This morning, we left our homestay families in Tinerhir and headed for the Todra Gorge. We'd heard that the area is renowned among rock climbers, and you can certainly see why--the small valley that houses our hotel is situated in the middle of two sheer rock faces that extend skyward as far as the eye can see. It's pretty breathtaking to glance up from reading your book on the hotel's rooftop terrace, and see these gigantic cliffs right above you.
Our big activity today was an art lesson with the owner of a small gallery in town. He does work in both oil paints and safran paints, and we elected to try out safran painting, because none of us had ever seen it done before, it's endemic to this region. First, we watched as he demonstrated how he produced the colors he used in his painting, and then we got to do some painting of our own (which we got to keep!). Safran painting is done using just two colors: yellow, which is made from an infusion of tea leaves and safran, and black, which was made by dropping a special kind of rock into boiling water. Somehow, the water reacts with the rock and MELTS it--I never knew rock could actually melt. Anyway, the result is a clear liquid, that, when applied to paper, gradually turns black. It was a really cool process to watch, and the paintings ended up looking pretty good!
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Writing the blog post is kind of a surreal experience; I'm using a new iMac computer in the library of the Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane. To better explain why this feels so weird to me, I'll tell you a little about the history of the university. It was built by King Hassan II, the previous king of Morocco, using money given to the country by the king of Saudi Arabia. Hassan II's goal was to build an American-style university in Morocco; that is, to adopt the same credit-based class system, with student organizations/clubs, and a functional library. We toured the university today, and, I have to say, it really felt like we were walking around an American college campus. The university has its own gymnasium, which is gorgeous by U.S. standards; it had an Olympic-sized swimming pool, fully equipped weight and cardio rooms, and a dance salon. Also, all the classes here are taught in English (except the foreign language classes), and, therefore, everyone on campus speaks the language fluently. When you consider all this in light of the fact that, just this morning, we were in a tiny, rural village where absolutely no English was spoken at all, the transition is pretty jarring.
Which isn't to say that we're not enjoying Ifrane! The town is gorgeous; it was modeled on a village in the Swiss alps, and, as far as I can tell, the plan worked pretty effectively. Unlike the square, concrete structures that typify the Moroccan town, Ifrane is all western-looking yellow houses with sloping terra cotta rooves (which come in handy here, because Ifrane receives the largest annual snowfall of any town in Morocco).
Anyway, that "tiny, rural village" I referred to before was El Khoukhate, where we spent the day yesterday. Working with a Peace Corps volunteer in the village and the women's association she's involved with, we learned to make...couscous! The experience was enlightening for me, because I had always pictured couscous growing in the ground, alongside its fellow grains like wheat and barley. I was completely wrong. There is no such thing as a couscous grain--who knew?! The tiny little balls you get on your plate are hand-made from a mixture of flour (or, actually, any grain you can grind into a floury substance) and water. The actual process of making the couscous was time-consuming, but, as we discovered, the finished product was SO worth the effort. It was DELICIOUS. There's nothing like eating a piping-hot dish that you've--literally--made with your own two hands.
]]>The group is really looking forward to diving into their second ISPs and discovering more of the mysteries Fes has to offer. Here are a few more images of our trek in the High Atlas and our camel adventure in the Sahara. We'll have more photos for all of you very soon!
Cheers,
Katie
Taking refuge from the rain and hail in a cave on the way up to the Toubkal refuge. Tea and some singing perked everyone up.
Taking a break to enjoy the scenery on the way down from the Toubkal refuge
Proof that the first Global LAB summit of Toubkal did occur!
Katie, Lindsay, and Lexi in the Sahara sand dunes
Watching the sunset from atop the Merzouga dunes
Our second lecture was early the next morning, it really felt like school getting up with an alarm and rushing off to a lecture. But this lesson was completely unlike anything we had ever experienced in high school, even though the professor was from Billings, Montana. He played the progression of Rai music for us as he carefully explained how it evolved to become the music we hear today. Rai is basically the blues of Morocco and Algeria. It began as a way for those who are down and out on their luck and on the receiving end of bad politics to let some emotion loose. It used to be all amatuer musicians and singers. It was actually generally women who wrote and sung, women with a very bad reputation because they often worked where the down-and-out nursed their drinks daily. But, as all things do, as times changed Rai changed. People began to really listen to it, and it became such a tool for those wanting to lash out at bad government policies that the conservative Algerian President banned it for many years. Of course he could not have had teenagers or he would have known that forbidding something would just increase the popularity and make everyone want to listen to it. So he inadvertantly pushed forward the Rai movement. It became country-wide, not just those on the fringes of society, but those in the heart of it, who were not yet willing themselves to speak out against bad governmental policies. So it grew and grew and grew, eventually topping the BBCs top hits charts and expanding world-wide to recording studios in France and Los Angeles. Today Rai has many 'pop' beats but it is still used as a tool for speaking about that which is often swept under the rug.
