Hotel Hilton Rabat

... East relations. I wish I was better informed on the issues so I could participate more, but it was interesting listening to his perspectives, as always!

The hospital was good this week, and I missed it when I wasn't there. I've gotten used to the turn-over in kids and parents, although am happy that a few of my favorite regulars are still there. I know it's bad for them because it means they're still in the hospital, but ...

... before this program ends. Suffice it to say, I didn't leave home base all day, except to go to the hospital in the morning. I was excited about learning the words for colors, because it would be so helpful to talk with the kids about their coloring at the hospital! My nerd flag is waving proudly, but I was really geeked out to go in and impress the kids with my ability to recite colors to ...

... we got into the wrong car. We bought 1st class tickets which guarantee seats, but got in the 2nd class section by accident. 2nd class seating is first come, first serve, so seats aren't guaranteed and no one wanted to risk standing for a 3.5 hour train ride (there isn't much difference in price, so it is worth it). Anyway, the train took off as we were trying to find our seats. It was hot and crowded, about 16 of us were ...

... with this placement and we're working through them. We make a good team, and balance each other well at the hospital. Her comments really meant a lot to me, and gives me a bit more confidence going back tomorrow. This afternoon, a few of us went to get train tickets for our weekend excursion to Fes and Meknes. We were buying for 9 people (3 tickets each). One ticket from Rabat to Fes, another from Fes to Meknes, and another ...

... rice, rolls - once again not starving. Yay cook group over for another week, so glad we don't have to do it in the cold. Oliver's foot has blown up so were quite lucky in being able to obtain him some ice from the shop. Once again not sure what's wrong just all swollen and sore. Right pain as we are currently driving to a gorge which is meant to be beautiful for trekking. He won't be a happy lad having ...

... very decorated gate but could not go inside.  Our first pictures in Morocco! Yay!  We haven't been sure on etiquette with taking pictures here so we've held back. Deciding to try and find the Medina again we headed back to retrieve our passports.  The officer who originally took our passports was no longer there, and the new officer kept telling us in French that if we wanted to see the palace we had to leave our passports, while we tried to tell him that ...

... cycling. Fifty kms today, dead flat (pretty much) straight down the N1. There's nothing on the road, oh except a Metro cash and carry, a few dilapidated hotels and the odd bus and taxi stop. It's nothing to write home about in other words. Apart from the odd glimpse of the ocean, which is beautifully greeny blue and the beaches which for the most part are golden and completely uninhabited unless they have been earmarked for development in ...

... country more open to me as well. There is some truth to this. After Ramadan we will begin traveling around the country more-something I've been craving almost as much as I crave coffee. And I will be able to look at the city as a volunteer - though I'm not sure of the details yet, I will be working teaching English to low-income youths in the city, and potentially doing work with a British NGO. And there is a great deal of truth, I believe, to the fact that social opportunities ...