Chicken tagines, couscous and lesson planning!

That is my day to day here in Rabat.  Currently I am staying on the couch of 2 fellow teachers until the place I am moving to is ready.  This apartment is really wonderful; right across from school, plenty of room, balcony.  The place where I'll be moving to is a room in a villa of a French expat and her 1 yr old daughter.  Pretty unconventional but things just seemed to work out that way.  Teresa, an American ex-Peace Corp volunteer, and Michaela from New Zealand have kindly taken me into their place for the past week.  To thank them I made spaghetti and meatballs.  

Looks a little like "Lady and the Tramp" but it was good.  Need to show Mom and Grandma this picture so they can be proud of my Italian cooking skills....brought it all the way to Morocco.


Before here, I was staying in the guest house of an American teacher with his French girlfriend and her three boys.  I walked in the first door....

and it was like walking into the secret garden.

I stayed there for 2 week, eating 3 meals a day with their family, trying to communicate with their cook and search for an apartment.  I have been welcomed with such kindness by fellow teachers and Moroccans since I got here; incredible.

Before THAT, I moved out of the hotel I was in to Lynne's apt (another teacher) where I stayed for a week.  She has a beautiful rooftop apt with a very colorful terrace.

So since starting my teaching career here, life has been very hectic. I teach everyday except Fridays and Sundays.  I'm teaching from 13 year olds to adults and most of them are really motivated, lovely, fun students.  The people I work with are also a really wonderful, funny bunch of people.


As for Morocco, learning the language here is definitely key.  Everyday or so I stop by the local 'hanoot" (deli) to pick up some fruit or bread or to recharge my phone.  He knows I don't speak French or Arabic so he just tells me the price in English and everyone kinda looks over to see who the English speaker is :( haha.  Then he usually follows that up with "It's ok...money is honey"


Walking down the street is a bit of trek as the sidewalks go up and down. Few steps up, little slide down which can be treacherous if they have just washed the street!!!  There are French style cafes on almost every corner where people, usually men, sit and watch the day go by.  They sell all kinds of delicious dishes including typical croissants, pan au chocolat, sweet and savory crepes, etc.  I usually go for a cafe creme with a crepe formage (cheese crepe). Yummmmmy!


As for the local street life, the daily calls to prayer at the mosque seems to dictate it.  You hear the first call around 5am and the last one around 7pm.  I'm usually in class at that time and it reminds me that I'm only halfway through class. haha.  Streets are swept every night and morning by a guy with a huge palm tree frond.


I went into the medina today for the first time since starting classes almost 1 month ago!  I was in desperate need of black flats and a wallet.  I know..random combination but with such amazing handmade leather goods, its hard to pass up a $2.50 leather wallet and $8.00 pair of ballet flats.  Michaela and I walked through the medina checking out various leather stores, snacking on some 1 dirham ($.15) popcorn from the guy popping it on his corn-popping cart and chatting Islam.  It was nice to get out on my day off when I usually just plan lessons and relax.  From what everyone has told me, the medina here is a lot more laid-back than the ones in every other Moroccan city. No one really hassles you to buy things and you can take your time.  We walked past the guy selling snails to eat but decided to pass...


Guess that's it for now. I start class tomorrow, Saturday, at 9:30am and go until 8:30 pm so I need my rest :)


Besalama (Bye!)