"Germs"

Ode to germs that don't exist.  There is no concept of germs here I don't think.
At dinner every night we eat off the table....
Everyone touches every type of food before choosing what they want
We all share a communal dish, but must respect our "zones"
A lot of people don't have toilet paper in their bathrooms....we think hands are used

Can't wait for my stomach to get adjusted here so I can eat all the street food that is touched by everyone and everything but looks and smells oh so delicious

oh forgot about the communal water cups at dinner, at cafes, restaurants etc......tepid water shared with everyone at the table yum

walked through the medina (not the cleanest place) with only one shoe on tonight after getting hennadone on my foot.
Since I was so daring with that I got fresh popped popcorn from a random guy in the market on my way home

Slept with my host family's sheets, pillow and pillowcase (kind of a big deal for me)

oh how the limits are being pushed, but hey when in rome....

Discovered a Rooftop Terrace

and I don't even have to enter my house to get there.  I've got BIG plans to buy some plants, make a little garden, buy some rugs and pillows and scarves and make a nice little space up there.  My "friends" and I are pretty excited about it's potential, considering it will give us a place to sit and use internet and talk english so we don't have to wander around aimlessly during the day.

Just watched a flock of beautiful white birds (probably sea gulls and in that case not that beautiful) flying across the brillant blue sky in a V........

Ramadan is coming to a close, we're all tired of it and we've only been here a week I can only imagine how Moroccans feel.  Almost done with my first "week" of class (no school tomorrow or friday because of the last nights of Ramadan).  Should be interesting to see how that is celebrated....probably lots of cakes, cookies, bread, and meat,  yummm

Ya for the four day weekend! maybe a short excursion with some pals, or we may spring for a hotel room in rabat with a shower, toilet and A BAR!!!!

My Host Sister got her period for the first time....

...maybe a little too much information, but it's kind of a big deal here tonight.  I tried to offer her advil but was shut down, oh well I guess not all of us rely on modern medicine.

Spent the majority of the night eating (of course) and reading for class tomorrow....found my book online so lots of computer time tonight, youngest sister was not so happy (she asked me every five minutes if I was done yet, which I was not, and still am not)

Got to watch the King pray on TV tonight, really exciting stuff.

Today a few girls in my arabic class and me bought our teacher the bootleg version of inception because he told us how much he loves movies and has been waiting to watch that one....we're all really excited to give it to him tomorrow

well its getting late here, My stomach is aching.....and I have to wake up super early if I want some me time before leaving for class tomorrow

two posts in one day....look at me go

I Did my Yogaa....Twice!!!

Success! Granted I did have to wake up at 9 am and then 730 am to do it but i did it and its done......so now maybe I'll have a little routine maybe in the mornings before class, hello 7:30.

School, has started. Three hours of Arabic EVERY SINGLE MORNING, then lunch, then two hours of seminar.  All are interesting, but LONG and tiring.

Today was a special day of Ramadan....similar to Yom Kippour. It's called the night/day of destiny and it is when the heavens are open and you can ask allah for anything (within reason) and even try some magic!
I'm asking for Amiel time, and a smoother transition into these massive lifestyle changes
Tonight I'm not going out with other SIT students, I'm staying in, doing my homework and hanging with the fam.  So far we've done our make up, played cards and helped mom make dinner....the night is young so we'll see what else happens, maybe a shakira dance party again later?

La Suite de l'histoire d'Amelie

To continue a description of my "typical" day here....I've been trying to escape my house.  As terrible as that sounds, its hard to live not only in someone else's space but to live in such a TINY space that is someone else's.  My family is really sweet, and my host mom has been trying to go out of her way to make food that I can eat but having to think and talk in French and play with the girls is very tiring and it's nice to get away.  Saturday (yesterday) I walked around all afternoon with five other girls on my program through the sook (market) in the medina (old city, where we all live).  It was SO hot out so we walked to a supermarket to enjoy the limited air conditioning it provided.  We also managed to sneak big gulps of ice cold water there, which was extra refreshing not only because it is "forbidden" (aka looked down upon to openly drink or eat in the streets during Ramadan) but because it was SO DAMN HOT!
Then we all came back to my house and watched Step Up 3D, in french, on my laptop with my host sisters (thought of you Hannah Dauber).  They left to have Ftour with their host families, and I had it with mine.  My host mom made special mini pita pocket like sandwiches with just veggies in it for me, they were very good!
Speaking of good food, a little side note, she made cous cous two nights ago that was absolutely delicious.
Back to my day yesterday.  So after Ftour, I took a quick bucket body shower and went to meet people to go to a soccer game, Morocco vs. Central African Republic. Both teams were awful but the environment was was great, people cheering and chanting and dancing with drums.  It was also a nice change from strolling along Mohammad V and getting tea.

