Yep, I know, I have been slacking. First things first: Happy Birthday Mom! Happy 8 month-versary Eva! Happy Belated Birthday Tracy!
Going to try and write more later but wanted to make sure I got that in!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Random Pics & 2 videos
I know some of you can't view shutterfly so here are some selected pics from the past month...
Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, the second largest mosque in the world
Mmmm... McDonald's Moroccan style...
A snake charmer in Djemma el Fna, the main square in Marrakesh
One of the 14 entrances to the medina in Fes, which has 9700 streets! This one is blue on one side (the color of Fes) and green on the other side (the color of Islam and peace).
2 videos... the call to prayer (until my phone started ringing) and the women at the cooperative in Fes making a carpet
Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, the second largest mosque in the world
Mmmm... McDonald's Moroccan style...
A snake charmer in Djemma el Fna, the main square in Marrakesh
One of the 14 entrances to the medina in Fes, which has 9700 streets! This one is blue on one side (the color of Fes) and green on the other side (the color of Islam and peace).
2 videos... the call to prayer (until my phone started ringing) and the women at the cooperative in Fes making a carpet
Dating is a team sport in Morocco
No, Mom and Dad, I'm not talking about ME dating but it sure has been interesting to watch my friends navigate dating here. One of my roommates (the reverted Muslim from Canada) has expressed interest in dating someone in Morocco. Needless to say, there's no shortage of women who have a cousin, brother, uncle, etc that they would like to set her up with. Here is where things get a bit more complicated, and for me, very amusing. Technically, Muslims are not allowed to date. You can "get to know someone", but under certain circumstances. You can't meet alone (as in someone's house or the movies); you should be in a public place. Basically, you should never be in a situation where something could happen with a member of the opposite sex. Many times this means two people end up dating in a group at first and then meet in public afterward. Or they lie and say they are going to a friend's house and really go meet their boyfriend.
Back to my friend. She works at the orphanage and one of the nurses there wanted her to meet her cousin. They set up a date and I was going to be my friend's chaperon. This was by far the most awkward date I have ever been on and it wasn't even my date! Some highlights of the evening:
The guy: I looked up your town in Canada on Google Earth, maybe I saw your house! Maybe I saw your mom!
Then after the date, my friend and I wanted to walk around for a bit but the guy INSISTED he take us home. We really aren't supposed to have people drop us off at home (safety reasons) so we told him he could just drop us off at the grocery store that's about a 2 minute walk from the house. Then he wanted to go IN the grocery store with us. We said, no that's OK, we'll just go alone. So he said he would wait for us... After about five minutes we finally convinced him to let us go alone. Then he got out of the car to say good-bye to us and he asked her, "So, do you like me?" My friend slyly tried to avoid the question by saying she would email him, to which he responded, "When? Tonight?"
I really had to try hard to keep it together and not burst out laughing the entire time. The second date went much better. I set her up with a guy from my class who works in the same field as she does. We had a group date with him and another person from my class last night. I was the matchmaker so I hope it turns out OK!
That's all for now, I will try to write more later. Miss you all!
Back to my friend. She works at the orphanage and one of the nurses there wanted her to meet her cousin. They set up a date and I was going to be my friend's chaperon. This was by far the most awkward date I have ever been on and it wasn't even my date! Some highlights of the evening:
The guy: I looked up your town in Canada on Google Earth, maybe I saw your house! Maybe I saw your mom!
Then after the date, my friend and I wanted to walk around for a bit but the guy INSISTED he take us home. We really aren't supposed to have people drop us off at home (safety reasons) so we told him he could just drop us off at the grocery store that's about a 2 minute walk from the house. Then he wanted to go IN the grocery store with us. We said, no that's OK, we'll just go alone. So he said he would wait for us... After about five minutes we finally convinced him to let us go alone. Then he got out of the car to say good-bye to us and he asked her, "So, do you like me?" My friend slyly tried to avoid the question by saying she would email him, to which he responded, "When? Tonight?"
I really had to try hard to keep it together and not burst out laughing the entire time. The second date went much better. I set her up with a guy from my class who works in the same field as she does. We had a group date with him and another person from my class last night. I was the matchmaker so I hope it turns out OK!
That's all for now, I will try to write more later. Miss you all!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Randomness
So much to say, I have been slacking!
I can dance!
I don't think I realized how much I went out before but one month without going out and dancing was really getting to me. I thought my friends would ditch me because we would be in a cafe or restaurant and I literally couldn't stop my legs from moving!! This weekend, all that changed and I have Kiesel to thank! We went to Pacha Marrakesh and the swag switch turned right on. Better yet, we were able to get comped on the admission because that's how Kiesel rolls. The admission for Pacha is 200 MAD, which is about $20 but to put it in perspective my roundtrip train ticket to Marrakesh was 240 MAD and that is the equivalent distance between Cincinnati and Detroit. So yea, 200 MAD is a lot to get into a club.
