I had tea with an old friend from Outat El Haj yesterday. I was happy to hear that there have been many material improvements in the quality of life over the past ten years. There is now a bridge across the River Moulouya from the village to the high school. Electricity and water are now reliable. When I lived there, telephone calls could only be made by going to the post office and asking the operator to place the call. Now even children have cell phones. I hope this news means that life is easier for the people I knew.