Every year since I was little there has always been a first day of school, a day of new "back to school clothes" and new classes, seeing old friends and teachers. I have had the same ritual for almost 17 years, yet my days as a student are now over. Waking up yesterday, I realized that from now on I will have a different sort of first day of school. This involves preparing for the students, getting myself organized, and learning dozens of very difficult student names.
This past week I spent a lot of time getting to know my department, which only contains 4 plus me. This is significantly different from the English department at Chap which had over 25. The department here however small doesn't lack in terms of personality and enthusiasm, which means it's a pretty darn good fit. I have had the chance to be involved in developing curriculum and setting up classrooms. Plus lots of making photocopies which I don't mind so much as I get to dance around the copy room listening to music. Which was a funny sight to the many people who walked in on me jamming out to some 3oh!3.
My job as an intern isn't really clearly defined except for the rule that we are the substitutes when teachers call out. Other than that this experience is what I make of it, so I intend to get very involved and gain the experience needed for my own classroom next year.
A little info on my school: It is an IB prepatory school which means that students have the most rigorous curriculum that I have seen in high schools. Of course there are IB schools in the States, but usually they involve a two track system where kids have the option to be on the IB track or just to recieve a regular diploma. But here the kids are required to be IB so if they aren't on track they can be asked to not return the following year. It is pretty intense. Also these students are fluent in Arabic and French, but are learning English through their interaction in this school. The good news is that the students are proficient at speaking English by the time they are in the upper school grades. The bad news is that they sit and chitchat in French during class and you have no idea what they are saying. They are very smart kids, and are very fortunate as well. Their parents can pay for the most expensive education around, so they do have a sense of entitlement. One of the most jarring things for me is that at the end of the day they gather around a fountain and socialize while the guards call their name when their drivers arrive to pick them up. Yes, drivers. For the younger students most likely there is a nanny involved as well. It is a very wealthy population which you definitely realize when they whip out their Ipads in class. But they have great manners so far.
It is the second day of school and I am just getting used to the students and classes. I am participating in classes from 8th grade to 11th grade IB. Learning all of their very Arabic sounding names will take time because right now I butcher them for sure. One of the English teachers who is a prankster has decided to spread the rumor that I am the heir to Google, and that I am here out of a selfless need to help the youth of the world. It's pretty funny.
It's amazing that this kids can learn anything as they are fasting for Ramadan. That means we are sitting in 110 degree weather (last week there was a high of 117) without drinking water or eating anything. I admire their determination and dedication to what they believe in. I'm pretty sure most Christians or Catholics I know could not do the same. And without complaints.
I have been designated the soccer coach for the Boy's soccer program! EEk!! I offered to be the assistant coach but due to lack of help I was promoted. Let's just say the boys in my classes think it's hilarious that I am their coach. But I do know from experience that the most important parts of soccer include the ability to run for a long time so they will be doing lots of running in the beginning for sure. As for the rest of it, that's what Google is for right? Haha
As for our personal lives, I am just getting into a routine. We are going surfing every Saturday which is great because we get a day to relax after a long hot week. The old staff has been very welcoming and they are just as fun loving as the newbies. Lots of parties and traveling! I have been too busy to be homesick which is good. I need to do some decorating in my apartment to make it more home but other than that its good. I have been doing lots of reading which is so nice after years of having to read for assignments and school. Life is starting to be regular and I'm finding a nice place to fit in. Adapting gets easier each time you settle in somewhere new, and I am so thankful for my experiences in South Africa that make this a smoother transition.
Life is good, and I am finding my niche. I miss home but I am so excited for this to be my life. I fit the international life well, and I love exploring a culture so foreign to me. It makes your life just so much more interesting. Just like the first day of school ritual, I am adapting my life to this new part, and loving the good and the bad. That's just what life is.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The end of the longest week ever!
So it is officially the end of the first week of my life here and let's just say that I have never felt a longer week in my life. Not in a bad way, but because we have had such a jam packed schedule that it has seemed as though everything would fill several weeks at least. But you know they do say work hard and play hard, but this weekend was more relax hard for me!
During the school days we have attended many meetings that take up our time and the teachers have been preparing their classrooms. For the interns however there isn't much to do until the returning staff arrives so that we can meet our departments and start figuring out our schedules. So during those slots of time we have found different things to do aka reading outside or bugging friends. I have tried to help here and there but being new it's not as though I know where anything is to get.
