I'm Alive

Hi Guys,

I know it has been a few days since my last post, but I have been jam packed and internet access is hard to come by. Anyway, I made it safely to Morocco and have been really enjoying myself since my arrival. I did have some excitement in that one of my two bags was MIA after the flight here but earlier today I went back to the airport where my bag was waiting for me. Unfortunately, this is going to have to be a fairly short post but I promise longer ones once my home stay begins (I move in tomorrow).  

My first few days here have been spent being orientated to the program and exploring the Medina, or "The Old City." It is in the Medina where my host family will live and where all my classes will be held, it is a vibrant part of the city that clings tightly to a more traditional lifestyle than the rest of the city. The majority of people who live here are lower-middle class Muslims who live with their extended family in fairly large, two or three story homes. From the outside, these homes appear a bit run down but once you enter, they are very spacious and absolutely beautiful. The school building where my classes are held was once one of these homes. It is gorgeous and the view from the roof terrace is unmatched (see photos below).

I have learned some Arabic during my few days here but it gets quite confusing due to the fact that Moroccans in Rabat speak a different dialect of Arabic known as Darija. Darija and classical Arabic are essentially two different languages and while my host family and the people around town speak Darija, I will be learning classical Arabic in school. Morocco might be one of the most bilingual countries in the world: Darija, French, Spanish, other Arabic dialects, and numerous other languages are spoken throughout the country. Although some Moroccans speak broken English, navigating the language barrier has been a huge challenge during my first few days here.

I have also decided that instead of just giving a play by play of what I've been up to, I think my blog posts will be based on a topic that relates to Morocco and my trip. Religion, language, sexuality, rural life, and human rights are just a few of the things that make this country so interesting and focusing on just one of these topics per blog post will allow me to go into much more depth while still giving little anecdotes from my trip that relate to them. Enjoy the photos below and I promise to have a more lengthy post for you this weekend. Talk to you then.

-Granger

Sunset in Rabat

Rabat from the roof terrace (only part of the 360 degree view)

The inside of our school building (doesn't do it justice)