Amsterdam (with words this time)

So I wanted to hold off to write about my trip to Amsterdam last week because I needed some time to reflect, relax and readjust to life in Morocco. Last week was truly one of the most thought-provoking and perspective-altering experiences of my life because of the new cultural lens I've gained after my first month in Morocco.

We arrived at Schipol Airport in the Netherlands on Sunday, February 17 and took a taxi to our hostel in the Zeeburg neighborhood of Amsterdam. Almost as if it were planned in advance, our taxi driver was from Morocco. I began talking to him in broken darija, however he replied in perfect English, adding that he knew French, Dutch, Spanish, German and Italian as well. Although some of his family still lived in southern Morocco, his immediate family lived in Rotterdam and his children were born Dutch. He made it clear that he was Moroccan, but that his children were Dutch. 

The purpose of our trip to the Netherlands was to learn about Moroccan residents living abroad in Europe, a trend of migration out of Morocco that began in the late 1960s when migrant workers and cheap labor were needed to rebuild Europe after WWII. Moroccans were "welcomed with flowers" in Holland, Germany, France, Italy and Spain during this era, and during the 1970s, more and more Moroccans came as a result of the family reunification period in Europe. However by the 1990s, the need for workers dwindled and EU right-wing politics became increasingly anti-immigrant. The result today is a European population that resent these migrants, despite each generation's efforts to become deeply integrated. The other major issue is that if you are born from Moroccan parents, you are Moroccan, and you can never refuse that citizenship under Moroccan law, mainly to ensure that remittences will continue to be sent to Morocco from these residents abroad, which amounts to roughly 10% of Morocco's yearly GDP. Therefore, this causes Moroccan migrants to have to "live in two places at once", an obstacle making their integration in Europe much more difficult. 

Throughout the week, we met with Moroccan residents abroad, scholars, politicians and Dutch students and professionals who had something to do with the issue of migration in the Netherlands. The Dutch pride themselves on their liberal, open society, however in practice, there is extreme racism, prejudice and discrimination against the Moroccan migrant population in particular. We began the week by meeting with Dutch-Moroccan scholars and elites who were able to shed some light on the situation of Moroccan migrants in the Netherlands as a whole, as well as the King's attempts to ensure that these Moroccans retain their cultural identity and ties to the Moroccan state. To achieve this, the King formed the CCME, a commission to provide services to Moroccan residents abroad, from teaching darija to second and third generation Moroccans to providing Islamic services to the population abroad. By doing this, however, these migrants are unable to fully assimilate into European culture because they are being pulled back to Morocco. One of the highlights of my week was talking to the Dutch CCME representative, Nadia Bourass, as well as a Moroccan journalist and professor at the University of Amsterdam, Fouad Laroui. If you have time, Google these names, because these people are quite, quite famous. 

We ended the week by attending a conference about EU Migration Policies, which was perfect for our program and just happened to be the same time that we were in the Netherlands. We learned about border control policies, detention, deportation, legal and civil codes regarding migrants, and a plethora of other topics. 

Each day, we also had a lot of free time to explore Amsterdam and the treasures this beautiful city had to offer, apart from taking tons of pictures, I visited 10 museums, saw a performance of Angels in America, and was able to catch Agro the night before the Oscars. I also got to eat all the meals I missed from home, including spaghetti and meatballs, Chinese, and of course, sushi. I also spend a large amount of time in coffeeshops with my friends, but like I told my parents, "it's just part of the culture..."

When I first arrived in the Netherlands, I was immediately overwhelmed by how different the city was compared to Rabat. For the past month, I had been trying to adjust to Rabat and adapt to the new, culturally diverse way of life with a totally different standard of living. For the first time since I left for Morocco, I was homesick, probably because Amsterdam was so similar to New York, what I know as home. The ability to find WiFi, relay on maps and transit schedules, and to use a credit card was a new concept to me after a month in Morocco. This was truly a culture shock, and interestingly, much more of a culture shock than I had when I first came to Rabat.

I am extremely glad that I had the opportunity to visit Amsterdam after a month in Rabat because I was able to reflect on my time abroad in Morocco; I was able to compare the differences between modern cities and the traditional medina, the different ways of life and variety of cultural practices in each location. Nevertheless, by Wednesday or Thursday, I missed Rabat and wanted to return to my quiet street in the dark, cool medina, especially to see my host family because I missed them tremendously. 

