Volunteers' blog

It seems like it is just one party after another here at Dar Asni. First there was the open day, then the party for Mouna’s and Cook Latifa’s return and Jenny going and now we have mint tea at Tamadot.

Jenny has the idea that it would be a lovely treat if she and I took the girls to Tamadot for tea. They live so close but have never been in. So we emailed then and asked if this would be possible and how much it would be. They got back to us saying tit would be their pleasure and the tea would be free. So after much towing and throwing trying to find a date it was decided we would go on Tuesday 17^th and Wednesday 18^th of May. When Tuesday came the girls where so excited and kept asking me “Tamadot today?” “You go Tamadot?” “I go Tamadot?” When I said yes to these they would then hug and kiss me, say happy there are and thank me.

It was raining when the time came to leave, both on Tuesday and Wednesday. This did not dampen the girls sprits though and they where singing away in the transport that Tamadot has sent for us. As soon as the girls got through the gate they were silent. I had to encourage them all up to the front door with them clinging on to each other and me. They were so overwhelmed by its beauty. Senna, 1^st lesse, said “It’s so beautiful!” In an awe struck voice and the other girls agreed. Then we were ushered through the door by the lovely Ariane, Deputy General Manager, and up the stairs to where we would have tea. It was a lovely court yard with swimming pool in the middle, which had rose petals floating on the surface.

The Tea was brilliant; we had traditional Moroccan mint tea with little pastries and cakes. The girls where very shy at first but with help from Idris, who works at Tamadot as well as doing our gym club, we managed to get them to relax a little. After tea a very proud Idris took us on a tour of the grounds. It was breath taking. The girls where so amazed by all the different plants, swimming pools, works of arts and most of all the amazing gym. Idris was like a proud father as he showed us around and took hundreds of photos for the girls.

Then it was time to leave as we all had to back in time for gym. After it being hard to get them through the front door it was now hard to get out of the door due to the amount of photos being taken but eventually we made it. All that was talked about for the next few days was Tamadot and how wonderful it is.

The week of Tamadot had come in the middle of exams for most of the girls, so it was a welcome break. By the Friday a lot of the Lesse exams where over and some of the girls were having parties with their classes. Khadija Ait Hmed and Samira, both 1^st lesse, invited me to go to one of these parties. I had to be ready to leave at 8am as the party was to be held in a couple of lesions which had finished but they still had lessons the rest of the day. So off I went carrying a huge tea pot full of mint tea. When we got to school it turned out the girls had not ask the director if I could be there. So we stood in his office whilst he asked about me and told the girls off. I felt just like a naughty school girl again, stood up straight with my hands behind my back and eyes down looking ashamed. Eventually he said that I was able to stay and so off we went with many thank yous. When we arrived at the class room all the tables had been pushed to the edges or to the middle to make one large table. On this table sat 3 yummy cakes, plates and glasses. It had been decorated with rose petals and looked very lovely.

The room was full of boys and a few girls all dressed nicely and which the laid table it looked like it was going to be a good party. The only thing which spoilt it in my opinion was the fact the floor was so filthy, it was covered in mud, rubbish and cigarette ends, which I found out later they were the teachers from when he smokes during lessons. The music got going the boys had brought a sound system, a drum and a Moroccan guitar. It took a while for everyone to get up and dance, the girls where shy and very outnumbered due to the fact that there are many more boys at the school and in every class. But in the end the whole room was filled with people dancing. I danced with Samira and her friend, trying to copy them with limited success. Everyone was laughing and joking and having a good time, it was great.