Morocco

I cannot believe that we our halfway through this adventure and I have not yet blogged! You may ask, Why? Of course, I had plans to blog everyday, but one very important lesson I have learned from this trip is that things don’t always go as planned. By allowing myself to innocently enjoy the surprises that await me behind every corner of this magical country, I have grown as a person. I find it extremely difficult to put what I have seen and learned into words that will accurately and fairly depict this incredibly rich culture and place. It is truly amazing and has changed my life in ways I never imagined possible. I’ve decided to put some of my thoughts into a poem, which is a work in progress…

M-magnificent esthetically, mesmerizing is the beat of the drums, mystical culture, magical vibes everywhere, majestic Atlas mountains, meaningful traditions, mosque full of prayers, mining for fossils, myths, medina so vibrant, markets filled with freshness, mint tea promotes so much sharing, Mellah in every medina full of Jewish traditon, Merzouga one of my favorites, minarets of gold, mosaics cover the buildings, mzyan, Muslim, metsharfeen(nice to meet you), merhba(hello), manik tguit?(How are you? Berber), menshkk?(How much? Berber), manigh illa ssuqq?(where is the market? Berber), Moulay Idriss the powerful ruler, Miknasa Berbers-founders of Teza and formation of the Idrisid dynasty, Mohammed the prophet, Midelt, Meknes and the royal golf course, music imbedded in the culture, Marrakech a city that never sleeps, Mogador(the old name for the city of Essaouria), Moulay Yacoub(builder of the Koutoubia mosque), Moorish, madrasa(school) so important to the children, mausoleum, Mediterranean, mentors who we can’t thank enough for sharing so much, MEARN, mixtures, Mecca, Maroc, Maghreb(refers to western area of Africa relative to eastern-orient), movement, medicinal medicine used for treatment,

O-olives of green and black color, Oleander which smells so fragrant, overwhelming of the 5 senses, ocean-one familiar and one new, ocean breeze cooling the body temperature, Ouarzazete and the gorge of Dades, overnight with host family, Organization of African Unity(50 countries that make up the continent of Africa),

R-race, religion the 5 principles, racism(perception of), racial discrimination(perception of), racial intolerance(perception of), Romans built Volibulous, radiant, Rose Valley and Berber lipstick, riads so surprising when you enter, robe, rugs carrying meaning that will roll into your own home, rulers, remember, Rabat the capital, Rabbi, regions, red flag with green star, riding horseback along the Atlantic at sunset, Rasta,

O-oils so smooth, official, Ouezane, oral literature(Sundiata) never gets lost, open grassland with sheep roaming, open arms for all who come,

C-calming scents of the flowers, couscous(ksksu) with apricots and raisins, community, carriage ride through Marrakech taking in the sights, cats everywhere, cumin a spice used often, construction happening everywhere, class, clapping of the Ganaun musicians, chanting, cherish the sense of family, charming, call to prayer echoes, civilizations, cultural intercommunication, cultural diversity, colors like a Kalidescope, creative craftsmen still honored, crossroads of cultures, crammed medinas, coming to terms with stereotypes,

C-class, cabbage in the soup, chicken tagine, chariot that used to run prevalent, camels in the desert watching the sunset, Casablanca, culture so rich, cooperatives of women making Argon oil and beautiful rugs, ceremony of a wedding, communication of all types, continent of Africa is amazing, citizen, contributions, circles as symbols, cry for equality, complex, colonization, cactus in the desert, censorship, compass pointed toward Mecca, circle of drums, changes, challenging, Castles in the Sand (J. Hendrix), crescent moon overhead, crescent shaped almond cookies with a covering of honey,

O-obedient women, Oasis of Tineghir so green and beautiful, offering, old, original, obsolete, oranges in the trees of the riads, organized, offerings, open skies almost like in a backdrop of a movie, origins,