10. bagels
9. sandwiches
8. movie theaters (apparently they exist but I have never seen one... less than three weeks to HP 6)
7. street names (I have no idea how people navigate)
6. a public transportation system less intimidating and expensive than the taxis
5. parks
4. better electricity (my iPod speakers don't work, blerg)
3. Canada Dry
2. Macs
1. air conditioning
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sahara
The Sahara Desert was amazing. We had to ride about an hour and a half on camels to get to our campsite, so that was incredibly uncomfortable. I christened my camel Gouverneur Morris after the Pennsylvania representative at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and also an all-around cool guy. I took a lot of pictures and in a few minutes I am trying to upload them again. The campsite was very cool - there were eight tents with mattresses in them, but we dragged them out to sleep under the stars. We could also see the Milky Way, which doesn't happen in DC. The first thing we did when we got there was run up the tallest dune surrounding the campsite, then we had some photo shoots around sunset and after that we played some frisbee on the ground (the actual campsite was on a level surface).
Dinner was some Moroccan soup and (surprise, surprise) chicken with vegetables, which is basically the only thing I have eaten this entire trip. I am pretty sick of Moroccan food already. Ahmed, another student from San Francisco, brought a ukulele and I learned a few songs (the little melody from "Measuring Cups" by Andrew Bird and the beginning part of "Portions for Foxes" by Rilo Kiley). Later that night we had a campfire, but the temperature was actually perfect - not too hot and breezy on the way there and cool at night. Two other girls and I tried to sleep in the dunes, but we came back down with the rest of the group after a while.
We woke up at 5:30 the next morning to watch the sunrise, which was not quite as pretty as the sunset but still very cool. We went back on our camels right after breakfast - I was on a female camel on the way back, who I named Margot after the character from "The Royal Tenenbaums." Then we went back to the hotel we stayed in on Friday night to shower and swim, which was heavenly. Later that afternoon we had to leave for a different hotel about half the distance back to Marrakech. We toured the "casbah" (the old walled city) - where several movies were filmed, including the snake pit from the first "Indiana Jones" movie and parts from the beginning of "Gladiator." It was quite neat, but I can't really describe it without pictures - check out http://picasaweb.google.com/k.zitelman sometime for some photos.
Then unfortunately I was very sick on Sunday night/Monday from eating over the weekend, so the bus ride through curvy mountain roads at 70-ish miles an hour was not pleasant. However, I was able to listen to Andrew Bird's "Fingerlings" and "Fingerlings 2," which were both excellent. I am about halfway through "Homicide" and I will resume reading "A People's History of the United States" when I am done with that. I think I have gotten over whatever sickness I have, so I am feeling a little more confident. Yesterday I had some crepes at a French restaurant here in Marrakech, but they were not nearly as good as Crepes a Go Go back in DC. The schedule for the next few weeks is just straight classical Arabic from 8 to 5 (with about three hours off in the middle of the day). On July 14 we leave for Essouira on the Atlantic coast, where we will live in a hotel for a week before returning to Marrakech for an exam and then a day of concluding activities. We are going to have some guest speakers next week after school but I am not sure what they will be talking about.
I am usually online between 1 and 2 in the afternoon my time (8 and 9 a.m. EST) so if it is easy for anyone to be on Gmail, feel free to Gchat me any day except July 1, 3, 8 and 10. I heard Billy Mays died... how heartbreaking. Any other news from home? I would love to get some more emails in addition to the frequent Kensington news updates (ha) from the parents.
Dinner was some Moroccan soup and (surprise, surprise) chicken with vegetables, which is basically the only thing I have eaten this entire trip. I am pretty sick of Moroccan food already. Ahmed, another student from San Francisco, brought a ukulele and I learned a few songs (the little melody from "Measuring Cups" by Andrew Bird and the beginning part of "Portions for Foxes" by Rilo Kiley). Later that night we had a campfire, but the temperature was actually perfect - not too hot and breezy on the way there and cool at night. Two other girls and I tried to sleep in the dunes, but we came back down with the rest of the group after a while.
We woke up at 5:30 the next morning to watch the sunrise, which was not quite as pretty as the sunset but still very cool. We went back on our camels right after breakfast - I was on a female camel on the way back, who I named Margot after the character from "The Royal Tenenbaums." Then we went back to the hotel we stayed in on Friday night to shower and swim, which was heavenly. Later that afternoon we had to leave for a different hotel about half the distance back to Marrakech. We toured the "casbah" (the old walled city) - where several movies were filmed, including the snake pit from the first "Indiana Jones" movie and parts from the beginning of "Gladiator." It was quite neat, but I can't really describe it without pictures - check out http://picasaweb.google.com/k.zitelman sometime for some photos.
