when the veneer begins to tear a little...

What happens when you combine an elderly man, a catheter, and a train at rush hour?  That, ladies and gentlemen, would be a story I am about to share.

I take the train from Rabat to Mohammedia anywhere from two to five times per week, depending on how many classes I have, etc.  My classes are either 9-12 or 2-5, leaving time for an ample lunch for both students and faculty in between.  The events I am about to share with you all occurred on one of those trips from Mohammedia to Rabat at rush hour-between 5 and 7 pm.

In order for this story to make a bit more sense, I am going to give you some background.  The trek from my front door to my classroom is roughly 2 hours.  Here's why.  I walk about 20-25 minutes through the medina to the train station.  Then I get on a train.  This can either make or break my day.  There is a fast train, which is roughly 30 minutes and only 1 stop between Rabat Ville and Mohammedia.  Then there is the slow train of doom with 4 stops and tons of people who get on at each of these stops which ends up around 50 minutes.  Once I get to Mohammedia, I need to find a taxi, meaning I have to run quicker than the other eight million commuters and then get to the university, make copies, etc.

The day that this insanity took place, it was of course on the slow train.  After work, and on a train full until bursting.  I had gotten on at Mohammedia and spied an empty seat.  Taking it, I breathed a sigh of relief and hoped that the train ride back to Rabat would be uneventful.  This was not to be.

At one of the next stops, people continue to get on, crowding around.  Only this time, it was a bit different.  From a crowd of people, I begin to hear a man praying in pain.  I turned to see who was praying fervently but could only hear a voice.  The voice got louder as men began to rise up from their seats investigating the noise.  Finally, I saw him-an elderly man wearing a cream djellaba stooped over praying to God to deliver him from his misery.  Behind him was his wife who was stooped over more than her husband.

The men ran towards the elderly Moroccan and tried to help him into a seat.  It was then that I realized the source of his discomfort.  Peaking out from underneath his djellaba was a catheter in a plastic pharmacy bag.  The moment I saw that, my heart just died.  I got up from my seat, wanting to help these people in some way.  One of the men saw my distress and came over to calm me down, saying that there was nothing I could do.  Taking one last look at the man, his wife, the eager helpers, I got up from my seat and walked away.

Although that was a few weeks ago, I still cannot help feeling like I could have done something to better that man's life.  I keep wondering where his family was, why weren't they helping him, and, this experience more than any other showed me the solidarity of the Moroccan people.  I doubt I will ever forget that. 

the trials and tribulations of apartment hunting

I arrived in Rabat at the end of October, and since, I have been fruitlessly searching for an apartment. Now, you might think this task would not be so difficult, but trust me, it has been!

First, you have to decide where to live.  In Rabat, there are four main areas: Agdal, Hassan, Centre Ville and the medina.  I thought I wanted to live in Hassan, which is centrally located and pretty modern.  However, the more I looked, the higher the prices became.  So, I ditched that idea.  Then, I had a few interesting propositions in Agdal.  The cost there was also prohibitive.  So, I focused my search in Centre Ville and Medina.  This was more than a month ago.  Since then, I have seen roughly six apartments.  I would like to share a few interesting stories.

The Prostitution Scare
I went with another Fulbrighter to see an apartment in Centre Ville.  We arrive at the location which is next to one of my favorite restaurants.  A woman meets us there and takes us up to the apartment.  The apartment has THE BEST American kitchen that I have seen in Morocco.  There is ample counter space, a huge open space kitchen, basically I like the kitchen.  There is also a living room and big bedroom.  Now, this is where the entire experience goes pear shaped.

The woman explains the rent which is MUCH higher than normal.  Then she said that the person renting the apartment would not be allowed to have any guests.  Any guests coming over for dinner would have to leave the apartment and could not spend the night.  She explains this by stating that she could raise the rent and have rich businessmen use the apartment with prostitutes but that she would prefer to trust Americans.  So, rather than having a good trustworthy tenant, she prefers to harass a trustworthy tenant.  I basically had to clarify that my job was not as a lady of the night, but as a Fulbrighter.  To this day, this encounter still makes me laugh.   Clearly, I did not take this apartment.