]]> Our third lecture, with Stephanie William-Borday was by far my favorite because I not only learned a lot about Moroccan legal policies, but it also gave me a lot of insight into my world. Her lecture was very in-depth and loaded with information so to go into all of the specifics would a very long time and my host mom would miss me for dinner, but I will give you the highlights and reactions. There is a 'family code' here in Morocco that was revised in 2004 and outlines the rights and laws pertaining to the family, such as divorce, custody, marital property etc. Although the reforms are a definate push in the right direction, it was astounding to hear about some of the 'new reforms' put forward by this law that seem so old fashioned and downright sexist in many cases. So as Stephanie was talking, pinpointing where the law fell short, where the de facto gaps are in the legalese and where reforms are priorities I was getting more and more angered. She talked in such a calm manor about things that felt atrocious in my mind. Laws that make it extremely difficult for a woman to get a fault-based divorce on grounds of physical abuse, the only typy of abuse recognized by Moroccan law. Laws that make it illegal for anyone, including family members, to give safe harbor to a woman running from her husband because he beat her because it is considered abandoning your family. Even if the law got updated with the new family code and protects women, the judges haven't been trained with the new family code and end up ruling in favor of the old laws anyway. So understandably I was sitting in the auditorium of a gorgeous American style university surrounded by other students, fuming. Then a Moroccan woman four seats down from me asked this question 'isn't what you are talking about a global issue, not just a Moroccan issue? Even in highly advanced states such as the U.S. women don't have equal pay or absolute shielding from sexual harassment or domestic abuse.' And that's when I realized that although the United States definately has less inflamatory laws, it's still a far cry from a perfect system. There I was feeling all high and mighty about my country, when this Moroccan woman reminded me, that it wasn't perfect, that before I go placing a black seal of judgement here, I should make sure I have done all I could in my own country. It was definitely a surreal feeling. It also really brought this whole gap year experience into perspective. People always told me that what I was doing was great because it was real life living, I was getting out of my bubble in the U.S. But sitting in that lecture hall, surrounded by the citizens who are actually deaply affected by the laws we were learning about, I realized what expirimental learning is. The difference between sitting in my International Issues class in my U.S. high school and learning about human rights violations in far away lands, and sitting in a university lecture hall in Morocco learning about Moroccan law, its very very different. In would definately say it was an 'ahh ha' moment and I am very glad that we will have another chance to talk to Stephanie in Rabat because I'm bursting with questions and I can't wait to explore this aspect of Morocco even more and make more comparisons with the U.S.So although I am not transfering to Morocco, being there made me even more glad that I took this year off to learn about the world, in the world. An update on us. We have had two darija classes since returning to Fes and the highlight today was that we began to learn arabic script! It was so cool being able to actually write in the strange swirls and dots that we see everywhere and we can't wait to continue. And tomorrow I begin my caligraphy ISP so that should fit in very nicely. b saha ~ Lexi
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Lexi marveling at the size of the squash being grown in the Dar Taliba garden in the Ourika Valley
The beautiful Ourika Valley!
Addie helps the girls at the Dar Taliba pick olives
Katie and Lindsay help to plant aromatic plants at the Dar Taliba
Katie and a new friend measure to see if the hole they dug is deep enough for their fruit tree
Addie uses the pickaxe to help dig a hole for one of the fruit trees
Dressed up in our kaftans for our wonderful evening of dancing and music at the Dar Taliba
Modeling our new t-shirts after learning screenprinting at Association Ighrir
Playing in the Saharan sand
Katie attempting to stay on the camel as he stood up
Camel trek through the Sahara
We finally reached the mouth of the caves where we hired a guide to take us through the dark, mysterious caverns. We strapped on our head lamps and headed in. At first, it was just lots and lots of stairs with railings heading down and deeper into the mouth of the cave. Then the lights stopped, the railing stopped and the real adventure started. With headlamps illuminating the way, we literally squeezed and slithered ourselves through a little opening, which brought us to the interior of the cave. We explored around the caves on various "paths" with the guide leading the way with his two flashlights. It was completely dark down there, so you needed your headlamp to see as well as free hands to balance yourself and grab rocks as handholds durin steep parts. It felt kind of like an obstacle course in the dark with a gymnastic influence from when we crossed along some suspended wooden boards or what we called balance beams.
