Cooking Moroccan Style

Cooking in Morocco is done with care. I certainly have eaten well while I have been here; tajin, couscous, pastilles and the delicious fruit plates.   At breakfast we have often eaten a pancake like bread called Malaoui.  Malaoui is fried like a pancake. Traditional Malaoui is prepared with two different types of flour, white and yellow.  The woman I watched prepare the Malaoui did not use measuring cups, she used her eyes and hands to determine if she used the right amounts of each ingredient.  To start, the two different types of flour were combined in a large bowl.  Next came the yeast and salt.  Next she moved the dry ingredients and created a circle in the center.  She then poured a small stream of water into it.  She then began folding down the sides into the water.  More water was added and then the kneading began. She explained that the dough would need to be kneaded for approximately 10 minutes, this would activate the gluten and make the mixture starchy.  Next she added a mixture of butter and oil.  The dough was kneaded again.  More yellow flour was added and salt too.  Moroccans sure do love salt. Once she felt the dough was kneaded to the appropriate consistency,  she began to separate it into small dough balls.  She made about 15 small balls of dough.  Next each dough ball was kneaded and flattened.  Finally it was time to head to the stove to place the dough on the skillet.  The dough was flattened and sautéed on each side until it is crispy.  The whole process took about 20 minutes. Malaoui is served warm with mint tea.

لصحتكTo your health

 The Traveling Educator 

Eid Day 22

Today is the end of Ramadan and what a more special place to celebrate this holiday than in the city of Fes.  Many Moroccans consider Fes to be the spiritual and cultural center of all of Morocco (who can argue this).  Ramadan lasts approximately one month and it's start and ending date are determined by the moon cycles.  Eid is a day for Muslims to celebrate with family and friends. As a non Muslim I did not have a family to celebrate the holiday with, but that did not stop me from doing some people watching. It was nice to see all the Moroccans dressed in their finest clothes.  A special tradition on Eid is to dress toddlers as little brides and grooms.  Women of all ages get henna on their hands and feet.  We were told that on Eid the poor would go from door to ask for Zakat, charity.  This tradition is longer closely obsevered and Zakat is donated in other ways. Today when it is Eid some people will hand out candy or toys to children.  One of the women on my trip had brought lots of toys to give out to kids at local schools, she had plenty left over.  So on Eid we stood out side our hotel and gave out candy and glow sticks to the people of the neighborhood.

Impressions: I enjoy the close knit relationship the neighborhood has. Family and community is important to all Moroccans.

Massalama, Eid Mabrouk!


The Traveling Educator

There is a souk for that...Day 21

A clean bill of health for me = shopping in Fes! Shopping in Morocco can be a full day affair.  The old medina in Fes is a lively place for shoppers. It has shops of all kinds.  I am on the hunt for leather goods and wool.  Fes is the unofficial hanicraft capital of Morocco (our tour guide said this).

Our group decided to venture out for shopping at 9 pm and the streets in the marche were especially packed, tomorrow is Eid. In the marche it's okay to bargain with the shop owners for a good deal.  The US dollar goes far here, 100 Dirhams is about 10 USD.

I was interested in buying a hand of Fatima on a necklace (I have been looking for one for awhile.) The hand of Fatima is a special tradition in Morocco and across the Middle East.  Fatima is the daughter of Mohamed the prophet.  Her hand is meant to bring protection to those who wear it.  It is often found on the doors of homes and dangling from the rear view mirrors in taxis. Some more religious Moroccans believe each finger on the hand is meant to symbolize the five pillars of Islam. I went to a place that boasted real silver and bargained for a good deal....I even got the shop keep to throw in a silver chain too.

Impressions:  the store owners are sometimes a bit aggressive with their prices.  I found that a fruitful bargaining tactic was to pretend to leave the store and soon enough the price had dropped.

Massalama! 