The Never-ending Visit 
The other highlight of the apartment search was a visit with the same Fulbrighter in another area of Centre Ville.  This apartment was big enough for two people and in a nice, well lit and modern building.  When we arrived, we met the girls who were currently living there as well as their mother, and two younger sisters.  Their father came home during our visit and we were immediately invited to stay for juice and tea.

This discussion lasted longer than 3 hours.  While the father was very interesting, it was clear that he desired an audience more than conversation partners.  We tried on many occasions to depart, but it required a finesse that neither of us had after a three hour spontaneous lecture.  Needless to say, this apartment also fell through.  Le Sigh.

The Solution
So, having looked at apartments for the last month, I have decided that I will be taking the apartment next door to where I am living.  The move in date has been a continuous dance.  Hopefully, the apartment will be ready in the (very) near future.  I am enjoying spending time with my friends, but I really want to nest and decorate my new abode! 

Casual Ham

The visa situation in Morocco is such that either we deal with bureaucracy and get residency permits, or, we leave the country every 90 days to renew our tourist visa.  Since coming here in September, I haven't yet left the country.  Because my 90 days are coming up and we have a three day holiday, eight Fulbrighters decided to go to Barcelona, Spain.

Travelling with eight people can be challenging, especially with eight people as strange, yet intelligent as the Fulbright crew.  However, all went well.  We had an amazing time in Barcelona, whether it be consuming sangria and pounds of ham, visiting the sights, going clubbing, or just enjoying an environment with slightly less constraints.  Although we didn't need it, this experience brought us closer together.

Upon our return to the Magic Kingdom of Morocco, work has been in full swing.  The past three weeks have been some of the busiest in recent memory filled with: make up classes on Saturdays, grading 40 papers, lesson planning, as well as dealing with the 1.5 hour long commute back and forth from Mohammedia.  Whereas my previous posts are all about enjoyment, self reflection and actualization, I feel like this one is just business.

My time at Mohammedia has been amazing.  I really like my students, and we seem to have a lot of fun together.  With the way the system works out, I am not sure if this week will be my last with them, or if I will be able to continue meeting them on Fridays, but I do home I can continue to get to know them. That's all for now, will report more often! 

News

The past week as been a bit mouvemente (I have no accents on this keyboard so just pretend there is an accent on the last e).  First of all, I started teaching at Mohammedia on Tuesday.  Mohammedia is a small beach city beween Rabat and Casablanca.  Once you step outside of the train station, you feel the easy sway of the beach culture everywhere around you-much like Agadir.  While Agadir is bigger, and has orange taxis, Mohammedia's taxis are a refreshing mint green.

The ENSA is an Engineering University with a small campus and small classes.  The students are competent francophones with a strong desire to learn and practice their English.  I taught a Master's class in lieu of my second year students since they did not know that they would have class on Tuesday. Tomorrow I should be teaching my students, which I am excited about!

In addition to teaching, I have been getting my bearings in Rabat.  Apartment hunting has been an extreme adventure.  I have seen many apartments, all of which come with side stories, gossip about crazy neighbors, along with copious amounts of juice, coffee or tea.  I still haven't found what I want but I do have some killer stories of apartments gone wrong.

Staying with Jessica and Sophie has been an amazing experience.  Both of them are serious foodies and have taught me tons about healthy cooking, places to shop in the souk, places to avoid, in addition to many stories about Moroccan bros.  Yes, there are even bro-ey (is that a word??) ways to speak Darija.  

The times, they are a-changing

Living in Morocco has taught me a lot about patience.  Patience when all the taxis are full and you are hoping to not miss an appointment.  Patience when someone older than you is speaking.  Patience when waiting for your teaching schedule.  Or, when cooking tagine, going grocery shopping, negotiating for prices.  Patience permeates all levels of a successful existence here.

Time, and the odd workings of time also go hand in hand with patience.  Sometimes you get the feeling that you have endless hours to lesson plan, meet people, or run errands, but suddenly time has slipped away and you need to hurry to catch up on work.  A discussion in a cafe or a lunch date with friends seems to go by in the blink of an eye.  I always feel more optimistic about my schedule and time management than is actually the case.

