Six Weeks in Fes: Day 11

Theres times its hard to believe where I am and how good it is, and theres times its hard to believe I ever wanted to do this. I experienced both of those today. Went to a local pool/hotel (including a bar!) and spent the whole day there. There was DJ'd music and fun people. Best time I've had in a long while. They kept playing that Africa song Shakira sang (for the World Cup?) last year. Made me think about where I was, and it was the first time it really had sunk in that I was IN AFRICA, which hasn't really sunk in as much as I thought it would have. Really cool feeling.

Then I nearly got stranded at a grocery store three miles from my home, badly sunburned and running into several language barriers along the way. Not fun, but I dont wanna focus on the bad stuff.

Visiting Voubilis and Meknes tomorrow. Seeing Roman ruins for the first time in my life, except for a Roman coin passed around HIST 150 last year. I remember how cool it felt to hold that coin. Will try my best not to nerd out at the ruins tomorrow. Might have to warn everyone that I'm a history minor.

Lastly, I'm really enjoying watching soccer on TV all the time here.

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 10

Its really hard to journal when its over 100 degrees out, so these will probably just a few sentences from now on. Finally had a real traditional couscous meal for lunch today (with chicken). It was delicious. Family tried to get me to drink raw goats milk. Didn't want to, but I took a sip just to be courteous. I hate goats milk. (A little off topic, but goat cheese never EVER belongs on pizza. EVER)

After class today I hung out with some people from DePaul for a while. Never realized how good my housing location is. Two of them, Victoria and Katie, like a twenty minute walk down into the souq (market). I'm less than two blocks from both the main entrance to the market and to the Bat-Ha taxi stop.

Going to a pool @ a hotel by ALIF tomorrow with both the CePaul group and Angie, Ameena, and Katie. Going to feel great to both swim for hours and get rid of the terrible farmers tan I have right now.

Had something else to say here. Forgot it.

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 9

Still hot. Finally getting sick of eating bread. Noticed a few things during my take rides yesterday. I saw a few uniformed and armed soldiers with automatic weapons, and quite a few of policeman with nightsticks in the older section of the city. There has been excessive unrest in Rabat recently.

Personally, I'm finally feeling more comfortable here and am starting to enjoy it a whole lot more.

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 8

Been a while. Busy with schoolwork. I'm amazed how easy it is to learn the Arabic alphabet. I have had ten hours of classes and i know about half of the alphabet. Its still unbelievably hot here. Don't feel like writing all that much.

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 5 (Part 3)

Currently recovering from sugar shock. Daris's family served with dinner one of the most sugar laden things I have ever eaten in my life. I have noticed that most Moroccan meals contain more than one, if not all, of the following: salt, heat (from soup/tea/espresso), sugar, caffeine. The result is that I am drinking well over two liters of water per day just to stay hydrated.

When Daris and I went to the medina tonight to get bread for dinner, he introduced me to a few of his friends, one of whom made me repeat after him in Arabic that either he or Morocco is the greatest at. (I'm not sure. I had no idea what I was repeating) futbol

I also met Daris's wife, Ameena, and his very young son, Jad. Jad is 2(?) years old, and quite adorable. Like all two year olds, he is a singer and a percussionist. His favorite pastimes appears to be performing in front of his family while they are trying to watch sports on TV. (USA beat Jamaica, 2-0!)

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 5 (Part 2)

This afternoon I went for a walk in the Old City area near my host family's house. As I was walking along, a couple of motorcycles and cars went by with people chanting and waving Moroccan flags. I am assuming that they were a part of the Feb 20 movement, or are protesting the proposed constitution for some other reason. Its 7:30 PM now, and I hear what sounds like chanting in the streets from my window, but I can't see anything. It may just be the market getting a little busier now that it is a little less hot out.

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 5 (Morning)

Its twenty past noon. and so much has already happened today, I need to write it down now or I will forget some of it. We were supposed to meet our host families at the hotel this morning. Ameena, Angie, and Katie met theirs and left with no difficulties. Unfortunately, the family I was supposed to stay with had to back out at the last minute, and the replacement family suddenly had an emergency of their own. FInally Mostafa and Talik, the ALIF housing director, found a family that was willing to take me in. I made it to the house, which was right near the Blue Gate, the entrance to the medina we saw yesterday.

I had to wait for the student that had been living there to vacate the room, so Daris, Talik's uncle(?) took me to a cafe a short way into the medina. At the cafe, I sat and watched the people that went by and tried to make conversation with Daris, but his english being a bit limited and my Arabic and French next to nonexistent, it was a bit difficult I was parched by the time we got to the cafe, so I was not in the mood for espresso. The waiter smirked when I ordered jus d'orange instead of a coffee.

After the cafe, we walked through the medina a bit. Daris picked up a pair of shoes from a store, and we saw a fight between two women in the street, before returning to the house. I met the departing student for about 30 seconds, as she was in a real hurry, unfortunately ( I had a lot of questions). Then Daris helped me take my bags to my room, where I sit typing now.