This was a perfect break because I was able to reflect and then return for two more months in Morocco. If I didn't get to go to Europe, my reflection would have been back at home in May, and then I would surely miss Morocco even more, without the chance to return for some time...

Amsterdam

Beard Bonanza - Week 5

It's February 26 and I've officially been abroad for a month. Here's the progress of my personal "Arab Spring" so far...

Off to Amsterdam

Amsterdam for a week...posts to come. 

B'salema!

Beard Bonanza - Week 4

Taken from our hostel in Amsterdam...

Ayeleti Magrebi Kabira

Saturday was supposed to be a relaxing day at home. I slept in til 9:30, stayed in comfortable clothes, and ate Mama’s delicious meals. It sounds relaxing, however I was not expecting to have tons of relatives over as well! Similar to my family back in New York, cousins, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and grandparents just show up, unannounced, and expect meals and entertainment. Of course, Mama says “mashi mooshkil” ("no problem") and invites them all in with open arms. 

Mama’s sister Rita and niece Koutar sleep at our house every night. However this weekend, Mama’s sister in law, two more nieces, and 6 of my brothers' cousins slept over as well. They range between 6-14 years old and are absolutely adorable. There are 5 girls and 1 boy, named Ali, and they are all over me every time they see me. They jump on my back, tickle me, and ask me hundreds of questions about life in the United States. They loved playing games on my iPad, especially Temple Run, and look through thousands of my pictures on my computer, always asking questions about my family, friends, and the travel experiences that they see in the pictures. The three oldest girls, Zineb, Malak, and Marwah, all speak english because they attend private school in Agdal, a wealthy area of Rabat. They all hope to visit the US and study at an American university. We stayed up til midnight playing Moroccan card games.

The aunts, great aunts, and grandmothers basically eat, talk, and laugh all day long. They are some of the warmest, happiest people I’ve ever met and they never fail to make me the butt of their jokes. They have all welcomed me and have incorporated me as part of the family, demanding that I return to Rabat every year for at least a month. They call me their nephew, grandson, cousin, and Mama calls me her “grande bebe”. It feels so much like my big, beautiful family back home and I feel lucky to have them! 

The topic of Islam came up with my aunts, as they all want me to say the shahadah and enter into Islam. I explained to them that I’ve read the Qur’an and have marveled at its beauty, and that I studied Islam last semester at Colgate. I am always very happy to talk about Islam with them, because it is interesting to get their perspective as Muslims. They hate, and I mean hate, radical Islam more than we do in America. Muslims in Morocco are Sunni, and they believe only Shi’ites are responsible for terrorism and violence, which is somewhat true. They do not believe that Shi’ites are even valid Muslims. They are more adamant about the divide between Shi’ites and Sunnis than between Islam and other religions. This was a very interesting perspective that will certainly stick with me for a while. 

Futbol fe Cahwah Mahgrebi

Moroccan cafés. Male-dominated, social arenas frequented by Moroccan men every night of the week, from 4-10pm. It is a staple of Moroccan culture to sit, people watch, or come for futbol matches. Last night, some of my friends joined Omar and his friends, Aness and Amid, to watch the Real Madrid v. Manchester United Champions League futbol match.

The sense of community was unparalleled, as all of the Moroccans were rooting for Real. Although the game ended in a tie, everyone there was cheering, applauding, and screaming at the television during each and every play. We drank cahwah b'haleeb (café olay) and ate pizza throughout the night. We were welcomed as Americans, as we have been in every location throughout our stay here. Interestingly, it was not a place to take our female friends, as it would have been culturally inappropriate based on Moroccan gender norms. Also of note, there was a prayer rug in the café for all men to use if they wanted to pray during the match. 

I am very lucky to have brothers my own age, as they are able to take me places and explain things from a perspective much like my own. Omar and his friends have entertained and hosted my friends each night, and it's a cultural, educational and genuinely fun experience for all. All of my friends get along with them well and everyday, Omar, Ayoub, Nissim and I get closer and closer as well. 

Just a great pic...

Beard Bonanza - Week 3

Gettin' bushy...

Excursion to the North

Saturday morning, we departed for Chefchaouen, the “blue city” in the north of Morocco positioned on a hillside in the Rif Mountains. Northern Morocco has always had a rich history with Spain, dating back to the late 15th century when Spanish Muslims and Jews were expelled under Ferdinand and Isabella. Today, the language, cuisine and architecture all reflect this unique Spanish vibe. Driving through this mountain range, the amount of tiny villages, massive peaks, and green, lush valleys are truly overwhelming.