This past week has been rife with changes.  I started the week in Agadir, with another change to my schedule and another later start date.  By the end of the week, I was moving to Rabat to take over another ETA's classes in Mohammedia.  Patience and time have once again been at work.  Once I have settled in, I will write more about my new job and surroundings.

Beach Bum

The end of the Eid holiday is upon, and, with that, brings the return to a bit of normalcy.  Well, for most of the working people of Morocco anyway.  In my case, this week is the start of the semester.  Finally. While the end of summer vacation in the US is marked by the appearance of backpacks and school supplies in stores that children eerily avoid until the last possible moment, return to school for university students here is a bit vague.  As my boss says, it is a "conjugal dance" between faculty and students to see who makes the first move into the classroom.

In my case, this dance has gone on for three weeks.  Yes. Three.  In the past three weeks, I have had my schedule change three times, been given multiple start dates, and basically have become resolved to the fact that I have no idea what's going on and everything can change at every possible moment.  For a control freak like myself, this has been a hard fact to swallow.  Do not for one second believe that this experience is bad, though.

With my time off, I have been able to visit Agadir, learn to cook Tagine, one of the national dishes of Morocco, picked up my boxes from the US, found a wonderful apartment, and spend quality time at the beach.  Well, really, multiple beaches.  This weekend, I spent Saturday at Agadir.  It was beautiful and it is still warm enough to go swimming! Connor and I ate at McDonald's which is right next to Pizza Hut-the mecca of Americana.  Today, I spent the day with some friends at Devil's Rock which is a bit outside Agadir in Inoumrane.  We then went to one of my fave restaurants in Taghazout called Le Spot and played Settlers of Catan-one of my favourite games from undergrad at UCSD.  Yes, I have resolved to become a beach bum for the next 8 months-when my teaching duties permit it, of course.

This week brings many new changes to my life.  First of all, I start teaching on Wednesday.  I am excited and nervous, just like I get at the start of meeting new students, figuring out the faculty rules, and learning how to navigate a whole new system.  In addition, Connor and I will be moving into our new, beloved apartment with the tiny kitchen this coming weekend.  We cannot wait! Once that all goes to plan, which can change at any minute-I remind you, then I will be posting pictures of sunsets from the beach-which is a 10 minute walk from our abode.  Here's to hoping that next week proves to be as interesting as the last three! 

Multimedia Overload

Here is a bit of a review on my life in Morocco in sounds and images.  Enjoy!

The first group are of the Roman ruins - Volubilis! 

The second group are of Meknes's famous door (Bab) and the surrounding square. 

Our home during our orientation, Dar Batoul in Rabat. 

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.  Truly enormous and beautiful! 

Our last night together in Rabat at the Syrian/Lebanese restaurant, Shami.

My 30th birthday in Taghazout, near Agadir.

My impromptu trip to Casa to see other Fulbrighters.

In the former Cathedral in Casablanca!

This Algerian group, Babylone, has become my new favourite band.  Here are two of my favourites. Comments appreciated, don't be shy! 

The Electricity Conundrum

The past few days have been very strange in the world of Agadir.  Conner, my roommate and other awesome ETA here has been in Marrakesh visiting some of the other Fulbrighters for the Eid Al Adha holiday.

I, on the other hand, have been house sitting in an apartment complex that has increasingly dwindled in its inhabitants as people take off for their ancestral homes to spend the holiday with family.  Since Conner's absence, the electricity has been iffy at best.

On Sunday, I woke up to no electricity.  Meaning, no hot water, no laundry, no lights, no stove...you get the idea.  Basically, I woke up without my creature comforts such as they are.  At some point the lights came on and I rejoiced, but it was not to be.  I came back from errands to find no lights in the stairs, or in the house.  I had been at the glorious beach all day and desperately wanted a shower, which was not to be, alas.  Monday, the electricity turned off just as I was finishing cooking breakfast.  Tuesday was much of the same.

Fortunately, today it seems to be on and working regularly.  Today is Eid Al Adha, the day of sacrifice where families sacrifice sheep in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his one and only son to God.  It is a feast day where families grill and cook the delicious meat.  Having participated in it in Tunisia, I decided to sit this one out and get some much needed work done on research and applications.