Then unfortunately I was very sick on Sunday night/Monday from eating over the weekend, so the bus ride through curvy mountain roads at 70-ish miles an hour was not pleasant. However, I was able to listen to Andrew Bird's "Fingerlings" and "Fingerlings 2," which were both excellent. I am about halfway through "Homicide" and I will resume reading "A People's History of the United States" when I am done with that. I think I have gotten over whatever sickness I have, so I am feeling a little more confident. Yesterday I had some crepes at a French restaurant here in Marrakech, but they were not nearly as good as Crepes a Go Go back in DC. The schedule for the next few weeks is just straight classical Arabic from 8 to 5 (with about three hours off in the middle of the day). On July 14 we leave for Essouira on the Atlantic coast, where we will live in a hotel for a week before returning to Marrakech for an exam and then a day of concluding activities. We are going to have some guest speakers next week after school but I am not sure what they will be talking about.
I am usually online between 1 and 2 in the afternoon my time (8 and 9 a.m. EST) so if it is easy for anyone to be on Gmail, feel free to Gchat me any day except July 1, 3, 8 and 10. I heard Billy Mays died... how heartbreaking. Any other news from home? I would love to get some more emails in addition to the frequent Kensington news updates (ha) from the parents.
At the souk
Of the week I have had here in Marrakech so far, the other students, host siblings and I have been to the souk at the "Square of the Dead" three times. It gets its name from a period in history during which enemies of the state and rebels would be executed and then their heads would be displayed in the square. Now it's busy pretty much all the time. The square itself is very big and open, with shops and cafes lining it and a view of the Koutoubia Mosque (the biggest one in the city). It is populated by tourist attractions mostly: snake charmers, monkey handlers, orange juice sellers (we have been told not to accept juice because the cups are not washed), henna artists and whatnot.
At the edge of the square, the souk (marketplace) begins. It gradually turns into a very narrow alleyway with shops back-to-back on both sides. After a few minutes, you have pretty much seen everything - leather purses, shoes, counterfeit sunglasses and soccer jerseys, scarves, etc. All the shops offer virtually the same prices and goods, so I don't really like staying there for too long because it's rather claustrophobic. You have to barter for everything, but now that I know Moroccan numbers it's not so hard. So far I've picked up a few gifts for friends and family and a shirt, camel shoes and necklace for myself. It seems like it's the place to go at night. There's really not a lot to do here in Marrakech. Most of the economy is supported by tourism, but this is not a city I would recommend as particularly historic or tourist-friendly. Lots of locals go to the shops as well, so it's not quite as easy for shopkeepers to take advantage of the other students and me especially when we bring our host siblings with us.
One of our favorite pasttimes here is spotting Inappropriately Dressed Europeans (IDEs) and taking stealth pictures of them while shouting "ya haram" which means "forbidden." We have also developed a system of "rajul" ("man") and "imra'a" ("woman") points that we give each other when someone does something stereotypically male or female. It's not very funny but somehow we always laugh at each other whenever someone brings it up. Well, time to try again with pictures... this computer lab is not as well-equipped as I was made to believe, but at least it has air conditioning.
At the edge of the square, the souk (marketplace) begins. It gradually turns into a very narrow alleyway with shops back-to-back on both sides. After a few minutes, you have pretty much seen everything - leather purses, shoes, counterfeit sunglasses and soccer jerseys, scarves, etc. All the shops offer virtually the same prices and goods, so I don't really like staying there for too long because it's rather claustrophobic. You have to barter for everything, but now that I know Moroccan numbers it's not so hard. So far I've picked up a few gifts for friends and family and a shirt, camel shoes and necklace for myself. It seems like it's the place to go at night. There's really not a lot to do here in Marrakech. Most of the economy is supported by tourism, but this is not a city I would recommend as particularly historic or tourist-friendly. Lots of locals go to the shops as well, so it's not quite as easy for shopkeepers to take advantage of the other students and me especially when we bring our host siblings with us.