The Traveling Educator

Day 20

Sometimes the unexpected can happen and it can be a blessing in disguise.  Last night we arrived in Fes (we will be here for the next 6 days).  We are here to study at INLAC, the institute for languages and culture center for Arabic and Islamic studies.  This school offers intensive training in Arabic and credit based language programs.  The school is small and because it does not have dorms, students stay with host families in the neighborhood.

Just like rest of the group I was both nervous and excited for the home stay.  We only got a brief description of our family in an email. I was told my home stay family had a mom and dad, two kids and a cat. As I mentioned before I brought a gift for my home stay family and I could not wait to give it to them (the truth, it's taking up a lot of space in my suitcase...less room for souvenirs).

INLAC served us a meal of prunes and beef with almonds (delicious!), a traditional Moroccan meal.  Then we waited for our families to arrive.  One by one the families appeared. A persons name was called out, he or she  stood and then disappeared with their respective family. When I was the last person left, the director of INLAC assured me that my family would arrive, and she said they lived right next door.  The director assured me that this a good family and she could not imagine they would forget about me...but they did.

The family literally lives about two feet from the school. I knocked on the door and there a appeared a young woman.  She introduced herself to me in English and said her mother was in the bathroom and would be out shortly. I followed her into the house. It had a high cathedral ceiling, mosaic tiled walls and one entire open wall with a gigantic indoor garden, a true riad. What happened next I can not make up. Once inside a well lit part of the house, I saw it... red pox covered the girls face, hands and neck, I thought to myself this has got to be the worst case of acne I have ever seen.  Immediately I turned to face the front door and realized we were alone.

It is customary for the home stay families to provide meals to the guest.  We had been warned of the hearty portions since the outset of the trip.  This house was no acception.  When the mother appeared, she offered all kinds of food.  The girl, the only person who spoke any English had curled up in a ball on the couch and said she was sick. I noticed there was a large mat on the floor, with a human shape on top. It was an old woman who was sound asleep.  I asked if she was the grandmother and no one answered.  Several cats wandered though the house... I remembered the one cat from the email but this was several...I am not too fond of cats (sorry)!

Just as juice and Berber tea were served, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.  I was surprised to hear my group leaders voice on the other end.  She explained the young woman has an illness and it may be contagious.  She said that I would need to leave the house immediately and that she was coming to get me.  At first I sort of felt relieved because this explained the pox...but  then I panicked...what have I been exposed to?

When Halima arrived I was being force fed a buffet style spread of almond cookies and chicken pastilles.  She helped me to get my things together and I said goodbye.  Later I learned that I had been exposed to chicken pox.  So I am now staying in a charming riad with a roof top terrace.  I will be here in the hotel for the remainder of the week and I will not have a home stay.  I look forward to my visit with the local doctor and my pleasant surroundings.

Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Day 18

This morning we said goodbye AUI and headed north to the seaside town of Saidia.  Saidia is next to the Mediterranean Sea.  It is close to the Algerian border. It took nearly 5 hours to make the trip. I slept most of the bus ride, so unfortunately I can't elaborate on the scenery too much.  Though I can assure you that we passed olive groves, sheep and dry mountains.

I woke up just in time to hear the group discussing the border of Algeria.  Saidia is very close to the border and at one point on the road to the hotel we drove along it. The border between Morocco and Algeria is closed. Anyone found crossing the border from Morocco into Algeria will be shot.  At one point the driver of our bus paused at a scenic outlook so we could snap pictures.  The border between Algeria and Morocco is simple dry river bed.  On each side of the border you can view the countries respective flags. The close proximity is significant because in Morocco gasoline prices are very high, but in Algeria the price is far lower. Along the road there small stands selling gasoline in a 4 litter plastic jugs.  According to Halima, the gasoline and other goods are illegally smuggled back and forth between the two countries.  Often it is done at night.  Sometimes the exchange is done by a donkey who knows the route.