On Thursday Night we finally had couscous (EXCITING!!) We were invited over to the Director's house for a proper couscous dinner, which if they saw how we eat it back in the States they would be horrified here! You sit around round tables and they prepare huge dishes of couscous with lots of vegetables and meat placed on top. Huge amounts of food. Then you clean your hands and dig in. Literally. You use the vegetables and meat to clump the couscous around and mush it in your hands until you get a round ball. Then you get to eat it! Lots of work but well worth it. Let's just say my couscous skills are severly underdeveloped as of right now and I did more of a scoop and eat deal.
Friday was a long day at school followed by a nice night they planned as the end of orientation week. Most of the returning staff has arrived and so a couple hosted a happy hour on their amazing balcony! (Seriously this balcony could have fit at least 50 people) We got to mingle and I met all of my department which was great. They are all super cool and laid back which helps considering I am coming from one of the best departments around at Chap! Speaking of this world is a lot smaller than you think. The English Department Head actually taught at Chaparral before coming here which is awesome because his wife and him will talk Colorado with me when I need someone to understand where Turquoise Lake is or Casa Bonita.
After that we went to a nice restaurant named India Palace for Ftour dinner. It was a beautiful dinner and we had amazing Indian food. And lots of wine. Afterwards we all headed home as it was an exhausting week. However my body had something else in mind. I got rather sick that night and had to battle a fever and stomach issues for hours. When I got up on Saturday I felt pretty dehydrated but I wanted to go to the beach with everyone else even if I didn't surf. So I trekked to the meeting point with plenty of water on hand as well as medicine.
So to get around in Casablanca there are two types of taxis : red and white. The red ones fit 3 people max and for the inner city. They are cheaper but you absolutely have to make sure they reset the meter as they try to make an extra Dirham whenever possible. The white taxis fit 6 and go in general directions, for example out to the beach or to the city. They also differ in the fact that they are per person and will stop to pick up people until they get 6. So you could make tons of new friends on the way! We had to take a red taxi to the white taxi station to then make our way to Dar Bouzza. We had 7 of us so we fit in and headed out. Jack Beach is where the surf school is and it was really easy to get to. We got there and as I was feeling better we all got suited up (wetsuits are needed so the salt water doesn't cause too much friction with the boards). The couple of guys who own the surf school are really cool, they have competed internationally and are part of the Surf Europe Initiative. They taught us how to stand up while still on land as it's much harder in water. Then we went for a jog which must have been a sight for the Moroccans enjoying the day at the beach. Imagine 10 americans in wet suits jogging past you waving their arms as they stretch. Awesome.
Now here is what I learned: when you watch movies like Blue Crush, it makes surfing look so easy. Not. True. At. All. At least when you are a beginner. We might have seen 1 minute of standing time together as a group. But it will be great to learn more and it seems as though the more we practice the easier it gets. I lasted only half the time as I was still dehydrated so I sat and took some photos. There was lots of people watching to do so I stayed entertained. Afterwards we stayed for a couple hours and hung out, played around in the waves. We made our way back and it was only around 3. A great morning. Afterwards I seriously just crashed and relaxed. Listened to music, read, watched lots of great pirated movies that were left for us. (they don't sell real ones here, I promise). But in other words the perfect Saturday to end a crazy week.
Life will slow down soon and we will get into routines. But I hope that surfing saturdays stay a part of my routine as it's amazing and a great workout. And its fun to have a community of us learning something new in our new home.
During the school days we have attended many meetings that take up our time and the teachers have been preparing their classrooms. For the interns however there isn't much to do until the returning staff arrives so that we can meet our departments and start figuring out our schedules. So during those slots of time we have found different things to do aka reading outside or bugging friends. I have tried to help here and there but being new it's not as though I know where anything is to get.
On Thursday Night we finally had couscous (EXCITING!!) We were invited over to the Director's house for a proper couscous dinner, which if they saw how we eat it back in the States they would be horrified here! You sit around round tables and they prepare huge dishes of couscous with lots of vegetables and meat placed on top. Huge amounts of food. Then you clean your hands and dig in. Literally. You use the vegetables and meat to clump the couscous around and mush it in your hands until you get a round ball. Then you get to eat it! Lots of work but well worth it. Let's just say my couscous skills are severly underdeveloped as of right now and I did more of a scoop and eat deal.
