Making a living as an artist anywhere in the world is a challenge. But here in North Africa, with state run arts institutions, rampant corruption and lots of hot blooded Mediterranean jealousy makes for an artists life style with even more twists and turns and extreme trials of patience. In fact, it can be so harrowing at times that I want to share it and vent and write about it.

Starting this October 2009 I will be writing about working as an artist in North Africa. I run Daraja Theatre with my husband, Mohamed Yabdri out of Oran, Algeria. Names might be changed as well as the exact institutions we work with. I grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota and have been living on and off in Algeria since May of 2008 (see The Kabyle Folktale Project Blog).

We have just figured out our internet situation here at home. But our plumbing is a mess. Currently we are working on producing our show RIMM LA GAZELLE by Fatima Gallaire and working on a translation of another piece about Iraq from English to Arabic. Mohamed's friend recently wrote him a comedic stand up thing...as the projects advance the posts will come.

Stay tuned.