Today officially starts my second week in Morocco, so I figured if I’m going to commit to this whole blogging thing, I’d better start! This first week has been a whirlwind of confusion, ups-and-downs, surprises, and charades. However, compared to last week this time when I was sitting in my host family’s home terrified of everything, I have adapted and gotten comfortable with so much.
On Sunday, my plane landed in Rabat, and I wandered around the Rabat airport until I found a driver with my name on his sign. I had no idea what to expect, and I had no clue whether I would have a single human interaction until my orientation the next morning. However, there were 5 other volunteers in the car by the time we pulled away from the airport and I was instantly relieved.
We checked into our hotel and started exploring our new home for the next 4, 5, 6 weeks (depending on the volunteer). The streets of the old Medina, or the oldest part of the city, were confusingly winding and busy with markets. We were obviously new to town and were sucked into the traps that tourists are often tricked into. These included a “free tour” that cost money, as well as two girls who were given “free henna” for $20. Despite the two slip-ups, we walked all around the markets and around the city until we were hungry. We were guided to a restaurant by one of the volunteers who has been here for a few weeks, and we enjoyed the first of many tajines! A tajine is a traditional Moroccan dish that is made in clay pots. They are a hodge podge of meat and vegetables, and every tajine I have encountered is different. We ended up back at the hotel and rested up for our first day of orientation!
On Sunday, my plane landed in Rabat, and I wandered around the Rabat airport until I found a driver with my name on his sign. I had no idea what to expect, and I had no clue whether I would have a single human interaction until my orientation the next morning. However, there were 5 other volunteers in the car by the time we pulled away from the airport and I was instantly relieved.
We checked into our hotel and started exploring our new home for the next 4, 5, 6 weeks (depending on the volunteer). The streets of the old Medina, or the oldest part of the city, were confusingly winding and busy with markets. We were obviously new to town and were sucked into the traps that tourists are often tricked into. These included a “free tour” that cost money, as well as two girls who were given “free henna” for $20. Despite the two slip-ups, we walked all around the markets and around the city until we were hungry. We were guided to a restaurant by one of the volunteers who has been here for a few weeks, and we enjoyed the first of many tajines! A tajine is a traditional Moroccan dish that is made in clay pots. They are a hodge podge of meat and vegetables, and every tajine I have encountered is different. We ended up back at the hotel and rested up for our first day of orientation!
On Monday morning, we woke up early to find ATMs and breakfast. Two other girls and myself eventually gave up finding a bank to exchange their money, and we ended up in the café next to our hotel. However, we did not check the ratio of men-to-women (lots of men to zero women was the ratio) and we got quite a few stares as we attempted to order coffees. We tried to drink our coffee and pay for it quickly in order to get out of there and on our way to orientation. We ran into more volunteers checking out of the hotel and we all walked to the office. After making a few (or more than just a few) wrong turns, we made it to the volunteer office. Monday and Tuesday both consisted of orientation at this office, which included lessons about Moroccan history and basic Arabic expressions. At the end of the day Monday, we met our host families and went home with them for our first night with the families.
My host sister, Karima, picked me up from the office, and I dragged my suitcase and backpack through the tight streets of the medina, getting stares with every turn we made. She helped me but there was no way to make the roller suitcase or my American-ness not blatantly obvious in the swarm of locals in the market. We finally arrived at the house, and Karima showed me to my room, which I share with her and one other host sister, Hind (and any other random friends or family who end up sleeping there as well).
My host family consists of my host mom, host dad, and three host sisters. However, there are so many neighbors, family, and friends who come and go from the house each day that there are always many people in the house. There is a living room, a small kitchen, a room for my host sisters and I, a room which the family uses for prayer as well as more seating, and the parents’ room. The bathroom is a small room which includes a toilet and a spigot for the shower. The sink for the bathroom is around the corner in the living room, which definitely threw me for a loop the first night. Despite the tight quarters mixed with the number of people, I have found the home to be very comfortable. My host mom speaks only Arabic, yet we have found a solid form of communication through charades and smiles. The host daughters speak French, and that is our main form of communication. This experience is helping me brush up on my French!
I eat breakfast and dinner with the host family, as well as snack/tea time with them if I am home. We have had many different dishes, from fried vegetables to fish to pot roast style beef to pizza, but one thing is always consistent- there is a ton of bread. I feel like I am on a 6 week carboload, and I have no complaints about that! Dinners are usually between 10 and 11pm, with a snack and tea around 6 or 7pm. Compared to the 4:30pm dinners in the sorority house this past year, my eating schedule is all over the place! I am blessed to have such a welcoming host family and am thoroughly enjoying my experience thus far. I will continue to update this blog as my adventure continues!
My host sister, Karima, picked me up from the office, and I dragged my suitcase and backpack through the tight streets of the medina, getting stares with every turn we made. She helped me but there was no way to make the roller suitcase or my American-ness not blatantly obvious in the swarm of locals in the market. We finally arrived at the house, and Karima showed me to my room, which I share with her and one other host sister, Hind (and any other random friends or family who end up sleeping there as well).
My host family consists of my host mom, host dad, and three host sisters. However, there are so many neighbors, family, and friends who come and go from the house each day that there are always many people in the house. There is a living room, a small kitchen, a room for my host sisters and I, a room which the family uses for prayer as well as more seating, and the parents’ room. The bathroom is a small room which includes a toilet and a spigot for the shower. The sink for the bathroom is around the corner in the living room, which definitely threw me for a loop the first night. Despite the tight quarters mixed with the number of people, I have found the home to be very comfortable. My host mom speaks only Arabic, yet we have found a solid form of communication through charades and smiles. The host daughters speak French, and that is our main form of communication. This experience is helping me brush up on my French!
I eat breakfast and dinner with the host family, as well as snack/tea time with them if I am home. We have had many different dishes, from fried vegetables to fish to pot roast style beef to pizza, but one thing is always consistent- there is a ton of bread. I feel like I am on a 6 week carboload, and I have no complaints about that! Dinners are usually between 10 and 11pm, with a snack and tea around 6 or 7pm. Compared to the 4:30pm dinners in the sorority house this past year, my eating schedule is all over the place! I am blessed to have such a welcoming host family and am thoroughly enjoying my experience thus far. I will continue to update this blog as my adventure continues!
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