Morocco, Day 3
Jul. 10th, 2008 12:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bookaddict88Teaching was a little rougher today. The kids were much more rambunctious and talkative. We've threatened that we'll take away someone's break tomorrow if we have to, so hopefully it will get better instead of worse. However, we expected that things would be a little more difficult today, since the kids are starting to get used to us, so it really wasn't that bad. There is one kid who is starting to show a real attitude, though, which is kind of getting to me. It only showed up a couple of times yesterday, but today he had an attitude most of the day. One other kid has had an attitude since the beginning, but for some reason, he gets on the other teacher's nerves more than he does mine. Hopefully we can get past these two kids' attitudes, though. I can deal with talking and such, but it really bugs me when kids show attitude (which is, once again, why I stay away from junior highers!).
We also aren't nearly getting as much done as we'd planned. We're keeping up with reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and we'll be able to keep up with our main project (the kids are writing a fantasy story). Other than that, we'll really have to start prioritizing. I don't really care that we don't get things done, but it does mean more planning on our end, because we have to figure out what we really want these kids to learn. I wish we had more than 3 hours a day for 2 weeks with them!
After lunch today, a few of us went to visit a local grocery store. It was fairly Westernized, but it was different enough to be interesting. The main difference, of course, was the language. Most everything is in Arabic and French, neither of which I understand. Actually, the French really throws me off. I keep expecting things to be subtitled in English, since English is the second most common language in most of the other countries I've visited. (Except Armenia, but there the other language was Russian, which uses different letters than English, so I don't expect to be able to understand it when I see it). Other than that, there were some different foods (though many were familiar), and a really neat moving walkway that connected the basement (where all the groceries were) and the ground floor (where you checked out).
Around 3:30, we went to a Moroccan home for tea. The house was absolutely beautiful! The family sure had money. The living room had several different alcoves in different styles (all very ornate, but not overly so), and each bedroom was more like a suite. The kitchen was a double kitchen, with each side having a sink, a stove, an oven, etc. Unfortunately, I find just the smell of mint tea repellent, so I refuse to taste it. Some of the sweets were quite tasty, though! Our hostess spoke very little English, so communication was difficult at first, though we did have a couple of people who could translate. However, partway through, we learned she spoke Spanish fluently as well as the expected Arabic and French. I don't speak Spanish fluently, but I at least can understand it, especially since she spoke with an accent from Spain, which is much clearer than Mexican Spanish. And there were more people in our group who spoke or at least understood Spanish than Arabic or French, so being able to speak in Spanish when necessary made things easier all around. Apparently, the hostess had learned Spanish from a young age, since her father was a businessman who did much business in Spain. Anyway, it was really interesting visiting the Moroccan home. I was a little bit bored at the beginning (some of the others escaped to play video games with the kids of the Moroccan family, but that's not really my thing), but looking around the really interesting house still kept me pretty occupied. This is another thing I'd love to show you pictures of, but knowing me, I don't know if I'll ever get around to it. Plus, pictures don't nearly do the house justice!
Finally, after the tea, most of us went to a more downtown Casablanca. We went to the Old Medina, first. It was really neat to walk down the narrow streets and see all the open shops and things (and tons of cats!). While there, I bought a navy blue jellaba for 300 dirham (about $43). The color is somewhat shimmery with teal (which is the color of the trim), and it has draped sleeves. It is absolutely gorgeous, so while I shouldn't be spending much money, I had to get it. I made my mom barter it down from 480 dirham, since I hate bartering. While we were leaving, the merchant offered 400 (then 500) dirham to my mom for me. Apparently, I'm worth only about as much as the jellaba was!
After leaving the Old Medina, we went and got dinner (rotisserie chicken for most of us, fish for a couple), which we ate at tables on the sidewalk. It was REALLY yummy! Their chicken is quite flavorful. The only bad thing is that this diseased cat (it was bleeding behind both ears, and looked quite gross) thought that the food was good, too, and would not leave us alone. Finally, we got it to go away, but for most of the dinner, I was uncomfortable trying not to let the cat touch me. Of course, the cat would choose my lap to put a paw on... Typically, I'm not the most paranoid about wild animals, but this cat was just disgusting, and reminded me of when I went to Thailand and a person in my group got herpes, probably from a dog. Anyway, after dinner, we caught taxis back to the school. We had to wait outside the school for a little while, because the night guard didn't recognize us and they hadn't given us passes, since we're only here for two weeks. By the time we got back to our apartment, it was a bit past 10pm.
