I both anticipated and feared this day. I looked forward to coming home to my pregnant wife and students but I knew I would miss this amazing place. I have learned and experienced so much. This trip was the most surreal thing I have ever done. I flew off my home continent for the fist time, left the United States for only the second time (sorry Canada, not counting you here), put my feet in the eastern ocean, awoke to calls to prayer, ate amazing foods, got lost in an ancient city, rode a train across the country, haggled with street vendors, saw snake charmers and dancers, and met some amazing people! For the first time, I had the thought, "I can do this, I can travel!" This trip has been an amazing experience and thank you for all of those who followed this blog and for all of those who helped make it possible! Not bad for guy raised in a tiny town in Indiana.
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This morning we all met back together. It was a lot of fun hearing about everyone else's experiences and amazing stories. It was nice to be back to a group again. This is one thing that I love about travel, the amazing people you get to travel with. This is seconded only by the people you meet along the way! We spent the day reminiscing, telling stories and visiting one last site, Du Chellah. Du Chellah is a fortress left by the Romans when they used to hang out here. Inside the wall is an extensive and beautiful garden with ruins all over oh, and storks, lots and lots of storks. In the evening we spent a little more time in the medina where I had the privilege of watching a professional help me haggle for my new leather jacket. It was awesome! Our local guide Merrium is an amazing lady and a relentless negotiator! I also want to shout out to Robin our group leader who took great care of us and helped make the trip so amazing! They both helped us all so much and I am so appreciative of all the work and time they spent to make our trip the best! We all had one last unforgettable meal and left early the next morning. To my cohorts, you guys rock! I loved spending time with you all!
Today we visited a private school for students k-12 in El Jadida, visited a classroom for deaf students, hung out with Mifdal's last couple of classes and had a traditional dinner at his apartment.
For more information on special education and services in Morocco please read the latest post under "For Teachers." David and I could not get over how wonderfully hospitable Moroccans are. This is generally manifested through food. There was not a day in which the students did not bring in cookies, homemade bread, tea, dates and milk. Today the students brought us the meal in the picture called rfissa. I asked if the students made it. One of the girls responded that her mother made it and that it took over three hours! I knew Moroccan hospitality was legendary but holy cow! We had a nice snack (more like a meal) in between classes as we sat and talked about Morocco and the United States. The students, teachers and parents of Morocco have taught me the meaning of hospitality to an extent that I do not believe I could ever match or repay. That evening we had a nice dinner of Harira (a type of soup) and breads with Mifdal as we watched home videos of Moroccan celebrations at his apartment. A good way to end the day. Tomorrow we leave for Rabat. Day 10 3/10/15
At the end of the evening yesterday we visited with the director of the British Center which is a private English school. They teach English after school hours. Yes, that means students would have school from 8-12, 2-6, and 6-8. We discussed how important it is to know/learn English for students all over the world especially Morocco. He told us how French is receding and English is rising and will soon become a second language in Morocco replacing French. We spoke of how the Moroccan government wants to teach Moroccan English, that is to say English without the English/American culture. For example, the Ministry tried to stop the use of the name Sharon in some examples in the curriculum (partly due to the former Prime Minister of Israel: Ariel Sharon…they don’t like Israel). The director spoke of how you cannot teach language without teaching the culture; they are forever and deeply linked. It seem as though English will be the future of Morocco. He also mentioned new legislation coming to Morocco that would make it illegal for teachers to teach after school hours. This means that 90% of the Center’s teachers will not be able to work there. Dealing a major blow to private schools across the country. Maybe that is the point. If you want to live in Morocco, I think I could probably find you a job! Today we visited a Moroccan University. We toured the campus and got to hear about some of the research projects taking place there. These projects included research for fresh water solutions, formulating the best fertilizer and compost for local farmers, and the use of kelp and seaweed for use in products like cosmetics. We also had the opportunity to speak with students about their plans for the