I've been living in Meknès for over two whole weeks now, and they have blown by. I didn't realize how long it had been since I had updated the blog, but a lot has been happening!!
We started classes two weeks ago. Arabic is really exciting, but really difficult. It feels so satisfying to finally be taking an actual class in Arabic when I've been wanting to for such a long time! The class itself is sometimes frustrating because our professor doesn't speak very good English, so things often get lost in translation. But I feel like I'm keeping up pretty well so far. I now know how to tell someone where I'm from and ask them what they do for a living, as well as write with the first seven letters and some vowels. Exciting.
My other classes are really good as well, I think I'm going to enjoy working with the professors I have here. Classes work a little bit differently here than in the states. Elective classes last three hours (which is
reeeeally difficult for our American attention spans!) once a week, and the main languages are two and a half hours four times a week. We get a short break in the middle of each class, but especially if we have Darija class (which goes from 6-7:30pm) it makes the day seem
very long. Also, it is completely acceptable for professors to teach to their opinions in class. Some of the stuff that is talked about as fact would absolutely not fly in most US universities.
One thing I've been learning quickly here is that it is an absolute necessity to have your mind WIDE open in accepting what happens to you. If you cling too hard to your expectations or what you're used to at home you
will not survive here, or at least not be happy at all. It is completely within your own power to find happiness, but the second you refuse to accept something different, you're doomed. Same goes in life, really.
Example one: our very first Sunday night here in Meknès a big group of us went out together to a Hookah cafe near our apartments. It's a pretty nice place (although they've ripped us off with a foreigner price twice now) with live music and dancing and good Shisha. But at the end of the evening (like 10pm) three of us girls left the cafe to walk home and encountered two of the most obnoxious, attention-seeking boys....they latched on (literally, they grabbed my arm) the second we left the cafe, and continued to follow us nearly the entire way home. Touching our arms and hair, trying to get us to talk to them saying things like "parlez-vous francais?" and "you have facebook?" They were definitely not taking no for an answer...we tried in literally three different languages. The more we protested the more they laughed, loving the attention. Eventually we ignored them, then got help from some older men by ducking into the cafe by our apartment.
This is one experience that you really just have to take in stride in Morocco. Young men here are ridiculous. It's insanely annoying. But they aren't particularly dangerous..even if they get all the way to your front door they won't follow you in. I honestly feel like I'm more likely to get raped in America than here. But again....it's freaking obnoxious to deal with every time you walk outside.
Example two: Friday the 16th Iman took us to the Hammam (the traditional bathhouse) for the first time. There really isn't any way to prepare yourself for that. We walk in, strip down to only underwear, and walk back into a very hot, sauna-like room with hot and cold faucets along all the walls. There are lots of naked women. We lather ourselves in a special kind of soap made from the olives left after they make olive oil, and rinse with scalding hot water from the faucets along the walls. Then we get scrubbed. That first day I was scrubbed by a very large, very naked black woman, who pretty much draped me over her leg and scrubbed with force until dead skin was coming off in clumps. It sounds weird...like unsanitary and uncomfortable...but in reality it's the most refreshing experience, and somehow entirely natural! After you've been in there for two hours it feels so nice to put on a dress and walk outside into the cool air. I feel like I've never been cleaner in my life. We went back this Friday, and I think it's going to become a weekly ritual for us.
Last weekend we did a tour of Volubilis (the site of Roman ruins near Meknès), and Moulay Idris which is a little hilltop village chalk full of mosques and beautiful views. I was pretty sick that day so I don't really remember much? Hah, ahh..sad. But here's some photos!! :)
That same night I went out on the town with some of the other students..it was kind of crazy, and kind of a long story....but it started of with us stumbling on to a break dance battle! It was sick.
Morocco actually has a pretty big hip hop scene, which is really cool! It seems like you kind of have to either go looking for it, or just fall upon it like we did. It's not exactly really obvious.
This weekend has been really chill though, Saturday a few of us went back to the old medina (we went as a big group our first Sunday in Meknès). Here's pichas.
This is part of the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the emperor who founded Meknès. We got to go inside of the mosque here! So beautiful.
This is the Bab Mansour, the entrance to the area around the mausoleum. Morocco is famous for it's doors..but supposedly this is the most elaborate in all of North Africa!
These are from inside the residential part of the medina. It's like a labyrinth of ancient homes and businesses..we got real lost in there yesterday, but it was kind of fun :)
This is in one of said businesses...there are many workshops and artisan boutiques in the medina. This photo is from a silver threading shop. The owner is a very nice man..he gave us a demonstration with the group, and was very welcoming when we went back yesterday. And his work is incredible.
That's about all the updating I can handle for right now..plus I have Arabic homework for tomorrow!
Love and miss you all at home...
-Rubea
ps. So proud of my best friends for being their popular selves and getting elected to homecoming court this year!! Wish I could have been there to celebrate!