However, the problem with electricity has got me thinking.  Although people here swear that this "never happens" I wonder how much of Morocco's population lives without electricity.  I wonder how the average person can afford their electricity bill, and if companies ever shut off power like they do in the US.  Being a Fulbrighter with a disposable income means that these are not problems that I have to face, but I do wonder about the average person here in this beautiful, complicated and disorganized place. 

Agadir...first impressions

Although I already blogged today, I feel like one good turn deserves another.

Today was my first full day in Agadir and what a day it was! I woke up this morning to Renda's bustling house where everyone was getting ready to go to work.  I meandered to the kitchen, made coffee and walked up to the roof to examine my city in the light of day.  I could see the beach and mountains...ahhhh San Diego.

After a relatively relaxing morning full of bonding time with the internet, I moved my things over to my temporary abode.  I made a new friend and had lunch with Kbira and Asma, who both attend Master's programs at Ibn Zohr University, where I will be teaching.  After that, we went to the university so I could meet the head of the department.  I also finally got my schedule of classes:

Wednesday 2-4 & 4-6 Paragraphs & Precis (Summaries) - Semester 1 students
Friday 2-4 & 4-6 Advanced Grammar - Semester 3 students

I am happy with the fact that I have 3 day weekends, which means lots of travelling.  In addition to my teaching duties, I plan on getting certified for the DALF which would allow me to teach French :)

Goodbye twenties!

So, hello again.

I have been a bit MIA this week but I wanted to recount my thirtieth birthday.  Saying goodbye to a decade of your life makes one pensive.  You have finished a seminal and formative 10 year period and you embark on a new journey filled with changing objectives, a greater sense of yourself, and a more focused idea of what you want, or, at least, what you don't want.

On the day of the twenty eighth, I registered for the French teaching certificate preparation course on Saturdays 1430-1830.  This will give me something to do on Saturdays! I then met up with Renda and one of her roomies and we went to an English discussion group.  I had a great time and met some very interesting people.  After a few hours, we left and went to a very controversial circus performance which discussed such wonderful topics as 9/11, unwed mothers, and poverty.  After about ten minutes, we left and went to the beach.

The beach.  Having not yet ventured to the marina, this was a treat!! All of the nice hotels, restaurants and shops seem to be focused on one street next to the beach.  The marina itself is over 3 km and is a very relaxing walk.  Getting to the beach, we hear music.  We arrive at a concert and meet up with more of Renda's friends.  The music was wonderful and we listened for awhile before going to eat dinner. After dinner, we returned to the concert.  As it got closer to midnight, some of my new friends sneaked off.  They tried to get the MC of the concert to wish me a happy birthday - even though it didn't quite happen, it was a super sweet gesture that I am not ready to forget.  Afterwards, they surprised me with a plaque with my name. A great evening was had by all.

The next morning, Renda, Joey and I went to a beach outside Agadir in Taghazout.  This mini surf town is adorable and so relaxed.  We had lunch at a wonderful little restaurant overlooking the main street.  Europeans, Americans, Moroccans, surfers, dreadheads, tourists and hippies all intermingled and enjoyed the views and the water.  We went to the beach and enjoyed the warm water.  Later, we went to Aourir, the next town over that is a banana haven.

My birthday was a success in every sense of the word: good views, good people and good food.  I have a very positive feeling about my thirtieth year on my Fulbright! 

The end of the beginning

The last few weeks have been great, I have had a chance to really get to know the other ETAs and to get to know more about my attitudes towards my new homeland.  However, I didn't really think much about moving to Agadir until it was upon me.

This week I have stayed with Sarah and Hannah in the medina in Rabat as well as the Casa Crew (Ariel, Tyson & Marjorie).  These two cities could not be more different.  Rabat is a sleepy beach town with a surprising array of cosmopolitan options.  I had lunch at a French restaurant, pizza and beer at a German institute and baba ghannoush (one of my favorite foods) at a Syrian/Lebanese place complete with an English speaking, very good looking waiter.  And now, on to Casablanca-or in the case of T9 on our phones - Capablamab, home of the Capablamis.