I can read!
I have been half-illiterate for the past month here. I can read the signs in French obviously but my Arabic was another story. I'm proud to say I can now read Arabic. I can't understand 99% of it but I can read man! Of course this still puts me way behind many Moroccans. If you finish public school in Morocco you will most likely know at least four languages: the Berber dialect in your area, Darija (the Moroccan dialect of Arabic), Standard Arabic (taught in school from grade 2), and French (taught in school from grade 3). More on that here.
Month in review:
So, it has been a little over a month and here are a few of my thoughts so far... leave yours in the comments!
Things I love:
That chivalry is not dead. Men actually give their seats to older women on the bus. We make room for women with babies on the train to sit down. People help you with you bags up and down the stairs just because. Shocking, I know.
THE WEATHER! Sorry, I know I am weather bragging since most of my loved ones are veiled in a snowy mist or avalanche. But it's warming up here. It was about 80 this past weekend but cooled down some to the high 60s this week. But I am not complaining!
The fact that people are really nice and don't get at all frustrated as I butcher my way through French and Arabic trying to explain things or get my point across.
The food! I am drowning. Drowning in a sea of sugar, bread, potatoes and more sugar. But if I'm going to gain 17864726784239847 pounds, I wouldn't want it any other way. A typical day of food goes like this: Breakfast- baguette with jam, OJ, banana. Lunch: Potatoes, some version of excellent rice, a bunch of really good veggies. More bread. Lentil or bean soup. Tea time!!! My day is punctuated by tea time. I won't miss it. We have tea Moroccan style (read: sugar-ific) and some type of tea snack. Today was donuts. Freshly-baked donuts. Other days have been freshly baked cookies. Or freshly baked (insert fried-sugar-bread item here). Dinner is some repeat of lunch. Yum.
My class! I love teaching them. We have a great time and I have learned more about the students and their lives, which is great, but also sad sometimes. They seem to like the class, I hope I am helping them improve.
Things I love not so much...
Being honked at while walking on the street. I don't know why this happens. I guess it is the Moroccan version of "Ay- Shortaaay!". I am not pleased here nor there.
The hot, stuffy, crowded train that is supposed to be air-conditioned but it not and is supposed to be on time but is not. But it's super cheap so I guess it's a wash.
The hot, stuffy, crowded bus that could be brand new or 20 years old, just depends on your luck. The other day one guy was holding onto the windowsill because there were no handles. Another day we had a Flinstone bus (I could see the road passing under us because there were rust holes in the bottom of the bus). There is no stop button. You shuffle to the front of the bus when you want to get off and stand in the door or bang on the back door. The bus is super super super cheap so I guess that's a wash too.
Not having proper places to dance/ hang out. This is really bothersome to me. I'm used to going out after work, having a drink, watching the game, etc. Here, people mostly chill at home. You can go to a cafe but it's just not the same! Where will I watch March Madness? These are the things that keep me up at night... Also, there's no place to dance. Or not any place that I have found where I won't be mistaken for a prostitute (it has happened to my friends, awk-ward). That's why Pacha Marrakesh was so necessary!
Things I'm not sure how I feel about yet:
Dressing modestly. Many of my previous dresses have become shirts (or were they already shirts, Mithra???). I actually don't mind it and kind of like it. I roll out all covered up and nobody bothers me. However, it's starting to get warm and I don't know how I will work this out. Saturday on the train to Marrakesh I was BURNING UP! But I couldn't take off my sweater because underneath was a short sleeved shirt. I'll have to figure out a way to resolve this...
Ok, that's all for now. I leave you with some shout-outs...
Thanks Dad for the skype and Tracy for the attempted package (it's the thought!).
Thanks Mom for the magazines.
Thanks to Nita for the US updates.
Happy belated birthday to Ashli!
Happy belated birthday to Trenita!
Happy future birthday to my lovely auntie Kara!
Hi Aja! (because I know if I don't say something to you too you will get mad!)
Happy belated seven-month-a-versary to Miss Eva (because Aja will be mad if I don't say that too)
And, of course, shout out to everyone who has been reading. I'm glad my words aren't just getting lost in the internet Matrix.
Until next time...
I can dance!