We arrived at Chefchaouen at noon, ate lamb couscous and local salads for lunch, and went to visit an NGO called ADL. ADL is an organization that is responsible for generating and facilitating development projects in northern Morocco, something that the Moroccan government has generally failed at doing. This NGO often aims to attract Spanish investors for development projects in order to create jobs, an endeavor which they believe will keep Moroccans from coming to Spain for work, although this cause-effect relationship is often disputed. 

After our meeting at the NGO, we explored the tiny, curvy, windy, hilly medina that was literally carved into a mountainside, with caves and tunnels. I bought three paintings, traditional wool hats for my dad and brother, and a half-length jellaba (wool overshirt which northern Moroccans wear). I also smoked a peace pipe with natives on a peak in the Rif mountains, but that’s a story for later... Chefchaouen is the most definitely the most beautiful and unique gem of a place I’ve ever visited, and I hope to come back to do research for my ISP in April, insh’allah. 

Sunday morning, we journeyed ever further north to Fneidiq, the Moroccan border town to Cueta, one of two Spanish enclaves in the northernmost part of Morocco. At Fneidiq, we observed the border to Cueta which is a hotspot for smuggling European goods into Morocco. Neither Moroccan or Spanish border agents stop this smuggling because it is vital to the economies of this region. In Fneidiq, there is huge market that sells European clothes, accessories and toiletries at extremely low prices. I bought Nutella for my host family. Near Fneidiq is Tetouan, a Mediterranean resort town where King Mohammed VI vacations at each year. 

After leaving this area, we travelled 10 miles east to Tangier to observe the Tan-Med development initiative. Starting in 2007, this major port was constructed to facilitate development in the North by increasing Moroccan exports. It is now the largest port in Africa and a second, larger port, Tan-Med II, will be operational by 2015. 

My first adventure in the North was absolutely phenomenal; I got many ideas for my ISP and also was able to explore one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. 

The Situation on Sub Saharan Migrants

During our first week at CCCL, we learned about sub-Saharan migrants and the issues surrounding their status in Morocco. Currently, there are between 10,000-20,000 sub-Saharan migrants living illegally in Morocco, particularly in the major cities such as Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Oujda and Marrakech. These young men and women travel hundreds of miles by foot through incredibly perilous conditions in order to find work and money to provide for their families back home, however Morocco will not recognize them as refugees or asylum seekers. If caught by the police, they are usually brought to “no man’s land” without food, water or clothing near the Algerian border. They are very often abused by the police and are given no rights by the Moroccan government. The UN Council on Human Rights will recognize them if they register, but many are too afraid to seek help or give their information for fear of being deported. Most migrants come from Cote D’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Nigeria, and because they are identifiable by the color of their skin, they are victims of extreme racism in Morocco, although almost all Moroccans deny there being any strains of racism here. Furthermore, it is federal law that any Moroccan who “helps” an undocumented alien is subject to legal repercussions as well. 

On Thursday, we visited Le Foundation Orient Occidente, a community-based NGO for sub-Saharan migrants in Rabat. Because this organization is funded by the UN, the Moroccan government cannot shut it down. The center provides resources, counseling services, and training seminars for migrants in order to help them assimilate into Moroccan society and avoid some of the racism tied to their characteristics. They do this by teaching arabic to adults and providing educational services to children in order to help them assimilate into Moroccan public school, which many migrants are able to enroll in if they have UNHCR status. We visited 4 year olds in nursery school and also learned about the variety of services the center provides.

On Friday, 3 sub-Saharan migrants came to our school to participate in a discussion with us. This was incredibly moving and emotional because of the stories and experiences these individuals underwent in order to get into Morocco, which wasn’t any of their final destinations - they all want to get to Europe but are currently stuck in Morocco, one for over 5 years. The hardships and dangerous methods of transportation across an entire continent as well as begging for money for the next step of the journey was incredibly difficult to comprehend just by reading, so it was very beneficial to have these individuals come and share their experiences. There is hope, however, because NGOs and scholars are bringing this issue to light to the Moroccan public, especially the human rights violations and inhumane treatment of these human beings. Additionally, these migrants are forming social networks and personal relationships with each other in order to organize and provide for each other. It is difficult to learn about these types of issues among fellow human beings, especially because their experiences are so different than the conditions in which we American students are blessed to live in at home. It was truly a remarkable week of learning that will stick with me for a very long time. 

