Final day Rabat

Rabat is a city where old and new meet.  There is the old medina with 11th century walls. The new city surrounds the walls and spills out along the water front.  Like a typical large city, the streets are filled with brisk moving taxis and people. I felt like each time I crossed the street I was taking my life in my hands. There are many vibrant shops and restaurants. The prices here seem a lot higher, but you can still bargain for a more "democratic" price.

Rabat is on the Atlantic Ocean and the city boasts a seaside area with beaches.  It was interesting to see Moroccan beach attire. The women were covered from head to toe and the men were shirtless in micro sized shorts. There was a fairground with amusement park rides by an ocean inlet with happy fair goers. It was first time in awhile that I felt like I was in America again.

In Rabat we met at an education center called Pen and Tablet. The group of educators there have a highly organized global outreach program. I enjoyed the organized layout of their school and watching the students from their Arabic program complete their final projects.  Over lunch we discussed the similarities and differences of the Moroccan education system. We also discussed a continued partnership.

On my final night in my Morocco I decided to eat one last tajin meal. The meal began with washing my hands in rose water. Grilled eggplant was served as the first course. It was followed by a tajin of prunes and beef with sesame seeds. After the meal I drank mint tea and ate mixed fruit cocktail.  The dessert was sort of fitting in that I can't help but think Morocco is a bit like a fruit cocktail in that the it's blend if many different things that all go together beautifully.

Final impressions, Morocco is not like any place I could ever imagine. I had my initial stereotyped expectation, camels and sand, though I was quite wrong. Morocco is mountains and plains.  Morocco is the past and present living side by side. Morocco is where Africa and Europe meet. Morocco is generous people. Morocco is spices.  Morocco is amazing!

Massalama (for now)!

The Traveling Educator

The blue city

Chefchaoen is a city located in the north of Morocco. It is located in the mountains, but it has a Mediterranean feel. The city has many blue painted buildings and was once home to many Jewish people. It is far different from the other places we have traveled, in that it is a tourist destination. I know I am technically a tourist, but here I feel like a seasoned tourist. In Chefchaoen I feel comfortable enough here to strike out on my own and tour the town.  The people here are friendly. The food is sold at tourists prices. The hotels here serve wine and beer.  There is an abundant amount of ferrel cats.

The icey blue doors and stairs in front of many of the establishments are calming. My photos do not do this any justice.  It's hard to believe our trip will soon be drawing to a close and what a more perfect place to start our journeys end.  Impressions like most areas tourism is a major part of the local economy.  Although many people here welcome tourists because we buy goods, eat in the restaurants and stay in the hotels, there was a under current that we are not welcomed by all. Many people in Chefchaoen speak Dirija and Spanish. I know I have said it before but I am continuously impressed by the amount of Moroccans who can speak more than one language.

Massalama!

The Traveling Educator

Arabic Lessons Day 24

I came to Morocco to learn Arabic and the about the culture here.  Initially I though learning Arabic would be a breeze.  I was mistaken.  The Arabic I learned at AUI was taught to us in a method where we learned Arabic words using the western alphabet.  Basically it was just to teach us the pronunciation of words. Our teacher infused culture and historical context into our instruction which made learning interesting. We also learned greetings in context.  At AUI we also listened to music to learn about political movements in Morocco.

At INLAC we learned how to write in Arabic and also to read it as well.  I feel like I can look at street signs now and read the letters.  Last night I tried to read the newspaper.  However, I still have no clue what the letters mean when you put them together for most of the words. Overall I think trying to learn Arabic here was a challenge because Moroccans do not speak the same Arabic we learned.   All in all we had two excellent teachers and I was pleased with their efforts to teach us!

Massalama!

The Traveling Educator