]]> Along the way, we would stop and our guide would shine the flashlight along the cavern walls which revealed these incredible calcium diposit "statues" and almost sand-castle like structures along the ceiling and all around us really. There were crystal, shining and shimmering minerals dispersed along the calcium/rock formations and walls that twinkled when the guide shone his light.We explored the caves for a few hours, taking little routes here and there, squeezing under rock where we had to and always (atleast for me bc I'm so tall) watching to make sure I wasn't goin to hit my head. We emerged much dirtier than we entered since it was quite damp down there which as a result made the clay within the caves muddy and therefore us too as we slid and rubbed along their surfaces.
It was a very long day with lots of traveling, but the caves were very interesting and beautiful inside! I know all of us have pictures to show- some revealing quite well the scary structures, that look like some sort of halloween monster, that are created within the caves.
Can't wait to have you all see them!
]]>--Alex
]]>Whew! We just left Rabat after a whirlwind couple of days in the city. Personally, I LOVED it, and not just because it's considered the "Washington, D.C." of Morocco! (I'm from D.C., so it did feel sort of comfortable to me....) Since Rabat is the political capital of Morocco, it's the locale for all things governmental--embassies, NGOs, and (as anyone who's been to D.C. will know), political demonstrations galore.
The multitude of foreign residents lends the city a very cosmopolitan feel, and also allowed us to meet with several individuals who work for the U.S. government in Morocco. On Friday, we sat down with two members of the Foreign Service. (By the way, the forum for our meetings was the "American Club," which offered such homey delicacies as grilled cheese, burgers, and fajitas.) The first of these people was the Public Affairs Officer, whose (HUGE) job encompassed everything from organizing a functional library system to forming youth-based initiatives to help young Moroccans understand the U.S. The hope for these programs, she told us, was that they would provide the next generation of Moroccan leaders with a better understanding of the United States--that they would, in a sense, "de-mythisize" the country--and, in doing so, prevent future acts of terrorism.
We also met with the Cultural Affairs Offier, whose role was, in his words, all about "culture with a capital C." He's in charge of bringing musicians and artists into Morocco and organizing exchange programs between Morocco and the United States. Each year, the U.S. government provides funding for a certain number of Moroccans to study in America--something none of us knew before! After the meetings at the American Club, we had the chance to meet with the head of Global Rights, an organization geared toward the promotion of female emancipation. We had actually heard this woman give a lecture to a group of Moroccan students when we were in Ifrane, but this time, we were able to sit down alone with her and ask all the questions that had been builidng in our minds since we'd last heard her speak.
]]> On Saturday, we explored the Chellah, the old ruins site that lies just outside of Rabat. I'm not usually one to say this, but these ruins were interesting (and fun to play around in). We explored the old Roman and Abassid sections on our own for a while, and walked around the gardens that lie adjacent to the site. Then, we headed back into Rabat for a little site-seeing: we saw the Hassan II tower and mausolem. The mausoleum was particularly beautiful--we've seen a lot of wood and plaster carving at this point, and so we could tell that the quality of the craftsmanship within the building was pretty impressive. We then headed down to the recently built boardwalk and waterfront area, which provided a nice backdrop for an afternoon stroll.Before I forget to mention this, another reason we all loved Rabat was the food. Katie S. had lived in Rabat for a while the previous year, and she knew all the ropes when it came to finding great food in the city. We ate at a fresh fruit/juice place every day, a REALLY cute little garden restaurant with delicious crepes and salads, and the Goethe Institut, which had pizzas (with real cheese!), salads, and mountains of chocolate cake.
All in all, I have to say that our weekend in Rabat left me feeling that it was one of my favorite cities in Morocco. Every person we met with was interesting, and shed new light on some aspect of Morocco that we hadn't known about--or even considered--before.