The hotel in Saidia is a great place for rest and relaxation.  We have all been working hard on curriculum and this is time well deserved. The hotel is a five star all inclusive resort run by Eurostar.  There is an ocean front and three pools, I counted.  Thanks to Halima's husband, we got all inclusive package that includes food and beverages.  I am not normally a buffet person, but after eating cafeteria food at AUI for two weeks, this is awesome.  I got a very relaxing massage this afternoon for 60 minutes, for approximately 60 dollars US.  It is great to have my own room and some space to relax.  Oddly enough my room has three beds...so many choices.  I went for an afternoon swim in the Mediterranean  Sea. I was surprised that it was so salty and warm. There were camels on the beach. The two camels in my pictures were babies and were still nursing.  The adult camels are available for tourist rides, and the babies tag along.  I liked idea of taking pictures of the camels, but not going for a ride.

Tomorrow morning when we check out we head more than 5 hours to the city of Fes.  Fes is large city with an old Medina. We will being staying with host families there for the next 6 nights.  We have been told the families are from the neighborhood near the school and they are selected by INLAC.  We warned that the food will be plentiful at our home stays and they will keep it coming, eventually you can politely decline.

Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Day 17

Today I had the opportunity to meet with the director of Al Akhawayn School.  Al Akhawayn is a K-12 school located in the town of Ifrane. The school is both a public Moroccan school and is also a tuition based private school. The director, Dr. Stephen Trevathan is from America.  He was born in NYC to Puerto Rican parents.  However he was raised in the UK, and as result he had the most unique accent I've heard in a while. He taught elementary school and was a principal of an urban school in London for nearly 20 years.  He holds a Ph.D in philosophy and theology.  He came to Morocco to teach at AUI and took the job as the director of the school one year ago.  Al Akhawayn is an unique school.  Many of the university professors send their children to this school and as a result it has an large international population.  The school offers western style instruction and curriculum. This school has access to technology, each room is outfitted with a Smart board.  The classes are instructed in Arabic, English and French. The director told us that the school is currently working to gain NEASC accreditation.  Class sizes are small with about 5 or 6 pupils per class. There are nearly 100 students who attend this school.  After a few moments of sharing the information about my school, the director was very excited to make a connection with my school system, which is one of the goals our project. I unfortunately don't know what the partnership will look like until I hear from my administration and the dust settles on a new school year.

Impressions: This school is far different than the other Moroccan schools we have visited and heard about. It was great to visit a school that looked "American" though this is not the majority.  After having had several discussions with other local educators we learned that by comparison the traditional class sizes in public schools can be as many 40 students per class. At traditional Moroccan schools educators are required to follow the national curriculum created by educational ministry with little deviation. At Al Akhawayn school they follow a hybrid of this model and the director proudly displays a picture of King Hassan the sixth in his office (all public places display it).  Additional impressions: New hires can not chose to work at a specific school, the government assigns them to any school across the county. Transferring to a new teaching assignment is often very difficult and teachers who are assigned in difficult placements often get stuck there.  This notion seems a bit tough by my standards.

Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Day 14

Today we had the opportunity to visit the mosque at AUI.  Normally non Muslims are not permitted to enter the mosque, though our group is unique.  Men and women have separate entrances and prayer areas in the mosque.  At the entrance we were in instructed  to remove our shoes, this is to show respect. Before prayer all Muslims wash.  Washing is done by gender.  At this mosque there is a washroom on the lower level.  Our guide brought us down to the washroom, a beautiful mosaic tiled room with water spouts and buckets.  It is important that all body parts are cleaned three times each; mouth, hands, arms, feet, face, ears and the head.  After washing prayer is conducted in a large carpeted room without chairs.  There is a clock placed on the east wall toward Mecca.  All Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca. Women pray in an area behind a wooden screen.