future and how Morocco and the United States address global issues like pollution, preserving the environment and political corruption. We discussed the future of Morocco and the United States. They told us that Moroccans are committed to preserving the environment and are generally happy with the current governmental system despite instances of corruption. We all agreed that these are large problems and need cross-cultural solutions. We spoke of how the U.S. is a country of many nations very unlike Morocco. We spoke of our eclectic heritage and how the United States is a melting pot of cultures. Morocco has few immigrants. Most people are decedents of either Arab or Berber origins and go back for generations. This is confirmed when I look at the students in the classroom, there is very little diversity. Tomorrow we head back to Rabat. Day 9 3/9/2015
This morning we visited the cistern under the old city of El Jadida. This cistern was built by the Portuguese and was used to collect fresh water to use and store in case of an attack. It was built with the old city in the 16th century and was first discovered in the 1960’s by a shop keeper who wanted to renovate expanding his shop. Luckily he found the site without doing much damage. The way the light hits the water makes for some really neat images. We attended two more classes today and I got to speak more about Indiana. The Moroccan students continue to comment on how wonderful Indiana and Northridge High School look especially our library and auditorium. The students taught us a little bit about Moroccan weddings and culture. Weddings can last anywhere from 3 days to a week depending on the region in Morocco and the wealth of the family. The ceremony begins with singing and dancing and the reading of Koranic verses. The bride is dressed in a traditional white caftan and sits in a chair called “the Amariya” with her groom and they are both carried around a large room by strong men. This allows every guest to see the couple and wish them happiness and good luck. They are finally seated in the front of the room in ridiculously ornate chairs. Guests are allowed to take pictures with the couple. Throughout the ceremony, the bride will wear as many as seven different caftans ending in a magnificent white wedding dress. Moroccan weddings are also known for the variety of exotic Moroccan dishes, unique ingredients, and dedication by Moroccan chefs to pull them together. Different Moroccan dishes are served to wedding guests including pastille (a pie in puff pastry stuffed with a fricassee of pigeon or chicken, almonds, sugar and cinnamon), Mashwi (baby lamb), Tajine (stew meat with prunes and almonds), couscous, traditional pastries and Moroccan cookies all served with traditional mint tea. The guests dance from time to time to the rhythm of music, chat and connect with other guests and relatives. The ceremony usually ends at around 5 am. At the end of the wedding the couple are taken on a car parade ( a parade of guest and family cars) through the streets and neighborhoods, stopping at specific spots (local beaches or parks) to take pictures with friends before the couple head to the house of the groom. In some regions of Morocco, on arriving at her new home, the bride is welcomed by her mother-in-law who will offer her dates and milk as a sign of welcome and affection. It is quite the event. Little girls dream of their wedding days. Day 8 3/8/2015
After another heart wrenching taxi ride back to El Jadida, David and I visited the old fortress built by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. It’s old! El Jadida once known as Mazagan was one of the earliest Portuguese settlements in West Africa on its way to trade in India. The city was later overtaken by Moroccans in 1769. In the 19th century the king of Morocco Sultan Moulay ‘Abderrahman ordered the city to rebuild parts of the city and to construct a mosque. He also forbade anyone to use the name Mazagan and renamed the city El Jadida (The New in Arabic). This fortified city is considered a world UNESCO site. You can read more about it by following this link http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1058. Today it is full of life and throughout the city can be found mosques, a Jewish Temple and this old Portuguese church (Church of the Assumption). 3/7/2015 Day 7