Friday was a long day at school followed by a nice night they planned as the end of orientation week. Most of the returning staff has arrived and so a couple hosted a happy hour on their amazing balcony! (Seriously this balcony could have fit at least 50 people) We got to mingle and I met all of my department which was great. They are all super cool and laid back which helps considering I am coming from one of the best departments around at Chap! Speaking of this world is a lot smaller than you think. The English Department Head actually taught at Chaparral before coming here which is awesome because his wife and him will talk Colorado with me when I need someone to understand where Turquoise Lake is or Casa Bonita.
After that we went to a nice restaurant named India Palace for Ftour dinner. It was a beautiful dinner and we had amazing Indian food. And lots of wine. Afterwards we all headed home as it was an exhausting week. However my body had something else in mind. I got rather sick that night and had to battle a fever and stomach issues for hours. When I got up on Saturday I felt pretty dehydrated but I wanted to go to the beach with everyone else even if I didn't surf. So I trekked to the meeting point with plenty of water on hand as well as medicine.
So to get around in Casablanca there are two types of taxis : red and white. The red ones fit 3 people max and for the inner city. They are cheaper but you absolutely have to make sure they reset the meter as they try to make an extra Dirham whenever possible. The white taxis fit 6 and go in general directions, for example out to the beach or to the city. They also differ in the fact that they are per person and will stop to pick up people until they get 6. So you could make tons of new friends on the way! We had to take a red taxi to the white taxi station to then make our way to Dar Bouzza. We had 7 of us so we fit in and headed out. Jack Beach is where the surf school is and it was really easy to get to. We got there and as I was feeling better we all got suited up (wetsuits are needed so the salt water doesn't cause too much friction with the boards). The couple of guys who own the surf school are really cool, they have competed internationally and are part of the Surf Europe Initiative. They taught us how to stand up while still on land as it's much harder in water. Then we went for a jog which must have been a sight for the Moroccans enjoying the day at the beach. Imagine 10 americans in wet suits jogging past you waving their arms as they stretch. Awesome.
Now here is what I learned: when you watch movies like Blue Crush, it makes surfing look so easy. Not. True. At. All. At least when you are a beginner. We might have seen 1 minute of standing time together as a group. But it will be great to learn more and it seems as though the more we practice the easier it gets. I lasted only half the time as I was still dehydrated so I sat and took some photos. There was lots of people watching to do so I stayed entertained. Afterwards we stayed for a couple hours and hung out, played around in the waves. We made our way back and it was only around 3. A great morning. Afterwards I seriously just crashed and relaxed. Listened to music, read, watched lots of great pirated movies that were left for us. (they don't sell real ones here, I promise). But in other words the perfect Saturday to end a crazy week.
Life will slow down soon and we will get into routines. But I hope that surfing saturdays stay a part of my routine as it's amazing and a great workout. And its fun to have a community of us learning something new in our new home.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Umshala aka the Waiting Game
"All good things come to he who waits"..... Ancient proverb, right? Well I think that the wise man who is quoted daily for this piece of wisdom must have lived in Morocco. As Americans we tend to live a very fast pace life and we rarely slow down unless it's for a vacation. Therefore one of the hardest parts of living in Morocco is learning the art of patience. There is a word in Arabic that is probably the most common word to hear, even above hello. ENSHALA. Probably not spelled correctly as it should be in Arabic, but that is exactly what it sounds like. The translation loosely means "God willing" or "if God wants it to happen". But Moroccans tend to use it as their own get out of jail free card. And that means we have already picked it up after being in the country for 5 days.
As we get settled into our apartments and classrooms there is much patience required. Things are happening at a slow rate (1) because it's Ramadan, (2) just because. For example I just received the keys for my apartment. Today. Which means I have had to plague my roommate and call her constantly to see if she is home to let me in. For someone who is as independent as me that is sooo frustrating because I like to come and go without worrying that the hall will become my residence until my roomie comes to the rescue.
But I am here to experience the culture, and Enshala is right up there. I need to learn the art of patience because if not I think you would fly home in a straight jacket. But Enshala is a hilarious concept simply because there is not a single subject it doesn't work for. You get in a taxi and ask to go to the market and the driver simply replies Enshala. Does that mean if God wants us to (A) arrive (B) arrive safely which considering the driving here is a miracle (C) if the driver actually wants to drive all the way to the destination or (D) because the driver then can't be held responsible for anything. Women say enshala for pregnancies. Teachers say enshala when trying to find alcohol during Ramadan. Same thing.