Casablanca is the economic capital of Morocco.  It is a bustling business center with Mango, Zara, and tons of Western malls.  Ariel's apartment is in the thick of things in the Maaref district close to the Consulate and the twin center. I helped her get her internet set up, negotiate things with her landlord, and just hang out and watch the bustle pass me by.  Whereas Rabat sleeps at 10 pm, Casa never does.  I will be back there soon to pick up my new passport and to discover more of the white house (Dar Beidha in Arabic).

Funny anecdote time.  On my way to Casa from Rabat, I had to change trains at Ain Sebaa which is pretty much the usual as every other train has a change there.  So, I get on the train to Casa-standing room only.  I also get the luckiest place of all - across from the bathroom.  Now, what happens next? Remember, TIA- this is Africa.  Two girls go into the restroom and hotbox it.  So, myself and the three young men were their stoned victims all the way to Casa.  Fun times.  At least I was quite relaxed for the controlled chaos of the consulate.  Weeee!

Yesterday I said goodbye to the North of Morocco and took a nine hour bus to the south.  While I usually cannot sleep on trains, I totally fell asleep and missed the ride in between Casa and Marrakech.  At Marrakech we took an enforced break at a cafe before the last 2 and a half hours to Agadir.  After getting back on the bus and saying goodbye to Mrakech, we were off to the hilly, arid plains that separate the two cities.  As dusk approached, I was struck by how similar the landscape is to San Diego.  The only difference: the reddish color of the earth.  Everything else was astoundingly similar yet a confusion of many pieces of my past.  There I was listening to my American music, hearing people speak Berber, Arabic, French and Spanish on the bus, while speeding through the Moroccan  plains.

I was picked up at the archaic bus station by Renda (last year's ETA) and we somehow got my huge suitcase into a taxi and off we went to her place.  I am about to move into an apartment and house sit for the month of October, which will allow me to save some $$$ and to figure out where I  want to live in Agadir.  I am hoping to get my bearings by the end of next week and start to figure out my place here, my role at the university and how soon I can go swimming on the beach.

It may be the end of the beginning, but it is quite far from the beginning of the end. 

Why 300 Sunsets?

So I wanted to explain the context of this blog. I decided that I wanted to write about my experiences in Agadir.  Putting it simply, I wanted to go watch the sunset every day.  Sunset has always been such a delightful part of my routines in France and Tunisia and I wanted to continue that personal tradition.  To that end, our Fulbright grant is for a period of 10 months, roughly 300 days, each with a sun setting on the Atlantic Ocean or Mediterranean Sea - neither of which is shabby.  From our scenic vantage point on the roof of the riad, you can watch the sunset in the Bouregreg river that separates Sale and Rabat.  I have been fortunate to catch the majority of our Moroccan sunsets there.

That all changes Saturday.  Saturday is D Day around here.  Many people will be off to various cities: Er Rachidia, Tetouan, Ourzazate, Casablanca, El Jadida, etc. I will be staying in Rabat over the weekend so that I can take care of renewing my passport at the beginning of next week.  Because Agadir is a 9 bus ride (8 hour train + bus ride) it would be a hassle for me to do it at another time.  So, I will get to experience a bit more of Casa when I visit the consulate on Monday & Tuesday.  Wednesday, I will finally go to Agadir.

I have been remiss in my blogging obligations. It has been a busy week...We have Arabic classes 9-12 with a long lunch and then 2-3 followed by presentations from 3-5.  In addition to our obligations, we usually go out, visit Rabat and generally get used to life in the medina here.  

I find myself confronted by how different my reaction is to things when compared to my life in Tunis.  I remember how angry I used to get at the injustice, the poverty, the treatment of the poor and the women.  I seem to take a step back now and see the bigger picture much more clearly.  This does not mean that I believe everything is fair here or that there is no hypocrisy.  Much to the contrary. What I mean to say is that I have made peace with both myself and how I relate to North Africa.  I feel a strange sense of calm about my 9 month adventure here and am really starting to get excited. 

