last week in Rabat!

Thursday:
I had my FINAL Arabic test today and actually… it went really well and I’m feeling very positive about the class overall. As slow as it began, now that it’s over I do feel like I learned a lot. I hope I’ll be able to keep it in my life somehow because it would be a shame to forget everything instantly… BUT either way it’s reason for celebration!
I also only have 5 more nights living at my homestay. Lately though—ironic as it is—everyone has seemed so much more friendly and I’ve almosssst enjoyed being there. My mother and I had our FIRST effort at a conversation over tea yesterday. And although that’s nice, it’s still bullshit that it’s been 3 months before she’s even tried. She’s just assumed I don’t speak Arabic or French so she therefore cannot talk to me. Thinking that maybe I’m here to LEARN Arabic obviously never entered her mind…. We also had our first classroom talk about our homestay with our professors today and it was actually really nice. I mean I’ve known all along that I’ve not been put in the WORST situation (one girl’s family actually lives in another house while she’s alone all the time, one girl has been served bread with cat pee on it, and one girl is totally ignored and sometimes not fed at all—the poor thing also just found out that the very itchy rash that hasn’t gone away in a few weeks is not a virus but SCABIES… If that’s not the worst thing to happen to you I don’t know what is.) Anyway, it’s definitely true that my situation could be a lot worse.
Anyway, during our chat today it was nice to hear about everyone else’s experiences and although I’ve talked to almost everyone about it already, I still learned lots of new things today that I wish I had learned weeks or even months ago. It may have made me appreciate my family for what they are sooner. I also realized that the biggest problem with my family is that while I’m getting so much out of living in in their home, they aren’t getting anything from me in return—and in theory this is a cultural exchange program. I know for a fact that our program wants the families to be equally as treated to our company as we are to theirs and I think after having SO many students over the past few years, my family has lost the enthusiasm to be an equal partner with me in this exchange. Jaded if you will. Buuuut no more complaining about that because it’s over and in the end was a great learning experience in so many ways. Hurray. J
I have also recently booked 2/3 of the tickets that I need for the 10 days I’ll be in Europe post-Morocco pre-coming home. Buying those tickets took the BIGGEST load off my shoulders it was so nice! And although those hidden taxes and fees that sprang up on me kind of added up, it still wasn’t THAT expensive and it’s definitely worth it to see Hanne and Irina especially!
I really wish I had more to say about this week but it’s been kind of eventless! The next three weeks will be really busy and I hope to have internet enough to update as often as possible….
For those of you who don’t know, I’m applying to another mini-study abroad program for next semester to Turkey. It’s a 2 hour a week class during the semester and then in June we are going to Turkey for 16 days. I had a phone interview with the professor in charge of the whole program last night and it went really well. Over 40 people applied and there’s only room for about 12-15 people so I’m still keeping my fingers crossed.
And while I’m here, I guess I’ve never really explained the phenomenon of the Moroccan mint tea, and considering it’s such an avid part of my daily life, it would be wrong not to give you all an explanation.
Well, first of all, tea is made in the pot itself and when poured there’s a little mini strainer inside the spout to strain the tea leaves and mint leaves that are inside the pot. Of course there are always little pieces in the bottom of your glass but you get over it. So inside the tea pot you measure out the proper amount of green tea leaves, mint leaves and of course SUGAR. Then you add the water and put it on the stove and wait until it boils. THEN of course you pour a few glasses that you directly pour back into the pot as to “stir” it up a bit. And when you pour, you have to raise the pot as the tea comes out to make sure the tea bubbles. “If it doesn’t bubble, it’s not good.”
And as for the sugar, they add BLOCKS of sugar to every pot of tea. For a tea pot that will pour about 5 small glasses, they probably use a full cup of sugar… I.am.not.exaggerating!! In the village they added even more. And at first it was nice because it was always sweet, but that was before I saw with my eyes how much sugar was actually in it. Tea is made in the average household 3-5 times a day and I order it often at the internet café because it’s also delicious along with being diabeticlly provoking. And to top it off, I think I’ve built up a tolerance to the immense amount of sugar because it doesn’t taste nearly as sweet anymore… that’s bad. I’ll never be able to drink sugar free tea againnnn Ahhhh. (I’ll add a photo “tour de Rabat” before I leave on ISP hopefully)
Speaking of sugar (and lots of BREAD at that…) if I was still questioning whether or not I’ve really gained weight while I’ve been here, it was answered this afternoon when I had to go get passport pictures taken to extend our visas for the rest of the semester. Technically, I still fit into all of my clothes but all I have are t-shirts and jeans that haven’t been put into a dryer after about 100 wears—so maybe that’s not so telling. I also never look in a full length mirror, or really any mirror at that. Only in the bathroom. But I absolutely have gained a few pounds and apparently they are all sitting on my face. Greatttt. Cannot wait to stop eating meat again—that did wonders the first time! And at this point I’m even very motivated to begin training for a marathon when I get home..? Paul you may get that wish after all… (but don’t hold me to it hahaha)

Saturday:
Yesterday (Friday) was the OFFICIAL last day of class and it could not have come at a better time. I’m really starting to appreciate the way our schedule is set up because even though I have an entire full month left, it doesn’t feel that way and it’s going to be spent being happy instead of homesick!
For our research project over the next 3 weeks we have to have an advisor—someone from Morocco, who speaks English, who is somewhat of an expert regarding our topic. My advisor, Mokhtar, is a professor of sociology at the university in Rabat and does his research surrounding youth in general. There are four of us who have him as an advisor and all four of us have pretty different topics although they all involve children/young people to an extent. So Mokhtar rocks!! I had such a great meeting with him yesterday, he was so so so helpful and had great insight and ideas—it was the first time I’ve felt like I’ve really talked to a professor and gotten advice and help from them this entire semester. His ideas for my project (which is hopefully defining the modern definition of “childhood” in Morocco and comparing it to past generations) was to get lots of photos of people and to write mini anecdotal narratives about different people’s childhoods. Anyway, it’s all still quite rough considering I haven’t actually started yet, but I’m excited nonetheless!
So yesterday was one of my good friend’s birthdays and we went out to eat to celebrate that and the ending of class and had a grand ole time obviously. Also, lots of people are staying in Rabat for their ISP so many of them have rented houses or apartments in the medina for really cheap so they have a place to stay (we are NOT supposed to stay with our host families and we are given a small stipend to live off of). Anyway, 5 of my friends got a little house which is awesome and they had a little party (I could only stay until 10 of course) but while I was there we had a lot of fun. ISP is going to be really great... I hope!