Now I have been here for over a week I think it is time to write a second instalment as SO much seems to have happened and it is just getting better and better!

I now have a timetable of sessions with small groups of girls during the day which is brilliant as it means that I am doing a bit more than troubleshooting homework problems and I can plan something vaguely constructive. I usually try to do a mixture of revision of what they are doing at school as well as grammar practice for the older ones and vocabulary building with the younger ones but as far as possible with lots of talking and games to keep up the energy levels! They are huge fun to teach as they are so eager to learn and (unlike the adults I was previously teaching), soak up new information AND retain it! And I don't think I can say the same for my Arabic - to my shame!

Yesterday we had an interesting visit from a group of Dutch golfers who had been involved in fundraising for Education for All through their golf club. It seems that the association is largely funded by individuals and small businesses and groups rather than trusts or NGOs and they certainly don't receiveany government funding. I think the fact that donors can see exactly how well the money is spent and how little goes on administration is a key factor for the success of the project. The group were being shown around by Maryek, who is on the committee of Education for All and who owns two riads in Marrakech with her husband. She is a total ball of fire and is not only full of great ideas but also is clearly very practical and sees them through. In fact I've been so struck by the general attitude to new ideas and ventures of both housemothers, Khadija and Latifa, which can be encapsulated in two words 'Why not?'

One school which has done a lot of fundraising is Bristol Grammar School, so we made a video of the girls sending them a message. Apparently they would like to set up a Skype link which they can show at an Assembly. This could be interesting both from the technical and language point of view but would be great to pull off!

Today was a holiday for New Year so a few of the girls who lived nearby went home, but the rest just had a more leisurely day in the house - sleeping in until 10 like any teenagers but, unlike many, they then spent a lot of the morning washing their clothes and hanging their blankets out on the terrace. They have rotas for clearing, washing up and cleaning their rooms and bathroom, (they have shared rooms with around 6 in a dormitory). The bedrooms are always immaculate with their blankets beautifully folded and their clothes tidied away in the cupboards.

I had a lovely late lunch of a tagine in a little restaurant a 40 minute walk down the main road out of Asni with the three housemothers and Sinead, the other volunteer. It overlooked the river and there were quite a few families having picnics, as well as a collection of camels and ponies waiting to take tourists for rides. (It is great to be here NOT as a tourist!)

Otherwise my one other big new experience has been my first visit to the hammam. I have always been intrigued by them but far too scared to go as a tourist or on my own. So I was delighted when Khadija offered to take me yesterday afternoon. In spite of feeling a total novice (and buying a scrubbing mitt that was seriously rough!) I have to say that it was really very special. First you soap yourself with a special soap and some henna which apparently help to prepare your skin for all the scrubbing. And is there some scrubbing involved - I felt as if layers of dead skin were being peeled away, but I was told that I must keep going and scrub harder! My back tingled for hours after it had been properly scrubbed by K but my skin has never felt smoother or cleaner. There were quite a few other ladies there of all ages and quite a few with children. It was a surprisingly relaxing experience (despite of all the scrubbing!) and I felt distinctly snoozy for the rest of the evening. It would appear that many Moroccans go to the hammam every week and certainly it is a feature of the girls' weekends when they return to their villages. Many don't have showers in their houses but go to the hammam instead - and I certainly felt super clean!