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Trip Report Balls of Peace in Morocco

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Everywhere you go in Morocco you see little boys playing soccer. Usually their balls are beat up or totally deflated. Often they use tin cans or boxes. A new ball is almost unheard of -- who indeed can afford the $7-10 dollars for such a thing. So, rather than pennies or chocolates or small balls, I got my driver to take me to a walmart equivalent and bought about 8 inexpensive soccer balls. Everywhere we saw kids playing without a proper ball, we stopped, and the driver lined them up, got them to agree on how to share and who would be in charge -- and left behind a beaming group of young men, who knew on that "the American" bought them a soccer ball. I truly urge you to pass this one while you are there, even if you only do one.

Unfortunately I never came up with anything as good for girls. Jump ropes, jacks, and yes they do love pens (they cost a LOT there) and small notebooks are true treasures... but in most places where I was , the girls don't play outdoor sports.

Perhaps you can't afford much and this trip is for you, as it was for me, a once in a lifetime... but when you get there, and you see the poverty, you will be glad to have brought a few things to give away. The money I spent was a lot for me, but the smiles of joy were far more payment than I deserved.

TF

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