Hotel Rabat

... and coastal towns, a dilemma that sucked in the newly independent United States, since we lost our ransom rights under British allegiance. George Washington, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson all lobbied the Sultan through their French friends to back off. He eventually was so enamored with the US that he gave us a building for our embassy in Tangiers, one that we still own, now under the watchful eye of the Facility Manager in Rabat.

Rabat, Morocco nietsreuef

... viva la France! We won't have a lot of time, but plan to maximize what we do have. We're going to spend a few hours doing a boat tour near the Eifel Tower, then have dinner and just walk around for a bit to see what we can see.

I am sad to be leaving Morocco, and truly can't believe the program is over already. It's been a great experience - I've stretched myself well outside my comfort zone and am happy with my ability to ...

... designs still visible, and storks nesting on top.

Then, on our ride home, we drove along the coast and saw the Atlantic ocean up close and personal. I had forgotten how close we are to the ocean! We're hoping to go one afternoon and hang out on the beach. It isn't really appropriate to wear bathing suits, etc., but would be great to just read a book or chat. I saw people fully clothed, sitting in the sand, dressed in jellebas and ...

... for the treatment/surgery, or whatever is needed, prior to the procedure taking place. As a result, they could be there a long time. The hospital rooms are not really equipped to accommodate a large group of people, but they do anyway. I've seen rooms with up to five hospital beds crammed in, and mom is in bed with her child. Sometimes the siblings are there, too, even though they aren't sick. We are entertaining some of them in ...

Salaamu Lekum, Not a lot to report for today - it was pretty laid back with time to relax. We had orientation this morning, which included a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood. We split into groups and had to go find places and information - our group had to find the post office, internet cafe, etc., and find out details about their hours, etc., to report back to the group. We walked ...

... god for sheewee's. Crawling into our tents you had to basically crack open the fly as it was just caked in ice. Pulling on my Jelaba, sleeping sheet and zipping totally up inside my sleeping bag, face and all, I would like to say I was snug as a bug but still I had goosebumps and couldn't get warm. It stayed that way for the rest of the night... needless to say I didn't get much sleep, if any at all.

Greetings from Morocco. The net is painfully slow and the keyboard is not the same here. It makes things very difficult. We are having a good trip so far. There are 22 of us including the driver and tour leader. We have done three bush camps so far in Morocco. Bush camp means nothing but us and the truck. We have ...

... no traffic, it was bliss. Just before we joined the main Rabat road I noticed lots of Pepiniers (small garden centres) displaying their wares all along the road. This continued for several kilometres along the road to Rabat and made the whole place seem very lush and 'up market'. Then we hit the suburbs of Rabat and it was everyone for themselves. Traffic-wise, generally speaking, Moroccans aren't too bad. In fact we agreed today that the Portugese are still up there in ...

It has been almost two and a half years since I lived with my family, and even when I did, my homes were an environment of freedom, trust and personal responsibility rather than rules. And as the youngest (well, by seven minutes, but the point holds), I was never even witness to stricter standards. So any transition to a traditional family with young children was going to be a big adjustment. But this became a REALLY big adjustment when I decided to make this change in a culture ...

... not speak English (I can't help but feel stupid when my six year host old sister gets that face of disappointment each time I can't quite remember a word she's taught me). There was a short interruption just then. I'm sure, because I'm writing this at my host home, that many more will follow. This particular one was a chaotic, festive kind of occasion as we moved 3 couches out to move two beds into the salon where I sleep with the 15 and 6 year old sisters in the family ...