This past weekend I spent the day in El Jadida, a smaller city with a beautiful beach and marina.  I was struck by how much rougher it is compared to Rabat.  Life here is easy going.  There is diversity, ambition, and luck all mixed in with poverty and vast wealth.  El Jadida was different.  The route from the train station to the city center goes through semi-rural areas, huge half finished apartment blocks, before reaching the relative safely of the medina and downtown.  I was happy to see that people were out late and there was an atmosphere of that sleepy happiness that only comes with living next to the water.  On the way back from El Jadida, I took the "souk bus" aka the bus of the people, not the touristic bus.  The disorganization, unplanned stops, alternating between freezing and sweating were all part of the adventure.  I thought of Tunisia and riding in the louages across the country.  Although I have a huge bruise on my rear to remember that trip, I don't think the bus system as as bad as people say it is.

Last but not least, Renda, the previous Agadir ETA arrived a few days ago.  I have spent the last few days with her and am beginning to think about apartments, neighborhoods, planning classes, syllabus writing, and running my study.  It is like I have been going in slow motion and next week things will finally speed up.  Tomorrow we are spending the day in Casablanca, and so, with a heavy heart, I must leave you now. 

Orientation in Orientalism

The last few days have seen my group travel, split up, say goodbyes, and continue on our journey.  Of course, having tummy problems was NOT part of the plan.

Friday, I woke up with tummy issues that have pretty much kept me eating bread and water.  Yes, fun, I know! I honestly haven't really let that keep me down...there has been too much to see and do in the last five days.

Thursday and Friday were orientation days where some faculty gave us presentations on the linguistic varieties in Morocco as well as in the classroom culture, security issues, and other important Fulbright information.  These were day long sessions and by the end it was information overload.  I learned a lot and really came to appreciate the effort that was put into making our orientation fruitful and informative.

Saturday we left Rabat and went to Fez, a place that holds a lot of meaning for me personally.  When I was at AUP (the American University of Paris) I came to Fez for the Sufi Music Festival in 2007.  It was my first glimpse into a North African country that wasn't Algeria.  I had such an amazing time here going to festivals, listening to beautiful music and chanting, meeting open minded people, that I promised myself one day I would come back.  Well, there I was.  We spent the day in Fez, ate at a great restaurant, and had a great dinner with the entire group.

Sunday, we woke up and dropped off the researchers, some of whom are my closest friends here.  It was sad to say bye to them, but it is time to get on with our program and focus on teaching the university students, who I am excited to meet.  Then we went to Volubilis to see the best roman ruins in Morocco, which were vast.  Carthage and Dougga in Tunis are wonderful and it was striking to see the similarities with the ones in Cherchell, Algeria.  We stopped by Meknes, took some pictures of the gate, and then were on our way back to Rabat.

The riadh we are staying in this time, by the way, a riadh is a house in the medina known for its open courtyard in the middle of the house, is AMAZING.  I will upload pictures soon, but I have a princess room, which pleases me greatly.

Tomorrow we start our Arabic courses, so to bed I must go!

the last 24 hours

The last 24 hours:
Crossing the Atlantic
No Sleep (NONE)
Going from muggy and humid to.....more muggy and humid
Lots of laughs
Diffusing tension
Dealing with my (limited) patience
Seeing Rabat
Eating delicious food
Having wonderful conversations
Taking the most rewarding shower of my life
Dreaming of passing out.

Gnite!

The big big thang

New York.

It's that kind of city where you see the parts of yourself that you have left behind, and you explore what could have been and what might could be.  It is a vibrant, living city and I have not felt this way about a city since I lived in Paris.  Spending three days in NYC was great.  It gave me time to recharge my batteries and have a bit of a lull in between the two madnesses: Teaching in La Jolla and Teaching in Morocco.  Walking around and visiting SoHo, Brooklyn, Manhattan and the HighLine (my personal fave) was an amazing way to end one experience and start another,  while also spending time with Vince from high school.  

Greetings. 

In a weeks' time I will be in Morocco.  That sounds like such a mouthful, but I am mainly calm.  I am in the middle of finishing my teaching obligations, running last minute errands, weighing suitcases, and just generally hoping that I don't forget anything before the trip. 

I shall update you all more later. 

Ciao!