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 4 (Part 2)

Almost forgot the important stuff:


The King of Morocco announced a new constitution last night will be put to a referendum July 1st. At one point during dinner last night, we noticed everyone was looking at the TV. Later we found out that the King had been on TV making a live speech. Theres supposed to be protests tomorrow, as some think he doesn't go far enough. The new constitution reduces the kings power over Parliament, but he remains in full control of the military and spiritual aspects of the government.


One other thing the new constitution will do is officially recognize the Berber language. "Oosted'd" (Professor) Mostafa, who is a Berber, seemed very happy about this.


Back to unimportant things, Mostafa is quite the comedian. He has told us quite a few jokes, and gently pokes fun at us occasionally.

Six Weeks in Fes: Day 4

Today, we visited the Old City medina, which was almost a completely different world than the Ville Nouville. Dirty narrow streets, no cars, thousands of small shops selling everything from fresh meat to bootleg CDs, and mules that WILL run you over if you don't heed their owners cries of 'Balek!' ("Get out of the way") We toured a madrassa that has been around since the 14th century, the (incredibly pungent) tannery, and a weavers factory.

Ameena picked up a new word; 'Jamilla', which means beautiful. She said this to many of the fabric shop owners, meaning to compliment the amazing patterns of clothing and scarfs. Unfortunately, she should have been saying "Hadi Jamilla"a.k.a. "That is beautiful." Simply saying 'Jamilla' means she was telling the shopkeepers 'YOU are beautiful.' Mostafa, our on-site guide/adult supervision, found her mistake hilarious.

We ate lunch at this very nice restraint with this other group studying at ALIF from DePaul. Most of them were sleep deprived, meaning they were all very giggly. All four of us finally found a Meditel Phones that had 179dh Prepay phones in stock, so now we finally have reliable communication.

We decided to try and find our way to ALIF one last time before going to get dinner. We got lost (again). We eventually found the ALIF building and a nearby cafe. Over dinner, I was interviewed via fork by Ameena, Angie, and Katie about mens opinion on makeup. My answer began with a comparison of the attractiveness of Brooklyn Decker and Jennifer Anniston, and after that the conversation went in a different direction.

As far as food goes, we have discovered most cafes offer paninis, crepes, and pizzas of various meats, as well as a vast assortment of coffee drinks and freshly squeezed juices, both of which are delicious. I finally had an espresso today, which was excellent (and very potent), and the jus'd citrus served in Fes is so 'le-di' (delicious) that we get excited about having it with breakfast before going to bed the night before.

Six Weeks in Fes: Days 1-3

Getting to Fes was quite difficult. After a seven hour plane trip from Chicago to London, and another three hour flight from London to Casablanca, I was supposed to meet up with three other students from AHA. Unfortunately, I was unable to make the One o'clock train we had planned to take, and had to go on the two o'clock train instead by myself.

After somehow managing my way through the Casablanca airport, I made it on to the train, but not after having my bag seized by a porter, whom I ended up accidentally tipping twice as much as I was supposed to. Luckily, I just happened to sit down on the train next to a man who spoke very good english and helped me greatly. (I did not know that I was going to need to transfer trains. He did.) All the while, I was trying to use my GSM phone to contact AHA or ALIF to inform them I where I was and when I would be arriving, but my phone wasn't cooperating.

After four and a half exhausting hours on the train, I made it to Fes. Next I had to take my first Petit Taxi ride, which was an adventure in itself, as traffic laws, speed limits, and seat belts are mere suggestions in Fes. After paying the driver a 20dh fare with a 200 dh banknote (the only paper money I had left on me) I finally arrived at the Hotel just as Angie, Katie, and Ameena (the other AHA students) were just leaving to go get dinner. As relieved as they were to see me, I was ten times as happy to see them.

At 3 AM that night, I got a call from my mom, who had gotten a call saying that I was still missing.

The next day we met the ALIF co-ordinator, who was relieved I had actually made it to the hotel. He took us on a tour of the newest part of the city, and showed us the ALIF building where we will be taking classes. After eating the traditional friday lunch of Couscous with chicken, carrots, and raisins, we went back to the hotel and had our first lessons in Arabic, as well as a basic lesson of French phrases. For dinner, we walked down Hassan II boulevard and back, looking for a restaurant whose customer base wasn't solely older men drinking coffee. Unable to find one, we went back to the hotel, where we ate dinner. This was the first meal I ordered with no english or miming. (Panini au poulet, Cafe a alit, and Sidi Ali a.k.a. bottled water) Ameena attempted to feed stray cats (which are EVERYWHERE) her chicken and got a kiss on the cheek from a young boy for 3dh. Katie and Angie caused a minor disturbance when they saw a cockroach on the ground.

Tomorrow, we are going on a tour of the medina in the old part of the city, where I will be living after I actually meet my host family.