Futbol wa Hamam

After class today, Ayoub and Omar invited me and ten other American students to play futbol (soccer) on Rabat’s main bahrr (beach). It was an absolutely gorgeous day, not too hot, but certainly warm enough to jump in the ocean after our two hour game. All of the other American students love being with my brothers, as do I, and I am certainly very lucky to be part of such a warm and loving family. Also, I am able to speak french to them, while others are not, so we have already began developing inside jokes, etc. Whenever people are playing soccer, whether on the beach or in a vacant lot in the medina, everyone who is nearby sits and watches. We had over 40 people watching our pickup game!

Rabat's cemetery...right on the beach

After the game, Ayoub took me to the hamam (public bath house). I had been to a hamam in Istanbul once or twice before, but it was truly more of a luxury spa when I went. However the hamams in Rabat are authentic, local landmarks located throughout the medina’s various mintaqas (neighborhoods) with many natives who come to wash after a hard week of work. There are three rooms, ba’yet skoun (hot), ba’yet shweeya (middle), and ba’yet bard (cold). 

Oh yea, Moroccans only bathe in the hamam once per week, a huge difference between culture here and in the US. However, last night we spent two full hours in the hamam last night, and believe me, I am much cleaner now than if I showered twice a day every week in America!

There are over 30 hamams in Rabat’s old city and each one has a different layout and set of regulations. I was happy that Ayoub took me for my first time because I would have truly been lost without him. There are designated hours for men and women, so we went from 8-10pm. Before we went, he took me to buy the authentic soap, two types of hand scrubbers, a chair, and two buckets. Inside, we entered the hamam wearing underwear and went straight to the ba’yet skoun. First, we filled multiple buckets with water and began dousing ourselves and washing with soap (a sort of homemade gelatin found throughout the medina). Then, without any soap left on our bodies, we began scrubbing with a rough mitten. All the men in the hamam help each other by scrubbing backs and arms, the body parts that are impossible to clean well ourselves. After removing a week’s worth of dead skin, you bathe at your own pace while relaxing in the hamam’s heat and steam. Little by little, we progressed throughout the rooms, finishing with a bucket of freezing cold water over our heads in ba’yet bard. It was the perfect way to relax after two hours of futbol fouq bahrr!

I might have to go more than once a week during my time in Morocco...

Beginning Independent Research

Today was my first day of classes at CCCL, and, as my mom would say, I always love first days of school. Today was no different, especially because I began thinking about what my Independent Study Project (ISP) was going to focus on. 

Each morning, I have 3 hours of Arabic, from 8:30 to 11:45, followed by lunch with all the SIT students in the CCCL cafeteria (awesome Moroccan food). In the afternoon, I have lectures, seminars, site visits and field work assignments, depending on the day. On Mondays, I have my Migration & Transnational Identity lecture with Souad, my academic director. On Tuesdays, Souad leads the Research Methods & Ethics seminar, a course that outlines the demands and responsibilities of field research. On Wednesdays, we practice what we learn on Tuesday by completing independent assignments. Thursday and Friday consists of site visits, guest lecturers, or book discussions. 

After class today, I met with Souad to begin discussing my ISP. She began by asking me about my academic intrigues, how I became interested in studying abroad in Morocco (shokran, Spadola), and my past research and academic work. While I began our conversation without any idea of what I wanted to focus on, I left very satisfied, as I’ve decided to research the affect of the Moroccan diaspora on modernization. Souad was quite excited because this was not a topic that any past student, or any academic scholar for that matter, has aimed to tackle before. This made me very happy and I am looking forward to begin shaping a plan of action in order to begin my ISP in the coming days. I also chose this because it tied in nicely with my interests as a Political Science major at Colgate. Additionally, our three excursions to Chefchaouen and Ceuta (Spanish enclave) in the North, Amsterdam, and the traditional villages of Fqih Ben Saleh & Beni Mellal will certainly contribute positive research and experiences to my study. 

Beard Bonzana - Week 2

The Ghazalis are begging me to shave...

My First (full) Weekend in Rabat

Since my first day with the Ghazalis, I’ve felt like a member of the family. While they of course give me my own space and private time, they also consistently make sure I’ve had enough to eat and drink, in addition to making sure that I am comfortable in every way. But seriously, not an hour goes by that I am not given a plate of food, whether it be cookies (my favorite are the “OKs”, chocolate with Nescafe inside), leben ma ketfah (yogurt with meatballs), or bibolee (Moroccan oatmeal), and of course, a lot of chubz (bread). They love talking to me about life in America, and I ask a million questions about the rich and exotic culture that engulfs me every minute.