Well this is one for the books! David and I woke up early this morning so we could catch a petit taxi (these are small taxis designed to carry people around the city) so that we could catch a grand taxi (these taxis take people to other cities) to Merrakesh. Each city has different colored petit taxis. Rabat has blue taxis, El Jadida has white taxis, and Merrakesh has gold painted taxis. Grand taxis are how Moroccans (and a couple of tourists) get from one Moroccan city to another and they are all white. I am sorry I did not take my own picture but I will get one for the way home tomorrow. It was hair raising 3 hour drive to Marrakesh weaving in and out of traffic, pedestrians, motorized bikes, scooters, and donkey carts all of which share the same road, oh and there were no seat-belts. We made it safely to our destination despite all odds. We were dropped off at the medina in the center of the city and were left to our own devises to try and find our bed and breakfast, Riad Le J. A riad is a traditional Moroccan home. It has multiple stories, generally pretty old, has an open air courtyard, and lounging on the roof. It looked great on Trip Advisor but we did not realize how impossible it would be to find anything in a medina! A medina is full of shops and winding and twisting alleyways many of which do not show up on any map ever made. It is most literally a labyrinth. With a great deal of assistance, many wrong turns, and what seemed like hours scratching our head over a map, we made it to our destination. We stayed just long enough to drop our stuff and hit the medina! Merrakesh is a very special place and one of the many reasons to visit is found at the center of the medina. It is an open space full of pedestrians, musical and dance performers, snake charmers, and street vendors. This square is called Djama El Fnaa and it is the scene of the city! It is overwhelming, you could spend hours there simply watching the performers, but do not take any videos. My travel companion learned that one the hard way. It is not appreciated. My pictures do not do it justice, pretty cool scene! Near the Djama El Fnaa is the Madrassa Ben Youssef. A madrassa is a place were students go to become Islamic religious leaders. The school was amazing the intricacy of the masonry, wood work, and mosaics were astounding! They were unmatched to anything I have ever seen. One could imagine works spending hours on the tiniest detail of the tiniest corner of the building. Look at all the pictures and image someone doing it all by hand. Amazing! This school no longer educates religious students but it teaches those who enter it a lesson in Moroccan skill and artistry. After our visit to the madrassa we spent more time in Djama El Fnaa, things really come alive at night, and went back to Riad Le J near the center of the medina. I lounged on the roof top to write this blog to a cool evening overlooking a radiant city with the faint sounds of crowds and music carrying in the air. Marrakech, a Moroccan must! Tomorrow we head back for El Jadida for some much needed R and R. 3/6/2015 Day 6
This morning our host teacher picked us up in our hotel and we went to his school, Ibna Khaldoun High School. To welcome us, his students brought us dates (a traditional food given to guests), fried bread, honey, cakes and tea. It was quite a spread! My fellow traveling teacher (David) and I talked to the students about our homes and our schools. We were in an English class so I am not sure how much they picked up but our host assured us it was good for his students to hear native English speakers. They seemed to enjoy Indiana and thought we were all very lucky to have the school we have. I agree! They were all pretty amazed at how amazing our school really is. Even David commented on how much more pristine our facilities were than his. He works at Sparks High School near Reno Nevada which seems like a really cool place to. The students also commented on how nice Indiana looks. It was a lot of fun talking about home and about the students there! Our host teacher (Mifdal) teaches English to six separate classes. Each class period is 2 hours and consists of 40+ students each. Most classes in a public school are that big. Mifdal will often split his classes to 20+ students for 50 minutes a piece to make things more manageable. Today we taught 2 classes (4 if you split them like Mifdal did) and were done by 12:00 p.m. We then visited Midfal and his family for some couscous which traditionally is only served for lunch on Friday. Couscous is the national dish of Morocco and rightly so. It is delicious. We were served a mountain of couscous. Check out the picture above…there is a whole chicken under there. Notice the regular sized fork on the side of the dish to give you some perspective. We meat his wife who was very nice (she prepared the meal) and we met his three adorable daughters. In Morocco, the main meal of the day is eaten for lunch. Students are sent home to eat with their families and then return for classes again two hours later. Very traditional meals will be eaten by the men first and what is left is given to the rest of the family. This may be part of the reason why they make so much food. There is always enough to go around. This is done in traditional homes but many homes in Morocco do not adhere to this tradition. After lunch we visited Midfal's small hometown of Azemmour. Even this smaller city had ancient defensive walls around it. This seems to be a theme for most cities in Morocco. We toured the scenic Kasbah, took in some sites and headed back for our home for the coming week. On our way back to El Jadida we visited the major resort just down the road called Mazagan Beach Resort. It had a casino, 4-wheeler trails, a beach and hundreds of rooms. If you want to do a resort in a place that is a little different than what you are used to…You need to check this place out! Tomorrow is our day off and we plan take a taxi to the city of Marrakesh for a day and night near the Atlas Mountains. 3/5/2015 Day 5