Which brings me to the most awesome adventure we have had lately. Yesterday we set out on a mission to find some beer to stock our fridges with. In the States, no problem. In a Muslim culture during Ramadan, well let's just say your more likely to be on time somewhere and thats saying something. There is a large Walmartesque store named Marjane, and they have a liquor section. We had heard a story that if you flash your American passport they will lift a black curtain and allow you to stuff your contraband into black bags for a walk of shame home. Morocco is one of the most contemporary and lax Muslim communities. Technically Muslims aren't supposed to drink period. But like most things here that is a guideline. So Muslims just refrain from drinking for Ramadan. But Americans still need to drink especially when their power gets cut off right? So we went and found a guy willing to "Lift the curtain". Our new friend Irina who is married to a Moroccan helped with the French and we were able to ascertain some wine. But waiting for her to ask man after man if they could allow us was worse than being an underage kid thinking they are going to get caught buying with a fake id. Not that I ever did that.
We are now getting used to the schedule of Ramadan as well as the hectic pace we have going at the school. We have lots of meetings, bus rides that take forever, and trips to cultural places. We went to the Grand Mosque, the third largest in the world and it was amazing. It was built in 6 years by men who worked 7 days a week 24 hours a day. But you can definitely tell its new because you will never guess.... the 100 ton ceiling retracts like a sports arena Thunderdome. No joke.
We also experienced the Hobous which is a local market where you can buy lots of local products. The most amazing section: the olives. Although I'm not a fan of the little guys personally, when you see hundreds of thousands of them in barrel after barrel, in every color and taste you have to admire the asthetic beauty. And the stomachs of Moroccons.
We have been slowly exploring and setting up our life. And as I delve further into this country I continue to love new parts. The mix of languages, cultures, religion, beauty. And I continue to make personal goals such as obtaining one of the hardest qualities: patience. Life will come to be normal and my pace will slow down. Until then, well lets just go with ENSHALA.
As we get settled into our apartments and classrooms there is much patience required. Things are happening at a slow rate (1) because it's Ramadan, (2) just because. For example I just received the keys for my apartment. Today. Which means I have had to plague my roommate and call her constantly to see if she is home to let me in. For someone who is as independent as me that is sooo frustrating because I like to come and go without worrying that the hall will become my residence until my roomie comes to the rescue.
But I am here to experience the culture, and Enshala is right up there. I need to learn the art of patience because if not I think you would fly home in a straight jacket. But Enshala is a hilarious concept simply because there is not a single subject it doesn't work for. You get in a taxi and ask to go to the market and the driver simply replies Enshala. Does that mean if God wants us to (A) arrive (B) arrive safely which considering the driving here is a miracle (C) if the driver actually wants to drive all the way to the destination or (D) because the driver then can't be held responsible for anything. Women say enshala for pregnancies. Teachers say enshala when trying to find alcohol during Ramadan. Same thing.
Which brings me to the most awesome adventure we have had lately. Yesterday we set out on a mission to find some beer to stock our fridges with. In the States, no problem. In a Muslim culture during Ramadan, well let's just say your more likely to be on time somewhere and thats saying something. There is a large Walmartesque store named Marjane, and they have a liquor section. We had heard a story that if you flash your American passport they will lift a black curtain and allow you to stuff your contraband into black bags for a walk of shame home. Morocco is one of the most contemporary and lax Muslim communities. Technically Muslims aren't supposed to drink period. But like most things here that is a guideline. So Muslims just refrain from drinking for Ramadan. But Americans still need to drink especially when their power gets cut off right? So we went and found a guy willing to "Lift the curtain". Our new friend Irina who is married to a Moroccan helped with the French and we were able to ascertain some wine. But waiting for her to ask man after man if they could allow us was worse than being an underage kid thinking they are going to get caught buying with a fake id. Not that I ever did that.
We are now getting used to the schedule of Ramadan as well as the hectic pace we have going at the school. We have lots of meetings, bus rides that take forever, and trips to cultural places. We went to the Grand Mosque, the third largest in the world and it was amazing. It was built in 6 years by men who worked 7 days a week 24 hours a day. But you can definitely tell its new because you will never guess.... the 100 ton ceiling retracts like a sports arena Thunderdome. No joke.