Well, it's way late now, and I have to be awake for the kids tomorrow. But hopefully I'll get some pictures up soon!
We also aren't nearly getting as much done as we'd planned. We're keeping up with reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and we'll be able to keep up with our main project (the kids are writing a fantasy story). Other than that, we'll really have to start prioritizing. I don't really care that we don't get things done, but it does mean more planning on our end, because we have to figure out what we really want these kids to learn. I wish we had more than 3 hours a day for 2 weeks with them!
After lunch today, a few of us went to visit a local grocery store. It was fairly Westernized, but it was different enough to be interesting. The main difference, of course, was the language. Most everything is in Arabic and French, neither of which I understand. Actually, the French really throws me off. I keep expecting things to be subtitled in English, since English is the second most common language in most of the other countries I've visited. (Except Armenia, but there the other language was Russian, which uses different letters than English, so I don't expect to be able to understand it when I see it). Other than that, there were some different foods (though many were familiar), and a really neat moving walkway that connected the basement (where all the groceries were) and the ground floor (where you checked out).
Around 3:30, we went to a Moroccan home for tea. The house was absolutely beautiful! The family sure had money. The living room had several different alcoves in different styles (all very ornate, but not overly so), and each bedroom was more like a suite. The kitchen was a double kitchen, with each side having a sink, a stove, an oven, etc. Unfortunately, I find just the smell of mint tea repellent, so I refuse to taste it. Some of the sweets were quite tasty, though! Our hostess spoke very little English, so communication was difficult at first, though we did have a couple of people who could translate. However, partway through, we learned she spoke Spanish fluently as well as the expected Arabic and French. I don't speak Spanish fluently, but I at least can understand it, especially since she spoke with an accent from Spain, which is much clearer than Mexican Spanish. And there were more people in our group who spoke or at least understood Spanish than Arabic or French, so being able to speak in Spanish when necessary made things easier all around. Apparently, the hostess had learned Spanish from a young age, since her father was a businessman who did much business in Spain. Anyway, it was really interesting visiting the Moroccan home. I was a little bit bored at the beginning (some of the others escaped to play video games with the kids of the Moroccan family, but that's not really my thing), but looking around the really interesting house still kept me pretty occupied. This is another thing I'd love to show you pictures of, but knowing me, I don't know if I'll ever get around to it. Plus, pictures don't nearly do the house justice!
Finally, after the tea, most of us went to a more downtown Casablanca. We went to the Old Medina, first. It was really neat to walk down the narrow streets and see all the open shops and things (and tons of cats!). While there, I bought a navy blue jellaba for 300 dirham (about $43). The color is somewhat shimmery with teal (which is the color of the trim), and it has draped sleeves. It is absolutely gorgeous, so while I shouldn't be spending much money, I had to get it. I made my mom barter it down from 480 dirham, since I hate bartering. While we were leaving, the merchant offered 400 (then 500) dirham to my mom for me. Apparently, I'm worth only about as much as the jellaba was!
After leaving the Old Medina, we went and got dinner (rotisserie chicken for most of us, fish for a couple), which we ate at tables on the sidewalk. It was REALLY yummy! Their chicken is quite flavorful. The only bad thing is that this diseased cat (it was bleeding behind both ears, and looked quite gross) thought that the food was good, too, and would not leave us alone. Finally, we got it to go away, but for most of the dinner, I was uncomfortable trying not to let the cat touch me. Of course, the cat would choose my lap to put a paw on... Typically, I'm not the most paranoid about wild animals, but this cat was just disgusting, and reminded me of when I went to Thailand and a person in my group got herpes, probably from a dog. Anyway, after dinner, we caught taxis back to the school. We had to wait outside the school for a little while, because the night guard didn't recognize us and they hadn't given us passes, since we're only here for two weeks. By the time we got back to our apartment, it was a bit past 10pm.
Well, it's way late now, and I have to be awake for the kids tomorrow. But hopefully I'll get some pictures up soon!
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adding
Date: 2008-07-14 05:19 pm (UTC)you are welcome in turn
+Seraphim
lj=seraphimsigrist
real life= seraphim joseph sigrist
Just wanted to say
Date: 2008-08-03 07:31 am (UTC)Good post!
Date: 2008-09-23 08:08 pm (UTC)Cool page..
Date: 2008-09-28 05:11 pm (UTC)