This morning we visited Abi Dar Alghiffari , one of the first and very few IB schools in all of Morocco. The students were full of smiles and very very welcoming! We had a great time meeting a teacher/musician who looked like Carlos Santana who naturally played guitar and used music to teach English to his class. Very cool! Later that afternoon we left for El Jadida on the train. Riding first class through the Moroccan countryside, not a bad gig! It is amazing how much the land reminded me of Indiana minus the occasional palm tree. It was very green and very flat (check out the photos). We arrived in El Jadida and learned what a neat place it was. It is a beautiful little city right off of the Atlantic Ocean. It has a Kasbah (fortress) and medina (another word for a walled city) left from the 1500s when the Portuguese colonized this port city. I hope to do some more exploring in the days to come. Tomorrow we meet some of our host teacher’s students and family. 3/4/2015 Day 4
Today we visited a private Moroccan school called Alyaqada School. The differences between the public and private schools are quite noticeable. Look through the pictures and see what you notice between the two types of schools. See if you can identify which pictures go to which school. Comment on what you see/notice. Public schools have a great deal of competition with private schools. Generally private schools have smaller class sizes and more resources. Those who can afford it often prefer private to public schools. After our visit, we traveled to the Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS). This school is basically the college all students who want to become teachers in Morocco must attend. They attend ENS for one year after four years of content in the subject matter in which they would like to teach. We heard from the students (soon to become teachers) about Moroccan schools and what trends and changes they would like to see in the Moroccan education system. One of the biggest speaking points was on the future of technology in education and bringing it into classrooms despite limited resources. There are few answers but the need is there and schools are starting to see its importance. Tomorrow we will visit a Moroccan International Baccalaureate school called Abi Dar Alghiffari and then my travel partner (David) and I will leave by train for El Jadida which is just south of Casablanca. There we will meet our host teacher and get settled into new accommodations. 3/3/2015 Day 3
Today was so cool! We had a classroom session and learned about the Moroccan school system. If you would like to see the details, click on the tab for teachers to get all the wonderful details. We then visited Moulay Youssef High School in Rabat. We were told it was the best public school in Morocco containing the best students in the country. We took a tour of the school stopping by numerous classrooms and talking to a number of students. It was fascinating to hear from them and answer the questions they had (in almost perfect English). The most common question we received was how students could get to an American college. The goal of most Moroccan students is to leave Morocco for universities in France, the UK, or the United States. Despite a free college education in Morocco, the UK, and France, most students were interested in how they can get to schools in the U.S. They know we have the best universities and they are all determined to come here for their collegiate education. I was so impressed with the students who were all pretty quad-lingual. We had no problem communicating in English. Their classes were mostly in French and most official documents are written in Standard or Classic Arabic. Oh and they all speak Derijan to! Given the resources, these students have the ability, work ethic, and desire to competitively compete with American students for school placements and employment. The students were all very welcoming and I was impressed by their desire and motivation to pursue an education. After leaving the school we visited the Udayas Kasbah which is like an ancient fortress used to protect the people of Rabat from invasion over the centuries. The Kasbah is surrounded by impending fortress ramparts and today is a beautiful garden. Some residents actually live inside. These are generally homes that are pretty well kept and painted in a white an blue scheme overlooking the ocean(check out all of the photos of some really cool doors). Late that evening we had a very nice Moroccan dinner after wondering through the Medina. We ate traditional Moroccan dishes like salads and a variety of delicious tangines made with a variety of vegetables, lamb, chicken and sausage. It was unlike anything I have ever had, check out the photos. Day 2
