I ran across a letter that I had written to my sister, Mary, during the year I was working at INELEC in Algeria.
August 2, 1977
Dearest Mary Lou:
I’m sitting in front of the market waiting for Jim to do his shopping (he doesn’t have a license so I drove him down). I’ve moved into my new apartment which is down here in the heart of Bourmerdes (2 blocks from the market—I can eat now even without a car!) Algerians are everywhere, sitting under the trees, walking down the road, the sidewalk—clustered about the coffeehouse. I hear the slap of dominoes crashing on the table and smell the open toilet across the street but mostly the men walking. They look like all the Algerians that have ever crossed the portals of your lab – its strange to re-see all the physical types duplicated a thousand times here. It is hot but as always there is a breeze blowing in off the sea that keeps it bearable here. Can’t complain about the climate here at all.
Mary, I feel so much better in this new apartment – the vibes are so much better. Several people have walked in and just said, “Oh its you”. I hated it when Barbara (previous tenant) was here but I love it now. The place where we lived before never came together…never had an “ambiance” but this one is already “mine”. I need to look in Europe for some stuff for the walls but thats about all.
I’m so glad you like your present. I bought it the first time I went to Tipaza – Saw it and bought it immediately as I just knew it was for you.
An old man with an open shop, sitting in front of the sea, carves them. They are all replicas of the Roman ruins in Tipaza. Dola left this morning. I don’t want to even think about it. Be sure and ask her about EVERYTHING. I can hardly wait for her to arrive and interpret everything for you.
We went to Tclemsen last weekend and stayed with Fodil’s family. Tclemecen is up on the mountains in the west – a fairly large town. Maybe 40-50,000 (who knows!) quiet, tranquil, very traditional, lots of money, the whole area seems more prosperous than the rest of the country – good, wide roads, clean, neat houses. Fodil’s family has a lovely home—two-story with a complete apartment on each floor- a huge ballroom with a WESTERN toilet. Dola and I each had our own room, fantasic food. His sisters were there staying as their husbands were away on business. Very comfortable.
We went one night and watched a series of grooms going to their brides’ homes on their wedding night (August is the month of marriage here and weddings are everywhere!). In Tclemcen the groom rides a white horse (in a tux with a burnoose over it) surrounded by a group of friends on foot with “sparklers” and blanks in rifles and a band and a line of cars following honking – everyone dancing, singing, chanting the kind of trash talk we write on cars of newlyweds. And the poor groom hanging on for dear life – terrified that he’ll fall off the horse. I laughed til I hurt.
We flew to and from Tclemecen- flying in Air Algerie may cure my fear of flying or kill me one! I’ve never before seen pilots seem to deliberately head for the center of a storm or mountain. Always before I’ve consoled myself with the thought that the pilot doesn’t want to crash anymore than I do – with Air Algerie, I’m not so sure!
Well, I leave tomorrow or the next day with Danny (another teacher) we’re driving to Morocco, then cross Gibraltar by ferry, drive to Portugal and then on the 12th I’ll meet Mourad in Rome. We go up to Switzerland to meet Dola and onto Paris to meet Cherif and then I come back to Algeria by way of Spain.
Can’t believe I’m going to do all that. I think I’m going to try to call Mother and Daddy tomorrow and then again from Europe. This will be the last letter I’ll write but will send cards and aerograms (as I find them) from everywhere.
Oh for the month of August, I won’t get any money here in Algeria at all – so my check for the month of August there at the UH should be $1000 gross – please make sure that they pay me all that – the net should be around $700. Tell Chris if she has any questions about it, to call EDC—collect. Also my raise should go into effect as of Sept 1. Thanks for all the info on the money – sounds like you’re doing a great job there – And I really appreciate it. Also I so appreciate all those marvelous letters. I know you’re absolutely completely under gun with the thesis yet you still take the time to write so much. I really am touched. Thank you Mary.
My language continues to improve and when I got your letter telling about the 2 hour teaching 2 hour host family, counseling for January, it really spurred me on to work harder. I am absolutely delighted with the idea and have at least a dozen ideas about what I’m going to do with the host family and counseling. I can hardly wait to come back and get into it.
Congratulations on your raise. Now maybe you can get on your feet a bit financially.
Well I’m going to close and begin packing and making a shopoping list for Europe. Item number 1 is shoes – I have cometely worn out every pair of shoes I brought with me and am now wearing wooden clogs a la Algerienne. because they are the only shoes that I can wear that are sold here. Algerians have very different feet!
Give my love and big kisses to all..Your trip to the mountains should be a ball. I know you’ll really enjoy it. The thought of the mountains after summering and thesising in Houston should be orgasmic. I even prefer Bourmerdes to Houston in the summer and you can ask Dola just how portent is that statement!! Oh don’t worry about my address changing because I moved as the mail always goes to the office (when it goes at all) Mary I am so proud of you and your thesis – waived the defense – its just incredible! Don’t ever come to Algeria as people here are sick of hearing about Mary, her thesis, my sister, the sociologist says, etc etc etc. I’m worse than mother is!! and add to it, Jim and Dola are right behind me saying yeah, yeah!
Well sister, I must close and get to work. Take care, just 2 more days till you’ll be through with the thesis. On August 4, I will pray 5 prayers of thankfulness to the east – whomever may be there – (Write and send me water – I’m tired of spit baths.) I love you and miss you and will outtalk you for 3 weeks in January..
Carol Mae
