Morocco Feb 7
Hello to all-I accidentally miscalculated something when I last wrote--1 dirham is not 25 cents, but rather 12 cents, and the internet cafe costs 10 dirhams an hour, which is about 1 dollar and 20 cents.
In other more important news...
Saturday we did a drop-off, which is an unconventional tradition where the people in charge take us on a bus and drop each of us off at a different location around the city. We must then find our way back to the Center for Cross Cultural Learning (our school) while also making observations related to a particular theme; this is all an assignment. In the unlikely event that we are truly and hopelessly lost, we have cab fare on hand from the program. However, I think only one person used their cab fare this time. Methods of navigation predominantly involved landmarks (this is how I find my way EVERYWHERE) or simply asking directions if you could find someone who spoke your language (which is usually French or English if you are lucky). When initially dropped off, I knew the general direction I should go; at some point this became less clear, since the lack of through streets forced me to change course. After a long period of intense disorientation, my sense of direction was restored when I spotted the Atlantic ocean. I then asked someone which way to the Medina (the old city) and from there it was all recognition of landmarks: a pink sweatsuit in a store window; a fruit market; a butcher shop with a cow's and sheep's head on the sign; and finally the Baab El Alou--our gate in the old city wall. My theme was "Men Women and Children" and I saw a lot of them. Unlike the Medina, the men in the drop off neighborhood were fairly indifferent to my presence; normally they make (usually mild) comments and attempt to catch the attention of women in the group. Children wear school uniforms, I noticed. For the girls these are smocks worn over the clothing in a single school color.
Sunday I moved in with my host family. Not everyone was home at once, so I met people at different times: first my brother Abdellah who is my age and speaks some English and lots of French; then my brother Tarik who is a few years older; I also met my father which is good because some people's host fathers are never around. My mother and I had breakfast with my older sisters Samira and Waafaa (which sounds like Wah Fah uh) and Samira's 2 year old son. Breakfast was yummy Moroccan pancakes. In the afternoon I played with my younger sisters Meryem and Khalija and the maid Sophia. I discovered that if pronounced the American way, my name means something like body lice, so I've taken note to say it differently. I have lots of other stories but right now I'm late getting home so they'll have to wait.
Till next time
Love to all who I love
Greta(Greeta in Arabic accent)
posted by Greta @ 12:18 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home