One of our favorite pasttimes here is spotting Inappropriately Dressed Europeans (IDEs) and taking stealth pictures of them while shouting "ya haram" which means "forbidden." We have also developed a system of "rajul" ("man") and "imra'a" ("woman") points that we give each other when someone does something stereotypically male or female. It's not very funny but somehow we always laugh at each other whenever someone brings it up. Well, time to try again with pictures... this computer lab is not as well-equipped as I was made to believe, but at least it has air conditioning.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Zagora, pool hall, and MSA
Hello from Zagora! Yesterday we drove about ten hours through the Atlas Mountains, which were really cool. The landscape is very versatile and varied - we passed through mountains covered in trees that looked like they belonged in North America, and there was also a desert section that was pretty flat and bland. There was also a section that looked like the Grand Canyon - it had huge rock formations and a very twisty road. We spent last night in a hotel, which was incredible because it had air conditioning. It also has a pool! And delicious food. I have lots of pictures but uploading is a lot of work to make happen. Hopefully I will be able to when we get back from Zagora on Monday. There are about 30 up already on picasaweb.google.com/kzitelman, mostly of the plane ride and drive home. I have around 300 to upload.
I also meant to write a post last week about going to a pool hall in Marrakech but I never had time. I went with about 15 other students and host siblings. We probably stayed for about three hours; it was a lot of fun. I had my first "asir banan" (literally: banana juice), which is kind of like a banana milkshake and very tasty. We actually spoke darija (the local dialect of Arabic) to one of the waiters and he kind of understood.
On Thursday, we started lessons in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). I moved up to the advanced class, and my new teacher is much more focused than my teacher for darija classes. I find MSA much easier to make sense of so I am glad we are done with darija.
The schedule for today is visiting a village in the morning and then camel riding in the afternoon! I think we are leaving around 4 or 5 to go to another town. We will leave there on camels for an hour-ish ride into the Sahara Desert, where we will sleep in tents (or outside) for the night and then return on the camels tomorrow morning. Someone is bringing a frisbee so there might be some ultimate on the dunes. Pictures will be taken but who knows if they will be seen by you all. I am very excited for my first camel ride! Next blog will probably be Monday or Tuesday when I get back.
I also meant to write a post last week about going to a pool hall in Marrakech but I never had time. I went with about 15 other students and host siblings. We probably stayed for about three hours; it was a lot of fun. I had my first "asir banan" (literally: banana juice), which is kind of like a banana milkshake and very tasty. We actually spoke darija (the local dialect of Arabic) to one of the waiters and he kind of understood.
On Thursday, we started lessons in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). I moved up to the advanced class, and my new teacher is much more focused than my teacher for darija classes. I find MSA much easier to make sense of so I am glad we are done with darija.
The schedule for today is visiting a village in the morning and then camel riding in the afternoon! I think we are leaving around 4 or 5 to go to another town. We will leave there on camels for an hour-ish ride into the Sahara Desert, where we will sleep in tents (or outside) for the night and then return on the camels tomorrow morning. Someone is bringing a frisbee so there might be some ultimate on the dunes. Pictures will be taken but who knows if they will be seen by you all. I am very excited for my first camel ride! Next blog will probably be Monday or Tuesday when I get back.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Driving
Driving in Marrakech is crazy. The most common cars are hatchbacks and these sort of minivan-station wagon combinations, mostly Renaults and Peugeots. I have seen one Hummer and it was shocking. The roads are mostly very straight, and none of them have names so I'm not sure how people navigate.
Our host mother is very intense about driving. She goes way over the speed limit most of the time and when she wants to pass, she leans on the horn - which never has any effect - until the other side of the road is clear (or not clear, she doesn't really care) and then zooms by the slower car, moped, bike, pedestrian or horse. Most of the scooters are Yamaha Mates, which look a little bit like old Vespas but not nearly as pretty or well-made. They also don't go as fast as the cars, but scooter drivers do frequently run red lights. Apparently traffic tickets are very expensive here, but that does not seem to be a deterrent from running lights or stop signs (they are rare, most cars just turn without stopping).
Crossing the street is another story. Just as cars don't normally stop for red lights, pedestrians are either ignored or unnoticed entirely. Horn-honking is basically a perpetual sound here. One must sprint across the street, stopping between mopeds, cars and trucks to avoid being hit. It's very frightening.
Parking, however, never seems to be an issue.
Our host mother is very intense about driving. She goes way over the speed limit most of the time and when she wants to pass, she leans on the horn - which never has any effect - until the other side of the road is clear (or not clear, she doesn't really care) and then zooms by the slower car, moped, bike, pedestrian or horse. Most of the scooters are Yamaha Mates, which look a little bit like old Vespas but not nearly as pretty or well-made. They also don't go as fast as the cars, but scooter drivers do frequently run red lights. Apparently traffic tickets are very expensive here, but that does not seem to be a deterrent from running lights or stop signs (they are rare, most cars just turn without stopping).