Impressions: One can not help but see how interconnected religion and day life are in Morocco.  Being in Morocco during Ramadan has certainly given me a unique perspective. Many Moroccans will tell you that the pace of daily life slows down during the holy month. During Ramadan most Moroccan Muslims are fasting during the day, shops and restaurants are closed.  The first meal of the day is taken during the evening, at sunset; around 7:30 pm.  When we are off campus, we can hear the call to prayer, but the university does not have the call at the mosque.  However it is loudly chanted throughout the town of Ifrane.  Many Muslims also have the call on their  cellphones, there is an app.  The most devout will pray five times a day. If you are a non Muslim and are in a Muslim country during Ramadan you are not required to fast.  Though for non Muslims it is taboo to drink or eat around Muslims who are fasting.

The Traveling Educator

Amazigh (Berber) Culture and Moroccan Linguistics (Day 13)

The country of Morocco has an interesting cultural and linguistic history.  This becomes apparent when you hear Moroccans speaking. One can't help, but hear an exotic lingunist composition of Arabic, French, Spanish and Tamazight or Berber. 99.1% Morocco's people are Berber and Arab, while only 7% are Christians and 2% are of Jewish ancestry. The Berber and Arab culture is deeply intertwined.  The Moroccans fondly say scratch and Arab and you will find a Berber, scratch a Berber and you will find an Arab.

The indigenous people of Morocco are called the Amazigh.  This group has lived in Northern Africa since about 3000 BC.  The Amazigh people occupy the present day countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. The Berber migration can be traced as far east as Yemen.  The Amazigh people are referred to as Berbers.  The term Berber was coined by the Romans and it was used to refer to any person who could not speak Latin or was a "Barbarian" meaning uncivilized.  The word Amazigh means free people.  In the south or desert areas of Mauritania, the Amazigh are called Tuaregs, which means independent people.

Morocco was settled by Hebrews and their influence spread across Northern Africa. Arabs settled in Morocco around 7th century though the true Arabization occurs in the 11th century.  At this time most Amazigh converted to Islam.  Today most Moroccans are Sunni Muslims.  When we visited the mosque, (this is not usually allowed in Morocco) we learned that the Qu'ran is read in Arabic and not in the local dialect. There are three different dialects of the Amazigh language, Tarifit is used in the north, Tamazight in the middle Atlas region and Tashelhit in the south.

Today the language spoken in Morocco is Darija or Moroccan Arabic.  It's a blend of Arabic, Tamazight, Hebrew and French.  Many of the ending sounds heard in Darija words are short form Arabic or recited similar to slang words. Morocco was colonized by the French in the 20th century, during this time French became the official language. French was the language used by the elite during the protectorate period, and as a result many Moroccans learned it. Often Amazigh dilects are used in the home, Darija in the street, and French and Arabic in the schools. French is taught in the public schools and today continues to be the language of instruction there.  Schools also instruct in Arabic. The northern parts of Morocco were once part of Spain and there many people speak Spanish and Tamazight languages.  Most of the street signs feature both Arabic and French.

Today many Moroccans know how to speak Tamazight, but can not write it. In recent years students are learning to speak and wrtie it in schools, though traditionally it was an oral form of communication only.  The colors of the Amazigh flag are physical geographic representations.  At the top of the flag is the color blue to represent the north and the sea, the green in the middle is to represent the middle Atlas region, and the yellow at the bottom represents the desert people. The symbol in the center is man and it is drawn in red to mean courage.

Impressions: Many Moroccans want to preserve the Amazigh heritage and it is being taught in some schools. The classical Arabic language survives in the mosque or Masjid.  For many Moroccans, Tamazight is used in the home, Darija in the street, and French and Arabic in places of business and tourist areas.  More often than not when I attempt to use the little Arabic I know, the person with whom I am speaking replies in English.

Massalama!
The Traveling Educator

Tarmilat village and school

Ifrane is a resort town.  It has an imperial residence for the royal family and is a vacation destination for the Moroccan people.  Just like many parts of Morocco it also has pockets of poverty.  The village of Tarmilat is constructed on top of a landfill.  The residents of the "town" are squatters. The homes are constructed out of garbage.  The people who live rent livestock.  The women in the village make rugs and bags to sell at the souk.  The village has no paved roads. The government built a one room school in the village. It is the only permanent structure.  There is no electricity in the village or running water.

