A few school pictures...

Amicitia American School is situated in a residential home in the new part of the city of Fes so it is quite modern - flush toilets and a swimming pool... =) The swimming pool is actually in use during the summer when school is not in session but is right in the middle of the playground so it was drained when the students arrived. I have been wracking my brain to come up with some sort of use for it for my little guys - so many possibilities, none of them acceptable... We have two men (well three - one is on night duty) that are our 'guardians'. They are in constant demand to do all sorts of jobs/errands during the school day. I wanted to post a picture of them but was too shy to ask them to be on my blog because I don't know the culture well enough to know if this would be offensive. They teach p.e., manage recess, run to the store, keep hysterical parents outside the gate, repair broken things and come get the children when their parents arrive at the end of the day. This little girl in the window is waiting, just waiting. She looks so much like Karuna that it is uncanny but I haven't yet gotten permission from the parents to show off their children (my students) on a public blog so I can't post any actual classroom photos.


These three lovely ladies are the women I work with every day. We have become friends and two of them are in a cooking club with me. We meet the first of every month. So far, the fare has been Moroccan but it looks like in December, the ladies want to try out an American dish - any suggestions? I thought fudge and caramel corn would be a good introduction to American cooking!

Each week, we work on a letter of the alphabet and this was 'D' week. Naveen came over from the high school (located in an adjoining residence) and helped out with some DRUMMING while the children DANCED. He stuck around for DONUTS and DRESS UP.

Just a few more...

This is a beautiful gorge with natural springs about 3 1/2 hours south/southwest of Fes. In the summer, it is quite the happening quasi-vacation place but we were the only ones there on this day, except for the locals who ran the little shops. Subterranean water rushes out from the bottom of the hills on either side of the gorge and little huts with cement floors and thatched roofs are built straddling the springs. You walk down steep steps and onto gorgeous carpets scattered around with pillows. Dinner and mint tea are brought to you as you recline. These little boys were some of the locals whom I think live there year round.

This is the view from our front window - facing north. If you looked straight down, you would see the petite taxi stand.

More pictures from our 1st week...

This is our 'salon' or living room, taken from the door of the apartment. Most salons have 'froshs' (beautifully covered, backless couches w/ cushions) all along the walls.






Taken from the window seen in the previous picture. These are the 'petite' taxis that zip around the city proper. They are all red in Fes and I've heard that each city has its own particular color for their petite taxis. It is against the law (and is enforced) to have more than 4 people including the driver in the taxi at one time. They are pretty cheap and have a meter that is accurate. School is about a 25 minute walk; a taxi ride costs 5 dirhams (9 dirhams to 1 US dollar). I try not to think 'oh - that's only about 50 cents' because I get paid a whole lot less here but most people can afford occasional taxi rides. There are buses too but I haven't been brave enough to try one of those. Everybody shoves and pushes and some (more gutsy than I'll ever be!) hang on to the outside. There don't seem to be any rules attached to bus riding nor any clear direction as to where the bus is going...

Pictures from our 1st week in Morocco

This was the view from our balcony (one of three) at 6 am 0n the first morning of arrival in Fes. I shed a few tears 0f happiness and then went back to bed.

ARRIVAL...

We are here!!! And yes! camel(s) have been sighted but not ridden - yet. Since we arrived during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, things are not like they are during the rest of the year so we probably should wait for good descriptions of regular life but, RAMADAN....

Morocco is HOT during this time of year. During Ramadan, people fast during the daylight hours and this includes not drinking - anything- even water. One can hide a bottle of water in a bag and take occasional nips on the sly but one does not want to be offensive in the first week of arrival. Possibly a (certain but remaining nameless)new arrival may become seriously dehydrated and has to stop the bus to be sick on the side of the road BUT never drink in public during Ramadan ...

Since people are fasting all day, the nights are crazy and very fun. The fast is broken by f'tour (breakfast) when the imam sings out the official announcement in the evening. The time changes each night because it depends on the phases of the moon. When we arrived, f'tour started at a little after 7 and has been a little earlier each day. Everybody races (literally) home to be sitting at the table and taking the first bite (a date - there are piles of them at the markets) with everybody else in the city as the imam calls. The hour when everybody is supposed to be home and eating dinner is the most dangerous time to be out on the streets - think 2 am in Compton, California....
The eating routine (and therefore the staying up routine) follows a 'normal' day with tea time somewhere around 9 and 'lunch' at midnight. 'Dinner' is at 3:30 in the morning when the imam calls for the last time and all the shops roll down their metal doors at the same time. THEN the general public goes to bed. Most people sleep in but alot don't because they have jobs that require interface with the West so they get up and have to be to work at 9 or 10 in the morning. Believe it or not, most Moroccan schools have regular hours during Ramadan.

A few nights ago was the 'night of power'. Ideally, an individual can pray all night and garner the same merit as if he had prayed for 1000 months. I'm sure some do this but practically, people dress up (especially young children) in outfits tailored specially for the occasion and walk the main street with their famlies, taking pictures. It is very festive with vendors selling balloons and snacks. All the restraunts are open and you can take a ride in fancy horse-drawn carts.

Pictures will be arriving soon. =)





There is soooo much to explain and share - come visit!!!!!

Specifics...

Some of you may be a bit confused because until a month ago, we were heading to China to teach English in a university setting. Others had no idea we were going anywhere, so here's what's up...

Nuka and Kesh were graduating this year and going to college, leaving Naveen and I to hold down the family fort. I talk a lot - Naveen doesn't and the home landscape was looking bleak. We've always had tentative family plans to go abroad but life interfered. This time around, after checking with the Power That Is, we began taking actual steps toward spending the 2012/2011 school year Somewhere Else.
First on the horizon was an opportunity in China, teaching English, but after quite a bit of preparation, the Chinese university decided at almost the last minute to only employ teachers from last year, leaving the new recruits without Chinese options.
AND THEN...
Someone who knew someone mentioned to someone else... Coincidentally (not), we were available and willing and excited and yah - you know how it is. The perfect fit!

I will be teaching in an American school in Fes (yep - where the hats come from) and Naveen will be attending the same school for his junior year. The school was started in 2004 by an American couple and graduated its first 5 students last year. It's small - about 150 students. Naveen will be the oldest EFL (English as a first language) student. I will be teaching preschool and compiling a curriculum that aligns with the rest of the school. Those of you who know me well know how much this pleases me!!

Check out the school's website at www.americanschoolfes.com

Launch!

Testing, testing...