July 2012
2 posts
My one day in Paris was so awesome! I didn’t arrive at my hotel until almost 1pm, but I was still able to see a lot! I used the Metro to get around, so it took a long time to get places (but it sure was cheap!).
*Interesting tidbit* I was riding the Metro down towards city center, and I heard some people talking about New Mexico! They were tourists from Florida, and they were talking about...
June 2012
14 posts
Yesterday, I wore a tank-top!
We are going through a heat wave in Rabat, and yesterday it was SO hot! I decided to risk looking like a tramp and wore a sleeveless shirt! It was totally worth it…
The sun looked really cool, too! It looks like this a lot, I’ve never seen that in the U.S. It’s a perfect circle, and you can stare at it and it doesn’t hurt your eyes! lol. Someone told me it was around 107...
Anonymous asked: Catie, How are the bugs in Morocco, besides the man-sized cockroaches?
Anonymous asked: Living in the desert didnt prepare you for that, huh? Feel your angst, sista!
Worst night EVER.
Last night’s chain of events:
1. Got a severe sinus infection (headache, runny nose, cough, dizziness).
2. Ate some delicious soup, felt better for about an hour.
3. Went to bed.
4. Woke up at 2am needing more tissues, went to bathroom to get tp (no more tissues).
5. Saw a gigantic monster cockroach run across the sink.
6. Ran back to bed like a coward, thinking it would NEVER come...
Anonymous asked: Sounds like you are having a fabulous time! Your skin looks really good, smooth... it must like the bathhouse! We can all learn from your experience! Glad you are having fun. Next week is the immigration conference, I am tasked with picking up and returning the guest speaker to the airport. Then the week after is my thesis defendse. When you get home (hopefully) it will be all done! Enjoy...
Exciting weekend in Rabat!
This weekend was really fun and interesting. I finally got to go hashing! For those of you that don’t know, hashing is a running club that drinks beer (or a drinking club with a running problem) on trail, and after trail. There are hash groups all over the world, and luckily, one here in Rabat! The hash was a blast, and the hashers were very welcoming. Good times :)
On trail:
Hashed on...
Just an update...
Today I am starting work with a new organization, and I will be teaching English to youth in Sale, Rabat’s “sister city.” The place I was working ended up running out of work for me to do, lol. Really it was because I only speak English, and they need people who can speak French or Arabic fluently. Nevertheless, I am sooo excited to start teaching English! It should be really...
Warning! Sad Post! →
Hi all,
I just wanted to share some more information that I found on something I posted before. I was talking about the ADFM where I work, the law here in Morocco concerning rape and the victims being forced to marry their rapists, and the case of the girl in a city north of here. Well I found a bunch more information on it, and it turns out the young woman actually committed suicide shortly...
Weekend in Fez!
This weekend a bunch of volunteers, interns, and students in Rabat took a train to Fez for the annual Fez Sacred Music Festival. The musicians come from all over the place, the one concert we saw had a band from Uzbekistan, and one from Algeria I believe. We didn’t really get to see much of the concert at all, but I’ll explain that…
Since the festival is pretty gigantic, we...
Shopping in the Medina
Had my first real shopping experience last night! My host Mom took me to the souk, where they have hand-made Moroccan crafts and stuff, and helped me haggle! It was pretty intense. She is an expert! I would have paid way more for stuff if she wasn’t there. The salesman finally caved in and settled for the price she offered, and a piece of dried fruit we got in the market! (I was carrying the...
Missing home, but still have a long adventure...
“Life is a blank canvas, and you need to throw all the paint on it you can.” -Danny Kaye
“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.” -J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming...
Association Democratique des Femmes du Maroc
The place I work is called Association Democratique des Femmes du Maroc (Democratic Association for Moroccan Women), or ADFM for short. It was established in 1985 originally as a political party, but has evolved into an entire organization dedicated to advancing women’s rights in Morocco, and helping female victims of violence (domestic or otherwise). The ADFM is run by mostly French women, so...
May 2012
9 posts
The Hammam (bath house)
*WARNING* I am not sugar coating this experience!
The hammam is a bath house that most Moroccans still use as their only form of bathing, and goes all the way back to the Romans. People who use them feel like they are getting much cleaner there than people who shower every day, even if they only go once a week. This is because they spend several hours in the hammam at high temperatures and,...
Host Family info!
I finally met my host family yesterday, they are SO nice. I really love them. I got switched to a new family at the last minute, but I couldn’t be happier. There is a ten year old girl and eight year old boy. Both of them speak some English, as well as Arabic and French, smarties. The mother is so sweet and speaks the most English of all of them, and the father is really nice. In Morocco...
Tourist Day
Thought I’d post again, since I ended up back in the internet cafe today. I met up with another volunteer from the UBELONG program, and we did some sightseeing! We walked to the Kasbah, the oldest part of the original city. It was so beautiful and had a great view of the ocean. Then I got a henna tattoo on my hand unwillingly from a very forceful woman, but I only had 5 dirhams to give her,...
Bread saves the day again!
I finally made it to the hotel, and it is an individual room-not a hostel. It has a regular toilet and shower, which is pretty surprising! I also have TV, and a view of the street down below. I am so exhausted from my flights! I was not able to sleep on the plane at all, so as soon as I got to the hotel I took a nap.
Navigating the Charles de Gaulle Airport was not very difficult, but I did have...
Ssalamu alekum (Peace be upon you-Moroccan Arabic)
It is now less than 24 hours until I leave. I am still ignoring my suitcase, because it doesn’t understand me…
I found out some basic information about my host family yesterday! They are a family of four (husband, wife, son, and daughter), and they have hot running water! Bonus! They also have a Turkish toilet, but no word on a shower. I am actually pretty excited to experience the...
Goodbye showers and western toilets, hello...
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.” — William Feather
This blog will act as the journal of my trip to Rabat, Morocco. I thought it would be a good idea to share it with whoever is interested! Hopefully this will be a good way to keep my family and friends updated as well, since I won’t be in touch much. I can’t wait for this adventure to begin!
...