Crossing the street is another story. Just as cars don't normally stop for red lights, pedestrians are either ignored or unnoticed entirely. Horn-honking is basically a perpetual sound here. One must sprint across the street, stopping between mopeds, cars and trucks to avoid being hit. It's very frightening.
Parking, however, never seems to be an issue.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tales from the airport
Hello from Africa! After nightmare upon catastrophe upon fiasco upon disaster getting here, the city is really interesting. On Thursday morning (still in DC) we went from our hotel in Arlington to Reagan National Airport to arrive around 8:15 for a 10:40 flight to JFK Airport in New York City. After checking our baggage, we went to our gate and waited. Our plane was delayed until noon. We waited more, and it was delayed again until 2 and then again until 5, and then only after 5 was it canceled entirely. Then our group leader, Christine, had to run around in a panic to try to get us onto another flight. (I was traveling with 10 other students; the other 10 had already caught flights to New York.) Our plane to Casablanca left JFK at 8:45, so it was unlikely that we would make it but there was still an 11 p.m. flight to catch. Finally we got on an 8:30 flight to JFK, landing there around 10:40. So then we had to run (literally) through the airport to the Royal Air Maroc check-in area with all our carry-ons (no one even tried to worry about our checked luggage, which just came yesterday). We had to beg them to hold the plane, then we ran through security and to the gate, getting on just in time. The flight to Casablanca was sevenish hours, then we had to wait about five hours in that airport for a flight to Marrakech. Then we finally got there, without our checked bags of course. Unfortunately I have to log off now to go back to Arabic class, but I will try to write another entry tomorrow or Wednesday with pictures. Ma-salam'a!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Actual last night in America
Today we had a LONG day of "meetings" at our hotel in Arlington, Va. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It was painful to sit through. In a nutshell it was people from Legacy International (the organization that is sending us to Morocco) and foreign service officers from the State Department telling us how valuable Arabic is - which sounds useful and interesting until you realize that you have to listen to it for nine hours straight. On the other hand, we are going for free so I'll put up with whatever they want if it will get me there.
Before we came we all received an email telling us a little about the host families. They were all in the city except for one family on a farm, and all of them had students approximately our age learning Arabic. Okay, I thought, as long as I'm not on the farm that's outside the city I will be fine.
Guess who got stuck on the farm?
But actually it appears to be not as bad as I anticipated. My host parents are both doctors who own their own private practice, and they will structure their appointments around my school schedule. The American Language Center (ALC), where I will be taking my courses, is about 15 minutes from the "farm," which is really a few olive and orange trees. The parents have two daughters, 12 and 16, and I believe they have a guest house type situation where my roommate, Tamanna, and I will be staying. I think there is a Western seat toilet, not an Eastern squat toilet.
So that's been the main anxiety source, but after talking to our trip coordinator I am feeling much more confident about the "farm." Bonus.
As for everybody else, there are about twenty students on this trip. Most are entering their senior year of high school; myself and four others are entering college this fall (we are the oldest) at places like Georgia, Georgia Tech and Bennington (!). Most of the students are from the east - Connecticut, several from Atlanta - and then there's one from California, Wisconsin, Utah, St. Paul and a few other places. We have two adult chaperones, Ethan and Christine, and our coordinator, Hamza, going with us on the planes tomorrow. Royal Air Maroc has a reputation for "losing" (read: stealing) baggage, so I am a bit nervous about that. And our ten-hour layover in JFK Airport will be, obviously, long. However, I have brought my iPod speakers and am in the process of planning an airport dance party with some other students.
Lastly, for those not so technically apt, you can subcribe to this blog to make it easier to access by clicking on "Subscribe to: Posts" at the bottom of the page. If you have Gmail you can follow it with Google Reader, which is one of those links on the top left (next to Calendar, Documents, Photos, etc.). If not, you can follow it in your Internet browser. If this doesn't make sense it doesn't really matter, it might just be easier for some people. Ask your young friends.
Next post will actually be from Morocco - salaam!
Before we came we all received an email telling us a little about the host families. They were all in the city except for one family on a farm, and all of them had students approximately our age learning Arabic. Okay, I thought, as long as I'm not on the farm that's outside the city I will be fine.
Guess who got stuck on the farm?
But actually it appears to be not as bad as I anticipated. My host parents are both doctors who own their own private practice, and they will structure their appointments around my school schedule. The American Language Center (ALC), where I will be taking my courses, is about 15 minutes from the "farm," which is really a few olive and orange trees. The parents have two daughters, 12 and 16, and I believe they have a guest house type situation where my roommate, Tamanna, and I will be staying. I think there is a Western seat toilet, not an Eastern squat toilet.
