Having finished our program orientation in Rabat, we are now headed off to our new “home” in Tangier. As seems to be the trend with all of my study abroad programs, it hasn’t taken long for all of us to get quite close. I’ve also seen the emergence of another trend: everyone is fascinated by the South. As usual, I’m one of the only southerners on the program, and discussing this fact with everyone has been extremely entertaining.
Anyhow, back to my current continent, our time in Rabat was busy, but quite well spent. My picture taking was not quite up to par given that I left my camera on a tour bus one day, and that I did not charge the battery, so it promptly died upon being returned to me.
The CLS staff is excellent. Our site director is impressively energetic and very excited about seeing us learn Arabic. Her zealousness can border on intimidating, but all in all, it’s for the best. Without her watchful eye, I know that our preferred language of interaction would always be English. The rest of the staff, all Moroccan, is laid back, but always willing to sit and work with us, both in darija and in fus7a. (more explanation about that later) One of them would even wander around the souq (market) with us during our free time, helping us barter and choose the right products. We were also very grateful to the staff of the two beautiful riads (homes in the old part of town that have been remade into small hotels) in which we stayed. They tolerated our mix of broken Arabic and French, and the man who worked in my particular riad, Dar Aida, would sit out with us each night and help us as we studied.
Our days were filled with class, lectures, tours, and eating. We were able to see some remains of the old dynasties that ruled Morocco and parts of southern Spain (including the Romans).
One of these sites, Chellah, has become little more than a massive nesting ground for storks and egrets. While there, I was convinced that I had been transported into one of those Lion King games for Super Nintendo where you have to jump from nest to nest without falling into oblivion and losing a life. Also memorable was the visit to Hassan Tower and the mausoleum of Muhammed V, the grandfather of the current king.
On Wednesday, we were able to go to the home of a woman who is friends with our site director. The woman lives alone with her daughter in the heart of the old Andalusian part of the city, the qasbah. From the roof, we had an amazing view out over the city and the river.
In the kitchen, we were able to watch as a master showed us how to make delicious couscous with chicken. (The Moroccan word for couscous clearly demonstrates their maddening penchant for dropping all vowels: ksksu) The following day, after some annoying failed attempts, I finally succeeded in getting another Moroccan classic dish. It consists of a semicircular piece of bread that is opened up and stuffed with a fried potato/garlic dumpling called maqooda. You can add whatever you like to this, but I particularly like it with a fried egg and a spicy pepper sauce. They then mash it all together and 70 cents later, you’re walking away with a very satisfied stomach.
As I mentioned in the last post, there are two different kinds of Arabic that we will be learning during our time here. Primarily, we will be studying fus7a (the 7 represents a strongly aspirated h sound), or Modern Standard Arabic, which is the language of the media and of higher education throughout most of the Middle East. However, we will also have classes in darija, Moroccan Arabic, which is essentially a language unto itself. While its disregard for vowels can be annoying, it is saturated with French words, a fact that makes it somewhat easier for me to learn. In addition, Moroccans often speak with little regard to whether they’re speaking French or darija. Being white, they usually begin speaking to me in French, but if I insist darija, they tend to accede. Unfortunately, many of them are not educated enough to talk to me in fus7a, the Arabic that I learn at home, leaving French many times as my only option.
That should be all for now, but just know that I am loving the time that I have been given here, and I will write again soon.
بالسلامة!
Anyhow, back to my current continent, our time in Rabat was busy, but quite well spent. My picture taking was not quite up to par given that I left my camera on a tour bus one day, and that I did not charge the battery, so it promptly died upon being returned to me.
The CLS staff is excellent. Our site director is impressively energetic and very excited about seeing us learn Arabic. Her zealousness can border on intimidating, but all in all, it’s for the best. Without her watchful eye, I know that our preferred language of interaction would always be English. The rest of the staff, all Moroccan, is laid back, but always willing to sit and work with us, both in darija and in fus7a. (more explanation about that later) One of them would even wander around the souq (market) with us during our free time, helping us barter and choose the right products. We were also very grateful to the staff of the two beautiful riads (homes in the old part of town that have been remade into small hotels) in which we stayed. They tolerated our mix of broken Arabic and French, and the man who worked in my particular riad, Dar Aida, would sit out with us each night and help us as we studied.
Our days were filled with class, lectures, tours, and eating. We were able to see some remains of the old dynasties that ruled Morocco and parts of southern Spain (including the Romans).
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| The stork nesting grounds in Chellah. I sense a baby boom on the way... |
One of these sites, Chellah, has become little more than a massive nesting ground for storks and egrets. While there, I was convinced that I had been transported into one of those Lion King games for Super Nintendo where you have to jump from nest to nest without falling into oblivion and losing a life. Also memorable was the visit to Hassan Tower and the mausoleum of Muhammed V, the grandfather of the current king.
On Wednesday, we were able to go to the home of a woman who is friends with our site director. The woman lives alone with her daughter in the heart of the old Andalusian part of the city, the qasbah. From the roof, we had an amazing view out over the city and the river.
 |
| Making couscous with Sa'adia |
In the kitchen, we were able to watch as a master showed us how to make delicious couscous with chicken. (The Moroccan word for couscous clearly demonstrates their maddening penchant for dropping all vowels: ksksu) The following day, after some annoying failed attempts, I finally succeeded in getting another Moroccan classic dish. It consists of a semicircular piece of bread that is opened up and stuffed with a fried potato/garlic dumpling called maqooda. You can add whatever you like to this, but I particularly like it with a fried egg and a spicy pepper sauce. They then mash it all together and 70 cents later, you’re walking away with a very satisfied stomach.
As I mentioned in the last post, there are two different kinds of Arabic that we will be learning during our time here. Primarily, we will be studying fus7a (the 7 represents a strongly aspirated h sound), or Modern Standard Arabic, which is the language of the media and of higher education throughout most of the Middle East. However, we will also have classes in darija, Moroccan Arabic, which is essentially a language unto itself. While its disregard for vowels can be annoying, it is saturated with French words, a fact that makes it somewhat easier for me to learn. In addition, Moroccans often speak with little regard to whether they’re speaking French or darija. Being white, they usually begin speaking to me in French, but if I insist darija, they tend to accede. Unfortunately, many of them are not educated enough to talk to me in fus7a, the Arabic that I learn at home, leaving French many times as my only option.
That should be all for now, but just know that I am loving the time that I have been given here, and I will write again soon.
بالسلامة!
 |
| Looking out over Rabat |
Hi Andrew,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your adventures. What a great time in your life and you are truly appreciative! Keep us posted. Hey---don't you have a birthday coming up?
love, Aunt Trish