Rabat

So it's taken me a few days to get my wirless connection up and running at school and my family doesn't have internet, so here is the beginning of the journey. After graduation on Saturday, (which by the way, it felt SO good to pin on those two bars and become a cow), we all met up with MAJ Clark and loaded up the van to head to the airport. There are five of us here from West Point, (me, Aryn, Chris, Cory, and Martin). Chris, Martin ...

... train as we went by. I saw a few women working outside, doing laundry, etc. Men were working in the fields. There were also quite a few sightings of men/boys riding mules alongside the road, either for transportation, to haul materials, or both. The landscape shifted between dry and dusty to green and lush. The Atlas Mountains were visible in the distance as we were traveling through the Middle Atlas portion of the country ...

... in 2008, and he enjoyed playing with the kids and volunteers so much, he comes back every day to hang out. He played himself off as a patient to us, but he hasn't been for a year! No matter to us - we like having him around. He's a good kid and really helpful. Yesterday afternoon, our Program Director did a talk on the history of Morocco, and then on things to see and do while we're here. He is a fascinating guy and I could ...

... valvoessa, sillä paperinohuet seinät eivät juuri blokanneet ympäröivää meteliä: meno oli sen verran äänekästä, että edes korvatulpat eivät auttaneet asiaa. Toisilla taisi mennä vielä huonommin, sillä osa kokousväestä joutui kuuntelemaan viereisen juna-aseman kuulutuksia läpi reissun. Unkarilainen työryhmäläinen tosin kertoi olonsa olleen kotoisan, sillä hänen asuntonsa sijaitsee aseman vieressä Budapestissa. Tupakointimääräykset olin ...

We made it back to Rabat to pick up our Indian Visas. Arik was still sick for the first 2 days so we spent time watching movies, reading up on India, and trying to stay dry (it rained a lot). In Rabat we found a Pizza shop with Schwarma Pizza which was pretty delicious, other than that not too much to report. Being Morocco's winter it isn't warm (16C), so we are looking forward to the heat of Asia.

... acknowledged that they had felt guilty and paid for the henna, despite being clearly told it was 'free' initially. A quick look at the King's tomb and it was off to the Casbah via a thankfully uneventful and legitimate cab driver. While the other two were investigating the facilities I enjoyed watching a pickup soccer game in front of the gates, which surprisingly defied the rules of a pick up game by featuring unselfish play and ...

Left Casablanca this morning for Rabat, arriving around lunchtime. Jamal took us for a walk around the medina, which was WAY better than Casablanca's, but apparently is no where near as good as the one in Fes... (yes I'll be buying feses in Fes!) After the medina, went ...

... different, a mixture of sewers, shish kebab and sweat. The traffic was completely mad, everyone cutting everyone else up and there was absolutely no giving way to cyclicsts - welcome to Morocco. We failed to find the Hotel Victoria (although the very next day we came across it while wandering) but we did find the Pension Palace. The Medina is a series of small lanes and that;s where we wanted to stay, Pension Palace was not, as it's ...

... open up as well, when restaurants and beaches and clubs are no longer closed, when the day is once again a time of activity, rather than rest and anticipation, and the night not so much a time of family. This undercurrent of anticipation does not mean I haven't truly enjoyed these past couple weeks, especially the emphasis on spending time with my family. Each night consists of a slur of language learning and cultural exchange, all wrapped up in that warm, fuzzy blanket of how ...

... left outside on the street of the orphanage, dumped in the garbage and on rare occasion the police will actually pick them up from the hospital. Most of the orphans come from prostitutes which is why they are dumped in these ways. There are 250 orphans and handicappers and at least one new orphan arrives at the orphanage each day! I was placed in the group with 3-4 year olds, all boys. Unfortunately we are not allowed to take any pictures at the orphanage. But I swear I am ...