We also experienced the Hobous which is a local market where you can buy lots of local products. The most amazing section: the olives. Although I'm not a fan of the little guys personally, when you see hundreds of thousands of them in barrel after barrel, in every color and taste you have to admire the asthetic beauty. And the stomachs of Moroccons.
We have been slowly exploring and setting up our life. And as I delve further into this country I continue to love new parts. The mix of languages, cultures, religion, beauty. And I continue to make personal goals such as obtaining one of the hardest qualities: patience. Life will come to be normal and my pace will slow down. Until then, well lets just go with ENSHALA.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Houston, We have Arrival!!!
So I have made it to my home! After 2 days of travel and some mix up with my baggage, I have never been happier to set up and explore.
I have met the other new staff, all of whom are awesome and super fun to explore with. Yesterday we were picked up from the airport and made our way to what is called the Bluebird. It is the school bus we will be taking from our apartments to school and back everyday. Let me just say that I got stuck in the back on one of the trips and it made me very sore and could potentially be dangerous to my health. From the airport we divided into smaller cars so we could be dropped at home, so I went with the Director of the school. Immediately after we left the airport, he was pulled over by the police. Being pulled over in the states you think flashing lights in your rear view mirror. Not so much here. The police hide in the median and gun your speed, then step out in front of your "speeding vehicle" in hopes that you stop. Sounds somewhat dangerous to be a policeman. Our director didn't get in trouble, but it was a hilarious experience to have. I was dropped at my apartment which is a 3 bedroom with a large kitchen and living room. I found a room and waited for my luggage to be dropped off, only to never receive it. So when the bus picked us up I was still in the same clothes of 2 days... ew
We had a walking tour of the school which is very nice and WARM. There is no air conditioning in Morocco so this will be interesting for a girl used to no humidity and cooled houses. As we were touring I did find my luggage, which the workers had taken there as they didn't know where I lived? Oh well at least I could change!! We had a nice barbeque/meet and greet at the director's house and ate some great food, unfortuntely no couscous yet. I think I was misunderstood at how much they eat couscous here. Sad day.
As I had a nap earlier, I was rearing to go by the time we got back to our apartments, so I met one of the other interns Aaron at the local Twin Towers (I will take a picture soon) to walk around. So I have learned tons about this culture in the past 2 days. First, Ramadan runs things for a month and turns the city upside down. Ramadan is a religious experience for the Muslim culture where they fast from sunup to sundown until the prayer is sounded and they can participate in Ftour. It is a time of intense dedication to their religion, and so they can identify with the less fortunate that they will donate to at the end of Ramadan. This means that at around 5, the shops close, everyone goes home increasing the crazy traffic, and the streets are abandoned by 7:20 when they pray and break fast. They then eat for HOURS!! As we walked around people were starting to come out after their first meal of Ftour, and the city came alive. Restaurants that were closed all day brim with people, and stores are open for lots of shopping to be done. We sat on Aaron's patio (since I am one of the only people without a balcony ) and watched the city. I got to people watch the family down below as they ate several meals and enjoyed each other's company until at least past 1.
As we sat outside and enjoyed some nice cold barley pops which Aaron's parents had left for him before they moved from Casa, I experienced just how much things change for Ramadan. We suddenly heard enormous cheers from the direction of the football stadium. We didn't really think anything of it, almost wondering if it had to do with Ramadan. But by the end of the night we realized they had a football match at midnight!!! Afterwards there was a parade for the victor and enormous cheers. I have never seen so much passion for a sport so late at night. It was amazing, and I fully intend to attend one of this night games soon.
We walked back to my apartment around 1:30 and the city was amazingly awake. So many women were out walking around with friends as they had been cooking inside all day for Ftour. I was in awe, I think Casa during Ramadan is serious competition for Vegas, minus the alcohol.
Today we had a meeting at school and then went to the Walmart of Casa: Marjane shopping center. We had to get local cell phones to communicate with each other because it is seriously hard to plan anything without them. The previous night we had to set a time and meeting place and hope to find each other as we didn't know exactly how to get to each other's apartments. They are spread around the center of the city (the Twin Towers next to where I live). We didn't have time for much else as the cell phone place took so long, but I am now in connection with the world as I have a local cell phone and internet!! I have a USB internet that I pay for every two months. It is unlimited minutes of internet which is awesome as I remember paying way too much for internet in South Africa.
