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