One of the highlights this week was a discussion we had in the house with all 51 girls on the topic of the early marriage of girls (in their teens). They first discussed this (very animatedly!) in small groups in Amazhir (Berber). In fact that discussion could have lasted all evening but I reluctantly had to draw them together to talk about it in English - both to help their communication skills in English and so that I could understand what they were saying! Not surprisingly they were unanimous in their condemnation of early marriage and could see no advantages. They identified the causes as being poverty, traditional views and ignorance. We then moved onto the problems caused by early marriage which included depriving girls of a normal childhood when they should be playing and getting an education, and forcing them into taking the responsibility for a family at too young an age. Many girls drop out of school which then affects the education of the children of these girls. They also mentioned health problems for the girls in that they are giving birth at a very young age. The early marriage of girls can also lead to violence against women and even divorce.

Several of the girls had personal stories to tell, some of which were tragic. One girl who was going to be forced to marry a man at a very young age committed suicide as the only way to escape her fate. The best friend of one girl was married at the age of 16 and was desperately homesick as she had to move to her husband's family in Casablanca, far away from her village in the mountains. One girl's mother married when she was 14 and her husband has now left her for another woman, leaving her mother, sister and brother in a desperate situation.

We went on to talk about the dreams of the girls here at Asni 3, who have grasped the opportunity to get an education and they were all totally inspiring. The father of one of the girls was convinced that she would return to her village pregnant after having attended an EFA boarding house. She is determined to prove him wrong and aims to return with a degree certificate rather than a baby! In doing this she hopes to change the mentality of the people in her village. Many of the girls have dreams of becoming teachers; one wants to be a businesswoman, another a journalist and another a tourist guide; a couple want to be police officers; one wants to be a nurse and another a social worker. Many of them are the first girls in their villages to get a secondary education and to go to university. What unites them all is their determination to help their families and communities in the future. In the words of Zahira and Hajar who summed up at the end: 'We want to be successful women who can then choose our own husband when we are ready for marriage.'

And on a more frivolous note I have done some fantastic walking - both in the early morning with the housemothers and sometimes the girls and then yesterday on my own up onto the beautiful ridge behind the house with stunning views of snowy peaks on one side and an almost biblical landscape on the other, of villages the colour of the brown earth around the plateau which is also dotted with the brilliant green of winter barley. I passed shepherds with their flocks of sheep and goats and men returning from the Saturday souk in Asni with their mules laden with food.

But on to the 21st century today when I went to Marrakech for a bit of tourism and shopping. It is such a great place, especially on a Sunday when it's full of Marrakshis as well as the tourists enjoying a day off as well as loads of tourists. As well as getting lost in the Medina (but very well directed by helpful locals!) I visited the Bahia Palace which is absolutely beautiful with a series of lovely courtyards with rooms leading off all of which are fantastically tiled and have the most wonderful painted ceilings above intricate plaster work. There is something incredibly peaceful and utterly exquisite in the design of these courtyards, rooms and ceilings, though there was not a stick of furniture as apparently the staff of the palace stripped it bare when the Sultan who built it died and his family were driven out to starvation and ruin - life was tough!

But life is certainly not tough here for me and I feel very spoilt with all the wonderful experiences I am having, especially when I get emails from David and Claire describing waking up to snow this morning!