Morocco, Africa

I went to try to get my bus tickets to the Alicante airport for Friday morning on Thursday afternoon, only to find that no buses run at that time. So I had to take a taxi. It was expensive, but it wasn't a bad way to travel at 3:30 AM. The taxi driver was very amiable, and we talked about the region, changing values among the different generations, agriculture, etc., the whole drive. It was raining outside, so it took a little longer due to poor visibility. At the airport, nobody was moving, so I slept on a bench for about 45 minutes, when things started opening up. I got my boarding pass, ate a croissant, cafe con leche, and a chocolate milk for breakfast...(at 5:20 AM)...and then passed through security and such so I would be ready for my flight to board sometime after 6:20 AM. I slept the odd hour to Madrid, where the sun was up and normal people where up and about their daily lives. I didn't feel like sleeping exactly, even though I only had cat naps since 6:45 AM on Thursday morning. I read the end of Jane Austin's "Persuasion" in the Madrid airport. I had a window seat from Madrid to Casablanca, so I was able to see the beautiful diversity of the Spanish countryside and coast, and then the amazing coastline of Morocco. What a difference to see ocean coastline as opposed to sea coastline! Very different indeed.The Casablanca airport was a bit of a culture shock for me. I figured that I would be ok communications-wise with my Spanish and English. I was completely wrong. I don't know Arabic. I don't know French. I was completely in the middle of a jungle I couldn't find my way out of. I didn't know where I was meeting Laaziza, and I couldn't find the stupid exit! I tried asking a guard, and I got pointed to a desk, and the desk pointed me to another desk, and that desk informed me that I was at the wrong desk, I need to be at the downstairs desk, and then I finally tracked down the stairs........Eventually I made it downstairs, got my passport stamped, found Ziza, and everything was better. She had come with her niece, Majda, and her bro-in-law, Mbark from Temara. We all jumped in Mbark's car and headed up the coastline. It was soothing to be in a place with so much agriculture everywhere, and very little city. I can hardly wait to get back to real MT dirt! People were walking everywhere with either their friends/family or their flocks. They had horses and carts on the dirt streets, right along with the noisily honking cars zipping in and out of the pedestrians. At several points along the road, I could see the Atlantic, and the waves flung themselves restlessly against the shoreline, giant thrashing arms of white foam scratching the clear, fresh air. We drove with the windows down, so the scents of the Moroccan countryside drifted around me. The air smelled spicy and warm, although every once in a while, the odor of animal replaced the spicy scent. But I like it. It's a comfortable smell. A natural one. Much better than one of streets and chemicals.We stopped to see one of Mbark's friends at a school at which the friend is the headmaster. Quite a nice little school, but it sounds like they have WAY too many kids for each teacher. They have about a 1000 some students and only about 30 teachers. Lot of work! He spoke a little English, but other than that, I understood none of their conversation. Oh well. I enjoyed just listening to Arabic. The last part of the trip, I fell asleep, so I got in another snippet of rest before arriving to Temara. I was introduced to Ziza's sister, Fadjima, and Majda's little bro, Ali. Ali was very shy at first, but soon became my constant shadow. It was funny. He didn't understand that I couldn't speak Arabic, French, Berber, or anything he could, for that matter. He's 6 years old and can already speak all the above mentioned, and can read fluently in French. Wow! That made me feel pretty dumb! Lunch was amazing. It was a giant platter of couscous with yam, chicken, carrots, and other veggies on top. The women all ate it with their hands out of preference. So I did too. I was awkward at it, but I loved it! We all ate out of the same bit platter. Also loved it. After dinner we went out for a walk. Everyone still had their wares on the street. What gorgeous fabrics they have in Morocco! If I had a ton of money and I could sew like a spider, I would go to Morocco and buy TONS of fabric. I really stick out here in Morocco, but I love it anyway. I am immensely glad to be here. I sleep on the floor with Ziza and Majda, use their French-style toilet (yep, it's pretty much a porcelain hole in the ground), and eat with my hands. How much better can life get?11/18/06Breakfast was delicious. We had sardines, eggs with bread, and croissants with homemade honey. Good stuff! I spent the rest of the morning writing in my journal and doing a small bit of homework. Lunch was a dish of meat and olives with a sort of gravy type substance. We used the bread to eat the stew-like mixture. Evidently, they pretty much eat the same dish for certain days of the week. This particular dish is called marqa, and it was, of course, delicious. After lunch the whole Athmani and Toumma family, with the exception of Majda, took me sightseeing. We drove to Rabat, the capital of Morocco, and stopped at the site where two former kings of Morocco are laid to rest. We could see the ocean from the steps. We walked by the Bouregreg River where a project is going on with a reported American influence. Sounds fishy to me, as from what I hear, it sort of resembles most manmade projects we've made that try to change the natural landscape...or seascape. This a sort summation of the project: http://www.ras.ma/transitions/amwajproject/index.html. By the time I go back, where there was one water, there will be a city! Crazy!We drove to the old part of Rabat. The buildings were old, and reminded me of old fishing villages. We walked into an old fortress, and I looked at postcards, and Ziza bargained with a henna artist. I got a hand henna tattoo for what essentially equals about $0.50. Sweet! We watched the ocean for a while as the sun was setting. There were several youngsters playing soccer in a little square formed by some of the old buildings, and a guy was playing a drum and another a horn to cheer them on. Two other guys played guitar and sang flamenco by the wall of the fortress. Poetic. Really.Before dinner, we went out again, and Ziza and Fadjima worked their magic and helped me buy a authentic Moroccan outfit. They had lent me one of Fadjima's so I wouldn't stick out so much, and it really helped. I already feel part Moroccan...now only to learn the language!11/20/06We had bread with eggs and tea again this morning. I took a quick shower after eating and then worked again on my journal. Ali came into to check on me a few times. Ay! What energy he has! Majda stayed home again, and the rest of us drove out of Temara toward Casablanca. We stopped for a picnic in the countryside. We walked around a bit in Casablanca before meeting one of Mbark's friends, (a lawyer), and Ali's older bro. They brought me to Hotel Astrid, where I will spend the night. I'm bummed to have to leave. I love the tranquility of this life. I love the people. *sigh* Well, goodnight for now. I fly back to Spain tomorrow.