school and watch TV in Portuguese and German as well. Yup, lots of languages!!! *lol*