Morocco: Week three

    I am going to start off this journal by talking a bit about my love for Chefchaouen. We went to visit Chefchaouen, also known as the blue city. The reason for the blue is that most of the houses are painting blue, the doors, the walls, even the inside of some houses are blue. It was honestly one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to. The blue as they say brings a sense of calmness to the city, and also chases away flies. The calmness was definitely there, and the beauty that I was exposed to was just breathtaking. I couldn't even describe how I felt, and when I was explaining it to my mom I just felt as though she has to be present to feel and see the this with her own two eyes. Chefchaouen was the highlight of my time here thus far, til I camped out in the Sahara desert and went through Marrakech.

    This weekend we took a trip to Marrackeh, and also to the Sahara Desert. It was one of the most unbelievable and unforgettable experiences of my life. We drove through the mountains, then we went to Ouarzazate, where we visited a castle where lots of movies have been shot, such as Prince of Persia. We also passed through the ECLA movies studio, where a lot of Moroccan movies are shot. Finally we arrived in Zagora, which is the very beginning to the Sahara desert. We rode a camel through the desert to our tents, where we spent the night. The view was spectacular. Watching the sunset, the stars at night and the sunrise in the morning was so incredible. This gave me a chance to really reflect on my life, as I am given this opportunity to travel and experience the beauties of this world, I couldn't help but take it all in. I was so happy, but also very overwhelmed by what my eyes were witnessing. Words couldn't describe it, I was very much heart felt. 

    This entire experience and journey has opened my eyes, I know that I want to travel more. I am very interested in culture and being in Morocco gave me the confirmation and confidence that I needed to assure myself that I am pursuing the right things. I am indeed on the right path to becoming a successful person. My goal in life has always being to make my parents proud, and eventually better my life; to grow up to become a strong, intelligent and well cultured human being. I am very thankful for the opportunity that was given to me, because this was an eye-opening adventure.  

    As for my internship with Amal Sale, I am getting the hang of things way more easily than last week. I think the reason is that we are becoming a familiar figure with the students, so they aren't as disruptive as they used to be. Also, I am becoming much more comfortable and I can roll with the flow now. It feels good to know that I am making an impact some of the student's lives. Although we are not getting through to the whole entire classroom, I do know that those that really want to learn and are passionate about having the ability to speak English are really attentive and are practicing what we are teaching them in the classroom.That's all I want really want. 

    I am sad to live Morocco, but I really do miss my family and I think it's time to go back home. My internship went well, despite the change. I know that some of the students were really grateful that we thought them English. I hope to come back to Morocco soon! If I can go home for a week and come back that'll be great!

Morocco: Week Two

    My Moroccan adventures has been all over the place this week. I was supposed to be doing an internship with a women rights organization, but they cancelled last minute. Literally, two days before I was upposed to start. So, On Monday, when everyone started their internships, I wasn't really sure where I was going to be placed yet. In the morning I went with another group to their organization to see what is was about. I really enjoyed it actually! It was interesting teaching adults, and also working with two other people rather than it being just me teaching. In the afternoon, I went to the CCCL to see what the social media internship had to offer, but I wasn't too interested because there was nothing for me to do since it was a last minute decision thing. All and all I decided to stay with the teaching, even though  I did not select any teaching. I figured it'll give me more of a push and i'll have something to do everyday.
    Although I did not get to intern for a women rights organization like I wanted to, I was glad to be working with the Moroccan youths just because I feel like I will get the full Moroccan experience by teaching. The fact that my students are older, gave me the chance to really see firsthand the way women behave around men and to observe the issues that women deal with daily. My students are much older than I am for the most part. The youngest is 12 years old, and the oldest is 34 years old. The organization I work for is in Sale, which is considered a bad area, full of street kids who do not want to be in school. My organization is not really a school, but more open to people who rather have an unconventional way of learning. So they have a lot of classes available to them, and they come by choice, they are not forced to stay but have to behave a certain way once they are in the institution.
    Around my second day of teaching, I notice that the men where more outspoken than the women in the classroom. They raise their hands quickly, are more open to come up and answer. The women on te other hand are much more quiet. Even though they know the answer, they do not say anything, and when they do answer they are soft spoken, you can barely hear them. We decided to do some exercises to make them shake of the morning laziness, so they are upbeat. In my acting class, we did fun things like make crazy noises and weird dance moves, which always seemed to wake up the class. When we decided to do the same with them, no one wanted to participate. The men where less reluctant than the women, however no one wanted to do it. I was really surprised, I mean there was nothing bizarre about the exercise we wanted to do with them, but they are so afraid of being embarrassed that they rather not participate. A girl in the classroom later told me that women are not supposed to dance in front of men, that it's Shuma, in other words a shame.
    I started to wonder, why should women not feel confortable dancing around men? This question led me to many other questions such as, why is is that women are barely seen in cafes? Why are women objected to cover their hair/head and not men? Why is it that women have to do everything that their husband require of them? My host sister who is married, was telling me that she doesn't work because her husband doesn't want her to, even though she would like to. So, if her husband never allows her to work, she will spend her days at home all day and just cook, clean ad watch TV. Also, she mentioned that it is written in the Quran that women have to cover their hair, they have to obey their husbands and such. So then I start to wonder, do they follow these ways because it is a religious thing? If it is then, are all the women in other Islamic countries also feel like they have to behave a certain way and dress a certain way? Do all islamic countries have a patriarchal society? So many questions I feel like I cannot get the full answer to, with the short time that I have here. However, I am willing to explore as much as I can.

Can't wait to see what next week has to offer! :)
xoxo
   

     

Expose!