Although some of my friends went to Casablanca today, I decided to stay home with my brothers because I will be traveling to other cities each of the next four weekends. I was happy to get some time to relax with my family, learn their ways, and show them that I was not here just to sightsee, but rather to truly become part of a Moroccan household. I could tell that they appreciated all the time I spent with them and the boys, despite some of the more frustrating language and cultural barriers. Nevertheless, they have treated me so well it’s hard to try to put this weekend into words. I also met Couta’s parents today, an wonderful couple in their late 50s with two daughters living in Montreal. Basically every Moroccan family has residents abroad, which is conveniently the topic of my program. 

On Friday and Saturday, Omar took me to visit many sites in Rabat. I was happy to have him with me because he was able to give me a local’s perspective on Rabat and its history rather than merely a travel guide’s commentary. Also, I didn’t look as much like a tourist! He took me to Casbah Oudayya which is a fortress from the 17th century right on the ocean. Next to Oudayya is Rabat’s new marina and a beautiful beach on the Atlantic. To the north is Salé, Rabat’s “sister city”. It is actually a bit bigger than Rabat and I hope to visit its medina kadima this week. After the marina, Omar took my friend Mike (from Connecticut) and I to the Tour Hasan and Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the most famous attraction in Rabat. The tower is a mosque, however half of it fell during a Spanish earthquake centuries ago. Around the tower are hundreds of unfinished columns, most likely from a previous project of King Mohammed V. When we returned, Ayoub was dying to take me to play Fifa with his friends. I expected to go to one of their houses to play, however, he took me to an “arcade”, which is just a tiny room with a TV and PlayStation and we played 3 games for 10MDh. Oh, what a different life in Morocco!

Me and my brother Omar (17)

Sunday morning, I decided to roam the medina kadima in order to get my bearings as to where our house is and how to best walk to madrassee (my school). Little by little, as I keep passing by the same areas, I’m sure the locals will start to remember me! I took my camera with me and got some of the gorgeous shots of the medina that I’ve wanted to capture since I arrived - the hanoot (small shops), fruits and vegetables, and of course, the unique and very old buildings, doors and architecture. After my walk, my brothers and I sat on our roof for hours, watching the people roam the rue souiqa. I played some American music for them while we played games on my iPad, which they want to do for hours. After, I began combing through the thousands of pictures of my family and friends with my brothers, and they love all the stories I tell. They have so many questions and I make sure I take the time to answer all of them, because just as I have many questions about life in Morocco, they each have as many about life in the United States. I hope they can visit one day, insh’allah (God willing). 

Today is a very special day for me because it is my two anniversary with my habibatee (girlfriend) Hannah. She is my best friend and the most amazing person I’ve ever known, so I feel very lucky to have her in my life, near or far. We talked via videochat today for a while, and in her honor, I had a jus d’avocat for her, her favorite treat when she studied in Rabat 4 years ago. It was beneed b’sef (very delicious). To many more anniversaries, Hannah, insh’allah.

My Moroccan Home

At 4pm on Friday, I was picked up by my host mother and aunt at the CCCL and brought to my new home in the medina kadima (old city). I live in an neighborhood called suiqa (souk) (street market), the location of one of Rabat’s major markets, full of fruits and vegetables, spices, meat, fish, and traditional Moroccan textiles. I live with the Ghazali family, and upon arrival, they made me feel right at home. 

I am especially excited to live with the Ghazali family because they have never hosted an American student before, so this will be a new experience for all of us. My host mama is named Bouchra and baba is named Abdelilah (not the same one from yesterday), and although baba does not speak anything but darija, he is warm, friendly, and very excited that I am here. Mama speaks fantastic French, so my 6 years of study in middle and high school will finally be put to use, although I will certainly use and learn a tremendous amount of arabic during my 2 month stay with them. 

In my house, there are three boys, Omar (17), Ayoub (16) and Nissim (9). Omar and Ayoub speak french and bits of english, so we talk mainly in french. However, everything we say in french is repeated to me in darija to from me to them in english. So far, it has been an absolutely fantastic experience for all. Additionally, Couta is staying at the Ghazali house as well, although she is the cousin of the boys. Her parents live in another mintaqua (neighborhood) of Rabat, however she loves the medina kadima so she stays in our house. She is 27 and her two sisters live abroad in Montreal. 

