First week in Morocco

It has only been a few days since I have written but it seems like longer.  Probably because the days here go so slowly.  Here has been my routine.  Wake up around 9 from my hotel, pick up a couple pan au chocolates and croissants and take a taxi to Agdal, the part of the city my school is in.  I meet Lynne, a fellow teacher, for croissants and coffee on her terrance overlooking a forest and chat until about 12.  She has painted her expansive terrance in royal blue and orange, very Moroccan colors, and has set up a futon with a bamboo shade above.  She sun bathes while I nap under the bamboo overhang until about 2pm when the sun is its strongest.  Then we go to the cafe around the corner with free WiFi and have another coffee.  From there there are a few options.  We either walk to "Best Food", a rinky-dink restaurant with plastic table and chairs that has the best roasted chicken and rice around for the equivalent of $2.50.  OR we take a taxi to the medina.

Now with this option, a little more effort is needed.  The medina is surrounded by the old city walls and was the original city.  It is where most of the shopping for daily items is done.  It is a very intricate maze of shops and carts and 300 year old riads (family homes).  By my 3rd time there I was able to relatively find my way around without getting too lost.  Hungry for some couscous and lamb, straight up the street and 2nd left.  Need a pillow cushion and some fabric, straight, 4th street on the left.  Want to find the freshest baked bread, follow your nose.   Trying to get out??? Good luck!

Lynne and I will usually walk through the medina until we get to the exit that leads to the Kasbah.  Lynne, who speaks French, will say hello to the shopkeepers as we walk past, chat a bit as I narrow my eyes, trying to get bits of what the conversation is about.  But usually I just look around to the other shops and when Lynne is ready to go, I say "Auvoir".  Oh I'm not sure if I mentioned this but almost no one speaks English here.  If it were not for the Arabic and French speakers that I have met, I'd be up shits creek!

Here is a list of the words I have been able to get by on.
Arabic:  Shukran- Thank you
              Afwan - You're welcome
              Sbah el Kher - Good morning
              Besslama - Good night

French:  Bonjour - Good morning
              Bonsoir - Good evening
              Merci - Thank you
              Sa Va - How are you
              Combien - How much
             Pan au Chocolate - Chocolate Bread (mmm)
             Croissant - Croissant
             Cafe Crema -Coffee with hot milk
             Sil vous plait - Please


And that's about it.

We start teaching tomorrow which will definitely put a crimp in our very laid back style as of yet.  Today, after spending the morning in, Lynne and I went up to the medina to look for haram pants.  No haram pants were found but we did end up at our favorite place in the whole city.  Cafe Maure.  Very very Moroccan and if you come to visit me, I will surely take you here on a daily basis.  Cafe Maure is in the Kasbah (oldER city walls) and has the look and feel of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.  It was the old fortress and is overflowing with blooming flowers which you can smell before you even enter.  Upon ducking your head to enter, you at met by the most picturesque view of the ocean.  Cafe Maure has been there for over 100 years and only sells 2 things; sweet mint tea and Moroccan pastries.  People really come for the view though.

So tomorrow I will start teaching an upper-intermediate TESOL class and on Tuesday I will be teaching at the local university.  When I start to think about it all, I say to myself, "Wow, how did I get here".  If someone had told me a year ago that I'd be teaching English in Morocco, I would think they were crazy. Amazing the path life takes us on.

Well that's about all for now.  I hope I gave a little bit of a picture on how things are here. Probably didn't do too well because I'm tired and think I have a stomach virus. :(

I'm attaching a couple more pictures as well. Enjoy

So hot out even the cats are napping

Lynne's terrace.  My oasis :)

Entering the Medina