Each season, even each month, can bring a different schedule here. The first winter here was definitely busier with settling into the apartment and integrating into the village along with establishing a presence at the youth center. But now as summer approaches the work has slowed (as predicated by PC) and I figured might as well do a little outline of my daily activities. The youth center is closing this month for a prolonged construction so we are in the works of finding another location at site to work at for starting next year. The hope is that come next September the classes and programs will also ramp back up.

Lately, an average day means waking up sometime between 7-8 am. The start of my day usually depends on how the night before goes. Sometimes it is so hot it’s difficult to sleep, even with the multiple ways I try to combat that. On good nights the temp will cool off in the 70s but lately, due to summer approaching, it stays in the 90s or 80s. But on a good day, I get some sleep and wake up naturally, a bonus of not having anything in the morning no need for alarms. Honestly, the only time I even set an alarm is for Tuesday so I can go to my weekly souk market early before it gets too hot and crowded. 

I typically have my overnight oats waiting for me in the fridge and just need to boil water for my morning coffee. On hotter days I will take a quick rinse in my shower to cool off while the water is boiling. 

After I sit on my ponge (couch) and read whatever Kindle book catches my fancy. I keep the windows open early to get some breeze but usually close them mid-morning before the sun comes in directly. This is one of the tips to keep the apartment cooler. 

If I need some food staples like eggs or pasta or some snacks I might take a quick walk down the block to a few hanuts (stores). Or if I am not feeling like venturing out I will try and do some light housework or laundry. 

My souk was yesterday so I did a lot of my other food shopping while I was already out. I’ve got some laundry piling up so I will work on that and do a little meal prep for some no-cook meals as the temps get hotter. The go-to breakfast is overnight oats, lunch is usually some type of leftovers, and dinner can be something quick like yogurt with granola and cut-up fruit. Always trying to be mindful of protein even with the limited options at site. Still working my way up to visit the butcher.. It’s quite a different experience than just visiting a grocery store.

Tonight I have tutoring around 7 pm with the high schoolers for their national exam, so I will prepare a few topics and exercises to go over with them and my counterpart. When I was hosting a regular class I would also gather some video clips or music and game ideas. The students love watching movie clips to practice English phrases or concepts. This is a conservative Muslim country so I was always mindful of that when selecting clips but I also couldn’t help but incorporate some references to more unconventional gender roles. 

Sometimes on my way back from the youth center I might get stopped and invited to dinner (which can be as late as 10 pm here) by the host family or friends. Once I get back from work I will take a shower, guzzle some water, maybe have something to eat if I don’t get stopped, and then watch some shows to wind down before bed.  Also with the time zone difference, this can be a good time to reach out to friends and family back home.