I don't think I realized how much I went out before but one month without going out and dancing was really getting to me. I thought my friends would ditch me because we would be in a cafe or restaurant and I literally couldn't stop my legs from moving!! This weekend, all that changed and I have Kiesel to thank! We went to Pacha Marrakesh and the swag switch turned right on. Better yet, we were able to get comped on the admission because that's how Kiesel rolls. The admission for Pacha is 200 MAD, which is about $20 but to put it in perspective my roundtrip train ticket to Marrakesh was 240 MAD and that is the equivalent distance between Cincinnati and Detroit. So yea, 200 MAD is a lot to get into a club.
I can read!
I have been half-illiterate for the past month here. I can read the signs in French obviously but my Arabic was another story. I'm proud to say I can now read Arabic. I can't understand 99% of it but I can read man! Of course this still puts me way behind many Moroccans. If you finish public school in Morocco you will most likely know at least four languages: the Berber dialect in your area, Darija (the Moroccan dialect of Arabic), Standard Arabic (taught in school from grade 2), and French (taught in school from grade 3). More on that here.
Month in review:
So, it has been a little over a month and here are a few of my thoughts so far... leave yours in the comments!
Things I love:
That chivalry is not dead. Men actually give their seats to older women on the bus. We make room for women with babies on the train to sit down. People help you with you bags up and down the stairs just because. Shocking, I know.
THE WEATHER! Sorry, I know I am weather bragging since most of my loved ones are veiled in a snowy mist or avalanche. But it's warming up here. It was about 80 this past weekend but cooled down some to the high 60s this week. But I am not complaining!
The fact that people are really nice and don't get at all frustrated as I butcher my way through French and Arabic trying to explain things or get my point across.
The food! I am drowning. Drowning in a sea of sugar, bread, potatoes and more sugar. But if I'm going to gain 17864726784239847 pounds, I wouldn't want it any other way. A typical day of food goes like this: Breakfast- baguette with jam, OJ, banana. Lunch: Potatoes, some version of excellent rice, a bunch of really good veggies. More bread. Lentil or bean soup. Tea time!!! My day is punctuated by tea time. I won't miss it. We have tea Moroccan style (read: sugar-ific) and some type of tea snack. Today was donuts. Freshly-baked donuts. Other days have been freshly baked cookies. Or freshly baked (insert fried-sugar-bread item here). Dinner is some repeat of lunch. Yum.
My class! I love teaching them. We have a great time and I have learned more about the students and their lives, which is great, but also sad sometimes. They seem to like the class, I hope I am helping them improve.
Things I love not so much...
Being honked at while walking on the street. I don't know why this happens. I guess it is the Moroccan version of "Ay- Shortaaay!". I am not pleased here nor there.
The hot, stuffy, crowded train that is supposed to be air-conditioned but it not and is supposed to be on time but is not. But it's super cheap so I guess it's a wash.
The hot, stuffy, crowded bus that could be brand new or 20 years old, just depends on your luck. The other day one guy was holding onto the windowsill because there were no handles. Another day we had a Flinstone bus (I could see the road passing under us because there were rust holes in the bottom of the bus). There is no stop button. You shuffle to the front of the bus when you want to get off and stand in the door or bang on the back door. The bus is super super super cheap so I guess that's a wash too.
Not having proper places to dance/ hang out. This is really bothersome to me. I'm used to going out after work, having a drink, watching the game, etc. Here, people mostly chill at home. You can go to a cafe but it's just not the same! Where will I watch March Madness? These are the things that keep me up at night... Also, there's no place to dance. Or not any place that I have found where I won't be mistaken for a prostitute (it has happened to my friends, awk-ward). That's why Pacha Marrakesh was so necessary!
Things I'm not sure how I feel about yet:
Dressing modestly. Many of my previous dresses have become shirts (or were they already shirts, Mithra???). I actually don't mind it and kind of like it. I roll out all covered up and nobody bothers me. However, it's starting to get warm and I don't know how I will work this out. Saturday on the train to Marrakesh I was BURNING UP! But I couldn't take off my sweater because underneath was a short sleeved shirt. I'll have to figure out a way to resolve this...
Ok, that's all for now. I leave you with some shout-outs...
Thanks Dad for the skype and Tracy for the attempted package (it's the thought!).
Thanks Mom for the magazines.
Thanks to Nita for the US updates.
Happy belated birthday to Ashli!
Happy belated birthday to Trenita!
Happy future birthday to my lovely auntie Kara!
Hi Aja! (because I know if I don't say something to you too you will get mad!)
Happy belated seven-month-a-versary to Miss Eva (because Aja will be mad if I don't say that too)
And, of course, shout out to everyone who has been reading. I'm glad my words aren't just getting lost in the internet Matrix.
Until next time...
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