My Moroccan home, or ba’yeet Maghribi is beautiful or zween. It is an old riyadh with two levels and a rooftop tsah (terrace) overlooking the souk in the heart of the medina. It is traditional home, so the brothers share a room and the parents have a room as well where the television is located. In Moroccan families, the television is like another family member and families sometimes sit watching Turkish or Egyptian soap operas for hours at a time. My brothers love American music, film, and of course, my iPad games.

The Ghazali family is traditional and somewhat conservative, although the parents give the boys significant freedoms in the house. Baba is religious and the boys pray once per day during adhan (call to prayer). Similar to my family in New York, the parents are, of course, working hard to make their sons’ lives as perfect as possible, providing everything for them. In return, the children are incredibly respectful, helpful and happy to be part of this amazing household. There are also tons of neighbors that come in and out during the day, and they also are part of the family as well. We call the older man and women j’dee and j’datee (Grandpa & Grandma), although they are only neighbors. 

Our Riyad

Bayetee (My Room)

Most importantly, the food Mama cooks is b’neen k’theera or very delicious. For dinner, we had choutz (fried fish) and potatoes, breakfast is usually chubz (bread), asl (honey) and bayetoun (olives). And of course on Friday, we had couscous for lunch, the obligatory meal for all Moroccans. It was unblieveable, and very quickly I was full or sh’baat and said “Sa’afi” (“Enough”), however Mama keeps the food coming until I literally have to stop eating!

Friday Couscous

I feel so lucky to have this family and feel even more blessed that they have welcome me into their home. Like Mama says, tu es ma grande bebe! (I’m her big baby). It’s going to be a fantastic two months. 

View of the Souk from our Stah (Terrance)

Interacting with Locals

On Wednesday, our group director Bardrdine told us to wander the medina, find something we'd like to buy, and haggle for it, making sure to pay no more than 10 dirham (a little more than 1 USD). After being given a 10Mdh coin, I began to search the medina for cheap goods to buy. While I was already comfortable speaking arabic to locals with various fus'ha phrases that I learned at Colgate, I did not know any darija (Moroccan spoken dialect) before today. So, in my first darija class at CCCL, my teacher, Mr. Tammam, taught us important bargaining and greeting phrases. These certainly helped when communicating with Rabatis. 

Walking around the medina, it is impossible not to be amazing by the wonderful sights, sounds, colors, and smells. However what's truly so amazing about Moroccco are the people. In the medina, I bumped into an older man named Abdelilah. I immediately said smehlee or sorry and kept walking, however he grabbed my arm, introduced himself and asked labas? (the equivalent of French ça va?). I responded labas, al-hamdullilah! We began talking and sharing kind words in the middle of the medina, and soon after, he invited me to his spice shop. I stayed for over and hour, drinking tea and listening to his stories about traveling to America and interacting with Americans. He was very happy that I was a taleb or student studying in the old medina. When I left, he gave me a bag of baleh or dates and refused any sort of payment, an example of the unique and omnipotent hospitality that is al-Maghrib. This was a fantastic experience and one that I will always remember. 

What's truly amazing about the CCCL program is the educational and cross cultural depth attained during each and every interaction, particularly for members of the host culture as well as for myself. CCCL staff explained that before the homestay programs began over 10 years ago, the medina families truly did not know how to interact with Americans or have positive experiences from both parties. Now, however, shopkeepers and natives know how to appropriately interact with Americans because if the relationships formed during homestays. I can't wait to meet my family tomorrow! I hope to have brothers or sisters to help me further integrate into medina life. Slowly but surely, I am feeling less of a foreigner and more comfortable as I'm becoming a member of this rich and beautiful culture...

Towards the end the evening, CCCL hosted a welcome dinner for all 58 students. Our chef, Brahim, prepared traditional salads and appetizers, followed by a heaping dish of pastille, a Moroccan speciality. Between layers of philo dough are ground nuts, wheat, and chicken, prepared with rose water and cinnamon. The flavors and textures made for the most delicious meal I've ever eaten in my life, although I'm really looking forward to Friday couscous with my host family. After dinner, local ghwane musicians came and to play for us while we all danced in the CCCL main hall. It was an incredible experience. I'm planning on haggling for a ghwane CD tomorrow in the medina...