Shondale's 2nd

Today we visited various sites around Marrakech. We ended up in the medina (old city), which is made up of a labrynth of seemingly hundreds of narrow streets, each one lined with shops and vendors eager to squeeze out our last dollars. I was mesmerized by all the colors and wares, and thus was scolded because I was making the group go slow because I was always behind. Mind you, this was our first real opportunity to experience what kinds of things are out there as well as pricing.

As I was trying to speed shop, an older man in his 60s asked me what I thought of the death of Michael Jackson. We then engaged in a short (but meaningful) dialogue in french about what a great artist he was and how there will never be another like him. So, what are your top 5 favorite MJ songs?

Sitting in the smoke-filled lobby of our hotel reminds me (and my lungs) of this great poster that is now circulating around the university in Ifran. It basically translates as, "If you're going to smoke you might as well hang yourself." Here is a pic of that poster:

Shondale's 1st

Hi out there. Yes, it's finally me. The university is pretty and the dorm rooms are not like the closets we see in the States. The food, however, is typical college food, except for the mint tea, which is excellent. This is the center of the university, with the Mosque on the left.

Since we've been at the University, it hasn't really felt like being in another country, except for our Arabic classes and not being able to communicate with the university staff (how do you say "spoon" in French? Our first field trip saved the day.

The city of Meknes is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and I wasn't disappointed. It was founded by Moulay Ismail, who, legend has it, kept 500 concubines. He didn't keep them all at once - in fact, he would throw them into the acquaduct he had built in order to get rid of them. Because of their short stay, one now-famous concubine saved her life by telling 1001 stories to the sultan (Arabian Nights). This city is still considered to be a royal city, and is surrounded by many gates. It is also called the "Versailles of the East" because it was so elaborate, and Ismail was very good friends with Louis XIV. This is one of the many small alleys within the city.

Then we were off to Volubilis, which is an ancient Roman city that dates back to the 3rd Century. Very impressive, and it was very interesting to see how much of the city is still intact after 2000 years.

Next we visited Moulay-Idriss, which is a shrine city because it houses the remains of Moulay Ismail. The city is behind me here.Driving through was pretty exciting because it was market day and we saw all the beautiful clothes and fabrics that were being offered. Cruel and unusual punishment, as we weren't allowed to walk on our own to shop. We got to the entrance of the place where Ismail's remains are, but non-muslims cannot go in, so we just looked at the entrance and the elaborate door that the current king uses whenever he's in town.

Tomorrow we leave for Marrakech for 7 days!

Peace out.

The Mosque Tour

In between the three lectures today, we had a brief tour of the campus mosque. It was a great experience, although it was quite brief. Like all of the mosques I have seen in the various cities and towns thus far, the mosque here at Al Akhawyn is green.

When we were in Meknes, I asked the tour guide that was showing us a madrasa why mosques were green. The guide said that before the current dynasty, the mosques used to be white. After the change in dynasty, the new dynasty changed the color to green, as green was the representative color of the new King.

Today, in one of the lectures, a professor said that the color green is used for mosques because it represents life in a sea of desert. Since it is mostly hot in the region, it makes sense that green would be the color of fertility. Professor Monette also mentioned that the prophet Muhammad wore green; it was his preferred color. Thus, to honor the prophet, mosques were adorned in green.

The Al Akhawayn mosque is beautiful. We were given a glimpse to the inside of the mosque and we were given some information about the rituals that take place inside. First of all, as soon as one enters, one notices the beautiful architecture and unique chandeliers. The walls were painted white with design engraved around the windows and certain parts of the wall. We were shown where the imam prays and where the worshippers kneel. There was a see through wooden wall separating the males from the females. Professor Monette made a great point that in this way, women do not have to worry about being looked at by men. It is an opportunity for women to worship at ease. We were also informed that if a person is sick, he or she is exempt from prayer. Also, during fasting, a pregnant woman does not have to fast. It is strictly the woman's choice. After all, it should not be a burden to worship Allah.

One last interesting observation was that there are no idols in the mosque. There is not even a picture of the king. It is important for worshippers to know who they are revering. Finally, the carpet was gorgeous. Its intricate design was a thing of beauty. I am glad to know more of Islam and its beautiful practices.

In Meknes you will find Damasquines metal worked with silver, this craft was brought to the region from the Jews and Arabs of Damascus. The work entails the use of chipping tool, a small hammer, and steel wire. The craftsman creates images in the metal using Berber designs and other influences.

Video Collage of Meknes

Please click on the video to enjoy some images of the beautiful city of Meknes.

Interview with students.

We had an opportunity to interview a teacher Mustapha and two of his students: Said and Mohamed from Southern Morocco. In this dialogue we shared experiences about teaching, learning, and creating relationships between our schools.

The Story Teller:

As we were rushing through the old Medina in Meknes, just outside of the Palace was a large zocalo, plaza, or public square. It was surrounded with restuarants, cafes, and performers. People gathered to hear a story teller the first to arrive before night upon which many come to tell stories of wisdom, culture, and mythology. "C'mon you got to move with the group", said a voice, as he was engaging me the crowd in his story I had to move on....