Tonight we had a walking tour of our neighboorhoods so we figured out how to get to each other's houses, the grocery store, etc. I am located in the best location for all places, as they most I walk to get to someone's house is 10 minutes, and the grocery store is a block away. That is important as we don't have cars to get groceries from Point A to B. I am currently waiting while everyone has Ftour so we can go out and get dinner and walk around this wonderful night city. I have a feeling I won't be sleeping early any night soon. There is just so much to see before school starts and we actually have work to do.
Tomorrow we are going to the Grand Mosque so I need my most conservative clothes. We will be able to take pictures so I will take some of the Mosque, my apartment and neighborhood. I am really liking it here, and I am getting used to the culture. It is wierd to deal with the extreme double standards for women, such as me covering up with a scarf but some guy dropping trousers right in front of me to pee in the busiest street downtown. Interesting. But I think that it is a great experience to live in such a different place and see a new world.
I have met the other new staff, all of whom are awesome and super fun to explore with. Yesterday we were picked up from the airport and made our way to what is called the Bluebird. It is the school bus we will be taking from our apartments to school and back everyday. Let me just say that I got stuck in the back on one of the trips and it made me very sore and could potentially be dangerous to my health. From the airport we divided into smaller cars so we could be dropped at home, so I went with the Director of the school. Immediately after we left the airport, he was pulled over by the police. Being pulled over in the states you think flashing lights in your rear view mirror. Not so much here. The police hide in the median and gun your speed, then step out in front of your "speeding vehicle" in hopes that you stop. Sounds somewhat dangerous to be a policeman. Our director didn't get in trouble, but it was a hilarious experience to have. I was dropped at my apartment which is a 3 bedroom with a large kitchen and living room. I found a room and waited for my luggage to be dropped off, only to never receive it. So when the bus picked us up I was still in the same clothes of 2 days... ew
We had a walking tour of the school which is very nice and WARM. There is no air conditioning in Morocco so this will be interesting for a girl used to no humidity and cooled houses. As we were touring I did find my luggage, which the workers had taken there as they didn't know where I lived? Oh well at least I could change!! We had a nice barbeque/meet and greet at the director's house and ate some great food, unfortuntely no couscous yet. I think I was misunderstood at how much they eat couscous here. Sad day.
As I had a nap earlier, I was rearing to go by the time we got back to our apartments, so I met one of the other interns Aaron at the local Twin Towers (I will take a picture soon) to walk around. So I have learned tons about this culture in the past 2 days. First, Ramadan runs things for a month and turns the city upside down. Ramadan is a religious experience for the Muslim culture where they fast from sunup to sundown until the prayer is sounded and they can participate in Ftour. It is a time of intense dedication to their religion, and so they can identify with the less fortunate that they will donate to at the end of Ramadan. This means that at around 5, the shops close, everyone goes home increasing the crazy traffic, and the streets are abandoned by 7:20 when they pray and break fast. They then eat for HOURS!! As we walked around people were starting to come out after their first meal of Ftour, and the city came alive. Restaurants that were closed all day brim with people, and stores are open for lots of shopping to be done. We sat on Aaron's patio (since I am one of the only people without a balcony ) and watched the city. I got to people watch the family down below as they ate several meals and enjoyed each other's company until at least past 1.
As we sat outside and enjoyed some nice cold barley pops which Aaron's parents had left for him before they moved from Casa, I experienced just how much things change for Ramadan. We suddenly heard enormous cheers from the direction of the football stadium. We didn't really think anything of it, almost wondering if it had to do with Ramadan. But by the end of the night we realized they had a football match at midnight!!! Afterwards there was a parade for the victor and enormous cheers. I have never seen so much passion for a sport so late at night. It was amazing, and I fully intend to attend one of this night games soon.
We walked back to my apartment around 1:30 and the city was amazingly awake. So many women were out walking around with friends as they had been cooking inside all day for Ftour. I was in awe, I think Casa during Ramadan is serious competition for Vegas, minus the alcohol.
Today we had a meeting at school and then went to the Walmart of Casa: Marjane shopping center. We had to get local cell phones to communicate with each other because it is seriously hard to plan anything without them. The previous night we had to set a time and meeting place and hope to find each other as we didn't know exactly how to get to each other's apartments. They are spread around the center of the city (the Twin Towers next to where I live). We didn't have time for much else as the cell phone place took so long, but I am now in connection with the world as I have a local cell phone and internet!! I have a USB internet that I pay for every two months. It is unlimited minutes of internet which is awesome as I remember paying way too much for internet in South Africa.