]]>We are enjoying our final moments at Villa Nora in the sleepy seaside town of Moulay Bousselham along Morocco's North Atlanic coast (south of Tanger and Asilah). This concludes the student-led portion of the semester, in which the students chose the destination and then arranged for lodging, transportation, meals and activities (all the while staying within a set budget). As I listen to the waves crashing against the shore just outside and feel the warmth from the fireplace, I must say the students picked a wonderful spot. We've had three days here enjoying the ocean, sunsets, nice meals and a cozy house. Yesterday we went on a bird-watching boat tour through the lagoon and even spotted some flamingos. Not only have these three days been relaxing because of the location, but it was also really great for Katie S and I to sit back and let the students take charge. They did a great job treating us all to a little retreat before we return to Fez and fly through our remaining 13 days in Morocco.
Lindsay, Lexi and Katie G, shokran & bravo alikom!
-Addie
P.S. Photos to come soon!
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Lexi learning how to repair/make jewelry in the Fes medina
Katie and Lindsay made a lot of malawi during one of their cooking ISPs. It was delicious!
The morning was fun, we woke up, had a 'light' breakfast then I helped the women cook as we turned up the music and had a kitchen dance party. Then the men announced it was time and I walked up the stairs to the roof with all the kids shouting 'howlie howlie howlie' which means sheep in darija. My host mom, set up a charcoal fire on which they later grilled the hoofs and heads. The men hosed down a secluded section, which the other sheep couldn't see. Then they held the sheep down and my host father said a few words before cutting its throat with a special gigantic knife. The whole family had made sure that I had a clear view of the blood and gore. I have to say as gross as it was to see an animal be killed and then know I would later be eating it, it was extremely humane. No sheep is as cleanly killed and thoroughly eaten as a sheep on Eid Kbir. I know I am glossing over a lot of details, but it was such an experience that thoroughly defines 'you had to be there to understand'.
]]> The women cleaned the stomach and organs that the men brought over then took them downstairs to be made into a stew that I didn't touch. But I did try a bit of a kebab of liver and heart. It is not something that I ever need to try again, but as a guest they handed me one of the first ones, so I figured why not, and got it over with. Then I went back to munching all the salads which was just fine with me as they are delicious. Later in the afternoon I went out with the family and played soccer at a park next to a natural spring which was really fun and our team won, which just added to the fun.After a dinner of more sheep, with a brain stew again and salad for me I was seriously ready for some sleep--most families are exhausting, but somehow it's even mroe so when you have to work at trying to understand any basic things they say.
Overall it as an experience that I would not want to have missed, but I don"t need to do it again anytime soon. We had our last Arabic class today and were preparing to leave Fes, a bittersweet goodbye. We love it here, but are psyched to head towards home.
]]>After nearly three fun-filled months in Morocco, we have made our way to Spain. After a great stay in Chefchaouen, we made our way further north to Tangier. Tangier´s history as an international zone is full of intrigue and interesting stories. We visited the American Legation Museum where we read letters to and from George Washington and the Sultan of Morocco, discussing the establishment of a relationship between the two countries. We also explored the kasbah and a museum with photos of Tangier´s fascinating past. Lexi and I were also able to take in a film on the life of Ben Barka, one of Morocco´s most prominent political players post-independence.
From Tangier, we hopped on the ferry to cross the Strait of Gibraltor and ventured on to Cordoba. The Arab influence in Andalucia provides a striking contrast between the European and Moroccan cultures. Churches that were once turned into mosques are now returned to churches, but the cultural and architectural impact of an Arab past lives on.
Enjoy the photos!
Ciao,
Katie
Enjoying fresh juice in Rabat at Top Batido.
Katie, Katie, and Lexi have their tv debut in a Colombian soap opera filming in Fes
Lexi and Lindsay surrounded by Chefchaouen blue
Lexi grinding the beans in preparation for a Bisara-making lesson in Chefchaouen.
Lindsay at the Chefchaouen Kasbah
Exploring the Tangier Kasbah with a view of the Med in the background
The grand finale for the group in Tangier. A fantastic dinner at one of Tangier´s finest restaurants.
Cave of Hercules in Tangier
Lexi and Ben Naimonides--a famous theologian, philosopher, and Doctor
Exploring the Fortress of the Christian Kings in Cordoba
Addie & Lexi diving into a delectible chocolate cake in Granada
Lexi, Katie, and Addie exploring the wonderful city of Granda
