For the time that I’ve been here in Morocco, I’ve been living with a homestay family. There are five of us in the family: a brother, sister, mother and father, as well as an old, …
Fez
Surviving a sandstorm
After two showers, I am still finding orange Saharan sand in my ears and hair. It spilled out of my Arabic notebook when I opened it in class this morning. The good news is, it’s …
Crossing Cultures
As part of the Classroom Connections program I am participating in, I’ve been communicating with a high school class in Madison, Wisconsin. As the students are currently doing a unit on “The Art of Crossing …
The Smells of Fez
Morocco is a land of color, culture, beauty and history. But without a doubt, it is a country of smells – smells that I fondly consider a part of my life here. I wake up …
First Days in My New World
I’m a week into my life in this new, surreal world. I arrived a few days earlier than the other students, and arriving in Fez, Morocco by myself was probably the most catastrophic and rewarding …
Rooftop
There’s nothing like the sound of the call to prayer from my rooftop as evening sets in. From where I sit, I have a perfect view of the entire medina. Behind me lie the surrounding …
An American’s Observations
This fascinating life is becoming less of a mystery and more of a reality. I just want to share some thoughts and observations about everyday Moroccan life. Thoughts on careers: In case anyone is wondering, …
Home Sweet Home
When I first met my new mom, we could not communicate in words at all. She doesn’t know one word of English and I know about two words in Arabic, which at the time, I …
Plane Thoughts
In a few hours when my plane touches down in Morocco, I will be completely out of my comfort zone. I am actually pretty scared. Sitting here on the plane right now, I’m trying to …
Last day in Europe
Something scary is happening! Tomorrow at this time, I will be landing in Morocco. Fez, Morocco! I will get off the plane and say good morning, “Sabah behkrer!” to the cab driver, who my hotel …