3/2/2014 I am sorry I have not been able to post anything until now. The internet where I am at is not very reliable. I just want to start by telling you guys what we did on our first day in Rabat (Morocco). We spent the morning learning about Moroccan history and culture from a Moroccan high school English teacher who spent a semester in the United State. Here are some of the highlights when it comes to Morocco 1. They have a constitutional monarchy with a king (Mohammed VI) who still holds a great deal of power and his pictures are everywhere! 2. Moroccans do not recognize Western Sahara as a separate nation. All of the maps in Morocco have them both as one country making Morocco as big a Montana and Texas combined. 3. Moroccan culture includes a blend of Arab, Berber and other African and European (mostly French and Spanish) influences. 4. Total population is 32,884,722. In comparison, the U.S. is over 300,000,000. 5. Th Moroccan population is 98.7% Muslim. 6. Some of the most common spoken languages in Morocco include Moroccan Arabic (Derija), Tamazight (Berber), and French. English is a growing language in Morocco and Spanish is spoken in the far north. The most unique language (and the most fun to listen to) spoken in Morocco is Derija which is a blend of English, Arabic and French. Essentially it is basically when the speaker jumps in and out of the other three languages throughout their speech. Official sources (TV, radio, political speeches...) and documents use Standard Arabic which is different enough to almost be like another language. 7. Most of Morocco was a protectorate of France and some northern areas were a protectorate of Spain beginning in 1912. A protectorate is like a colony except that a protectorate invites foreign powers to help run the government. A colony is often conquered through military force. 8. Morocco was the first country to publicly recognize the United States as a separate nation after the Revolutionary War. 9. Morocco became a completely independent country in 1956. 10. The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the U.S. and Morocco is the longest unbroken treaty the United States has. It was signed in 1787 and is still maintained. After our classroom session (which was fascinating!) we visited The Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE). We took a tour of the building and had a nice conversation over tea and cookies with the director of the program. We learned about American and Moroccan teacher exchange programs and the opportunities available to Moroccan students to come the the U.S and vice versa. Later we visited the brand new U.S. Embassy in Morocco and learned about programs they coordinate for English education in Morocco. We toured the impressive compound. It was a really neat experience. I have never been to an embassy before! It was neat to be back on American soil :). Finally we visited the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. The tower was built in 1195 and the mosque was never actually competed. The Mausoleum was built in 1971 and contains the tomb of the Moroccan king Mohammed V. Check out my pictures on day 1 to see what it was like! Tomorrow we learn more about the Moroccan school system, visit Moulay Youssef High School and then we will visit Udayas Kasbah. The adventure begins! I started the morning with a bus shuttle to O'hare then flights to Dulles, Paris, and Rabat. I left South Bend at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and arrived in Rabat at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday (Indiana is 5hrs behind Rabat). All of that travel eventually culminated in a well needed shower and a visit to the Medina in Rabat. A Medina is the usually the oldest historic quarter of Moroccan cities. They are generally surrounded by an huge ancient wall. Walking through the winding streets is sort of like an outdoor mall mixed with a county fair. Hundreds of different vendors line the narrow streets with their shops selling all sorts of amazing things. The things Moroccans shops are especially known for are handmade leather bags (and jackets), piles of open-air spices (oh the smell!), hand-made woodwork, ornate mosaics and intricate textiles. We walked down narrow alleyways in shoulder to shoulder foot traffic (Sunday is generally their busiest day...and the picture does not do it justice) as vendors shouted at the top of their lungs speaking a mixture of English, Arabic and French as the river of humanity flowed from one shop to the other. I made a video but accidentally deleted it. I will try to get one again later. You have to be a little sneaky as most vendors do not appreciate people taking pictures of their goods. Tomorrow we...Have classroom session about Moroccan History and culture, visit the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange. We will then visit cultural sites like Hassan II Mausoleum and Hassan Tower. “This blog is not an official U.S. Department of State blog. The views and information presented are the
grantee’s own and do not represent the Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, IREX, or the U.S. Department of State.” |
CategoriesEl JadidaMarrakeshRabat |