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.
You write beautifully Jennifer. Each blog is a delight. I think fudge and caramel corn are good American choices. What about pie?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update - love the pictures. I would agree with the apple pie...maybe even pumpkin pie? But not sure of apple/pumpkin access in Morocco...what do they grow in Morocco?
ReplyDeletePumpkin is in season and about 30 cents a pound, so pretty cheap. Mostly people cook it with other vegetables for tagine or couscous. I haven't seen a lot of variety - just large longish gords that are bright orange inside and taste like pumpkin. You buy it by the kilo.
ReplyDeleteApples are locally grown but there are a lot of 'pommes importe' also. Apples are not cheap (weird since many of the students have farms and grow them) and the local crop is about the same price as the imports. They are usually about .60 -.75 a pound.
Morocco (where we live) has olives, pomegranates, apples, oranges, rosemary (growing wild), cactus fruits, wheat, tomatoes - It feels like the San Jaquine Valley in North/Central California without the fertile soil. I think it is also hotter in the summer and cooler in the winter than that part of California but right now it is gorgeous fall weather - beautiful, sunny days and wind.
Ok, we gave you a month, now we want more!! Your life can't be that boring..and if it's busy and exciting, we want to hear/see about it! Please!! Congratulations on grandbaby #2--sounds like she's doing great! Can't wait to meet her.
ReplyDeleteLove, Jen
You don't need excuses for not keeping blog up to date. (: You are LIVING and TEACHING and being friends and being a Mom/Naveen friend...enough for most people. I regard the blog as frosting (which I actually eat in preference to the cake (: Very delightful and most interesting but no matter if you miss a month or two. (: All the same...love your news; it is most welcome!!
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