Jonas--you would love the amount of ants that crawl over every surface in my house, I learned the world for them in Durija, but now I can't remember.

Yesterday I attempted to "faire Ramadan" or fast.  I didn't eat anything but considering the heat, and my addiction to water I drank.  I told my host mom and she told me I did not do it because I drank, I think that I did pretty damn good.

Hopefully going to the beach today, where I will be extra scandalous in a bikini/bra.

Ameilie

My name I think for the next few months. Got my homestay thursday, oy vey.
So  I have a mom and two little sisters who are 12 and 10.  I am currently sitting in their living room and relishing these few peaceful moments.  We all share one bedroom and besides the living room and bedroom (which are attached) there is a very small kitchen/bathroom. The first day was really hard, I felt so out of my element, they only speak french and Durija (Moroccan Arabic), and there was no where for me to go to be alone.....except maybe the bathroom which is tiny and turkish so really not somewhere one would want to spend extra time.
After putting my stuff down and unpacking a little the mom gives me  a little pita bread stuffed with some sort of meat and eggs, which of course i felt obligated to eat.  Its Ramadan so we didn't eat again until Ftour, which is what the break fast is called.  That included a hard boiled egg, a thick meat based soup, a creamy smoothie sort of drink, and fish. And of course LOTS of bread like things.

I managed to articulate that I didn't eat fish or meat so she fried me some eggplant as well. After eating that while watching soap operas and the biggest loser on TV the girls wanted to play.  We played dress up, had a Shakira dance party, and played hide and seek (in the exact same three spots) until midnight when we had "dinner" which included more bread, a little cucumber salad and a carroty stew/ carrots with grease.  Good bye Amiel, the reclusive vegan, Hello Amelie the meat ( and dairy) eating babysittter!

Needless to say, my stomach was not so happy that night or the next day and I paid my first visit to the Turkish toilet.

Salam Alehkum

.....meaning, hello, again. My biggest achievement today in Survival Arabic 101. I've also gotten down, Smiti Amiel (my name is Amiel). I went to carnival tonight but the river here in Rabat and shared a ride with a girl on my program and a random little Moroccan girl and I successfully asked her her name and told her mine before she got totally freaked out by me.....I was very proud of myself.
So my arabic class is going to be great I think.  My teacher's name is Babdrine, but he told us we can call him Pedro if we want.  He is really cute and nice and pronounces everything wonderfully for us beginners.  My class is eight other girls who know as little as I do!


It's Ramadan, as I mentioned before and everything is kind of backwards.  Nothing is really open during the day, but at night it's bumping.  I went with a big group tonight down the river where there is a mini carnival going n and lots of people being wild in the streets.  Rode two rides, talked to a little child in Moroccan Arabic and wandered through new parts of the medina and city.....very exciting.

During the day today, after arabic class (which I will have from now on for three hours everyday starting at 8:30 am!) We talked with the housing director who told us about the homestay process (we meet our familiies tomorrow...eek!!) and listened to other teachers talk about program rules and schedule etc.
Had a little more free time today and I wandered around with some kids  I have to do a mini info project with about banks and money exchange etc.
Then we broke the fast at the CCCL (center for cross cultutral learning)......figs, dates, a little milk, lentil soup that tasted a little like pasta figoli, a spanikopita looking dish and fruit and these delicious sesame cookies that are soaked in honey/oil.
very heavy, but very good

my computer is dying, i'm exhausted and i have  a very early morning tomorrow (7:30 breakfast)
I'll try to post some pictures soon....peace