Tonight we had a walking tour of our neighboorhoods so we figured out how to get to each other's houses, the grocery store, etc. I am located in the best location for all places, as they most I walk to get to someone's house is 10 minutes, and the grocery store is a block away. That is important as we don't have cars to get groceries from Point A to B. I am currently waiting while everyone has Ftour so we can go out and get dinner and walk around this wonderful night city. I have a feeling I won't be sleeping early any night soon. There is just so much to see before school starts and we actually have work to do.
Tomorrow we are going to the Grand Mosque so I need my most conservative clothes. We will be able to take pictures so I will take some of the Mosque, my apartment and neighborhood. I am really liking it here, and I am getting used to the culture. It is wierd to deal with the extreme double standards for women, such as me covering up with a scarf but some guy dropping trousers right in front of me to pee in the busiest street downtown. Interesting. But I think that it is a great experience to live in such a different place and see a new world.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Friends that make it all worth it...
So I am currently in the process of trying to put all of my stuff away from moving home from Fort Collins... just so I can pack some of it up again in a week. Time is flying by, and I can't decide whether I wish it would slow down or speed up. I got to say goodbye to all of my friends this last weekend, and I am so blessed to have them all in my life and to come wish me luck on the next part of it. As I hung out with friends from high school, freshman year of college through now, it made me wonder about life and how it seems that we fade in and out of people's lives. For instance, I am only friends with a select few people from high school, even though I seem to remember making lots of vain promises of staying close. Attribute this to the changes we have all gone through, some for the good, some bad; yet I can't help wondering if it is typical. Will I always have a different group of friends while others fade out? I hope not. My fear in moving away is that I won't be a factor in my friends lives anymore, that I will fade as a ghost from the past.
I know there will always be certain people that will stay in my life, even if simply through email. They are the ones that deal with my problems and listen to my stressed ranting, yet stick around. It's amazing how when you change as a person, so few people stay constant in your life. I know that I will make new friends, who I will probably be very close with as you tend to be when away from everything you know.
All I do know is that I have had some amazing people attribute to the person I am so far. Hanging out with some of them on Friday just gave me a chance to reflect on all the amazing times and memories. It seems just yesterday that I was hanging out on a soccer field, joking around with Kristen and Katie about our own personal jokes. Or just yesterday that I moved into my dorm at CSU and got to know the great girls that would be my friends through college. Or starting my job at Miramont and meeting the crazy girls who are my closest friends. I know that in ten years, I will look back on my leaving for Morocco as a memory, whether I am living somewhere else or back here in CO.
Yes, I am blessed in the friends I have. I am so excited to see where their lives take them just as mine is taking my thousands of miles away. I know that they could be so many things; a fashion consultant, an amazing teacher, nutritionist, genetic counselor, business owner, etc. They will all find their passion as I have mine, and I know that I will continue to be proud of them.
Friends make it hard to say goodbye, but I know that we will still have our memories, as well as new ones to come.
I know there will always be certain people that will stay in my life, even if simply through email. They are the ones that deal with my problems and listen to my stressed ranting, yet stick around. It's amazing how when you change as a person, so few people stay constant in your life. I know that I will make new friends, who I will probably be very close with as you tend to be when away from everything you know.
All I do know is that I have had some amazing people attribute to the person I am so far. Hanging out with some of them on Friday just gave me a chance to reflect on all the amazing times and memories. It seems just yesterday that I was hanging out on a soccer field, joking around with Kristen and Katie about our own personal jokes. Or just yesterday that I moved into my dorm at CSU and got to know the great girls that would be my friends through college. Or starting my job at Miramont and meeting the crazy girls who are my closest friends. I know that in ten years, I will look back on my leaving for Morocco as a memory, whether I am living somewhere else or back here in CO.
Yes, I am blessed in the friends I have. I am so excited to see where their lives take them just as mine is taking my thousands of miles away. I know that they could be so many things; a fashion consultant, an amazing teacher, nutritionist, genetic counselor, business owner, etc. They will all find their passion as I have mine, and I know that I will continue to be proud of them.
Friends make it hard to say goodbye, but I know that we will still have our memories, as well as new ones to come.
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