So that's been the main anxiety source, but after talking to our trip coordinator I am feeling much more confident about the "farm." Bonus.
As for everybody else, there are about twenty students on this trip. Most are entering their senior year of high school; myself and four others are entering college this fall (we are the oldest) at places like Georgia, Georgia Tech and Bennington (!). Most of the students are from the east - Connecticut, several from Atlanta - and then there's one from California, Wisconsin, Utah, St. Paul and a few other places. We have two adult chaperones, Ethan and Christine, and our coordinator, Hamza, going with us on the planes tomorrow. Royal Air Maroc has a reputation for "losing" (read: stealing) baggage, so I am a bit nervous about that. And our ten-hour layover in JFK Airport will be, obviously, long. However, I have brought my iPod speakers and am in the process of planning an airport dance party with some other students.
Lastly, for those not so technically apt, you can subcribe to this blog to make it easier to access by clicking on "Subscribe to: Posts" at the bottom of the page. If you have Gmail you can follow it with Google Reader, which is one of those links on the top left (next to Calendar, Documents, Photos, etc.). If not, you can follow it in your Internet browser. If this doesn't make sense it doesn't really matter, it might just be easier for some people. Ask your young friends.
Next post will actually be from Morocco - salaam!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Tuesday morning
To clarify: I actually fly out of the country (DC-NY-Casablanca-Marrakesh) on Thursday morning. Today I am going to a hotel in Arlington, Virginia for orientation with the other 20 students. Though I will still be in the US until Thursday, today is my last day at home. Last night I had my last York Castle mint chocolate chip ice cream with Melanie. I just finished updating my iPod with Guilt By Association Vols. 1 and 2 (pop and rap covers by indie bands, including an a capella of "Don't Stop Believin' ") and many new podcasts to listen to, so I should be set for music. For books I will be taking "Stuff White People Like," "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets" (the inspiration for the TV show, written by one of the creators of "The Wire" - thanks Julia!), "I See By My Outfit: Cross-Country By Scooter," "The Arab-American Handbook," "A Street in Marrakech" and "A People's History of the United States." And I am very hungry so I am going to go eat waffles and watch last night's episode of "Weeds" and a "Top Gear" rerun I DVRed, probably the last bit of American television I will get... next writing should be from Morocco, so مع السلامة (goodbye).
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Last weekend at home
Salutations! Thanks for reading. I will be using this blog as a diary while I spend six weeks in Marrakesh and Essaouira, Morocco, learning Arabic and staying with a host family. Who knows what might get thrown up here. Also be advised there might be some posts just about the music I am listening to, because I am filling up my 80 GB iPod with a lot of stuff that I've been meaning to listen to but haven't had the time. Your feedback is welcome. I'll also try to talk about Morocco and Arabic and whatnot.
Right now it's Sunday night, the second-to-last night I will be spending at home. On Tuesday afternoon I go to a hotel in Arlington for orientation, and I fly DC-New York-Casablanca-Marrakesh on Thursday. Yesterday and today have been largely devoted to packing; luckily my suitcase is only 30 pounds so I should be okay. I hope I haven't forgotten anything. If you want anything from Morocco, let me know and I'll buy it for you if there is room in my bags.
Unfortunately I am missing Telekinesis, Camera Obscura and Metric in concert this week (not to mention the June 20 Attributes & Action Jackson show) but, you know, going to Morocco is probably going to be more fun anyway. But to all my friends who are going to those shows, please share pictures and memories.
I'll most likely write something tomorrow or Tuesday morning before I leave, so until then, peace.
Right now it's Sunday night, the second-to-last night I will be spending at home. On Tuesday afternoon I go to a hotel in Arlington for orientation, and I fly DC-New York-Casablanca-Marrakesh on Thursday. Yesterday and today have been largely devoted to packing; luckily my suitcase is only 30 pounds so I should be okay. I hope I haven't forgotten anything. If you want anything from Morocco, let me know and I'll buy it for you if there is room in my bags.
Unfortunately I am missing Telekinesis, Camera Obscura and Metric in concert this week (not to mention the June 20 Attributes & Action Jackson show) but, you know, going to Morocco is probably going to be more fun anyway. But to all my friends who are going to those shows, please share pictures and memories.
I'll most likely write something tomorrow or Tuesday morning before I leave, so until then, peace.
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