S'miti Rachel...

I've been in Morocco for almost a week, and it's hard to decide what to write about. All week we have been learning about Moroccan history and culture, how to communicate with our host families, and how not to get robbed or mugged or imprisoned or accidentally engaged to a Moroccan man. Our days have been starting at 7:30 with a delicious breakfast of pastries (pain au chocolat!), cheese, fresh OJ, tomatoes, and cucumbers. We've then been attending lectures about bargaining, street harassment, Moroccan politics, survival Arabic, and the like. It's a little tedious, but I am much less nervous about acclimating now.

I was most nervous about the homestay. After a lecture about how to refuse 7th helpings of dinner and how to use a Turkish toilet, we got to meet our host families. Only my host mom came to meet me, and she came half an hour late. But she seems nice enough. We spoke French to each other, and I realized my French is severely lacking. I'll get a lot of practice with it though, at least until I learn more Arabic! She only stayed to talk to me for 5 minutes, but I think I have 3 grown host siblings who live with her. Supposedly I will have my own room and hot water occasionally, so I'll be ok! I am a little worried that it will be lonely with no other kids in the house and a single mother. My friends' host families include plenty of young children, which would be more entertaining. But more pstilla for me!

I haven't gotten to explore Rabat as much as I'd like yet. I've wandered down rue Mohammed V into a souk to bargain for a scarf and buy a cell phone. We've been so busy with seminars that it's hard to find daylight hours to walk around.

This weekend I'll be spending 48 hours with my mysterious host family. More to come!