Although the school is closed for the summer volunteers from America work with the children in the village.    The volunteers are college students from America.  The students work for an NGO called America's Unofficial Ambassadors. The students are assigned to run a summer camp at the school for five weeks. The volunteers work with students in the one room school from 10 to 3 pm. There are about 20 students in the school each day, aged 4 to 17.  The students speak Moroccan Arabic, though the volunteers teach the students to read and write in French.  The public schools in Morocco teach in French and also in Arabic. It is unclear from what I saw if the students could read and write in Arabic well. Let alone read and write in French.  The school did not have a lot of resources.  There was one cabinet in the front of the room that held books and crayons.

Impressions, having met with Moroccan educators I feel that the Moroccan schools have a lot of inequalities. The city schools have technology and many resources. While rural schools are in need.

The Traveling Educator

Couscous (Day 9)

Couscous is a popular Mena region dish.  It can be prepared in many ways.  Couscous is made from semolina wheat.  The couscous is soaked and then it is steamed.  The couscous is often spiced with cinnamon, coriander, saffron and ginger. Couscous is traditionally prepared with lamb, however you can order it with chicken or beef.  I ordered my dish with beef.  The dish in Morocco is prepared with stewed eggplant, sweet pepper, carrots and potatoes. As I was about to eat a forkful I was immediately corrected that it should be eaten with a large spoon. The vegetables and meat are stewed together for hours until they are tender.


Each forkful should melt in your mouth...it did. Salt and cumin are placed on the table as a garnish...I sprinkled a small amount of each on my plate to taste. The dish is served with a communal bowl of broth (double dipping is allowed) to continuously add moisture to the dish.  Boiled eggs and mint tea were also served.  The chef came out to greet our table and we thanked her for the delicious meal.  The meal cost 50 Dirhams, which is about 6 American dollars.

Impressions if you are dining out doors you need to eat quickly, the bugs are also hungry and are interested in your meal.  Also come hungry the portions are generous.

Massalama and Bon Appetite!

The Traveling Educator

The rug store

He would not let me take his picture; he is a very traditional man.  Mohamed is the owner of a rug shop in Azrou.  Some locals call him the prophet.  Although I did not buy a rug (I have wall to wall carpeting), I had a rare social encounter.   I would say that Mohamed is no younger than 65 years of age, his face is hard like tanned leather.  He wears a traditional Moroccan djellaba, a long robe with a hood. He also wears traditional slippers and he has a beard. When I first entered his shop it did not look like much.  The entry way was incredibly narrow, two people could not walk side by side in the shop.

The walls were line with hand made colorful wool rugs .
The rugs were dropped with care to show off their intricate designs.  The back of the store had rugs piled floor to ceiling.  He offered us the traditional mint tea.  He only spoke a little English, but he explained that he could speak French because he around during French colonization.  He spoke with me in Moroccan and French for nearly a half hour.  It was difficult to understand him but he told us all about the rugs and the region. He brought out his photo album and guest book and proudly showed off the visitors.  We talked until the early hours of the morning and several teachers in our group bought rugs.  Impressions Moroccans speak a combination of French and the Moroccan darija.  Also in order to get a fair price, bargaining is welcomed.

Massalaama! The Traveling Educator

Mint tea

Moroccans love tea! Moroccans drink tea with mint.  It is also called Berber Tea and those who drink it swear it will cool you down on a hot day or night. I was unbeliever until I was invited to try it post Ifar. The tea is served in clear glasses, not tea cups.  In each cup there are several sprigs of mint. Sugar is also added to make it sweet.  The tea is usually poured at high angle, tipping the wrist the person pouring the tea will start with a low stream and make it higher to create bubbles. As you can see in the picture below.  The tea is very hot and it is meant to be drunk while it's still warm.  To cool the tea it is slow slurped through the lips.  This action cools the tea down so it does not burn your tongue.

Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Day 6

Nothing could have prepared me for the Moroccan heat at the Roman ruins in Volubilis.  If you are wise you will bring a hat...Dr. John Shoup led our three hour tour of the ruins.  The Roman Empire had substantial influence in the Mediterranean region and the Moroccan Roman ruins at Walili are the most remote.  The site is protected as a world heritage site.  The ruins are impressive though they are not well maintained.  John mentioned that the Moroccan government does not see them as a tourist investment, but as a reminder of the European colonization of Northern Africa. The site has mainly been preserved by a drought that lasted 20 years.                                                                                         Today with little preservation work the site is endanger of being lost altogether.  According to John the ruins at Volubilis could potentially lose their world heritage site status if they are not properly cared for.  The site has many beautiful titled frescos with vibrant color patterns. Unfortunately the frescos have been exposed to the environment, specifically rain damage and will disappear soon.

Salam!   The Traveling Educator

Day 5

Today we visited the city of Meknes.  We had a guided tour of the city by John Shoup, Ph.D.  John studied cultural anthropology and is a professor of anthropology at AUI .  He  has been in Morocco since 1996.  John introduced us to the city's early settlements.  Meknes was an important military settlement in the 11th century for the Almoravid dynasty.  Later Meknes became the capital of Moulay Ismail, the founder of the Alawite dynasty late 17th century.   We toured the granary ruins from the 17th century.

We had the opportunity to see a mausoleum.  The building was decorated in the Moorish style with colorful geometric mosaics.  We were instructed to take off our shoes.  Today was the first time we could hear the call to prayer.  Muslims pray five times a day.  The call to prayer is a loud recording to invite the faithful to the mosque.

We were instructed to dress modestly in the city to be respectful of the culture; elbows and knees covered.   As you can see in my photo I wore a long dress.   Though not all tourists were given the same instruction and I was shocked to see many European tourists wearing low cut shirts and short shorts.

After the tour of the mausoleum John brought us to the old medina and to the marche.  The roads through the old medina were very narrow.  The streets were filled with shoppers and merchants and all sorts of unique sights and smells. I could smell mint and chamomile as the most fragrant, though at the same time it smelled sour, like garbage.  The marche in Meknes is like nothing I had ever seen before.  There were clothing and fruit vendors, kitchen wares, a dentist and even iron works.

My impressions:  shopping in the west is done in malls and big box chain stores, shopping in Morocco is more localized and bartering is common.  It's really hot in Morocco, staying covered means you feel even more warm.  I will need to remember to drink more water when I am out in the medina. Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Day 3

Today was our first day of Arabic class with Dr. Ali Azeriah.  Our group did not waste any time getting settled in...though I will be the first to admit I am not on Moroccan time yet. We will spend the next three weeks studying Arabic on the campus at Al Alkawayn University. The Campus is set in the Moroccan resort town of Ifrane, located in the middle Atlas Mountain region.  First impressions this area reminds me of a town in the Swiss Alps. This not what I pictured Morocco to look like, it has a mountain climate and does not seem to fit the Hollywood version of Morocco that I have seen on TV.  Yesterday as we made the five hour bus trek across the country from Casablanca. We passed through a variety of landscapes, like flat coastal plains with olive groves and rolling hills with herds of sheep.

Without wasting any time we dove right into learning Moroccan Arabic.  This is merely to help us adapt to the country and to be able to communicate locally.  The majority of our learning will be in Modern Standard Arabic.  Our prior learning in CT included speaking and writing the Arabic alphabet; we have come to Morocco with some foundation for the language.  First impressions: Arabic is a very guttural language.  When spoken Arabic requires a lot of throat clearing sounds (it sort of sounds like barfing). I worry I will have trouble with this language, as it is different than the Romance languages I took in grade school. Dr. Ali is a great teacher, he is very passionate about his content and he made class time fly by!

Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Day 2

Upon landing in Casablanca, I immediately could feel the warm air signaling our arrival in Africa. Our customs process was interesting. First impressions: the advertisements on the walls are in French and in Arabic and this terminal has no air conditioning...guess I'll be reading in French a lot more and I will be hot all the time....yikes! What have I gotten myself into.

We cued up with the other travel weary passengers from our Air France flight. The Moroccan custom officers in blue uniforms were waiting to process us. Each officer peered out at us from behind a clear glass window--they looked ready. I could not help but notice a sticker on the glass that read, "smile you are in Casablanca." AWESOME!

The whole customs process was odd and the officials kept asking us to switch lines.  I tried my best to remain patient.  I was the last person from our group to go through customs, which made me think what if I get stopped and everyone else gets into Morocco?! I grew even more nervous when everyone disappeared downstairs, leaving me behind.

At the airport baggage area our group assembled for the first time- 12 educators and our

guide Donna. Second impression:  Moroccans are loud! At the baggage claim area two men appeared to be loudly arguing. It appeared to be heated exchange over a suitcase. In actuality it was just an over exaggerated greeting. I am always somewhat nervous my luggage will not arrive (its happened before). This time I located my bag with ease and joined the group in no time.

In the lobby outside of the airport, Halima, our other group guide and her husband were ready to greet us. She hugged each of us and introduced us to her family. Halima and her family live in America, but they return each summer to Morocco to visit family.  I began to realize how tired I was; I didn't sleep on the plane (good movies?!).  I also blame the expresso I bought at the airport in Paris.  The smell drifted in my direction, it was hard to resist...

Before leaving the airport, Halima took our group to get Dirhams, the Moroccan currency.  Third impression: the exchange rate is $1.00 to 8.25 Dirhams; I am going to have lavish monetary cushion to buy souvenirs!!  Then we ventured into the sunny cloudless sky and gathered at the Moroccan telecom booth.  Several of us purchased SIM cards. Which leads to my fourth impression: Moroccans talk fast!! I have no clue what was said by Halima's husband, though I now have 3G internet access. Gotta have internet!   I will write more in a few days...Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Day 1

Well here it is my first attempt at a blog. I am currently riding on a bumpy train bound for NYC. Tonight I will board an Air France flight bound for Paris and then after a brief layover I will fly to Casablanca. I am beyond excited to meet the group of Fulbrighters at the airport. I hope they are as excited as I am. My curiousity for the road that lies ahead is pushing me forward but I am also a little nervous too! I have traveled internationally many times both solo and with groups. My soundtrack for this trip is tune in radio sounds of the 70s. This is my super jammy happy traveling music. I keep thinking of the scene in the film Almost Famous- Where the lead character buys a one way ticket to Morocco. This trip feels exotic and fabulous!

The purpose of this trip is to learn modern standard Arabic. We will also learn about Moroccan culture and history. The program will aid the development of curriculum to support educating culturally diverse students. We will also work to raise awareness for the Moroccan education system. We will have opportunities to visit with educators and schools to discuss critical issues in education. It is my hope to be able to establish a lasting connection with educators to continue a global education experience. A part of this project is to share my work educators upon returning to the US and promote the creation of curriculum that is culturally responsive. It will examine the culture of middle eastern countries to compare and contrast their daily life and viewpoints to break down stereotypes. I have gifts to give to each of the educators I meet; a high gloss book about the city of Meriden and a bumper sticker that says Washington Middle School. I will also stay with a family and I bought the family a small gift as well. I went to a local shop called Daybreak Coffee Roast Co. I had the barista chose his favorite blend. To accompany the coffee I purchased a mug with a red lobster that reads Connecticut. I have heard that most Moroccans drink mint tea so I hope they will enjoy American coffee. I hope you will enjoy following me and I will write more soon!

The Traveling Educator