Kristia Tolode

A Place on the Terrace: Cafe Culture and the Public Sphere in Morocco

    Said Graiouid in his article explores the cultural practices of the cafe life in Morocco. He starts by describing gender roles within the cafe lifestyle, as well as the utopian environment that the cafe gives to its habitual customers. His analysis on the cafe life really portrays the mini culture of the Moroccan ways, with the amount of growth and progress that has been made, especially with human rights.

    Women were not seen much in cafes because it was considered improper. The cafes are considered the space where men hang out, therefore the women would not come into the cafes because they might get stares from guys and that would be inappropriate on the woman's part for exposing herself to such things. Graiouid gave an example of a certain scenario in the article, when the woman had to send in her young daughter to ask the owner of the cafe a question because she couldn't go in herself. The thought of guys staring at her inappropriately was so disgraceful, and her not entering the cafe was to avoid looking bad. Of course the daughter is a girl too, but she is young and so men will not be staring at her the way they would be if it was the mother that had entered the cafe. It was really interesting reading about this, especially living in the U.S., where women and men are pretty much equal on a lot of levels. Meaning there are no places where men are allowed and women are not, or it'll be considered a taboo for them to frequent that place. It makes me eager to start my internship here in Morocco, so I can find out more about the issues women face in Morocco.

    Further along the pages, he explores the changes among the new generation youths of Morocco. Morocco is becoming very modern, in other words a lot of western influences has come into Morocco and is being represented by the youths. The cafes that used to be a male only zone, are now being conquered by women. Young couple frequently visit the cafes, meaning a young man and his girlfriend. She can go in there because she is with her boyfriend, so it's not a shame. However, when there is a football game on TV and all the men are there, the lady has to leave because watching the game is a ritual thing that occurs in the cafes among men. Even women feel uncomfortable and end up leaving anyways, and it's either the woman leaves or the couple leave together. This is important because usually while watching the game, the men are all smoking, using profane languages and such, and they have to be extra careful when using that language around women, which is why it is more comfortable for the men if the women left. Reading this passage, I quickly tied it into bars in the States. Usually in bars, when a game is on you see the men gathered in front of the TV drinking and yelling at the TV while the game is on. It's a sort of ritual as well and unless a woman is also really into sports, you do not see them in that specific scene. You usually see the women sitting down at a different section in the bar, and glancing at the TV but not fully included in the mini rituals the men put on during a game.

    The gender difference among men and women in the cafe life is quite interesting, especially once you start going into the space that is shared in the cafe among the different genders and how it is shared. As Morocco is developing, more women are going into cafes on their own without the companion of a man. Therefore, you start to see different types of discrimination, where the women cannot seat on the terrace, or women have to leave during a football game and such. So, even with development you can still see that Morocco is a very patriarchal society.  

Morocco: Week One

     Morocco so far has been a welcoming place, I love the warm weather, the vibrant colors, the feel of being in a maze when you walk through the Medina as well as the busy streets of the Zouks. I have experienced a lot of things here so far in just a few days of my stay here. People are warm, they like to hug and they smile at you. Men and women that do not really know each other do not hug or kiss on the cheek. Men and men do however, as well as women and women. It's so interesting to see how personal space is played out in Morocco in comparison to the States. 

    In New York, people like their personal space. On the train, or on the bus and such you see people in their own world, they like to seat alone and if someone seats next to them they automatically feel uncomfortable as if they invaded their personal space. Especially when someone bumps into you, you feel like the person should have to say “excuse me” because it was rude and they just invaded your personal space so it is offensive. That is not the case in Morocco, they do not have that personal space entitlement that we feel like we need. People bump into you anyhow, they hug and touch and so it's really interesting to see such a big difference in culture. I wouldn't say it was a big or huge culture shock for me, I mean it was to a certain extent, but not too surprising. Only because I grew up in Benin where it's also normal to kiss someone three times in the cheek, and such so it wasn't weird, just something I haven't experienced in a long time.

      I have also fallen in love with the fashion. It's so grandieuse and royal like. The attire that the women put on to got to a formal event such as a wedding, a graduation, the birth of a baby's ceremony and such is so rich and expensive. My host sister was telling me that they get the attire made from a tailor, who puts the whole look together and costs a fortune. The details on the “Keftan” which is what it's called is so impeccable and the entire ensemble includes a well made and embroidered long sleeve dress which has two part. The bottom dress which is equally as sophisticated, and the top dress with a slit in the front that shows the bottom dress. Then there is a belt that is also made by the tailor, it's big and round and goes on top of the dresses, a bit above the waist. Sometimes, there is a crown, depending on the customer's desire. If you are going to a wedding it's best not to wear the crown since the bride will be wearing a crown herself and the bride has to be more dressed up than anyone else. It is considered a "shuma," shame when a woman comes into these events in short dresses.

     My host family has been very warm and welcoming and so far the Moroccan people have been amazing to me as far as I can tell. It's a beautiful place with so many things to experience and I cannot wait to see more and experience it all. I also learned to use the Turkish toilets, which wasn't as terrible as I imagined. I learned that the entire family eats from one big bowl, with either their hands or spoons. Each member seats and eat together, but with respected sections in the bowl. It is considered rude to extend your hand to another person's eating zone. Our host mom always says "kuli" meaning eat! because in Moroccan culture they make sure their guests are well satisfied and comfortable. 

     The CCCL program provided a quick survival Arabic class for us, so we learned few Moroccan Arabic phrases we need to have a quick conversation, such as, how are you, my name is, I am from, counting numbers and such. So far all I can say is that Arabic is a difficult language to grasp. It has a lot of harsh pronunciations, especially with their “h.” It's been a great experience so far, and I am looking forward to the rest of this trip.